Key Takeaways
- Active real estate businesses — management, brokerage, development — qualify for Bankable capital
- Passive real estate investment does not qualify; active property management does
- SBA 504 closed to E-1 holders in 2026 — Bankable funds real estate operating companies
- Japanese, Israeli, Korean, and all treaty-nation E-1 holders qualify equally
- Warehouse and industrial properties tied to import operations are particularly well-suited
Real estate is a natural extension of E-1 trade wealth accumulation. E-1 Treaty Traders who have built substantial US trade businesses frequently invest the proceeds into commercial real estate — warehouses that serve their import operations, retail properties that house their distribution channels, office buildings that serve the US business community they work within. The challenge is that real estate investment, if passive, does not qualify as E-1 trade activity. The E-1 holder must be actively operating a real estate business — managing properties, developing, brokering — to count real estate income as part of their E-1 qualifying trade.
Bankable funds the real estate operating business — the property management company, the development LLC, the commercial brokerage — based on its US revenue. We do not require citizenship, green cards, or even long US credit history. If your real estate business generates $20K+ monthly in management fees, commissions, or rental income from actively managed properties, you likely qualify for Bankable funding.
Real Estate Business Types for E-1 Holders
- Commercial Property Management: E-1 holders who own and actively manage commercial property — office buildings, retail centers, industrial warehouses — generate management fee income that is highly predictable and fundable. This is especially common among Japanese and Israeli E-1 holders who purchase commercial properties near their trade operations.
- Warehouse and Industrial Properties: E-1 holders who import goods frequently need warehouse space. Owning the warehouse creates a real estate business (landlord) and reduces import costs simultaneously. Bankable can fund both the import operation and the warehouse holding company.
- Residential Property Management: E-1 holders who manage multiple residential rental properties as a business — not passively — generate rental income that qualifies. Companies managing 10+ units with active management operations qualify easily.
- Real Estate Development: Ground-up construction or adaptive reuse projects generate development income that qualifies for Bankable's project capital. Draw facilities tied to construction milestones are available up to $5M.
Related Funding Options
Buying Commercial Property
Capital planning for E-1 holders acquiring commercial real estate for business use.
Explore →Construction Funding
Development and renovation capital for E-1 real estate projects up to $5M.
Explore →Logistics & Warehouse Funding
Capital for warehouse acquisition and operations tied to import/export trade.
Explore →Frequently Asked Questions
E-1 holders can own US real estate as an investment or through a business entity. However, pure passive real estate investment does not qualify as E-1 trade activity. Real estate businesses that generate US income — property management, real estate brokerage, commercial leasing, and development — qualify if actively operated.
Property management companies, commercial real estate brokerages, real estate development companies, commercial landlords with active tenant management, short-term rental operations, and real estate consulting firms all qualify based on US business revenue.
Bankable's capital can fund the operating business that owns commercial property — working capital, property management expenses, renovation costs, and business operating costs. For property acquisition financing specifically, commercial mortgage options apply. Bankable focuses on business operating capital.
$20,000 per month in US real estate business revenue — management fees, brokerage commissions, rental income from actively managed properties, and development project income all count.
SBA loans now require US citizenship. E-1 holders who previously used SBA 504 loans for commercial property (owner-occupied) are entirely excluded as of March 2026. Bankable provides operating capital for E-1 real estate businesses without citizenship requirements.
Yes. Property management companies with stable management fee revenue are among the most predictably funded businesses Bankable serves. Management fees are recurring, predictable, and verifiable from bank statements.
Yes. Capital for renovation, property improvement, and development project costs is available. Bankable structures renovation capital as draw facilities tied to project milestones, with repayment from rental income or project sale proceeds.
Japanese and Israeli investors are historically the most active in US commercial real estate. Korean and Chinese E-1 holders also operate significant commercial property portfolios. Bankable funds E-1 holders from all treaty nations equally.