Syndication Newbie—What Do You Wish You Knew Before Your First Deal?

[Robert Ellis]

Hey BP community,

I’m in the early stages of putting together my first real estate syndication and wanted to reach out to the folks here who’ve already gone down this path.

I’ve been deep in the weeds with deal structure, SEC compliance, and investor pitch decks — but I know there’s always stuff you only learn after doing your first raise.

So here’s what I’m wondering:

• What do you wish someone told you before your first syndicated deal?

• Did you start with a 506(b) or 506(c) exemption — and would you do it the same way again?

• How did you approach raising capital for your first deal, especially without a big track record?

• Were there any investor objections or questions that caught you off guard?

• Any tools or processes that saved your sanity managing communications, updates, or distributions?

Also open to hearing any horror stories or close calls — I’d rather learn from your experience than repeat the same mistakes.

Appreciate any advice or war stories. Trying to make sure I set this up right from the start.