RAIT INVESTMENT TRUST

                 2,500,000 Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                               December 18, 2001


FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.
U.S. BANCORP PIPER JAFFRAY INC.
STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
c/o Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.
1001 19th Street North
Arlington, Virginia 22209

Dear Sirs:

         RAIT Investment Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the
"Company"), confirms its agreement with Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.,
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc. and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
(collectively, the "Underwriters"), for whom Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co.,
Inc. is acting as representative (in such capacity, the "Representative"), with
respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of common shares of
beneficial interest of the Company, $.01 par value per share (the "Common
Shares"), set forth in Schedule I hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to
the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in
Section 1(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 375,000 Common Shares to
cover over-allotments, if any. The 2,500,000 Common Shares to be purchased by
the Underwriters (the "Initial Shares") and all or any part of the 375,000
Common Shares subject to the option described in Section 1(b) hereof (the
"Option Shares") are hereinafter called, collectively, the "Shares." The Company
acknowledges that, at its request, the Underwriters have reserved up to 261,179
of the Initial Shares for sale to certain persons listed in Schedule IV hereto
at the purchase price per share of $15.12.

         The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public
offering of the Shares as soon as the Underwriters deem advisable after this
Agreement has been executed and delivered.

         The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"), a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-69422), including a
base prospectus, dated November 2, 2001 (the "Base Prospectus"), relating to the
Shares, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and
the rules and regulations thereunder (the "Securities Act Regulations"). The
Company has prepared and filed such amendments thereto, if any, and such amended
preliminary prospectuses, if any, as may have been required to the date hereof,
and will file such additional amendments thereto and such amended prospectuses
as may hereafter be required. The registration statement has been declared
effective under the Securities Act by the Commission. The registration statement
as amended at the time it became effective (including all information deemed (by
incorporation by reference) to be a part of the registration statement at the
time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the Securities Act
Regulations) is hereinafter called the "Registration Statement," except that, if
the Company files a post-effective amendment to such registration statement that
becomes effective prior to the Closing Time (as defined below), "Registration
Statement" shall refer to such registration statement as so amended. Any
registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act
Regulations with respect to the Shares is hereinafter called the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration Statement"
shall include the 462(b) Registration Statement.




         On December 4, 2001, the Company filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, a Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, dated
December 4, 2001, to the Base Prospectus (together with the Base Prospectus, the
"Preliminary Prospectus"). The Company proposes to file a final Prospectus
Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act within two business
days following the execution of this Agreement (together with the Base
Prospectus, the "Final Prospectus"). The term "Prospectus" means both the
Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any prospectus supplement
specifically relating to the Shares, in the form first filed with, or
transmitted for filing to, the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act. For the purposes of this Agreement, the terms Base Prospectus,
Preliminary Prospectus, Final Prospectus and Prospectus shall be deemed to
include all "Incorporated Documents." As used herein, the term "Incorporated
Documents" means the documents which are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
filed prior to the date hereof or during the period the Prospectus is required
to be delivered in connection with the sale of the Shares by the Underwriters or
any dealer.

         The Company and the Underwriters agree as follows:

         1.       Sale and Purchase:
                  -----------------

         (a) Initial Shares. Upon the basis of the warranties and
representations and other terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at
the purchase price per share of $15.12, the number of Initial Shares set forth
in Schedule I opposite such Underwriter's name, plus any additional number of
Initial Shares which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant
to the provisions of Section 8 hereof subject, in each case, to such adjustments
among the Underwriters as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make
to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

         (b) Option Shares. In addition, upon the basis of the warranties and
representations and other terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company all or any part of the Option Shares at the purchase
price per share set forth in paragraph (a) above plus any additional number of
Option Shares which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant
to the provisions of Section 8 hereof. The option hereby granted will expire 30
days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to
time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments, which may be made in
connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Shares, upon notice
during such 30 day period by the Representative to the Company setting forth the
number of Option Shares as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising
the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Shares.
Any such time and date of delivery (a "Date of Delivery") shall be determined by
the Representative, but shall not be later than three full business days (or
earlier, without the consent of the Company, than two full business days) after
the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as
hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the
Option Shares, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will
purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Shares then being
purchased which the number of Initial Shares set forth in Schedule I opposite
the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Shares,
subject in each case to such adjustments as the Representative in its sole
discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

         (c) Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the
Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $16.00 per share (the
"Public Offering Price") and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that
represents a concession not in excess of $.52 per share under the Public
Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may
reallow, a concession, not in excess of $.10 per share, to any Underwriter or to
certain other dealers. The Underwriters may from time to time increase or
decrease the Public Offering Price of the Shares after the initial public
offering to such extent as the Underwriters may determine.

                                       2


         2.       Payment and Delivery:
                  --------------------

         (a) Initial Shares. The Initial Shares to be purchased by each
Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations
and registered in such names as the Representative may request upon at least
forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on
behalf of the Company to the Representative, including, at the option of the
Representative, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company ("DTC")
for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such
Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal
(same-day) funds to the account specified to the Representative by the Company
upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice. The Company will cause the
certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and
packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Closing Time (as defined
below) with respect thereto at the office of the Ledgewood Law Firm, P.C.
located at 1521 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, or at the
office of DTC or its designated custodian, as the case may be (the "Designated
Office"). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be 9:30 a.m., New
York City time, on December 24, 2001 or on such other time and date as the
Company and the Representative may agree upon in writing. The time at which such
payment and delivery are actually made is hereinafter sometimes called the
"Closing Time" and the date of delivery of both Initial Shares and Option Shares
is hereinafter sometimes called the "Date of Delivery."

         (b) Option Shares. Any Option Shares to be purchased by each
Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations
and registered in such names as the Representative may request upon at least
forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on
behalf of the Company to the Representative, including, at the option of the
Representative, through the facilities of DTC for the account of such
Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase
price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account
specified to the Representative by the Company upon at least forty-eight hours'
prior notice. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Option
Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four
hours prior to the Date of Delivery with respect thereto at the Designated
Office. The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be 9:30 a.m., New
York City time, on the date specified by the Representative in the notice given
by the Representative to the Company of the Underwriters' election to purchase
such Option Shares or on such other time and date as the Company and the
Representative may agree upon in writing.

         3. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Partnership:
The Company and RAIT Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the
"Partnership"), represent and warrant to the Underwriters that:

         (a) the Company and each Subsidiary of the Company set forth on
Schedule II hereto (each a "Subsidiary" and, collectively, the "Subsidiaries")
(other than the Partnership) has been duly formed or incorporated, as the case
may be, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
respective jurisdiction of formation or incorporation with all requisite
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its respective
properties and to conduct its respective business as now conducted and, in the
case of the Company, to authorize, execute and deliver this Agreement, and the
other agreements described in the Prospectus and listed on Schedule III attached
hereto, if any (the "Other Transaction Documents"), and to consummate the
transactions described in each such agreement;

                                       3


         (b) the Company and the Subsidiaries other than the Partnership are
duly qualified or registered to transact business in each jurisdiction in which
they conduct their respective businesses as now conducted and in which the
failure, individually or in the aggregate, to be so qualified or registered
could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the assets,
operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, and the Company and the Subsidiaries are in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which they maintain an office or in which the
nature or conduct of their respective businesses as now conducted requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be in good standing could not
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the assets,
operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

         (c) the Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing as a
limited partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with
all requisite partnership power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as now conducted. The Partnership has
been duly qualified or registered to do business as a foreign partnership in
each jurisdiction in which it conducts its business as now conducted, and in
which the failure, individually or in the aggregate, to be so qualified or
registered could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
assets, operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

         (d) the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders, decrees and
judgments;

         (e) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in breach of, or
in default under (nor has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time,
or both would constitute a breach of, or default under), its respective
declaration of trust, charter, by-laws, certificate of limited partnership or
partnership agreement, as the case may be, or in the performance or observance
of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any license,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement or other agreement
or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by
which any of them or their respective properties is bound, except for such
breaches or defaults which could be reasonably expected to not have a material
adverse effect on the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or
otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, and the
issuance, sale and delivery by the Company of the Shares, the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Other Transaction Documents
(as such term is defined in Section 3(a) hereof), and consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict with, or result
in any breach of, or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which
with notice, lapse of time, or both would constitute a breach of, or default
under), (i) any provision of the declaration of trust, charter, by-laws,
certificate of limited partnership or partnership agreement, as the case may be,
of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (ii) any provision of any license,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement or other agreement
or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by
which any of them or their respective properties may be bound or affected, or
(iii) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any
decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries,
except in the case of clause (ii) for such breaches or defaults which could be
reasonably expected to not have a material adverse effect on the assets,
operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; or result in the creation or imposition of
any material lien, charge, claim or encumbrance upon any property or asset of
the Company or the Subsidiaries;

                                       4


         (f) the Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into
and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
herein; this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable
in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally, and by general principles of equity, and except to the extent
that the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 9 hereof may be
limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in
respect thereof;

         (g) the Partnership has full legal right, power and authority to enter
into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
herein; this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Partnership and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Partnership
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally, and by general principles of equity, and except to
the extent the indemnification and contribution provisions set forth in Section
9 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and the public
policy considerations in respect thereof underlying such laws;

         (h) the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Partnership, including any
amendment thereto (the "Partnership Agreement"), has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the partners of the
Partnership and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the parties
thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally or by general principles of equity;

         (i) the issuance and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters hereunder
have been duly authorized by the Company; when issued and delivered against
payment therefor as provided in this Agreement, the Shares will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable and the issuance of the Shares will not be
subject to any preemptive or similar rights; except as contemplated herein, no
person or entity holds a right to require or participate in the registration
under the Securities Act of the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement;
no person or entity has a right of participation or first refusal with respect
to the sale of the Shares by the Company; except as set forth in the Prospectus,
there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any
person or entity granting such person or entity the right to require the Company
to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities
with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement; the form of
certificates evidencing the Shares complies with all applicable legal
requirements and, in all material respects, with all applicable requirements of
the declaration of trust and bylaws of the Company and the requirements of the
American Stock Exchange;

                                       5


         (j) the Other Transaction Documents, if any, have been duly authorized
and will be, upon execution and delivery by the Company, legal, valid and
binding agreements of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms,
except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and by general principles
of equity;

         (k) no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any
federal, state or local governmental or regulatory commission, board, body,
authority or agency is required in connection with the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement and the Other Transaction Documents, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby or the sale and
delivery of the Shares as contemplated hereby other than (i) such as have been
obtained, or will have been obtained at the Closing Time or the relevant Date of
Delivery, as the case may be, under the Securities Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), (ii) such approvals as
have been obtained in connection with the approval of the listing of the Shares
on the American Stock Exchange and (iii) any necessary qualification under the
securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are
being offered by the Underwriters;

         (l) each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has all necessary
licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and has made all necessary
filings required under any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule, and
has obtained all necessary authorizations, consents and approvals from other
persons required in order to conduct their respective businesses as described in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, except to the extent that any failure
to have any such licenses, authorizations, consents or approvals, to make any
such filings or to obtain any such authorizations, consents or approvals could
not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material
adverse effect on the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or
otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; neither the
Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of, in default under, or has
received any notice regarding a possible violation, default or revocation of any
such license, authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state, local or
foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to
the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the effect of which could reasonably be
expected to be material and adverse to the assets, operations, business or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as
a whole; and no such license, authorization, consent or approval contains a
materially burdensome restriction that is not adequately disclosed in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

                                       6


         (m) each of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission, and any request on
the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with;

         (n) the Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
meet the requirements and conditions for using a registration statement on Form
S-3 under the Securities Act, set forth in the General Instructions to Form S-3;
the Preliminary Prospectus and the Registration Statement comply and the Final
Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, when
they have become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be,
in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
Securities Act Regulations and, in each case, present, or will present, fairly
the information required to be shown; the Registration Statement did not, and
any amendment thereto will not, in each case as of the applicable effective
date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; and the Preliminary Prospectus does not, and the Final Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto will not, as of the applicable filing date
and at the Closing Time and on each Date of Delivery (if any), contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however,
that the Company makes no warranty or representation with respect to any
statement contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with the information concerning the Underwriters and
furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters through the
Representative to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (that information being limited to that described in the last
sentence of the first paragraph of Section 9(b) hereof);

         (o) the Preliminary Prospectus was and the Final Prospectus delivered
to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering will be identical
to the versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus created to be
transmitted to the Commission for filing via the Electronic Data Gathering
Analysis and Retrieval System ("EDGAR"), except to the extent permitted by
Regulation S-T and Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations;

         (p) each document incorporated by reference or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus,
when each became effective or was filed with the Commission, as the case may be,
conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the Securities Act Regulations and the
regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act (the "Exchange Act Regulations"),
and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are
filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as
applicable, and the Securities Act Regulations and the Exchange Act Regulations
and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading;

                                       7


         (q) all legal or governmental proceedings, contracts or documents which
are material and of a character required to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement or to be summarized or described in the Prospectus have
been so filed, summarized or described as required;

         (r) there are no actions, suits, proceedings, inquiries or
investigations pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened against the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers and
directors or to which the properties, assets or rights of any such entity is
subject, at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign
governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority, arbitration panel
or agency which could reasonably be expected to result in a judgment, decree,
award or order having a material adverse effect on the assets, operations,
business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or which could adversely affect the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any material respect;

         (s) the financial statements, including the notes thereto, included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
present fairly the financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of
the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in financial
position and cash flows of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods
specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during
the periods involved (except as indicated in the notes thereto); the financial
statement schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus fairly present the information shown therein; no
other financial statements or schedules are required by Form S-3 or otherwise to
be included in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.

         (t) the Company has filed in a timely manner all reports required to be
filed pursuant to sections 13, 14, 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the
preceding twelve calendar months and if during such period the Company has
relied on Rule 12b-25(b) under the Exchange Act ("Rule 12b-25(b)") with respect
to a report or a portion of a report, that report or portion of a report has
actually been filed within the time period prescribed by Rule 12b-25(b);

         (u) Grant Thornton LLP, whose reports on the audited financial
statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries are included as part of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus or are incorporated by reference therein
are and were during the periods covered by their reports independent public
accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Securities Act
Regulations;

         (v) subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except as may be otherwise
stated in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, there has not been (i) any
material adverse change in the assets, operations, business or condition
(financial or otherwise), present or prospective, of the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, (ii) any transaction, which is material to the Company and the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, planned or entered into by the Company or any of
the Subsidiaries, (iii) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, directly or
indirectly incurred by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, which is material
to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (iv) except in
accordance with the Company's ordinary practice as disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, any dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
paid or made with respect to the capital stock of the Company or with respect to
the partnership interests of the Partnership;

                                       8


         (w) the authorized shares of beneficial interest of the Company conform
in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
the Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" as of the date stated
in such section; immediately after the Closing Time, 14,946,365 Common Shares
will be issued and outstanding (subject to the Underwriter's option described in
Section 1(b) hereof) and no shares of beneficial interest of any other class of
beneficial interest will be issued and outstanding. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company have been duly
authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and have been
offered, sold and issued by the Company in compliance with all applicable laws
(including, without limitation, federal and state securities laws); none of the
issued shares of beneficial interest of the Company have been issued in
violation of any preemptive or similar rights granted by the Company; except as
disclosed in the Prospectus or in connection with the Company's employee stock
option plan or dividend reinvestment plan, there is no outstanding option,
warrant or other right calling for the issuance of, and no commitment, plan or
arrangement to issue, any shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any
security convertible into or exchangeable for shares of beneficial interest of
the Company;

         (x) all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of RAIT
General, Inc., a Maryland corporation ("RAIT General"), and RAIT Limited, Inc.,
a Maryland corporation ("RAIT Limited"), have been duly authorized and are
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned of record and
beneficially by the Company, and have been offered, sold and issued by RAIT
General and RAIT Limited in compliance with all applicable laws (including, but
not limited to, federal and state securities laws); none of the issued shares of
capital stock of RAIT General and RAIT Limited have been issued in violation of
any preemptive or similar rights; except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there
is no outstanding option, warrant or other right calling for the issuance of,
and no commitment, plan or arrangement to issue, any shares of capital stock of
RAIT General or RAIT Limited or any security convertible into or exchangeable
for capital stock of RAIT General or RAIT Limited;

         (y) immediately after the Closing Time, all of the issued and
outstanding units of partnership interest in the Partnership ("Common Units")
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; none of the Common Units
has been or will be issued or is owned or held in violation of any preemptive
right; the Common Units have been or will be offered, sold and issued by the
Partnership in compliance with all applicable laws (including, without
limitation, federal and state securities laws);

         (z) each of the Company, the Subsidiaries, and each of their respective
officers, directors and controlling persons has not taken, and will not take,
directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted
or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale
or resale of the Shares;

                                       9


         (aa) except for certain relationships between Betsy Cohen and other
affiliates and Cohen Bros. & Co., Inc. described in the Representative's COBRA
Desk filing with the NASD dated December 4, 2001, which the Company has reviewed
and approved, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (i) is required to
register as a "broker" or "dealer" in accordance with the provisions of the
Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations, or (ii) directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls or has any other association with
(within the meaning of Article 1 of the By-laws of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD")) any member firm of the NASD;

         (bb) the Company has not relied upon the Underwriters or legal counsel
for the Underwriters for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with
the offering and sale of the Shares;

         (cc) any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any
Subsidiary delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters
pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
covered thereby;

         (dd) the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all real property and good title to all personal property owned by
them, in each case free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges,
charges, encumbrances, mortgages and defects, except such as are disclosed in
the Prospectus or the financial statements thereto or such as do not materially
and adversely affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the
use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the
Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the
Company or any Subsidiary are held under valid, existing and enforceable leases,
with such exceptions, liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances,
mortgages and defects, as are disclosed in the Prospectus or are not material
and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property
and buildings by the Company or such Subsidiary; the Company or a Subsidiary has
obtained an owner's title insurance policy, from a title insurance company
licensed to issue such policy, on any real property owned by the Company or any
Subsidiary, that insures the Company's or the Subsidiary's fee or leasehold
interest in such real property (other than the leasehold interest of the Company
with respect to its principal executive offices), with coverage in an amount at
least equal to the fair market value of such fee or leasehold interest in the
real property, or a lender's title insurance policy insuring the lien of its
mortgage securing the real property with coverage equal to the maximum aggregate
principal amount of any indebtedness held by the Company or a Subsidiary and
secured by the real property;

         (ee) neither the purchase nor the origination, as the case may be, of
the loans owned by the Company, nor the execution and delivery of, or
performance by the borrowers thereunder of any mortgage, deed of trust, deed,
indenture, note, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument
in connection therewith, at the time of such purchase, origination, execution or
delivery, resulted in a breach of or default under any mortgage, deed of trust,
indenture, note, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument
relating to any mortgage or other loan that may have priority over any such loan
with respect to the assets of the borrower thereunder and that is in existence
at the time the Company or any of the Subsidiaries purchases or originates any
such loan;

                                       10


         (ff) to the knowledge of the Company and the Partnership, there are no
statutes or regulations applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or
certificates, permits or other authorizations from governmental regulatory
officials or bodies required to be obtained or maintained by the Company or any
of the Subsidiaries of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus which have not been so disclosed and properly
described therein; except as disclosed in the Prospectus, all agreements between
the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and third parties expressly referenced in
the Prospectus are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or one or
more of the Subsidiaries, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms,
except to the extent enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally
and by general principles of equity;

         (gg) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, trustees,
officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act to be
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which is not so
described;

         (hh) the Company and each Subsidiary owns or possesses adequate license
or other rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names,
copyrights, software and design licenses, trade secrets, manufacturing
processes, other intangible property rights and know-how, if any (collectively
"Intangibles"), necessary to entitle the Company and each Subsidiary to conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus, and neither the Company, nor any
Subsidiary, has received notice of infringement of or conflict with (and knows
of no such infringement of or conflict with) asserted rights of others with
respect to any Intangibles which could materially and adversely affect the
assets, operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Company or any Subsidiary;

         (ii) each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has filed on a timely
basis all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax
returns, if any such returns were required to be filed, through the date hereof
and have paid all taxes shown as due thereon; and no tax deficiency has been
asserted against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, nor does the Company or
any of the Subsidiaries know of any tax deficiency which is likely to be
asserted against any such entity which, if determined adversely to any such
entity, could materially adversely affect the assets, operations, business or
condition (financial or otherwise) of any such entity, respectively; all tax
liabilities, if any, are adequately provided for on the respective books of such
entities;

         (jj) each of the Company and the Subsidiaries maintains insurance
(issued by insurers of recognized financial responsibility) of the types and in
the amounts generally deemed adequate, if any, for their respective businesses
and consistent with insurance coverage maintained by similar companies in
similar businesses, including, but not limited to, insurance covering real and
personal property owned or leased by the Company and the Subsidiaries against
theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and all other risks customarily
insured against, all of which insurance is in full force and effect;

                                       11


         (kk) except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the
Company, any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the best of their knowledge, any former
owner of any real property owned by the Company or the Subsidiaries has
authorized or conducted or has knowledge of the generation, transportation,
storage, presence, use, treatment, disposal, release, or other handling of any
hazardous substance, hazardous waste, hazardous material, hazardous constituent,
toxic substance, pollutant, contaminant, asbestos, radon, polychlorinated
biphenyls ("PCBs"), petroleum product or waste (including crude oil or any
fraction thereof), natural gas, liquefied gas, synthetic gas or other material
defined, regulated, controlled or potentially subject to any remediation
requirement under any environmental law (collectively, "Hazardous Materials"),
on, in, under or affecting any real property currently leased or owned or by any
means controlled by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, including any real
property underlying any loan held by the Company or the Subsidiaries
(collectively, the "Real Property"), except in material compliance with
applicable laws; to the knowledge of the Company and the Partnership, the Real
Property, and the Company's, the Subsidiaries' and the former owners of the Real
Property's operations with respect to the Real Property, are and were in
compliance with all federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules,
regulations and other governmental requirements relating to pollution, control
of chemicals, management of waste, discharges of materials into the environment,
health, safety, natural resources, and the environment (collectively,
"Environmental Laws"), and the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance
with, all licenses, permits, registrations and government authorizations
necessary to operate under all applicable Environmental Laws; except as
otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries
or, to the knowledge of the Company and the Partnership, any former owner of any
of the Real Property has received any written or oral notice from any
governmental entity or any other person and there is no pending or threatened
claim, litigation or any administrative agency proceeding that: alleges a
violation of any Environmental Laws by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries;
or that the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a liable party or a
potentially responsible party under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 9601, et seq., or any state
superfund law; has resulted in or could result in the attachment of an
environmental lien on any of the Real Property; or alleges that the Company or
any of the Subsidiaries is liable for any contamination of the environment,
contamination of the Real Property, damage to natural resources, property
damage, or personal injury based on their activities or the activities of their
predecessors or third parties (whether at the Real Property or elsewhere)
involving Hazardous Materials, whether arising under the Environmental Laws,
common law principles, or other legal standards; in the ordinary course of its
business as necessary and appropriate, the Company conducts a periodic review of
the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of
the Company and the Subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and
evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any
capital or operating expenditures) required for clean-up, closure of properties
or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any
related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to
third parties;

                                       12


         (ll) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental
Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures
required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental
Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating
activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which could, singly
or in the aggregate, reasonably be deemed to have a material adverse effect on
the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the
Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

         (mm) none of the entities which prepared appraisals of the Real
Property, nor the entities which prepared Phase I environmental assessment
reports with respect to the Real Property, was employed for such purpose on a
contingent basis or has any substantial interest in the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries, and none of their directors, officers or employees is connected
with the Company or any of the Subsidiaries as a promoter, selling agent, voting
trustee, officer, director or employee;

         (nn) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, any officer, director or trustee purporting to act
on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has at any time; (i) made
any contributions to any candidate for political office, or failed to disclose
fully any such contributions, in violation of law, (ii) made any payment to any
state, federal or foreign governmental officer or official, or other person
charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments required
or allowed by applicable law, (iii) made any payment outside the ordinary course
of business to any investment officer or loan broker or person charged with
similar duties of any entity to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries
sells or from which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries buys loans or
servicing arrangements for the purpose of influencing such agent, officer,
broker or person to buy loans or servicing arrangements from or sell loans to
the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (iv) engaged in any transactions,
maintained any bank account or used any corporate funds except for transactions,
bank accounts and funds which have been and are reflected in the normally
maintained books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries;

         (oo) except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no
material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by
the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the
officers or directors of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of the
members of the families of any of them;

         (pp) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the
Company's knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries, has made any payment of funds of the Company or of any Subsidiary
or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation or
of a character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus;

                                       13


         (qq) the Company is organized and operates in conformity with the
requirements for qualification as a real estate investment trust under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and the Company's
proposed method of operation will enable it to meet the requirements for
taxation as a real estate investment trust under the Code; the Partnership will
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and not as a
corporation or association taxable as a corporation;

         (rr) the Shares have been approved for listing, upon official notice of
issuance, on the American Stock Exchange;

         (ss) in connection with this offering, the Company has not offered and
will not offer its Common Shares or any other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares in a manner in violation of the
Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations; the Company has not
distributed and will not distribute any Prospectus or other offering material in
connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, except as contemplated herein;

         (tt) the Company has complied and will comply with all the provisions
of Florida Statutes, Section 517.075 (Chapter 92-198, Laws of Florida); neither
the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries or their respective affiliates does
business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in
Cuba;

         (uu) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is, or solely as a
result of transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds
from the sale of the Shares, will become an "investment company" or a company
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act");

         (vv) the Company has not incurred any liability for any finder's fees
or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated;

         (ww) neither the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, nor any real
property owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company (each a "Property") has
sustained, since June 29, 1998, any material loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity,
whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or arbitrators'
or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus;

                                       14


         (xx) no person has an option or right of first refusal to purchase all
or part of any Property or any interest therein. Each of the Properties complies
with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation,
building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to
the Properties), except if and to the extent disclosed in the Prospectus and
except for such failures to comply that would not individually or in the
aggregate have a material adverse effect on the assets, operations, business or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as
a whole;

         (yy) each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns, possesses or has
obtained all material permits, licenses, franchises, certificates, consents,
orders, approvals and other authorizations of governmental or regulatory
authorities as are necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate
its respective Property and to carry on its business as presently conducted, and
neither the Company nor the Partnership has received any notice of proceedings
relating to revocation or modification of any such licenses, permits,
certificates, consents, orders, approvals or authorizations; and

         (zz) to the best of the Company's and the Partnership's knowledge, no
general labor problem exists or is imminent with the employees of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries.

         4. Certain Covenants of the Company and the Partnership: The Company
and the Partnership hereby covenant with each Underwriter:

         (a) to furnish such information as may be required and otherwise to
cooperate in qualifying the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or
blue sky laws of such states as the Underwriters may designate and to maintain
such qualifications in effect as long as required for the distribution of the
Shares, provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign
corporation or to consent to the service of process under the laws of any such
state (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the
Shares);

         (b) if, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is
necessary for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement to be
declared effective before the offering of the Shares may commence, the Company
will endeavor to cause such post-effective amendment to become effective as soon
as possible and will advise the Representative promptly and, if requested by the
Representative, will confirm such advice in writing, when such post-effective
amendment has become effective;

                                       15


         (c) to prepare the Final Prospectus in a form approved by the
Underwriters and file such Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) within the time period prescribed by law, on the day following the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and to furnish promptly (and with
respect to the initial delivery of such Prospectus, not later than 10:00 a.m.
(New York City time) on the day following the execution and delivery of this
Agreement) to the Underwriters as many copies of the Final Prospectus (or of the
Final Prospectus as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have made any
amendments or supplements thereto after the effective date of the Registration
Statement) as the Underwriters may reasonably request for the purposes
contemplated by the Securities Act Regulations, which Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be
identical to the version created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing
via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T or Rule 424(b) under
the Securities Act Regulations;

         (d) to advise the Representative promptly and (if requested by the
Representative) to confirm such advice in writing, when any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities
Act Regulations;

         (e) to advise the Representative immediately, confirming such advice in
writing, of (i) the receipt of any comments from, or any request by, the
Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or for additional information with respect thereto, or (ii) the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the
qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the
initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes and, if
the Commission or any other government agency or authority should issue any such
order, to make every reasonable effort to obtain the lifting or removal of such
order as soon as possible; to advise the Representative promptly of any proposal
to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus and to file no
such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object
in writing;

         (f) to file promptly with the Commission any amendment to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any supplement to the Prospectus
that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Representative, be required by
the Securities Act or requested by the Commission;

                                       16


         (g) prior to filing with the Commission any amendment to the
Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Prospectus
pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act Regulations, to furnish a copy
thereof to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the
consent of the Underwriters to the filing;

         (h) to furnish to the Underwriters for a period of five years from the
date of this Agreement (i) as soon as available, copies of all annual, quarterly
and current reports or other communications supplied to holders of Common
Shares, (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of all
reports filed by the Company with the Commission, the NASD or any securities
exchange and (iii) such other publicly available information as the Underwriters
may reasonably request regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries;

         (i) to advise the Underwriters promptly during any period of time in
which a Prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act Regulations (i) of any material change in the Company's assets,
operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise) or (ii) of the
happening of any event which would require the making of any change in the
Prospectus then being used so that the Prospectus would not include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and, during such time,
to prepare and furnish, at the Company's expense, to the Underwriters promptly
such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary to reflect
any such change;

         (j) to furnish promptly to the Representative a signed copy of the
Registration Statement, as initially filed with the Commission, and of all
amendments or supplements thereto (including all exhibits filed therewith) and
such number of conformed copies of the foregoing as the Underwriters may
reasonably request;

         (k) to furnish to the Underwriters, not less than two business days
before filing with the Commission, subsequent to the effective date of the
Prospectus and during any period of time in which a prospectus relating to the
Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act Regulations, a copy
of any document proposed to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13,
14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;

         (l) to apply the net proceeds of the sale of the Shares substantially
in accordance with its statements under the caption "Use of Proceeds" in the
Prospectus;

         (m) to make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than the end of the fiscal quarter first
occurring after the first anniversary of the effective date of the Registration
Statement, an earnings statement complying with the provisions of Section 11(a)
of the Securities Act (in form, at the option of the Company, complying with the
provisions of Rule 158 of the Securities Act Regulations) covering a period of
12 months beginning on the effective date of the Registration Statement;

                                       17


         (n) to cause and use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the
Shares on the American Stock Exchange and to file with the American Stock
Exchange all documents and notices required by the American Stock Exchange of
companies that have securities that are listed on the American Stock Exchange;

         (o) except in the ordinary course of business in connection with the
acquisition of assets, to refrain during a period of 120 days from the date of
the Prospectus, without the prior written consent of the Representative, from
(i) offering, pledging, selling, contracting to sell, selling any option or
contract to purchase, purchasing any option or contract to sell, granting any
option for the sale of, or otherwise disposing of or transferring, directly or
indirectly, any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable
or exchangeable for Common Shares, or filing any registration statement under
the Securities Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) entering into
any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or
in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the
Common Shares, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or
(ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other
securities, in cash or otherwise; the foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A)
the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any Common Shares issued by the Company
upon the exercise of an option outstanding on the date hereof or upon the
exercise of any option granted in the ordinary course of business and in
accordance with the terms of any management option plan existing on the date
hereof, (C) pursuant to the Company's employee stock option plan or dividend
reinvestment plan, or (D) the Company's filing with the Commission under the
Securities Act of a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 for up to
$150 million in securities of the Company, provided that the issuance,
contracting to issue or other transfer of the securities subject to such
registration shall be prohibited in accordance with the terms of this paragraph;

         (p) the Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under
the jurisdiction of formation of the Company, a registrar (which may be the same
entity as the transfer agent) for its Common Shares;

         (q) the Company will use its best efforts (i) to meet the requirements
to qualify as a real estate investment trust under the Code and (ii) to cause
the Partnership to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes;

         (r) the Company will comply with all of the provisions of any
undertakings in the Registration Statement;

         (s) the Company and the Subsidiaries will conduct their affairs in such
a manner so as to ensure that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary will be an
"investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an investment company within
the meaning of the 1940 Act;

                                       18


         (t) if at any time during the 30-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective, any rumor, publication or event relating to or
affecting the Company shall occur as a result of which in the Representative's
reasonable opinion the market price of the Common Shares has been or is likely
to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or
event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus) and after
written notice from the Representative advising the Company to the effect set
forth above, to forthwith prepare, consult with the Representative concerning
the substance of, and disseminate a press release or other public statement,
reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, responding to or commenting on
such rumor, publication or event; and

         (u) to maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance
with management's general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset
accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable
intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

         5.       Payment of Expenses:
                  -------------------

         (a) The Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of the Company's obligations under this Agreement whether or not the
transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement
terminated, including, but not limited to, all fees and expenses of and filing
with the Commission and the NASD; all Blue Sky fees and expenses, including
filing fees and disbursements of the Underwriters' Blue Sky counsel (but
excluding the fees of such counsel), fees and disbursements of counsel and
accountants for the Company, and printing costs, including costs of printing the
prospectus, and any amendments thereto; all underwriting documents, Blue Sky
Memoranda, a reasonable quantity of prospectuses requested by the Underwriters,
and the Company's road show costs and expenses. In addition, the Company agrees
to pay all costs and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with
the offer and sale of the Shares, including but not limited to travel expenses
and legal fees, up to a maximum of $62,500.

         (b) If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any
of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply
with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for
any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this
Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as
have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel)
reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or
the transactions contemplated herein.

                                       19


         6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations: The obligations of the
Underwriters hereunder are subject to (i) the accuracy of the representations
and warranties on the part of the Company in all material respects on the date
hereof and at the Closing Time and on each Date of Delivery, (ii) the
performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder in all material
respects, and (iii) the following further conditions:

         (a) If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is
necessary for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement to be
declared effective before the offering of the Shares may commence, such
post-effective amendment shall have become effective not later than 5:30 p.m.,
New York City time, on the date hereof, or at such later date and time as shall
be consented to in writing by you.

         (b) The Company shall furnish to the Underwriters at the Closing Time
and on each Date of Delivery an opinion of Ledgewood Law Firm, P.C., counsel for
the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Time and each
Date of Delivery and in form satisfactory to Hunton & Williams, counsel for the
Underwriters, stating that:

                  (i) the authorized shares of beneficial interest of the
         Company conform as to legal matters to the description thereof
         contained in the Prospectus and meet the requirements of Form S-3 under
         the Securities Act; the Company has an authorized capitalization as set
         forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" as of the
         date stated in such section; the outstanding shares of beneficial
         interest or capital stock, as the case may be, of the Company and the
         Subsidiaries (other than the Partnership) have been duly and validly
         authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the
         authorized and validly issued shares of capital stock of or interests
         in the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, are directly or indirectly
         owned of record and beneficially by the Company; except as disclosed in
         the Prospectus or pursuant to the Company's employee stock option plan
         or dividend reinvestment plan, there are no authorized and validly
         issued (A) securities or obligations of the Company or any of the
         Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of
         beneficial interest of the Company or any capital stock or interests in
         any such Subsidiary or (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for
         or purchase from the Company or any such Subsidiary any such shares of
         beneficial interest, capital stock, interests or any such convertible
         or exchangeable securities or obligations; except as set forth in the
         Prospectus, as contemplated by this Agreement, or pursuant to the
         Company's employee stock option plan or dividend reinvestment plan,
         there are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any such
         Subsidiary to issue any shares of beneficial interest, capital stock or
         interests, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or
         obligation, or any such warrants, rights or options;

                                       20


                  (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries (other than the
         Partnership) each has been duly formed or incorporated, as the case may
         be, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
         respective jurisdiction of formation or incorporation with the
         requisite power and authority to own its respective properties and to
         conduct its respective business as described in the Registration
         Statement and Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to execute
         and deliver this Agreement, and the Other Transaction Documents and to
         consummate the transactions described in each such agreement;

                  (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries (other than the
         Partnership) are duly qualified in or registered by and are in good
         standing in each jurisdiction specifically referred to in the
         Registration Statement and Prospectus as jurisdictions in which
         property securing loans proposed to be made or acquired by the Company
         is located and in which the failure, individually or in the aggregate,
         to be so qualified could reasonably be expected to have a material
         adverse effect on the assets, operations, business or condition
         (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a
         whole. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, no Subsidiary is
         prohibited or restricted by its charter, bylaws, certificate of limited
         partnership or partnership agreement, as the case may be, or, to the
         knowledge of such counsel, otherwise, directly or indirectly, from
         paying dividends to the Company, or from making any other distribution
         with respect to such Subsidiary's capital stock or interests or from
         paying the Company or any other Subsidiary, any loans or advances to
         such Subsidiary from the Company or such other Subsidiary, or from
         transferring any such Subsidiary's property or assets to the Company or
         to any other Subsidiary; to such counsel's knowledge, other than as
         disclosed on Schedule II, the Company does not own, directly or
         indirectly, any capital stock or other equity securities of any other
         corporation or any ownership interest in any partnership, joint venture
         or other association;

                  (iv) the Partnership has been duly formed and is validly
         existing as a limited partnership under the laws of the jurisdiction of
         its organization, with all requisite partnership power and authority to
         own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as
         now conducted as described in the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus. The Partnership has been duly qualified or registered to do
         business as a foreign partnership in those jurisdictions specifically
         referred to in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as
         jurisdictions in which property securing loans proposed to be made or
         acquired by the Partnership is located and in which the failure,
         individually or in the aggregate, to be so qualified or registered
         would have a material adverse effect on the assets, operations,
         business or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the
         Subsidiaries taken as a whole;



                                       21


                  (v) to such Counsel's knowledge, the Company and the
         Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all
         applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders;

                  (vi) to such counsel's knowledge, except as disclosed in the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any
         of its Subsidiaries is in material breach of, or in material default
         under (nor has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time, or
         both would constitute a material breach of, or material default under)
         its respective declaration of trust, charter, by-laws, certificate of
         limited partnership or partnership agreement, as the case may be, or in
         the performance or observation of any obligation, agreement, covenant,
         or condition contained in any license, indenture, mortgage, deed of
         trust, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to
         which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any
         of them or their respective properties may be bound or affected, except
         such breaches or defaults which would not have a material adverse
         effect on the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or
         otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

                  (vii) the execution, delivery and performance of this
         Agreement and the Other Transaction Documents by the Company and the
         consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated under this
         Agreement or the Other Transaction Documents, as the case may be, do
         not and will not conflict with, or result in any breach of, or
         constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which with notice,
         lapse of time, or both would constitute a breach of or default under),
         (i) any provisions of the declaration of trust, charter, by-laws,
         certificate of limited partnership or partnership agreement, as the
         case may be, of the Company or any Subsidiary, (ii) to such counsel's
         knowledge, any provision of any license, indenture, mortgage, deed of
         trust, loan or credit agreement or other agreement or instrument to
         which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them
         or their respective properties may be bound or affected, or (iii) to
         such counsel's knowledge, any law or regulation or any decree, judgment
         or order applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary (other than State
         and foreign securities or blue sky laws and the rules and regulations
         of the NASD, as to which counsel need express no opinion, or the
         federal securities laws, as to which counsel need express only that
         nothing has come to its attention to lead it to believe that such a
         violation has or will occur), except in the case of clauses (ii) and
         (iii) for such conflicts, breaches or defaults, laws, regulations,
         decrees, judgments or orders, which individually or in the aggregate
         could not be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on
         the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise)
         of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; or, result in the
         creation or imposition of any lien, encumbrance, or to such counsel's
         knowledge, charge or claim upon any property or assets of the Company
         or the Subsidiaries;



                                       22


                  (viii) the Company has full legal right, power and authority
         to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate the
         transactions contemplated herein; this Agreement has been duly
         authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid
         and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its
         terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
         reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
         generally, and by general principles of equity, and except that
         enforceability of the indemnification and contribution provisions set
         forth in Section 9 hereof may be limited by the federal or state
         securities laws of the United States or public policy underlying such
         laws;

                  (ix) the Partnership has full partnership right, power and
         authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to consummate
         the transactions contemplated herein. This Agreement has been duly
         authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership and constitutes a
         valid and binding agreement of the Partnership enforceable in
         accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy,
         insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
         creditors' rights generally, and by general principles of equity, and
         except that enforceability of the indemnification and contribution
         provisions set forth in Section 9 hereof may be limited by federal or
         state securities laws of the United States or public policy underlying
         such laws;

                  (x) the Other Transaction Documents, if any, have been duly
         authorized, executed, and delivered by the Company and are legal, valid
         and binding agreements of the Company enforceable in accordance with
         their terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
         reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
         generally, and by general principles of equity;

                  (xi) no approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing
         with any federal or state governmental or regulatory commission, board,
         body, authority or agency is required in connection with the execution,
         delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Other Transaction
         Documents or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby
         and thereby by the Company and the Partnership, or the sale and
         delivery of the Shares by the Company as contemplated hereby other than
         such as have been obtained or made under the Securities Act or the
         Exchange Act and such approvals as have been obtained in connection
         with the listing of the Shares on the American Stock Exchange and
         except that such counsel need express no opinion as to any necessary
         qualification under the state securities or blue sky laws of the
         various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered by the
         Underwriters or any approval of the underwriting terms and arrangements
         by the NASD;

                                       23


                  (xii) to such counsel's knowledge, each of the Company and the
         Subsidiaries has all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and
         approvals and has made all necessary filings required under any
         federal, state or local law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all
         necessary authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons,
         required to conduct their respective businesses, as described in the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except to the extent that
         any failure to have any such authorizations, consents or approvals
         would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
         effect on the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or
         otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; to
         such counsel's knowledge, neither the Company nor any of the
         Subsidiaries is in violation of, in default under, or has received any
         notice regarding a possible violation, default or revocation of any
         such license, authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state,
         local or foreign law, regulation or decree, order or judgment
         applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the effect of
         which could be material and adverse to the assets, operations, business
         or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the
         Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and no such license, authorization,
         consent or approval contains a materially burdensome restriction that
         is not adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus;

                  (xiii) the Shares have been duly authorized and, when the
         Shares have been issued and duly delivered against payment therefor as
         contemplated by this Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued,
         fully paid and nonassessable, and, except for any action that may have
         been taken by the holder thereof, free and clear of any pledge, lien,
         encumbrance, security interest, or other claim;

                  (xiv) immediately after the Closing Time, all of the Common
         Units will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. None of
         the Common Units has been or will be issued or is owned or held in
         violation of any preemptive right. The outstanding Common Units have
         been offered, sold and issued by the Partnership in compliance with all
         federal and state securities laws;

                  (xv) the issuance and sale of the Shares and the Common Units
         by the Company or the Partnership, as the case may be, is not subject
         to preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law,
         under the declaration of trust or by-laws of the Company or the
         certificate of limited partnership or Partnership Agreement of the
         Partnership, under any agreement known to such counsel to which the
         Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or, to such counsel's
         knowledge, otherwise;

                                       24


                  (xvi) provided that all parties are in compliance with any
         standstill, subordination, intercreditor or similar agreement entered
         into with the holder of the Senior Indebtedness (as defined below), to
         the best of such counsel's knowledge and solely in reliance upon
         representation's made by the Company and the Company's borrowers, and
         opinions given by counsel to such borrowers, neither the purchase nor
         the origination, as the case may be, of the loans, nor the execution
         and delivery of, or performance by the borrowers thereunder of any
         mortgage, deed of trust, deed, indenture, note, loan or credit
         agreement or any other agreement or instrument in connection therewith,
         has resulted in or, with notice and an opportunity to cure, would
         result in a breach of or default under any mortgage, deed of trust,
         indenture, note, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or
         instrument relating to any mortgage or other loan (collectively, the
         "Senior Indebtedness") that may have priority over any such loan with
         respect to the assets of the borrower thereunder and that is in
         existence at the time the Company or any of the Subsidiaries purchases
         or originates any such loan;

                  (xvii) to such counsel's knowledge, there are no persons with
         registration or other similar rights to have any securities registered
         pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the
         Company under the Securities Act;

                  (xviii) the form of certificate used to evidence the Shares
         complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory
         requirements, with any applicable requirements of the declaration of
         trust and bylaws of the Company and the requirements of the American
         Stock Exchange;

                  (xix) the Registration Statement has become effective under
         the Securities Act and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no
         stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
         has been issued and, to such counsel's knowledge, no proceedings with
         respect thereto have been commenced or threatened;

                  (xx) as of the effective date of the Registration Statement,
         the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except as to the
         financial statements and other financial and statistical data contained
         therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) complied as
         to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
         Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations;

                  (xxi) the statements under the captions "Capitalization,"
         "Risk Factors," "Market Price of and Distributions on our Common
         Shares," "Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of our Declaration of
         Trust and Bylaws," "Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest,"
         "Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a REIT," and
         "Supplemental Federal Income Tax Consequences of Our Status as a REIT,"
         in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, or incorporated
         therein by reference, insofar as such statements constitute a summary
         of the legal matters referred to therein, constitute accurate summaries
         thereof in all material respects;

                                       25


                  (xxii) the Shares have been approved for listing on the
         American Stock Exchange;

                  (xxiii) to such counsel's knowledge, there are no actions,
         suits or proceedings, inquiries, or investigations pending or
         threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of
         their respective officers and directors or to which the properties,
         assets or rights of any such entity are subject, at law or in equity,
         before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or
         regulatory commission, board, body, authority, arbitration panel or
         agency that are required to be described in the Prospectus but are not
         so described;

                  (xxiv) to such counsel's knowledge, there are no contracts or
         documents of a character that are required to be filed as exhibits to
         the Registration Statement or to be described or summarized in the
         Prospectus which have not been so filed, summarized or described; to
         such counsel's knowledge, all agreements between the Company or any of
         the Subsidiaries, respectively, and third parties expressly referenced
         in the Prospectus are legal, valid and binding obligations of the
         Company or the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, enforceable in
         accordance with their respective terms, except as may be limited by
         bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
         affecting creditors' rights generally and by general principles of
         equity;

                  (xxv) the Company is organized in conformity with the
         requirements for qualification as a real estate investment trust
         pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, and the Company's
         proposed method of operation will enable it to meet the requirements
         for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust under
         the Code; the Partnership will be treated as a partnership for federal
         income tax purposes and not as a corporation or an association taxable
         as a corporation;

                  (xxvi) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is, or
         solely as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby and the
         application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in
         the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption "Use of
         Proceeds," will become an "investment company" or a company
         "controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the 1940
         Act; and

                                       26


                  (xxvii) to such counsel's knowledge, each of the Company and
         the Subsidiaries has filed on a timely basis all necessary federal,
         state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns through the
         date hereof, if any such returns are required to be filed, and have
         paid all taxes shown as due thereon; and no tax deficiency has been
         asserted against any such entity, nor does any such entity know of any
         tax deficiency which is likely to be asserted against any such entity
         which, if determined adversely to any such entity, could have a
         material adverse effect on the assets, operations, business or
         condition (financial or otherwise) of any such entity, respectively.

         In addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in
conferences with officers and other representative of the Company, independent
public accountants of the Company and Underwriters at which the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus were discussed and, although such counsel
is not passing upon and does not assume responsibility for the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus (except as and to the extent stated in subparagraphs
(xx) and (xxi) above), nothing has caused them to believe that the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as of their
respective effective or issue dates and as of the date of such counsel's
opinion, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that, in each
case, such counsel need express no view with respect to the financial statements
and other financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement,
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus).

         (c) The Company shall furnish to the Underwriters at the Closing Time
and on each Date of Delivery an opinion of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll,
LLP, special counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated
the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery and in form satisfactory to Hunton &
Williams, counsel for the Underwriters, stating that, as a matter of Maryland
law:

                  (i) the statements under the captions "Certain Provisions of
         Maryland Law and of the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws," and
         "Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest," in the Registration
         Statement and the Prospectus, insofar as such statements constitute
         matters of Maryland corporate law or Maryland real estate investment
         trust law, have been reviewed by such counsel and are a fair summary of
         such matters;

                                       27


                  (ii) the Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
         in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization;" the outstanding
         shares of beneficial interest or capital stock, as the case may be, of
         the Company, RAIT General and RAIT Limited have been duly and validly
         authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the
         outstanding shares of capital stock of RAIT General and RAIT Limited
         are directly or indirectly owned of record by the Company;

                  (iii) the Company, RAIT General and RAIT Limited each has been
         duly formed or incorporated, as the case may be, and is validly
         existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of Maryland
         with the requisite corporate power and authority to own its respective
         properties and to conduct its respective business as described in the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, in the case of the
         Company, to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to
         consummate the transactions described herein;

                  (iv) except as disclosed in the Prospectus, and assuming
         compliance with Sections 2-311 and 2-419 of the Maryland General
         Corporation Law (the "MGCL") and approval by the directors and
         stockholders of RAIT General or RAIT Limited, as applicable, as
         required by the charter or bylaws of RAIT General or RAIT Limited,
         respectively, or the MGCL, neither RAIT General nor RAIT Limited,
         respectively, is prohibited or restricted by the MGCL or its charter or
         bylaws from paying dividends to the Company or from making any other
         distribution with respect to such Subsidiary's capital stock or from
         repaying the Company, or any other Subsidiary, any loans or advances to
         such Subsidiary, or from transferring any such Subsidiary's property or
         assets to the Company or to any other Subsidiary in exchange for fair
         consideration; and

                  (v) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
         delivered by the Company.

         (d) The Underwriters shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP,
independent public accountants for the Company, letters dated, respectively, as
of the date of this Agreement, the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, as
the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters, containing statements and information of the
type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with
respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial
information and data contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
including the Incorporated Documents.

                                       28


         (e) The Underwriters shall have received at the Closing Time and on
each Date of Delivery the favorable opinion of Hunton & Williams, dated the
Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, addressed to the Underwriters and in form
and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.

         (f) No amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus shall have been filed to which the Underwriters shall have objected
in writing.

         (g) Prior to the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery (i) no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus has
been issued by the Commission, and no suspension of the qualification of the
Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or
threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, has occurred; and (ii)
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus shall not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

         (h) Between the time of execution of this Agreement and the Closing
Time or the relevant Date of Delivery (i) no material and unfavorable change in
the assets, results of operations, business, or condition (financial or
otherwise) of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole shall occur or
become known (whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business) or that
makes it, in the judgment of the Underwriters, impracticable to market the
Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus, or (ii) no
transaction which is material and unfavorable to the Company shall have been
entered into by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

         (i) At the Closing Time, the Other Transaction Documents shall have
been entered into and delivered by all required parties.

         (j) At the Closing Time, the Shares shall have been approved for
listing on the American Stock Exchange.

         (k) The NASD shall not have raised any objection with respect to the
fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

         (l) The Underwriters shall have received letters (each, a "Lock-up
Agreement") from Resource America, Inc. and each officer and trustee of the
Company, which officers and trustees are listed on Schedule V hereto, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, confirming that for a period of
90 days after the Closing Time, such persons will not directly or indirectly (i)
offer, pledge to secure any obligation due on or within 90 days after the
Closing Time, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or
otherwise dispose of or transfer (other than a disposition or transfer pursuant
to which the acquiror or transferee is subject to the restrictions on
disposition and transfer set forth in this Section 6(l) to the same extent as
such stockholder delivering a letter hereunder), directly or indirectly, any
Common Shares (other than by participating as selling stockholders in a
registered offering of Common Shares offered by the Company with the consent of
the Representative) or any securities convertible into or exercisable or
exchangeable for Common Shares or (ii) enter into any swap or any other
agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or
indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Shares, whether
any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be
settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or
otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representative, which
consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of the Representative.

                                       29


         (m) The Company will, at the Closing Time and on each Date of Delivery,
deliver to the Underwriters a certificate of two principal executive officers
or, in the case of the Partnership two principal executive officers of RAIT
General, to the effect that, to each of such officer's knowledge, the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement and
the conditions set forth in paragraphs (g), (h), (i) and (j) have been met and
are true and correct as of such date.

         (n) The Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters such other
documents and certificates as to the accuracy and completeness of any statement
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the representations,
warranties and statements of the Company contained herein, and the performance
by the Company of its covenants contained herein, and the fulfillment of any
conditions contained herein, as of the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery as
the Underwriters may reasonably request.

         (o) All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the
Securities Act shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed
for such filing by such Rule.

         (p) The Company shall perform such of its obligations under this
Agreement are to be performed by the terms hereof and thereof at or before the
Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery.

         The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Option Shares
hereunder are subject to the delivery to the Representative on the Date of
Delivery of such documents as the Representative may reasonably request with
respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance
of the Option Shares and other matters related to the issuance of the Option
Shares.
         7. Termination: The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder
shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Underwriters,
at any time prior to the Closing Time or any Date of Delivery, (i) if any of the
conditions specified in Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as
required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, or (ii) if there has been since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement,
any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change, in or affecting the assets, operations, business or condition
(financial or otherwise) of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business, or (iii) if there has occurred outbreak or escalation of
hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in
economic, political or other conditions the effect of which on the financial
markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the
Representative, impracticable to market or deliver the Shares or enforce
contracts for the sale of the Shares, or (iv) if trading in any securities of
the Company has been suspended by the Commission or by the NASD or if trading
generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or in the
Nasdaq over-the-counter market has been suspended (including automatic halt in
trading pursuant to market-decline triggers other than those in which solely
program trading is temporarily halted), or limitations on prices for trading
(other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) have been fixed,
or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, by such exchange
or the NASD or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority,
or (v) if there has been any downgrading in the rating of any of the Company's
debt securities or preferred stock by any "nationally recognized statistical
rating organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the
Securities Act), or (vi) any federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order
of any court or other governmental authority has been enacted, published,
decreed or otherwise promulgated which in the reasonable opinion of the
Underwriters has a material adverse affect or will have a material adverse
affect on the assets, operations, business or condition (financial or otherwise)
of the Company, or (vii) any action has been taken by any federal, state or
local government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in
the reasonable opinion of the Representative has a material adverse effect on
the securities markets in the United States, or (viii) in the case of any of the
events specified in clauses (i) through (vii), such event, singly or together
with any other such events, makes it, in the judgment of the Underwriters,
impracticable to market or deliver the Shares on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus.

                                       30


         If the Underwriters elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in
this Section 7, the Company and the Underwriters shall be notified promptly by
telephone, promptly confirmed by facsimile.

         If the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares, as contemplated by this
Agreement, is not carried out by the Underwriters for any reason permitted under
this Agreement or if such sale is not carried out because the Company shall be
unable to comply in all material respects with any of the terms of this
Agreement, the Company shall not be under any obligation or liability under this
Agreement (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 9 hereof) and the
Underwriters shall be under no obligation or liability to the Company under this
Agreement (except to the extent provided in Section 9 hereof) or to one another
hereunder.

         8. Increase in Underwriters' Commitments: If any Underwriter shall
default at the Closing Time or on a Date of Delivery in its obligation to take
up and pay for the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement on such
date, the Underwriters shall have the right, within 36 hours after such default,
to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any
other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Shares which
such Underwriter shall have agreed but failed to take up and pay for (the
"Defaulted Shares"). Absent the completion of such arrangements within such 36
hour period, (i) if the total number of Defaulted Shares does not exceed 10% of
the total number of Shares to be purchased on such date, each non-defaulting
Underwriter shall take up and pay for (in addition to the number of Shares which
it is otherwise obligated to purchase on such date pursuant to this Agreement)
the portion of the total number of Shares agreed to be purchased by the
defaulting Underwriter on such date in the proportion that its underwriting
obligations hereunder bears to the underwriting obligations of all
non-defaulting Underwriters; and (ii) if the total number of Defaulted Shares
exceeds 10% of such total, the Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by
notice to the Company, without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter.

         Without relieving any defaulting Underwriter from its obligations
hereunder, the Company agrees with the non-defaulting Underwriters that it will
not sell any Shares hereunder on such date unless all of the Shares to be
purchased on such date are purchased on such date by the Underwriters (or by
substituted Underwriters selected by the Underwriters with the approval of the
Company or selected by the Company with the approval of the Underwriters).

         If a new Underwriter or Underwriters are substituted for a defaulting
Underwriter in accordance with the foregoing provision, the Company or the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time or
the relevant Date of Delivery for a period not exceeding five business days in
order that any necessary changes in the Registration Statement and Prospectus
and other documents may be effected.

         The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall refer to and
include any Underwriter substituted under this Section 8 with the like effect as
if such substituted Underwriter had originally been named in this Agreement.

                                       31


         9. Indemnity and Contribution by the Company, the Partnership and the
Underwriters:

         (a) The Company and the Partnership, jointly and severally, agree to
indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter and any person who controls
any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any loss, expense, liability,
damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly
or severally, any such Underwriter or controlling person may incur under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense,
liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any breach of any
representation, warranty or covenant of the Company or the Partnership contained
herein or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement
as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company) or in a
Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 9 being deemed
to include any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented by the Company), or arises out of or is based upon any
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in
either such Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary to make the
statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, expense, liability,
damage or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission of a material fact contained in
and in conformity with information furnished in writing by the Underwriters
through the Representative to the Company or the Partnership expressly for use
in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus, provided, however, that the
indemnity agreement contained in this subsection (a) with respect to the
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of an
Underwriter (or to the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) with
respect to any person asserting any such loss, expense, liability, damage or
claim which is the subject thereof if the Prospectus or any supplement thereto
prepared with the consent of the Representative and furnished to the
Underwriters prior to the Closing Time corrected any such alleged untrue
statement or omission and if such Underwriter failed to send or give a copy of
the Prospectus or supplement thereto to such person at or prior to the written
confirmation of the sale of Shares to such person, unless such failure resulted
from noncompliance by the Company or the Partnership with Section 4(a) of this
Agreement.

                                       32


         If any action is brought against an Underwriter or controlling person
in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company or the
Partnership pursuant to the preceding paragraph, such Underwriter shall promptly
notify the Company and the Partnership in writing of the institution of such
action and the Company and the Partnership shall assume the defense of such
action, including the employment of counsel and payment of expenses, provided,
however, that any failure or delay to so notify the Company or the Partnership
will not relieve the Company or the Partnership of any obligation hereunder,
except to the extent that its ability to defend is actually impaired by such
failure or delay. Such Underwriter or controlling person shall have the right to
employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such controlling
person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in
writing by the Company and the Partnership in connection with the defense of
such action or the Company and the Partnership shall not have employed counsel
to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time or such
indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded (based on the
advice of counsel) that there may be defenses available to it or them which are
different from or additional to those available to the Company or the
Partnership and which counsel to the Underwriter believes may present a conflict
for counsel representing the Company or the Partnership and the Underwriter (in
which case the Company and the Partnership shall not have the right to direct
the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in
any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company and the
Partnership and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Company
and the Partnership shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
separate firm of attorneys for the Underwriters or controlling persons in any
one action or series of related actions in the same jurisdiction representing
the indemnified parties who are parties to such action). Anything in this
paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Company nor the
Partnership shall be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action
effected without the its written consent.

         (b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify,
defend and hold harmless the Partnership, the Company, the Subsidiaries, their
trustees and directors, the officers that signed the Registration Statement and
any person who controls the Partnership, the Company or any Subsidiary within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act from and against any loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including
the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company,
the Partnership or any such person may incur under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, liability, damage or
claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in and in conformity with information
furnished in writing by such Underwriter through the Representative to the
Company or the Partnership expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or
in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof
by the Company) or in a Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in connection with such
information required to be stated either in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or necessary to make such information, in the light of the
circumstances under which made, not misleading. The statements set forth under
the caption "Underwriting" regarding stabilizing and the beneficial ownership of
Shares by Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc. ("FBR"), and entities
associated with FBR, in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (to the
extent such statements relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only
information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representative to the Company for purposes of Section 3(n) and this Section 9.

                                       33


         If any action is brought against the Company, the Partnership or any
such person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter
pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, the Company, the Partnership or such person
shall promptly notify the Representative in writing of the institution of such
action and the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, shall assume the
defense of such action, including the employment of counsel and payment of
expenses. The Company, the Partnership or such person shall have the right to
employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of the Company, the Partnership or such person
unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by
the Representative in connection with the defense of such action or the
Representative shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of
such action within a reasonable time or such indemnified party or parties shall
have reasonably concluded (based on the advice of counsel) that there may be
defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those
available to the Underwriters (in which case the Representative shall not have
the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified
party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne
by such Underwriter and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the
Underwriters shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate firm
of attorneys in any one action or series of related actions in the same
jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such
action). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, no
Underwriter shall be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action
effected without the written consent of the Representative.

         (c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is
unavailable to an indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this
Section 9 in respect of any losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims
referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, expenses,
liabilities, damages or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Partnership on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares
or (ii) if (but only if) the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the Company and the Partnership on the one hand and of the Underwriters
on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in
such losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company
and the Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the offering (net
of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses)
received by the Company and the Partnership bear to the underwriting discounts
and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault of the Company
and the Partnership on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission
relates to information supplied by the Company or the Partnership or by the
Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount
paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees
or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating
or defending any claim or action.

                                       34


         (d) The Company and the Partnership, on the one hand, and the
Underwriters, on the other, agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation
(even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any
other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in subsection (c)(i) and, if applicable (ii), above.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and
commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations
to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their
respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

         10. Survival: The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in
Section 9 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Company, the
Partnership and the Subsidiaries contained in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, or any person who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20
of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, the Partnership, the
Subsidiaries, their trustees or directors and officers or any person who
controls the Company, any Subsidiary or the Partnership within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall
survive any termination of this Agreement or the sale and delivery of the
Shares. The Company, the Partnership and each Underwriter agree promptly to
notify the others of the commencement of any litigation or proceeding against it
and, in the case of the Company, against any of the Company's officers and
directors, in connection with the sale and delivery of the Shares, or in
connection with the Registration Statement or Prospectus.

         11. Notices: Except as otherwise herein provided, all statements,
requests, notices and agreements shall be in writing or by telegram and, if to
the Underwriters, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered to Friedman,
Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc., 1001 19th Street North, Arlington, Virginia 22209,
Attention: Syndicate Department; if to the Company, shall be sufficient in all
respects if delivered to the Company at the offices of the Company at 1818
Market Street, 28th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; and, if to the
Partnership, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered to the Partnership
at the offices of the Partnership at 1818 Market Street, 28th Floor,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.

         12. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Headings: THIS AGREEMENT
SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES. The parties hereto
agree to be subject to, and hereby irrevocably submit to, the nonexclusive
jurisdiction of any United States federal or Virginia state court sitting in
Alexandria, Virginia, in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out
of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein, and
irrevocably agree that all claims in respect of any such suit, action or
proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court. Each of the parties
hereto irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
any objection to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding
brought in any such court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding
has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The section headings in this
Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not
a part of this Agreement.

         13. Parties in Interest: The Agreement herein set forth has been and is
made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company, the Partnership
and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Sections 9
and 10 hereof, and their respective successors, assigns, executors and
administrators. No other person, partnership, association or corporation
(including a purchaser, as such purchaser, from any of the Underwriters) shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.

         14. Counterparts: This Agreement may be signed by the parties in
counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement among
the parties.


                            [signature page follows]


                                       35




         If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the
Company and the Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for
the purpose, whereupon this Agreement shall constitute a binding agreement among
the Company, the Partnership and the Underwriters.

                                   Very truly yours,

                                   RAIT INVESTMENT TRUST


                                     /s/ Ellen DiStefano
                                   ---------------------------------
                                   By:   Ellen DiStefano
                                   Its:  Vice President

                                   RAIT PARTNERSHIP, L.P.

                                       By:      RAIT General, Inc.
                                       Its:     General Partner


                                         /s/ Ellen DiStefano
                                       -----------------------------
                                           By:  Ellen DiStefano
                                           Its:  Vice President


Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written:

FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.
U.S. BANCORP PIPER JAFFRAY INC.
STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED
BY:  FRIEDMAN, BILLINGS, RAMSEY & CO., INC.


  /s/ James Kleeblatt
  ------------------------------
By:    James Kleeblatt
       -------------------------
Its:   Managing Director
       -------------------------

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named on Schedule I
hereto.


                                       36






                                                              Schedule I

                                                        Number of Initial
Underwriter                                           Shares to be Purchased
-----------                                           ----------------------
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc.                          1,062,500
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc.                                 1,062,500
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated                          375,000
                                                      -------------------
                                             Total              2,500,000










                                       37



                                   Schedule II
Subsidiaries of the Company:


RAIT Investment Trust
RAIT General, Inc.
RAIT Limited, Inc.
RAIT Partnership, L.P.
DP Associates, LLC
OSEB GP, Inc.
RAIT 54, Inc.
RAIT Abbotts GP, Inc.
RAIT Abbotts Limited Partnership
RAIT C Street Manager, Inc.
RAIT C Street Manager II, Inc.
RAIT Capital Corp.
RAIT Executive Mews Manager I, Inc.
RAIT Executive Mews Manager II, Inc.
RAIT Executive Mews Manager III, Inc.
RAIT Rohrerstown, L.P.
RAIT SLH, Inc.
RAIT SLH, L.P.
RAIT St. Ives Manager, Inc.
REM-Cherry Hill, LLC
REM-Willow Grove, Inc.
REM-Willow Grove, L.P.
Resource Properties XXXVII, Inc.
Resource Properties XLV, Inc.
SL Bonds, Inc.
SLH Apartments, Inc.
St. Ives GP, LLC
St. Ives Owner, L.P.





                                       38



                                  Schedule III
                          Other Transaction Documents

None.























                                       39



                                   Schedule IV
                   Persons For Whom Shares Have Been Reserved

                  --------------------------------------------
                   Purchaser                                  Shares
                   ---------                                  -------
                   Resource America, Inc.                     125,000
                   Sergio Viroslav                                700
                   Bob Goldstein                                  175
                   Joseph Hanuscin Rollover 401-K                 944
                   Joseph Hanuscin                                325
                   Michael Carr                                   600
                   Paul Lichtman                                5,000
                   Adam Kauffman Rollover IRA                   1,350
                   Kathleen Kauffman Rollover IRA               1,350
                   Mark Berman                                  1,000
                   Maribeth Lerner                             10,000
                   Menswear/Boyswear                            1,650
                   Joe Greco c/o Alyssa                           660
                   Joe Greco w/ Jeffrey                           990
                   Joe Greco w/ Benjamin                          990
                   Sam Greenblatt                               5,000
                   Aaron Harrison                               1,500
                   Julie Anglin                                   300
                   Joan & Ken Frost                               200
                   Bosniak Profit Sharing Plan                  1,900
                   Bosniak Defined Benefit Plan                   955
                   Evan Segal                                     200
                   John Vecchio Rollover 401-K                     80
                   Terri DelloBuono                               200
                   Jill Segal                                   1,500
                   Stewart Krakover                            15,000
                   Jonathan Cohen                               3,500
                   Anita Friedman                               1,000
                   Irving Friedman                              1,000
                   Curtis & Debra Houghland                       300
                   Patricia & Douglas Margerum                  3,500
                   Ed Baim                                      2,000
                   David Spoont                                   200
                   Wendy & Andrew Mellinger                       100
                   Fran & Bill Weintraub                        1,000
                   Joy Rosner Reif Rollover IRA                   410
                   Gene Salkin                                 20,000
                   Daniel Cohen                                10,000
                   S. Peter Albert Rollover IRA                 2,500
                   Martin Surkin                                1,000
                   Greg Wolfson                                 1,500
                   Shelle Weisbaum                                200
                   Howard Wool                                  3,000
                   Gerald Wachs                                 2,000
                   Ellen Wilsker                                  100
                   William Frankel                              5,000
                   Benjamin Frankel                             4,000
                   Michael Gross                                7,000
                   Beth Weintraub                                 200
                   William Rosner                               1,000
                   Raphael Licht                                  100
                   Betsy Cohen                                 10,000
                   Scott Schaeffer, IRA                         3,000
                   --------------------------------------------------
                   Total                                      261,179



                                       40




                                   Schedule V
                      Persons Subject to Lock-Up Agreements


         Betsy Z. Cohen
         Jonathan Z. Cohen
         Joel R. Mesznik
         Daniel Promislo
         Edward S. Brown
         S. Peter Albert
         Scott F. Schaeffer
         Jay R. Cohen
         Ellen J. DiStefano
         Resource America, Inc.















                                       41