The Contractor's Perspective on the Construction Industry: Q1 2019 Update

As of 2018, approximately a third of REALTORS nationwide had experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety. Listen to tips from Sergeant Robbie Barrera from the Texas Department of Public Safety on how to stay safe on the job and what to do if you find yourself in a dangerous situation.

Real estate equity investments and joint ventures have become an increasingly important part of the real estate investment arena, particularly hotel properties. Travel restrictions and health concerns had an extreme impact on hotel properties and operations, and occupancy remains low due to reduced travel. The joint venture model for hotel acquisitions offers many benefits, including increased access to capital. The joint venture agreement and other related documents are very complex and fiercely negotiated. Real estate and finance counsel must understand all the pertinent issues to successfully evaluate and mitigate risk and address economic issues when negotiating and structuring a joint venture agreement for hotel transactions. Listen as our authoritative panel of real estate practitioners and advisers reviews vital legal issues in joint ventures for hotel acquisitions and development, taking into account unique issues in this asset class. The panel will focus on preferred return/promoted interest, carried interest, cash flow splits, risk allocations, guarantees, unwind provisions, and other major decisions.

Opportunity Zone Deals, Separating Facts From Fiction: An Interactive Discussion with Thought Leaders in the Opportunity Zone World, discussing the real estate, tax, and fund structuring considerations to get deals funded and closed in today’s marketplace.

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.