The past three years has seen Wingate dominate the middle market mezzanine and specialised property lending sector, having completed the funding of more than $1.7 billion in property value, providing over $220 million in funding facilities to property owners and developers.

In the post-GFC environment, with banks having curtailed their lending, and valuations generally reduced, many substantial and well established property owners and developers have found themselves with insufficient equity and/or bank support to fund their portfolios and developments.  At the same time, most specialised property lenders have themselves disappeared from the market.

Wingate has been successfully funding and co-investing with property owners and developers since 2004. Having navigated the 2006 to 2008 years with caution and conservatism, Wingate came through the financial crisis in a strong position and has in the post-GFC period substantially increased its lending activity to become one of the most dominant specialised property funders in the Australian middle market.

Wingate funds its facilities in partnership with a select and growing group of private investors, having delivered a net return in excess of 20%p.a. to its co-investors over the period.  “While the returns we generate are attractive, our primary focus is on risk mitigation and security of our positions. Only once we have satisfied ourselves that a particular investment represents a good risk proposition, do we focus on the return side of the equation” noted Ryan Levin, co-head of Wingate’s Property business.

“In keeping with the Wingate philosophy of developing and maintaining a special relationship of trust and generating value for our clients, partners and co-investors, we delivered for our borrower clients during difficult times, while maintaining our pristine performance record for our co-investors” said Mark Harrison co-head of the property division.