BREAKWATER / ABOUT US

What We Do

About
Us

What Does Breakwater Capital Do?

For investors considering the sale of real estate, multiple avenues exists that may provide an opportunity to defer or eliminate taxes. The rules governing these strategies are complex and highly technical, which can make the process feel overwhelming.

Breakwater Capital helps simplify this process by connecting investors with experienced professionals and institutional-quality offerings designed for these transactions. By managing the logistical complexity and providing clarity around available options, we help investors move forward efficiently, confidently, and with greater peace of mind.

* Referrals available upon request

Our Role

Educate client on all suitable strategies and available options

Understand client's investment objectives & criteria

Vet sponsors & perform due diligence on investments

Provide access to sophisticated strategies & operators

Assist Clients With Property Analysis Including Reviews of Financials & Fee Structures

Oversee & coordinate the entire 1031 exchange

Provide investment advice outside of just 1031 exchanges

Maintain client relationship and assist with any future needs

Our Offerings

1031 Exchange Solutions

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Tax Mitigation Strategies

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Alternative Investments

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Choosing a Broker

Selecting the right broker is a critical decision.

While investors evaluate sophisticated opportunities, choosing the right professional to guide those decisions is just as important. The broker you work with can significantly influence both the quality of available investments and the overall success of the transaction.

An effective broker offers more than access. They provide a diversified platform of investment options, deep familiarity with sponsor track records and management teams, and a disciplined process for aligning opportunities with your specific objectives. Most importantly, they take the time to understand your goals and act in your best interest.

Understanding the key signals—and red flags—when selecting a broker is essential to navigating your investments with confidence.

5dst
01: Are they well-established and respected?
The DST industry is smaller than you might think, which means word travels fast when professionals mistreat their clients, especially if it is their common practice. For example, suppose a firm or broker has a history of recommending replacement properties that are less suitable for their clients. That is a telltale sign that they likely don’t have the investor’s best interests at heart.

What to do: Make sure your prospective broker has experience and understanding navigating market cycles. Ask them about their investment and real estate background; how long have they been doing what they do, and what did they do before?
You need an advisor who can be there for you despite their conflict of interest. Anything that could sway their ability to stand up for your financial interests should be considered when determining whether to work with them, as well as in reviewing the recommendations that they make.

The best DST brokers worth working with follow a strict professional code of conduct, meaning they won’t have any unreasonable interests associated with the DSTs they do or don’t recommend. That means the DST investment has no ownership affiliation with the broker or their company. Of course, conflicts of interest, such as compensation, will generally exist to some extent.

What to do: It’s worth asking your broker outright if they or their company have any affiliation or ownership in the DST investment offerings they put in front of you. You can also ask them about any other conflicts, such as compensation arrangements

This is a bigger deal than it might initially seem. Your broker should be wholly concerned with getting to know you and creating a relevant investment strategy tailored to yourobjectives and circumstances. Also, make sure they have an education first approach, providing a balanced perspective about risks and opportunities.

What to do: Evaluate the recommendations your broker makes. Challenge anything that does not seem like a suitable course of action for you.

They should present options and offer context about why each option could be the best for you and your situation. If they cannot speak to each investment’s pros and cons and offer specifics about how to approach those choices, then it is likely they have not done much of an analysis. Meaning, you may not be getting a customized set of recommendations

You rely on your DST broker to provide insight and understanding about each DST sponsor and their respective offering. But insight is derived from analysis and due diligence, and the more in-depth, the more useful for investors when they are deciding in which DST to invest. Informed decisions are based on having sufficient and relevant information.

What to do: Ask your broker if they have a due diligence team to analyze DST offerings, and if so, how deep is their bench; meaning, if they say that they solely rely on 3rd party reports for due diligence/analysis, or on their broker-dealer to approve offerings, that’s likely not sufficient. The broker should have an in-house team that is solely focused on reviewing the offerings. Ask the broker about the background and education of their due diligence analysts.
Integrity and experience can come across in several ways, but an easy tell is promissory language. Your broker should never guarantee success or outcomes. In fact, they should be clear about risks and benefits, pros and cons, opportunities, and their limits.

They will understand market volatility, have done their due diligence in carefully researching investments they are recommending to you, and never speculate in such a way that guarantees the future performance of your investment. Anyone who talks like they have a crystal ball is not being objective or prudent.

What to do: be wary of concrete phrasing about the amount you’ll earn from your investment and be ready to walk away from exaggerated claims. Instead, a prudent broker will discuss the value of an investment by exploring multiple possibilities. Perhaps most importantly, they will be able to articulate their assessment of the value and risks according to your specific individual situation.

Know Your Financial Professional

Syndicated real estate is new for many investors, and we understand that trust must be earned.

Clients often ask:

  • Who are you?
  • How can we trust you and the firms you work with?
  • How can we verify the information you provide?

We encourage every client to thoroughly vet the professionals they choose to work with. Transparency is a priority for us.

That’s why we direct clients to FINRA BrokerCheck, a public database maintained by the nation’s securities regulator. BrokerCheck allows you to independently verify any licensed financial professional.

Using BrokerCheck, you can review:

  • Professional background and work history
  • Licenses and registrations
  • Regulatory disclosures or disciplinary history, if any

We believe informed clients make better decisions—and transparency is the foundation of long-term trust.

Please follow the link to access this extremely useful tool:

Our Offerings

1031 Exchange Solutions

Learn More >

Tax Mitigation Strategies

Learn More >

Alternative Investments

Learn More >