December 2015

In an uninteresting turn of events last week, Congress has passed the Omnibus Bill, which contained a provision extending the EB-5 program until September 30, 2016, with no other changes to the program. As previously discussed, the last couple of months have been filled with substantial discussions and the introduction of potential legislation aimed at reforming the program, but at the end of the day, Congress has decided to “kick the can down the road” for another couple of months.
Continue Reading With Its End in Sight, EB-5 Survives!

capitalEarlier this year we discussed the uncertain future of the EB-5 Visa Program, one of the most successful inbound investment programs of recent years, as evidenced by the $5.2 billion dollars the program has generated in the past ten years alone. Although the EB-5 Visa Program was set to expire on September 30, 2015, Congress approved a temporary extension that allowed the program to continue through December 11, 2015. But notwithstanding the growing popularity and success of the program and the enthusiasm about it from US domestic developers and property owners, it has always engendered some concerns and criticism.  And so, here in early December, its future hangs in the balance. Supporters say the program should be renewed because it generates employment opportunities and funds domestic businesses that rely on these types of investments, but critics claim the program is poorly regulated and tainted by fraud and a certain odor of unseemliness. With the potential expiration of the program set to occur later this week, it is uncertain whether the program will lapse, become permanent, be temporarily extended “as is”, or extended with significant reformations.
Continue Reading The Death of EB-5 Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

big benI was in New York with colleagues recently, answering clients’ questions about investing in UK real estate. As in the US, we in the UK have ridden a sustained period of strong capital growth in real estate, which continued into 2015. However, growth has slowed recently in certain areas and former hot-spots can now only be described as lukewarm.
Continue Reading “Find Out Where the People Are Going and Buy the Land Before They Get There”*