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At a time when economies seem to be in a permanent state of tumult, Canadians are looking for a comfortable and safe alternative to home ownership—as well as a reliable and steady investment opportunity. The Skyline Group of Companies, one of Canada’s fastest-growing real estate firms, strives to provide its tens of thousands of tenants with a great place to call home or work, while also providing peace of mind for its over 2,000 investors.
The Skyline Group comprises several service companies, such as an asset manager, a mortgage financier and a wealth management company, to provide A-Z services for its three private Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) investment portfolios: Skyline Apartment REIT, Skyline Commercial REIT and Skyline Retail REIT.
Skyline’s efficient management of these products has resulted in the Group delivering returns to its investors that are much more stable and well above the average of those found in the public realm. It also provides investors with the added benefit “of owning real estate and getting a diversified income stream across many properties, without the headaches of property management,” according to Skyline Group of Companies CEO and co-founder Jason Castellan.
Skyline is in a particularly good position to serve its clients. “We had a record year in 2014, purchasing over $440-million worth of real estate, and we’re currently on pace to beat that in 2015,” says Castellan. “We’re seeing many opportunities equally across all three REITs.”
Skyline has grown from its 1991 inception of having one rental house in Guelph, Ontario, to holdings worth nearly $2 billion today. Its real estate is typically located in markets away from the competition of institutionally owned and publicly traded entities, which enables Castellan and Skyline’s team to buy properties at more attractive rates that will yield higher returns for investors.
Castellan and his partners’ collective mindset is partly what distinguishes Skyline from other Canadian real estate firms. “We came from an operations background and have always taken pride in managing our own real estate,” explains Castellan. “Our passion for being hands-on has led us to constantly improve efficiencies in all aspects of our business, from acquisitions to property management to raising equity from investors.”
Castellan summarizes Skyline by stating: “We’re a totally transparent, non-publicly traded entity that looks after its investors without the volatility associated with public companies. We’re the institutional quality investment for the everyday investor.”
Main Photo by Trina Koster Photography