The venture's new vehicle, Inlet Real Estate Finance L.P., is currently raising funds to invest in public and private real estate debt securities, especially REIT debt. Locker, president and CEO of Inlet Capital, tells GlobeSt.com the fund aims to raise a minimum of $100 million. Future funds will focus on opportunistic real estate and whole and sub-debt secured by commercial real estate, including mezzanine debt.

In a release, Locker says Inlet Capital "will continue to take advantage of opportunities in public and private real estate debt and equity markets, including REIT securities and commercial real estate loans. Forced selling of performing loans and other assets, combined with distress in the capital markets, present a historic opportunity to invest." He adds that while Inlet Capital provides a platform to advise both institutional and high net worth individuals on real estate debt investments, "our new relationship with Swig Equities and HelmsleySpear will help us to expand our private equity capabilities, as well as financial and capital advisory, and restructuring and related services."

Swig says in a statement that the partnership represents "a logical expansion of our services to real estate investors and owners. By extending our platform to Inlet Capital's clients, which is complimentary with our other businesses, we shall better serve our existing clients as well as those clients of Inlet Capital."