You know a real estate investment is sound when your advisors put their own money behind it.
And that’s what you’ll get with Oakview Capital Inc., a commercial real estate investment firm based in Ottawa that offers high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional investors a stable and secure option to preserve their capital.
“Our due diligence process is one of the best in our sector,” said founder and managing partner Ryan Barresi, who learned the syndication ropes from mentors at Properties Group and his experience at one of the world’s largest real estate firms, Cushman and Wakefield. “I’ve had family offices tell me it’s one of the best diligence processes they have seen.”
The result is a conservative approach that offers an often hard-to-find piece of the investment puzzle.
Or if you prefer a sports metaphor, Barresi says “we hit singles and doubles all day long.”
Know your client
What’s critical about Oakview Capital’s due diligence is that it’s not just about finding the best properties — it’s about matching what they do to an investor’s goals, and ensuring it’s the right real estate investment vehicle for the investor.
Which is why Barresi takes the investment role “know your client” seriously.
With most of Oakview’s clients arriving as referrals, the team gets acquainted by emailing their prospects a form that helps them confirm they’re an accredited investor.
Once that’s established, the Oakview team likes to meet potential investors in-person — as many times as needed — to understand their goals. If there’s a mismatch, they’ll suggest another investment vehicle.
“If you’re looking for something short-term like flipping properties or development, we’re not for you,” said Barresi. “Long-term growth is in our DNA.”
That very approach is reflected in their business model, which requires a 7 to 10-year commitment, except for unavoidable situations like a death or divorce.
Know your investment team
Once everyone is confident their fundamental goals are aligned, it’s time for the client to get to know the investment team at Oakview.
This is much easier than if you were buying shares in a REIT, for example.
Oakview makes their process completely transparent because their investors are “co-owners” of the buildings. That’s why they send prospects timely information about their portfolio of commercial properties.
But there’s an additional proviso they insist upon to ensure their clients are fully informed about what they’re investing in.
“Here’s the kicker: they have to get an independent legal review,” said Barresi. And once the lawyers have reviewed and approved the deal, Oakview’s commitment to transparency continues with quarterly reports on all their buildings.
Barresi says the communication is appreciated. One of their family office investors was thrilled to receive easy-to-digest ledgers and quarterly reports for every building. “He said ‘If banks could figure out how to simplify things like your group, they’d save a lot of paper’,” Barresi said.
For Oakview, compiling this information is simple because they’re also stewards of every building they acquire from start to finish.
“We’re very hands-on,” said Victoria Blackburn, COO. “We manage the properties on the accounting, operational and leasing side of things.”
And the fact that Oakview invests with their investors ensures accountability.
Ultimately the vision for Oakview Capital Inc. is continued growth. “In November we bought a 95,000 square foot building which leapt us to the next level,” said Barresi.
In the end, the reason Oakview succeeds isn’t just because they choose real estate investments that merit their own money. It’s because of the relationships they build with their investors, coupled with the ability to give back to the community.
