Investing in Commercial Propert

The adoption of cryptocurrencies and the emergence of blockchain platforms have made real estate tokenization a potential capital-raising option. With tokenization, ownership interests in real estate assets can be more immediately bought and sold, but tokenization requires a thorough understanding of the technology, the offering process, and the regulatory issues involved. Investors typically invest in real estate through an LLC or limited partnership that owns an underlying property. With tokenization, LLC or LP interests are in the form of tokens that can be traded or used as collateral in smart contracts. The issuer must determine the number and type of tokens and select an exchange platform for trading. The issuer must also decide whether a security is being offered and registration is required. Offering documents may include operating agreements, subscription agreements, and a private placement memorandum. Offerings must also comply with KYC requirements and have appropriate protection of user data. Tokens should have built-in compliance features such as restrictions on transfers and secondary trading. Issuers will also need to determine how distributable cash will be paid (perhaps using stablecoins or other digital currency). Listen as our authoritative panel discusses these and other matters associated with commercial real estate tokenization.

Mortgage modifications allow borrowers and lenders to extend loan maturity, prevent defaults and foreclosure, and otherwise restructure loan terms. They provide an opportunity for lenders to "clean up" documentation ambiguities and potentially contentious issues, as well as obtain waivers and releases as part of the consideration for granting the term changes. Modifications that significantly revise the loan terms increase the risk that subordinate lenders and bankruptcy trustees may challenge the priority of liens encumbering the mortgaged property. This is particularly true when a modification relates to an incomplete construction project that is being restarted. Title insurance policies have discontinued creditors' rights coverage and do not protect against a loss of lien position. They have also significantly reduced or altered the scope of mechanics' lien coverage. Counsel involved with loan modifications must know how to obtain the optimal title insurance coverage. Listen as our authoritative panel of attorneys discusses current trends in commercial mortgage modifications and strategies for lenders' and borrowers' counsel to ensure that changes protect their clients' interests against potential lien issues, title pitfalls, and bankruptcy concerns.

This CLE/CPE webinar will provide tax counsel with a thorough and practical guide to structuring strategies and tax considerations for foreign investors in U.S. real estate, outline best practices for determining the purchasing entity, and review tax planning opportunities in structuring the deal. The United States remains the most popular destination for foreign real estate capital investment. Critical for tax and investment advisers representing non-U.S. persons investing in U.S. real property is a comprehensive examination of optimal structures for the ownership vehicle and the mechanics of the purchase transaction itself.

A ground lease can be an attractive method to develop commercial property. However, the tenant/developer's ability to obtain financing is crucial to a development's success using a ground lease. Counsel must consider the potential lender's interests in the negotiation of a ground lease between the landlord and tenant. Counsel's primary task is to balance all the competing interests concerning each key provision, such as subordination, right to cure, and consent. A lender's lien on a financeable ground lease is secured by a leasehold mortgage drafted to address the lender's and borrower/tenant's interests during the term of the lease and in the event of foreclosure. Listen as our authoritative panel of real estate attorneys discusses how to balance the competing interests of the owner, lessee, and lender to create a financeable ground lease.