All Forum Posts by: Jon C.

Every commercial investment will be held in an LLC or equivalent corporate entity (usually multi-layered LLCs - holding shells owned by parent companies), but the banks will still require your personal guarantee on the loan docs. Whether you're an international development fund or a local investor with a small portfolio, you should ALWAYS be buying your commercial assets under LLCs, both for liability protection and tax benefits. As a new investor the banks will want to see your real estate experience and your equity (cash) investment in the project. The amount of debt (bank financing you're seeking) against the value/cost of the property and your equity investment will determine your likelihood of qualifying for a loan and your interest rate.

I live in Northern New Jersey and work in New York City as a commercial real estate attorney at a prominent regional firm. I invest in NY and NJ. Looking to meet other savvy investors in the tri-state area,