Law360, New York ( April 27, 2015, 4:45 PM EDT) -- Real estate owners and developers have been increasingly turning toward preferred equity structures and investments in order to raise much needed capital for the purchase, renovation and development of real property where such capital is unavailable from traditional lending sources. Historically, these shortfalls in capital were often funded through subordinate and mezzanine financing. One reason for the increase in preferred equity investments is likely due to the distaste of some mortgage lenders in making mortgage loans where there is or will be subordinate or mezzanine financing in place. However, preferred equity investments are often structured essentially as disguised mezzanine and subordinate financing wherein the third-party investor is promised a certain return on its investment and granted remedies, much like a secured lender, in the event the investment is not repaid in a specified period of time....