EB5 Investors Magazine Volume 7, Issue 1 | Page 37

EB5INVESTORS.COM 35 Guo personally appraised the feasibilit y of each project and studied each project’s business plan. He also spent time reading through project documents to compare the structure of capital stack and exit strategies. “That’s how you should evaluate,” he said. EB-5 compliance was another key factor in Guo’s due diligence. He knew a successful project doesn’t always mean an approvable one. What he valued the most were a developer’s track record and previous experience. In the EB-5 space, investment safety and immigration success are equally important. “A r e t h e y e s t a bl i s h e d d e v e lo p e r s or a r e t h e y newcomers in the EB-5 arena?” That’s the question Guo bore in mind when he called every regional center and developer in his candidate pool. “I was looking for a project that has already started and supported investors’ I-526 applications,” Guo said. CHOOSING THE RIGHT PATH & PROJECT A f t e r i n t e n s e m a r k e t r e s e a r c h, G u o m a d e a n investment in the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington hotel, located at Seattle’s Southport. The project was sponsored by the Seattle Family Regional Center.