Juniper Investment Group Secures $24 Million First Close for Fund III and Announces First Acquisition in Laredo, TX
The $100 million multifamily fund partners with family offices and wealth managers to target workforce housing acquisition opportunities in secondary markets.
Houston, TX, December 19, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Juniper Investment Group (“Juniper”), a Houston-based real estate investment firm with more than $1.1 billion in assets under management, today announced the $24 million first close of Juniper Residential Fund III (“JRF III”), a $100 million multifamily fund focused on workforce housing investments in secondary, pre-institutional markets across Texas and surrounding states.
The first close was anchored by a $10 million commitment from a family office investor, alongside capital from Juniper principals, long-standing investment partners, and repeat allocators. JRF III represents Juniper’s first fund open to broader external capital, welcoming participation from family offices, registered investment advisors, and select high-net-worth investors. The fund formalizes an investment approach Juniper has applied over 25 years across 150+ assets and through multiple market cycles with a growing portfolio of directly operated assets.
Key Facts
· Fund: Juniper Residential Fund III
· Target Fund Size: $100 million
· First Close: $24 million
· Anchor Investor: $10 million family office commitment
· Strategy: Workforce housing in secondary, pre-institutional markets
· Geographic Focus: Texas and surrounding states
· Planned Acquisitions: 10 – 15 properties
In conjunction with the first close, Juniper announced the fund’s inaugural acquisition: Cibolo Crossing, a 236-unit Class A workforce housing community in Laredo, Texas, built in 2016. The property was sourced off-market and is financed with an assumable HUD loan at a fixed interest rate of 2.46%, fully amortizing through 2056. JRF III contributed $10 million, or 60% of required equity, while fund investors elected to co-invest the balance.
“Secondary markets have always been the focus of our work,” said Jay Rippeto, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Juniper Investment Group. “We’ve built our firm by acquiring quality assets at a disciplined basis and driving value through operations rather than relying on interest rates or cap rates to turn in our favor. Fund III extends that philosophy in a more formal structure while staying true to how we’ve always invested.”
Juniper emphasizes disciplined basis-focused acquisitions and drives net operating income growth through operations, focusing on under-brokered opportunities where hands-on asset management can create value without relying on aggressive assumptions.
“Cibolo Crossing is a strong example of what we look for,” Rippeto added. “It’s an off-market acquisition in a market we know well, supported by long-term fixed-rate financing and durable workforce housing demand. That combination allows us to focus on execution rather than financial engineering.”
Juniper has operated in the Laredo market since 2020 and currently owns three additional properties in the area. Since going under contract on Cibolo Crossing in November 2024, the property has demonstrated continued operating strength, with approximately 5% rent growth, 6.5% growth in net operating income, and stable occupancy in the mid-90% range.
JRF III is targeting a mix of core-plus and value-add multifamily investments and expects to offer co-investment opportunities alongside select acquisitions, allowing investors to increase exposure to individual assets on preferential terms.
Juniper’s investment approach is informed by its roots as a hybrid family office, with significant GP capital invested alongside limited partners, supporting a long-term, relationship-driven philosophy centered on alignment and operational control.
About Juniper Investment Group
Founded in 2000, Juniper Investment Group is a Houston-based real estate investment firm specializing in workforce housing and multifamily investments in secondary, pre-institutional markets across the United States. The firm focuses on acquiring high-quality assets in overlooked markets and applies institutional-quality operations to drive value through disciplined execution.
With more than $1.1 billion in assets under management, Juniper operates as a hybrid family office, with significant capital invested alongside its limited partners. Its vertically integrated platform emphasizes disciplined basis-focused acquisitions, value creation through operations, and long-term capital alignment. Juniper partners with family offices, wealth managers, and private investors seeking durable income and long-term value creation through locally informed investing. To learn more, visit: www.juniperinvestmentgroup.com
The first close was anchored by a $10 million commitment from a family office investor, alongside capital from Juniper principals, long-standing investment partners, and repeat allocators. JRF III represents Juniper’s first fund open to broader external capital, welcoming participation from family offices, registered investment advisors, and select high-net-worth investors. The fund formalizes an investment approach Juniper has applied over 25 years across 150+ assets and through multiple market cycles with a growing portfolio of directly operated assets.
Key Facts
· Fund: Juniper Residential Fund III
· Target Fund Size: $100 million
· First Close: $24 million
· Anchor Investor: $10 million family office commitment
· Strategy: Workforce housing in secondary, pre-institutional markets
· Geographic Focus: Texas and surrounding states
· Planned Acquisitions: 10 – 15 properties
In conjunction with the first close, Juniper announced the fund’s inaugural acquisition: Cibolo Crossing, a 236-unit Class A workforce housing community in Laredo, Texas, built in 2016. The property was sourced off-market and is financed with an assumable HUD loan at a fixed interest rate of 2.46%, fully amortizing through 2056. JRF III contributed $10 million, or 60% of required equity, while fund investors elected to co-invest the balance.
“Secondary markets have always been the focus of our work,” said Jay Rippeto, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Juniper Investment Group. “We’ve built our firm by acquiring quality assets at a disciplined basis and driving value through operations rather than relying on interest rates or cap rates to turn in our favor. Fund III extends that philosophy in a more formal structure while staying true to how we’ve always invested.”
Juniper emphasizes disciplined basis-focused acquisitions and drives net operating income growth through operations, focusing on under-brokered opportunities where hands-on asset management can create value without relying on aggressive assumptions.
“Cibolo Crossing is a strong example of what we look for,” Rippeto added. “It’s an off-market acquisition in a market we know well, supported by long-term fixed-rate financing and durable workforce housing demand. That combination allows us to focus on execution rather than financial engineering.”
Juniper has operated in the Laredo market since 2020 and currently owns three additional properties in the area. Since going under contract on Cibolo Crossing in November 2024, the property has demonstrated continued operating strength, with approximately 5% rent growth, 6.5% growth in net operating income, and stable occupancy in the mid-90% range.
JRF III is targeting a mix of core-plus and value-add multifamily investments and expects to offer co-investment opportunities alongside select acquisitions, allowing investors to increase exposure to individual assets on preferential terms.
Juniper’s investment approach is informed by its roots as a hybrid family office, with significant GP capital invested alongside limited partners, supporting a long-term, relationship-driven philosophy centered on alignment and operational control.
About Juniper Investment Group
Founded in 2000, Juniper Investment Group is a Houston-based real estate investment firm specializing in workforce housing and multifamily investments in secondary, pre-institutional markets across the United States. The firm focuses on acquiring high-quality assets in overlooked markets and applies institutional-quality operations to drive value through disciplined execution.
With more than $1.1 billion in assets under management, Juniper operates as a hybrid family office, with significant capital invested alongside its limited partners. Its vertically integrated platform emphasizes disciplined basis-focused acquisitions, value creation through operations, and long-term capital alignment. Juniper partners with family offices, wealth managers, and private investors seeking durable income and long-term value creation through locally informed investing. To learn more, visit: www.juniperinvestmentgroup.com
Contact
Juniper Investment Group
Sameer Panjwani
713-972-9310
www.juniperinvestmentgroup.com
Sameer Panjwani
713-972-9310
www.juniperinvestmentgroup.com
Contact
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