Leverage Opportunities Provided By Commercial Land Trusts
08/03/2026 10:33 AM
Mark Goodman
Savvy commercial investors are always looking to gain a competitive advantage or at least use tools in an effective way to protect their assets, and that’s exactly why many people look to place their commercial property in a land trust instead of holding it in their name.
In its simplest form, a land trust allows the title of a deed to be held by a third-party trustee. An individual can still retain control of the property despite the title being transferred to a trust, but doing this can give the original owner some leverage or protection in specific situations, like:
-
Anonymity Leverage - Perhaps you’re hoping to buy up some commercial land in town but are afraid that your business profile would attract other interested buyers if they knew you had an interest in the land. Maybe you want to buy up some neighboring lots without parties catching wind that you’re the actual buyer. Or maybe you are a government official or work in a high-risk field where you don’t want your name associated with searchable information in the public records. You can establish a trust and leverage your buying position by remaining a layer removed from the transaction.
-
Tax And Business Operation Leverage - In some instances, placing a commercial title in a land trust can help future parties (like children or heirs) deal with the headaches that come with inheriting property following your passing. Land trusts typically move much faster through the probate process or are exempt from the process, meaning there will be less interruption in business in the event a stakeholder dies and the company wants to remain operational during the transition.
Our goal is to help you remain financially protected while also helping to expand your commercial property portfolio as you see fit, so let us help explain how a land trust can factor into that equation based on your personal needs and goals. For more information about land trusts or other aspects of commercial property acquisition, connect with the team at Commercial Partners today at (612) 337-2470.