About Us
JLJ Capital provides alternative financing solutions for bridge-lending, acquisitions, ground-up construction, short-term refinancing, mortgage takeout, partner buyout, and other real estate projects.
Since its inception in 2017, JLJ Capital has reached approximately $400MM in AUM with a track record of 99% repayment rate from our borrowers. With the launch of our new open-ended mortgage REIT platform and separate managed accounts, we are continuing to scale and ramp up our loan portfolio.
Meet The Team
Jonathan Lewis
FOUNDER & CEO
Jonathan Lewis has over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, and executive management, with more than 25 years in the financial services industry specializing in real estate transactions. Prior to founding JLJ Capital, Jonathan was the Chief Business Development Officer at Customers Bank, where he helped the bank grow ten billion dollars over a five-year time span, with over a 1000% growth rate. Jonathan personally originated and closed more than four billion dollars in loans. Earlier in his career, he was the President of Atlantic Coast Bank Mortgage Division. Jonathan has built and managed several multi-billion dollar commercial and residential lending platforms. Jonathan graduated from Lehigh University with a BA in Economics and English. He has completed advance management coursework at both Harvard and MIT. Jonathan serves on the Board of the New Jersey Economic Council and the Regional Board of Washington University. Jonathan and his partners have completed, closed, and managed more than six billion dollars in real estate transactions.
Justin Podolsky
CO-FOUNDER & CIO
Justin Podolsky has extensive experience managing a broad spectrum of commercial real estate products and co-founding a commercial real estate bridge lending platform. With more than 10 years in the commercial real estate industry, he is responsible for the adaptive reuse of nine boutique hotels, and the management and development of a large portfolio of residential and commercial properties. Over the past six years, under the leadership of Justin and his co-founders, the commercial real estate lending firm has expanded significantly, closing over $300 million in loans. Using his practical experience across a range of industries, Justin has earned a solid reputation for identifying opportunities and finding solutions. As evidenced by his management of over 50 properties and hotels in multiple states, Justin understands how to fix and improve intricate and complex building sites.. Justin received his BA in Finance at Hofstra University.
John Jardine
CO-Chair & CO-Manager of the Fund
John Jardine has over 45 years of experience in commercial real estate with over $30 Billions in transaction volume. He held various managerial positions with responsibilities in originating both commercial mortgage debt and equity in all asset classes for platforms buying/holding assets. His experience included portfolio management, securities creation and acquisitions, special servicing, and development of office, industrial and multifamily projects in Southeast and Southwest of the U.S. Prior to joining JLJ Dividend Fund as its Co-Chair, John was the Co-CEO of a publicly traded REIT at ARES Management Corporation where he also ran commercial mortgage origination. Prior to ARES, John held Managing Director positions at Credit Suisse, and Nomura Securities International focusing on debt origination and office and multifamily development. While at TIAA-CREF, John formed a private REIT and founded its Real Estate Securities Division growing AUM to $8 billion in 6 years. AT TIAA and Credit Suisse, John developed thousands of units while managing 72 joint ventures. At CIII and Greystone John resolved defaulted mortgages during the Financial Crisis and Pandemic in CMBS trusts.
John graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in English and is a member of ULI, ISCS, NAIOP and is a former FINRA Series 7, 63 and 24 license holder.
Cher Chang
PARTNER / HEAD OF CAPITAL MARKETS
Cher is a real estate industry veteran with 20 years of experience in various capacities. Her diverse experience enabled her to be adept in structuring large complex real estate deals that comprise of a full-stack solution. Furthermore, Cher has extensive investor relationships with institutions, HNWI, and family offices. Prior to JLJ, Cher was the Head of Global Capital Markets for a developer whose parent company owned and managed $8 Billion USD worth of assets globally. Before that, Cher was the Head of Asia Division at the Carlton Group where she was responsible for leading, strategizing and executing the capital-raising activities pertaining Asian institutional and UHNW investors. Before moving to New York City, Cher was in Vancouver, Canada, where she oversaw a family office real estate portfolio.
Cher has a B.S. degree in Biochemistry from UCLA and a M.S. degree in RE Development from NYU. She is an active member in several organizations and is passionate about promoting AAPI justice as well as supporting other female leaders in business. Personally, Cher is an investor in fintech and other early-stage ventures. Cher is an adjunct professor at JHU Carey School of Business for their MBA program. Lastly, Cher is a philanthropist who is dedicated in giving back to the ones in need.
Lowell Bacchus
MANAGING DIRECTOR / HEAD OF CREDIT
Lowell Bacchus is a commercial real estate professional with extensive banking/lending experience in credit structuring and loan documentation across all commercial real estate assets classes (residential, office, land, industrial, hospitality, and retail). Prior to joining JLJ Capital LLC, Lowell worked for over 15-years at JPMorgan Chase Bank and Centennial Bank on many large construction and stabilized real estate transactions and was responsible for leading the underwriting and closing process on complex deal structures as well as managing a portfolio of commercial real estate credits/relationships. Lowell graduated from Andrews University with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance.
Robert Kim
MANAGING DIRECTOR – FINANCE
Robert Kim brings a unique accounting and finance background derived from experience across multiple industries. After starting his career as a controller in the digital content and advertising space he successfully transitioned to real estate and hospitality industry as a finance analyst, building on his core foundation of accounting and finance and becoming an integral part of the business. Robert graduated from Hunter College with a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Accounting
Lending Programs
BRIDGE / VALUE ADD LOANS
Purpose
Purchase;
Refinance
Amount
$5 million up to but not limited to $50 million
Metrics
- Up to 80% LTC
- Up to 70% LTV “As Stabilized” or
- 55% of entitled land
CONSTRUCTION LOANS
Purpose
Ground-Up Construction;
Heavy Value-Add
Amount
$5 million up to but not limited to $50 million
Metrics
- Up to 75% LTC
- Up to 65% LTV “As Stabilized”
ASSET CLASS
Multi-Family
Mixed-Use
Warehouse
Light Industrial
Special Use
Geographic Region
JLJ CAPITAL WILL INVEST IN LOANS ACROSS U.S. WITH A FOCUS IN NY METRO AND THE SUNBELT STATES
With ever changing market conditions JLJ understands that location impacts our client's investment strategies. JLJ maintains a pulse on all markets to evaluate how much volatility and risk exposure can affect the value of investments and our exit strategy. In order to maintain our control and risk we opt to focus our attention on primary and secondary markets.
Invest With JLJ
JLJ Capital’s investment philosophy is about achieving a perfect balance of risk and return. Our disciplined underwriting team and credit committee exercise stringent underwriting metrics to mitigate our risk exposure. This fund is catering to investors who have low to moderate risk profile who are seeking a steady monthly dividend.
Our strategy is to deploy capital into short-term fixed and floating real estate loans in first position, senior bridge, and construction. The allocation will be approximately 70% in multi-family, with the rest in industrial and mixed-use assets.
Investment Philosophy
Discipline
Selectively pursue opportunities with measurable risk that is supported by strong underwriting, analysis and structure.
Creativity
Ability to take advantage of attractive opportunities in extremely fragmented markets to differentiate us and give us a competitive advantage.
Sensibility
Build a high-quality real estate portfolio through prudent, top-down, data-driven investment process. Ability to determine growth drivers in overlooked areas that will support a revenue stream that mitigates risk.
JLJ Fixed Dividend Fund Summary
Fund Size | $50MM USD |
Manager | JLJ Fixed Dividend Manager, LLC |
Structure | Open-ended REIT** |
Targeted Return | 10% Preferred (For Investors)* |
Minimum Investment | $100,000 USD |
Distributions | Monthly |
Redemption | Quarterly with 90 Days Notice |
Fees | $0 (Nominal for KYC/AML onboarding) |
Fund Administrator | Juniper Square |
Eligibility | "Accredited Investors" Only or other applicable prospectus exemption |
Legal Counsel | LHR&G |
*The JLJ Fixed DIvidend Fund Summary is not a complete and full representative of the fund information. For detailed information, please refer to the JLJ Fixed Dividend Fund PPM which is available upon request.
**The fund REIT structure is designed to provide qualified dividends where non corporate shareholders are currently eligible for a Section 199A deduction which serves to reduce by 20% an ordinary income tax rate. By way of example, the maximum ordinary income tax rate is currently 37% and is reduced by 7.4% (20%) to 29.6% by way of Section 199A. That Section 199A deduction is scheduled to expire as of December 31, 2025. Please consult a tax specialist as to investing in a REIT.
Transactions
Multi-Family Complex
Dolce Twin Creek, Phase II, Dallas, TX
Loan Amount: $55,500,000
Loan Type: Construction Loan
Mixed-Use
329 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY
Loan Amount: $57,000,000
Loan Type: Refinance & Construction Loan
Hotel to Multifamily Conversion
1350 Broadfield Boulevard, Houston TX
Loan Amount: $8,060,000
Loan Type: Construction Loan
New Transaction
725-unit self-storage project
Palm Bay, FL
Loan Amount: $12,600,000
Loan Type: Construction Loan
News
Last updated 08-10-2023
Recent Closing: JLJ is excited to announce that we closed a $12,600,000 a construction loan for a 725-unit self-storage project located in Palm Bay, FL.
This accomplishment reflects the collective efforts and expertise of our dedicated team who worked tirelessly to make this loan closing a resounding success. In an environment where banks are tightening up on lending, we continue to provide financing solutions to qualified sponsors and projects.
Congratulations to our JLJ Team- Lowell Bacchus, Casey DeFluri, and Alec Oriolo (Originator on this deal).
Contact Us
OFFICE HOUR
Monday to Friday
9:00 am to 6:00 pm ET
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