How a Passive Investor Qualifies an Apartment Syndicator’s Team

One of the three main risk points associated with passively investing in apartment syndications is the syndication team (the other two are the deal itself and the market). The best deal, from a projected returns standpoint, in the best market in the country may result in failure if the team cannot successfully execute the business plan. Therefore, prior to committing to a particular apartment syndicator or to a particular deal, a passive investor should qualify the main team members involved in the deal.

Before asking these questions, however, you need to qualify the actual apartment syndicator. Click here for a blog post for how a passive investor qualifies an apartment syndicator.

There are the 7 team members involved in syndication process: property management company, real estate broker, CPA, mortgage broker, real estate attorney, securities attorney and a consultant (optional). But the main team member is the property management company.

The property management company is the boots-on-the-ground force that is responsible for overseeing the ongoing, day-to-day operations of the apartment community. This includes marketing efforts to attract new residents, resident relations (like hosting resident events), managing turnovers, fulfilling maintenance requests, maximizing rents and occupancy levels, etc. If the syndicator is following a value-add or distressed investment strategy, the property management company will also oversee the renovation process.

Prior to investing with an apartment syndicator, you want to determine the credibility of the property management company, which you can accomplish by asking the following 8 questions:

• 1.How long have they been in business?

A relatively new property management company might not have enough experience managing certain sized or types of apartments. Generally, the longer they’ve been in business, the better. For example, the property management company that we use has been in business for over 75 years.

• 2.What geographic areas do they cover?

The property management company MUST have a presence in the market in which the apartment syndicator is investing. That means the company must be local to the market or, if they are a national property management company, must have a regional office located in the market.

• 3.How many units do they manage?

Similar to the question 1, the property management company should manage multiple apartment communities in the same market. However, bigger isn’t always better, because if they manage too many units, they might not be able to provide the highest quality service. Also, if they have been in business for decades but only manage a handful of communities, that could be a red flag.

• 4.How many units do they own?

If the property management company owns other apartment communities in the same market, it could be a conflict of interest. If the syndicator’s property and their property have a vacant 2 bed, 1 bath unit at the same time, which one are they likely to fill first? Not a deal breaker, but this is definitely something that you want to be aware of.

• 5.What asset class do they specialize in?

The property management company MUST have experience implementing the same business plan that the syndicator is pursuing. For example, If the syndicator is following a value-add investment strategy, the property management company must have experience with value-add apartment communities.

• 6.What are some of the names of nearby properties they are currently managing?

This proves that they are actually managing apartments in the local market. But it will also allow you to perform some research to see how the apartment communities are maintained. If you are local to the market, you can visit these properties in person. If not, you can perform online research by looking at the website and by looking at the property on Google Maps. Also, you can look up the apartment community on Google or Apartments.com to read resident reviews and see the overall rating.

• 7.Have you worked with this company in the past?

Since you are ideally investing with a syndicator who has previous apartment experience, this shouldn’t be the first time they used their property management company. If the property management company doesn’t manage the majority of their portfolio in their target market, that could be red flag. So, if that is the case, a follow-up question would be to ask them why this management company doesn’t manage the majority of their portfolio.

• 8.Is the property management company showing alignment of interests?

Alignment of interests are always important, but they are especially important if the syndicator doesn’t have a long, successful track record with apartment communities. There are five main ways that the property management company can show alignment of interest.

The lowest level of alignment of interests is the management company has a proven track record managing apartment communities that are located in the local market, has worked with the syndicator in the past and has followed the same investment strategy that the syndicator is implementing. Regardless of the experience level of the apartment syndicator, this level of alignment of interest should be shown.

The next level up is when the property management company has an equity stake in the general partnership.

The third level of alignment of interest is when the property management company invests their own capital in the deals.

The fourth level of alignment of interest is when the property management company invests their own money in the deal AND brings on their own passive investors.

And the highest level of alignment of interests is when the property management company signs on the loan.

Again: it is ideal that the syndicator has previous experience with apartments, but if they don’t, having alignment of interests with the property management company – or with other team members, like the real estate broker or a local apartment owner/consultant – can offset their lack of experience. If the syndicator does have experience, then the level two to five alignment of interests are less important.

Over the course of your communication with a prospective apartment syndicator, these are the eight questions you want to ask in order to determine the credibility and experience of their property management company.