Syndication is a big word for a simple process that is not easy. Feel better? Okay, let me break this down “parade rest” (to its simplest form). To put this simply, the process as it applies to apartment syndication is the pooling of money from investors to purchase a large piece of real estate that they might not have been able to purchase themselves.
The prefix “Syn” means together. One of the things you will find interesting about multifamily investing is that it requires a team that has synergy. Resources provide better results when they are employed properly. It helps you minimize risk (Limited Partners); “Get Your Time Back” while “Owning More of America”.
There are a few relationships that are created during the multifamily syndication. We will focus on the two, Passive Investors and Sponsors, that you are more likely to be a part of. Passive Investors are busy professionals who love what you do but is aspiring to create more option at a predetermined time in the future. They might have already retired and had an appreciation of keeping their capital working. Sponsor is also busy professionals who get a great deal of fulfillment of being a good steward of the Passive Investors’ capital.
The Passive Investors are oftentimes referred to as Limited Partners (LP). Limited meaning your liabilities are limited to the capital that you invest. All other liabilities are taken on by the Sponsors.
The Sponsors are oftentimes referred to as Syndicators, Managers, or General Partners (GP). When speaking about profession the word syndicator is used; when speaking in terms of the Limited Liability Company that is created for each acquisition the word Manager is used; and lastly, when speaking in terms of the deal structure GP is wildly used. Sponsor will be used to generalize the meaning.
The choice is yours. Be an LP and continue doing what you love or take on the associated responsibilities and liabilities of a Sponsor.