Equity Lenders was formed in 2004 and then incorporated into Equity Lenders LLC on January 1, 2005. With 20 years of cumulative experience in buying, selling and managing properties in southern California, the founders of Equity Lenders LLC saw an emerging market requirement for fair and flexible bridge loan financing for commercial real estate. The company was originally funded by a small group of like minded investors seeking to achieve higher returns on their capital offered by CD or money market investments. All investment criteria and funding terms are controlled by the founders of EL. Applying the direct market knowledge and expertise of the founding partners allows the company to offer fair and flexible terms to their borrowers and superior returns by secured investments to their investors.
Equity Lenders LLC managing members:
- Paul E. Lopata is a licensed real estate salesperson in Illinois and currently serves as such with Essential Properties. Mr. Lopata is a co-founder of the “Equity Lenders” group which originated from BY Properties in California and intends to use his experience with BY Properties, Essential Properties, and the “Equity Lenders” group to be responsible for raising funds, reporting to and communicating with investors, seeking loan clients and locating real estate opportunities for the Company.
- Steven Brown is a co-founder of California-based BY Properties with Edward Yawitz as well as of the later-formed “Equity Lenders” group, where over the past nine years he with Mr. Yawitz built a real estate portfolio predominantly located in California. Through his real estate background Mr. Brown has gained extensive experience in real estate investment, borrowing and lending (within and outside of banks), mergers and acquisitions, and general business transactions. Mr. Brown’s duties with the Company are intended to include seeking loan clients, negotiating lending terms with them, and facilitating lending transactions for the Company.
- Edward Yawitz is a co-founder of California-based BY Properties with Mr. Brown as well as of the more recently-formed “Equity Lenders” group, and also is involved in the day-to-day operations of BY Maintenance, an affiliate of BY Properties which he and Mr. Brown own. Mr. Yawitz is active in locating, generating and participating in opportunities in real estate transactions, building and rehab in the Los Angeles, California area. Mr. Yawitz intends to utilize his experience for the Company by locating, generating and participating in opportunities in real estate transactions, building and rehab for the Company and properties which the Company may come to own in the course of its lending operations.