Perm

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured $26,560,000 in permanent financing for a 284-unit multifamily project located less than a mile from Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-I), one of the country’s fastest growing universities and Idaho’s largest university, in Rexburg, Idaho. The apartment complex features novel, modern 2-bedroom apartment units with boutique amenities including a racquetball court, 24/7 state-of-the-art gym, outdoor grill and fire pit lounge area, dog park, and clubhouse with conference rooms. The community was developed in phases, so the refinance retired existing construction and bridge debt, provided significant cash-out to the Sponsor, and reduced their previous interest rates considerably.

The Rexburg multifamily submarket is undergoing a colossal renaissance, seeing over $1B of new investments and a population growth of over 62% over the last decade. The Sponsor, a local developer with significant knowledge and experience within the Rexburg market, recognized the need for high quality product in a supply constrained market. GSP was able to leverage market interest to secure the most competitive terms available by focusing on the desirable location as well as the Sponsor’s track record and familiarity with the high-growth market. The loan carried a 35-year term priced at a 2.91% fixed-rate and 80% LTV.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $4,800,000 in financing for the acquisition of a six-building, fully occupied industrial park in Pflugerville, Texas. The Sponsor, a repeat client, was selling another property in which the existing financing had a prepayment penalty. GSP leveraged its strong relationship with the lender of the Property being sold to successfully negotiate a reduction of the prepayment penalty by providing this Lender the opportunity to finance the purchase of the industrial park. The Lender offered a permanent, recourse loan at 3.68% fixed for the first five years based on the original property’s existing loan from 2019. The new loan term is ten years with a 30-year amortization.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged the cash-out permanent refinance of a 153,726 SF grocery-anchored retail community center in Dardenne Prairie, MO, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. The Subject Property is anchored by Schnucks and Marcus Theater and is also shadow anchored by Target, which is under separate ownership. The loan is sized to 62% LTV, fixed for 5 years with 20 years amortization.

The Sponsor approached GSP to arrange a non-CMBS loan resulting in $4,000,000 cash-out. The proceeds were used to buy-out his partners and lower the debt service from their previous loan. The theater component, along with a decreased appetite for retail lending due to market conditions made it difficult for capital providers to get comfortable with the asset type and cash-out. GSP identified a lender who was willing to provide a higher loan to value and competitive terms that maximize the Sponsor’s cash-out.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured $3,500,000 in non-recourse debt to refinance a Southern California industrial business park. The Property is a 40,000 square foot, 100% occupied, industrial/flex building, majority occupied by automotive tenants. The financing takes out the existing debt, distributes capital for a significant roof repair, and redistributes equity to the Sponsor. The loan was underwritten to 60% LTV. The 10-year full term interest structure maximizes cash flow for the Sponsor. The fixed-rate loan priced at 1.80% over the 10-year SWAP.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully placed a $3,000,000 bridge to permanent loan to fund the purchase, tenant improvements, leasing commissions and carry (real estate taxes, insurance, and debt service) for a vacant 50,000 SF single-story warehouse. The deal presented a couple challenges; the Sponsor had credit issues and the building was 100% vacant. The strong sponsorship experience, low vacancy in the market and the building’s high-level of quality ameliorated these issues. Lastly, the transaction had to be completed within the tight time constraints of a 1031 exchange.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $5,350,000 in cash-out permanent financing for an owner-user office building located in Downtown Riverside, CA. The Sponsor approached GSP to help assist with the refinance of the Property to help relocate their company headquarters from the east coast. The Sponsor was on a strict deadline with their existing lender, only having 60 days to refinance before the current loan maturity. At the time of the refinance process, the Sponsor was close to completing exterior and interior renovations, including common area upgrades. GSP had to quickly identity a lender who could deliver certainty of execution on short notice, while delivering competitive terms. GSP was able to provide the Sponsor with a 25-year term, and the first 5 years being fixed at a low rate of 4%. The first 12 months are interest only, before converting to 25-year amortization thereafter. There is additional flexibility within the loan structure because there is no prepayment penalty. The cash-out loan allows the Sponsor to use more equity towards continuing to grow their business. Thanks to our long-standing relationship with the Lender, GSP was able to meet the Sponsors deadline and close this transaction within 60 days.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured senior permanent financing for a stabilized multifamily property located in the Pico Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The non-recourse debt was utilized to complete the acquisition of the multifamily asset. The loan was structured with a 5-year term and interest only payments for the initial 3-years followed by a 30-year amortization schedule. The loan was collateralized by a Class B, three story, 16-Unit multifamily property. The Subject was 100% leased at closing but only 78% physically occupied.

GSP selected a bank lender that was able to underwrite the income from three newly executed leases with no seasoning. The Lender funded the full proceeds with signed leases and rent checks although the tenants had yet to take possession. The Lender executed on excellent terms while closing on a firm acquisition deadline of 45 days. At application, the Lender offered an early rate lock to remove any pricing risk. GSP worked with the Lender to navigate the appraisal assumptions surrounding concessions and market rent stemming from various COVID risks while maximizing proceeds.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully placed $31,633,000 in permanent financing for an office building in the Salt Lake City area amidst election uncertainty and COVID-19. In particular, pandemic restrictions and the proliferation of “work from home” concerned many lenders that office may face a very slow recovery. Although the Building’s sole tenant was non-credit, their long lease term and exceptionally strong financials motivated the Lender to provide a competitive quote. Well-located in a fast-growing market, GSP structured loan terms that were highly conducive to the Sponsor’s long-term plan and guided the transaction to an expedient closing.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured senior permanent financing for a stabilized multifamily property in Los Angeles, CA. The non-recourse debt totaling $12,300,000 was utilized to refinance existing debt and return equity to the Ownership. The loan was structured with a 10-year term and interest only payments for the full duration. The loan was collateralized by a Class-A 34-Unit multifamily building, the Subject was 94% leased at closing and located in a highly desirable West Los Angeles neighborhood.

GSP selected a lender that was able to refinance the Sponsor’s existing debt, cover prepayment penalties and return a significant amount of equity to the Borrower, while simultaneously locking in interest only payments for the next ten years at a very desirable rate. GSP worked with the Lender to minimize debt service reserves while addressing Lender concerns for potential COVID related shortfalls; cash-out proceeds were secured on the loan despite several COVID related delinquencies.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully obtained $6,487,000 of permanent debt for the refinance of a 43-unit apartment complex in Oregon City, OR. The unique property has a very low density for the area, appealing to residents who are looking for a less condensed living environment. The financing was secured after the Sponsor’s acquisition and renovation plan was implemented. The senior loan was able to provide the Sponsor with cash out above the original basis to return to investors. The 10-year loan is fixed at 2.97%. The financing, which is sized to 75% of appraised value, is non-recourse and carries 5 years of interest only.

Transaction Description:
George Smith Partners placed the $8,152,500 bridge-to-mini perm loan for the conversion of an existing 12-unit multi-family community into a 17-unit 44-bed co-living community. The 68% LTC bridge loan converts to a 5-year mini-perm loan fixed at CMT + 2.5% with a 3.75% floor.

Challenge/Solution:
The Project came to GSP half-way through construction and was being funded by a lender that had filed bankruptcy with proceeds that were insufficient to complete the new business plan. GSP put the loan under application pre-COVID with a new business plan that included (as a condition in closing) approvals for a 4th floor penthouse/useable roof top level. While in application, the construction and the penthouse level approval process came to a halt due to COVID causing stress on both the existing loan (nearing maturity) as well as the new loan underwriting. The challenges associated with co-living as a new asset class resulted in additional scrutinization from the new lender as well as the appraisal which had a negative impact on value. GSP was able to resolve the valuation issues by successfully arguing the merits of the Project as well as successfully negotiating a waiver of the exit fee on the previous loan which resulted in zero impact to the loan proceeds and the Borrower’s out of pocket cash required at closing.

Transaction Description:
George Smith Partners placed a $4,700,000 refinance loan with cash-out for a single-tenant industrial property in El Cajon, San Diego County. This highly specialized facility is one of only two locations in the US that is approved to manufacture key components and assemblies for military and commercial aircraft currently in service.

The Sponsor acquired the Property in 2018 with a bridge acquisition loan. In March 2020, GSP was engaged to refinance the maturing bridge loan with permanent financing including cash-out proceeds. However, the California “stay-at-home” order was issued soon thereafter resulting in a challenging lending market for the Property.

GSP helped the lenders become comfortable by focusing on the low leverage, the strength of the Sponsor and the Tenant, and the fact that the Property continued to operate at full capacity without interruption due to be a critical Department of Defense supplier. In addition, the Tenant recently exercised its third extension option to the existing lease with an increased cash flow closer to market rents, thereby continuing its long-term commitment to the Facility.

While holdback reserves are increasingly common in the current environment, GSP negotiated to have reserve payments deferred until the fourth year of the loan and on a monthly schedule instead of the typical lump sum holdback at closing.