Swig, Inlet Partner to Acquire Debt

NEW YORK CITY-Inlet Capital Management and Kent Swig are partnering on a venture to seek out opportunities in real estate debt and equity, and Inlet’s Keith Locker tells GlobeSt.com it hopes to begin making investments within 30 days. The venture will also provide real estate investment banking and advisory services through Swig’s HelmsleySpear Capital Advisors. To that end, Swig has bought an interest in Inlet Capital, which is now affiliated with Swig Equities and HelmsleySpear.

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.”