Our Approach

Rainbow Realty Group does not invest directly in cannabis equities. Rainbow Realty Group is a real estate financier who works with cannabis tenants and borrowers in the U.S. Rainbow underwrites retail and industrial real estate based on its non-cannabis value. Rainbow will purchase or mortgage real property, depending on the operator’s needs. When reviewing potential deals, our analysts focus on LOCATION, BUSINESS, PRICE & TEAM.

Fundamentals

Patience

RRG and affiliates have been operating in the real estate industry since 1962 and in the cannabis industry since 2014. RRG has transacted on less than 2% of the transactions it has underwritten. RRG has flourished during the last 3 years – the most challenging times that the cannabis industry has faced – due to careful underwriting with security backed by hard assets.

Diligence

When reviewing any potential deal, our team conducts rigorous diligence to best quantify the risk and opportunity. We consult local real estate brokers who know the market, and we speak to cannabis industry insiders that know the counterparty. Our real estate valuations are based on market non-cannabis rents for traditional retail and industrial users in the given location. RRG does not finance ground up construction. This standard diligence and underwriting practice has kept Rainbow Realty Group safe. RRG has recorded 0 losses on 57 properties financed, including two profitable workouts on legacy deals.

Selectivity

Rainbow Realty Group has taken a very conservative approach to the industry. 95% of opportunities we review do not make it past step one, which is the real estate evaluation. Once we are satisfied that the real estate, we will then dissect the counterparty’s business model to ensure we believe in the plan and viability of the business.

Sale-Leasebacks

  • Absolute NNN leases
  • Tenant improvement allowances available in certain instances

Senior Mortgage

  • Senior-secured, non-leveraged loans
  • 11-15% interest rates
  • 17-23% IRRs (including fees)
  • 60-70% LTV (real estate value)
  • 30-45% LTV (cannabis value)
  • 2-4 year loans with extension and prepayment flexibility

Case Studies

Repaid Loan

In October 2024, our tenant in Cincinnati, Ohio, purchased the building and paid off the loan that was made in 2022.

Cannabis Dispensary

Cincinnati, Ohio

Loan

Profit Participation Interest

Hold Period

Equity Multiple

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR

Repaid Loan

In August 2024, a private lender refinanced a loan that was made in November 2021.

Cannabis Cultivator and Processor

Bridgeport, West Virginia

Loan

Loan Size

Hold Period

Equity Multiple

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR

Repaid Loan

In May 2024, a private investor in Euclid, Ohio purchased the building and paid off the loan that was made in 2022.

Cannabis Dispensary

Euclid, Ohio

Loan

Profit Participation Interest

Hold Period

Equity Multiple

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR

Repaid Loan

In March 2024, our tenant in Ravenna, Ohio, purchased the building and paid off the loan that was made in 2022.

Cannabis Dispensary

Ravenna, Ohio

Loan

Profit Participation Interest

Hold Period

Equity Multiple

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR

Repaid Loan

In December 2023, Fund I was refinanced out of a loan it made in January 2021 by a private lender in California.

Cannabis Dispensary

Ventura County, California

Loan

Loan Size

Hold Period

Equity Multiple

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR

Repaid Loan

In October 2023, Fund I was refinanced out of a loan it made in June 2021.

Cannabis grower, cultivator, & distributor

Detroit, Michigan

Loan

Loan Size

Hold Period

Equity Multiple

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR

Completed Sale

In early 2022, Fund I completed the sale of 5 assets purchased in 2019.

Cannabis cultivation and dispensaries

Denver, Colorado

Sale-leaseback

Acquisition Price

Hold Period

Sale Price

Actual Unlevered Deal IRR