Harbor Group Taps CAIS, Unlocking Real Estate Credit for Advisors

NEW YORK, NY – April 06, 2026 – Harbor Group International (HGI), a global real estate investment firm, has joined the CAIS platform, significantly expanding access to its private credit strategies for the independent wealth management community. The move places select HGI investment offerings, particularly those focused on real estate debt, onto a platform used by over 62,000 financial advisors who collectively oversee more than $7.5 trillion in client assets.

This partnership marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing trend of democratizing alternative investments. By making its specialized, income-oriented strategies available through CAIS, HGI is tapping into a vast and growing distribution channel, while providing thousands of financial advisors with a new tool to build client portfolios seeking diversification and yield outside of traditional public markets.

"We're pleased to join the CAIS platform and broaden access to our real estate private credit capabilities," said Saul Lubetski, Vice Chairman of HGI, in a statement. "As financial advisors seek solutions that can provide income, diversification, and risk mitigation, our approach combines credit investing with deep real estate and capital markets expertise and resonates strongly in today's environment."

A Response to Surging Advisor Demand

The collaboration is a direct response to a clear and accelerating demand within the wealth management sector. Financial advisors are increasingly looking beyond conventional stocks and bonds to find sources of stable income and to buffer portfolios against market volatility. Private credit, especially when backed by tangible assets like real estate, has emerged as a favored solution.

The inclusion of HGI on the platform followed what CAIS describes as a rigorous due diligence process, a critical step to ensure quality and reliability for its network of advisors. This vetting process is a cornerstone of the CAIS value proposition, providing a curated menu of investment managers that have been thoroughly reviewed for their strategy, performance, and operational integrity. For HGI, passing this gatekeeping function serves as a powerful third-party endorsement of its institutional-quality approach.

"We are pleased to welcome Harbor Group International to the CAIS platform," stated Brad Walker, President of CAIS. "Their approach to private credit, informed by real estate experience, adds to the range of solutions available to advisors exploring income-oriented and asset-backed strategies."

A Specialist's Edge in Multifamily Credit

What sets Harbor Group International apart in a crowded field is its deep, integrated expertise and specialized focus on multifamily assets. The firm is not merely a credit provider but a seasoned real estate owner and operator with a global portfolio valued at $21 billion. Crucially, over 80% of this portfolio consists of multifamily-related investments, giving HGI a ground-level understanding of the asset class that informs its lending decisions.

This integrated model—combining real estate operations, private credit, and capital markets knowledge—allows the firm to underwrite risk more effectively than a pure-play lender might. The strategies now available to advisors on the CAIS platform are expected to reflect this focus, offering exposure to a range of debt instruments such as senior mortgage loans, mezzanine debt, and preferred equity, all secured by multifamily properties across the United States.

HGI's track record highlights its proficiency in this niche. Its credit platform, which has grown to $5 billion in assets under management, has realized an average net internal rate of return (IRR) exceeding 12% across more than 100 realized multifamily credit investments. This performance, coupled with its role as a Freddie Mac K-Series B-piece buyer, demonstrates a level of sophistication and market access that is now being extended to the broader wealth management audience.

The 'Platformization' of Alternative Investing

The HGI-CAIS partnership is a powerful illustration of a larger industry transformation: the 'platformization' of alternative investments. For years, direct investment in private credit, private equity, and other non-traditional assets was the exclusive domain of large institutions, pension funds, and ultra-high-net-worth family offices. The operational complexity, high investment minimums, and due diligence requirements created insurmountable barriers for most independent financial advisors.

Platforms like CAIS have systematically dismantled these barriers. By providing a single, streamlined operating system for the entire investment lifecycle—from pre-trade education and due diligence to trade execution and post-trade reporting—they empower advisors to incorporate alternatives with unprecedented efficiency. This allows an advisor managing millions, rather than billions, to construct portfolios with the same sophisticated tools once reserved for the largest players.

This technological and operational infrastructure is what makes partnerships like the one with HGI so impactful. It bridges the gap between a specialized, high-performing asset manager and a fragmented but massive market of independent advisors. For HGI, it unlocks a scalable distribution channel without the need to build an extensive internal wholesaling team. For advisors, it provides curated access to differentiated strategies that can meaningfully improve client outcomes, enhancing their own value proposition in a competitive marketplace.

This trend is not merely about access but also about quality. The curation and diligence provided by the platform act as a crucial filter, helping advisors navigate the complex and often opaque world of private markets. As more client portfolios incorporate these strategies, the role of platforms as a gateway for both capital and quality becomes increasingly central to the future of wealth management.