Frequently asked
investor questions.

Empire Builder Capital, LLC is a real estate investment firm based in Plantation, Florida. It acquires and manages value-add real estate and offers each opportunity to accredited investors one deal at a time through Regulation D Rule 506(c) private placements. It is led by Kevin Kohler, Sean Thompson and Foti Karastamatis.

No. Empire Builder Capital is not a blind pool fund. Investors do not commit money before deals are chosen. Each deal is presented on its own, with its own offering documents, and you decide which deals to invest in, like ordering from a menu.

You review a specific property, its business plan and its offering documents, then choose whether to invest in that deal. You can pass on any deal with no obligation, and you choose how much to invest in the deals you select, subject to each offering's terms.

Rule 506(c) of Regulation D is an SEC exemption that lets a company raise money privately and advertise the offering publicly, as long as every investor is accredited and the company takes reasonable steps to verify that status. These offerings are not registered with, or reviewed by, the SEC.

Only accredited investors, as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D. In general, that includes individuals with more than $200,000 in income ($300,000 jointly with a spouse or spousal equivalent) in each of the last two years with the same expected this year, individuals with a net worth over $1 million excluding their primary residence, and certain licensed professionals and entities.

Before any investment is accepted, we take reasonable steps to verify your accredited status, as Rule 506(c) requires. This is usually done through a written confirmation from a third party such as a CPA, attorney, registered broker-dealer or registered investment adviser, or through a review of supporting documents such as tax returns or account statements.

The minimum investment is set separately for each offering and is stated in that offering's documents. Contact our investor relations team to learn the terms of a current offering.

Empire Builder Capital focuses on value-add real estate, where hands-on operations and improvements drive the business plan. The property type, market and strategy for each deal are described in that deal's offering documents.

We study the market first, then the property. We verify rent rolls, financial statements and expense history against source documents, model the business plan line by line, stress-test rents, occupancy, interest rates and exit values, and complete third-party diligence before a deal is finalized.

A deal reaches investors only after it clears every step of our review. If the downside case is unacceptable or the business plan is unclear, we pass. Most deals we review never reach investors.

Investors receive updates, reports and documents for each deal they own, organized by investment. The Empire Builder Capital team uses a custom-built tech stack, including proprietary software, to support research, underwriting and investor reporting. People make every decision.

Fees, distributions and other terms differ by offering and are disclosed in each offering's documents. This website does not project or guarantee returns. Past performance, including prior results of Empire Builder Capital, its principals or affiliated deals, is not indicative of future results.

Generally no. Private real estate investments are illiquid, and interests are subject to restrictions on transfer and resale, so you should be prepared to hold an investment for the full business plan. Real estate investing is speculative, and you could lose some or all of your investment.

Deals held through an entity taxed as a partnership typically issue a Schedule K-1 each year. Empire Builder Capital and its team are not attorneys, accountants or tax advisors, so please consult your own tax advisor about how an investment affects you.

Submit an investor inquiry on our contact page, email info@empirebuildercapital.com or call (850) 494-8262. Our investor relations team will follow up, explain the accredited investor requirements and share offering materials if you qualify. An inquiry does not commit you to anything and is not an offer.