Freedom Commercial Real Estate
Overview
Freedom Commercial Real Estate LLC is a Texas-based private real estate investment sponsor headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with approximately $250M in assets under management. Founded in 2023 by Zane Schartz, the firm focuses on acquiring and managing newly constructed single-tenant net lease and essential retail assets across the United States, concentrating on properties leased to investment-grade national tenants in defensive retail sectors including quick-service restaurants, pharmacies, grocery, auto parts, dollar stores, and distribution centers.
Platform Overview
$250M+ in assets under management
Active diversified CRE fund currently generating monthly cash distributions across a growing portfolio of stabilized investment-grade retail assets
Structured as a Texas LLC with Class A (investor) and Class B (manager) unit classes, managed by Freedom CRE Fund Manager LLC
Focused exclusively on newly constructed single-tenant NN and NNN lease properties, minimizing landlord operating responsibilities
Target tenant roster includes investment-grade national brands such as Starbucks, Sherwin Williams, Dollar General, Walgreens, Advance Auto Parts, and CVS Pharmacy
Target 7% cap rate acquisitions with projected 18-20%+ total annual returns combining 8% cash-on-cash yield, principal paydown, and asset appreciation
Conservative 40-60% LTV leverage with 25-year amortization and fixed-rate debt
Sponsor co-invests alongside LP capital in every acquisition, reinforcing alignment of interests
Leadership
Zane Schartz, Founder & Manager: 7+ years in private equity real estate investing, currently serving as Chief Investment Officer of a firm with over $700M in AUM. Personally manages a portfolio spanning 6 commercial real estate funds with 60+ assets, is a partner in over $300M of commercial real estate, operates a multifamily portfolio of 1,200+ units, and directly manages over $150M of commercial assets. Business marketing and management degree from Liberty University, where he played college hockey before a three-year professional hockey career in North America and Europe
Ron Meador, CFO: Over 40 years of financial management experience, including CFO and senior leadership roles across real estate, technology, and nonprofit sectors. Certified Public Accountant
Mark Pittman: 20+ years of commercial real estate experience across investment, development, and brokerage. Founder of Wynmark Commercial and has personally developed over $500M of medical office projects in the DFW area
Derrek Schartz: 35+ years of executive sales and marketing leadership, including Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Legend Senior Living (a leading senior care provider in North America) and Senior Vice President of Sales for FLEETCOR Technologies (S&P 500 company)
Fund Structure and Economics
Structured as an open fund LLC with investor ownership across all fund-acquired assets
Asset management fee: 2% of gross revenue
Profit distribution: 80/20 split (80% to investors, 20% to managing entity)
No acquisition fees charged by Freedom CRE Fund
3% working capital reserve typically set aside from total equity raise for repairs and operational needs
Accepts capital from accredited investors, including IRA and Solo 401(k) funds
Planned 5-7 year hold period for acquired assets, subject to market conditions
Investment Strategy
Freedom Commercial Real Estate focuses on acquiring newly constructed single-tenant net lease retail properties leased to nationally recognized, investment-grade tenants. The firm's strategy centers on aggregating stabilized income-producing retail assets into a diversified fund structure designed to deliver consistent monthly distributions while maintaining capital stability through disciplined tenant selection, submarket underwriting, and conservative leverage.
Core Approach
Investment-grade tenant focus: Target properties leased to BBB+ or higher rated national tenants in defensive retail sectors, prioritizing tenant credit strength as the primary underwriting anchor
Newly constructed properties: Focus on new-build assets to minimize near-term capital expenditure and deferred maintenance risk while providing clean rent rolls
Long-term lease structures: Target leases extending 10+ years with built-in rental escalations, providing durable income visibility through the hold period
NN and NNN lease structures: Tenants cover property taxes, insurance, and maintenance expenses, keeping landlord overhead low and preserving predictable cash flow
Growth-corridor submarkets: Select properties in markets with strong population growth, adjacent national retail anchors, high-traffic corridors, and active residential development pipelines
Acquisition Criteria
Each acquisition is evaluated based on:
Tenant credit strength and lease commitment length
Cap rate acquisition target of approximately 7%
Traffic exposure and corridor visibility
Surrounding retail synergy with established national anchors
Long-term population and employment growth trends in the submarket
Target Returns
8% projected annual cash-on-cash yield
18-20%+ projected total annual returns, combining cash flow, 5-6% principal paydown, and 5-6% property appreciation
Monthly cash distributions to investors
Interest-only loan structures available to accelerate early cash flow
Investor Alignment
Sponsor co-invests in every acquisition alongside Class A investors
Fund structured as an open LLC with investor ownership proportional to capital committed
80/20 profit split favoring investors
No acquisition fees, with transparent 2% asset management fee on gross revenue
Accepts capital from IRAs and Solo 401(k) accounts for tax-advantaged investing
Long-term lease durations aligned with the fund's 5-7 year target hold period
Geographic Focus
The firm deploys capital nationally, with current portfolio concentration in Sunbelt and Southeastern markets characterized by favorable demographics, strong retail demand, and lower exposure to natural disasters and weather-related property damage. Recent acquisitions include properties in South Carolina (Greenville MSA) and Northwest Arkansas (Bentonville MSA), both submarkets experiencing sustained population growth and corporate-driven economic expansion.
