Land

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured an acquisition bridge loan for the acquisition of 10 acres in Laveen, AZ that will be developed with a Humphrey’s designed, 250-unit resort-style multifamily community. The $4,500,000 loan funded 100% of the purchase price plus an interest reserve. The site was put under contract in October 2020 “unentitled” but part of a 35-acre master plan community that includes a 16-bed hospital facility, Big O’ tires, and land for future senior housing development and restaurants. The 35-acre site has a “main and main” location in Laveen which has seen tremendous growth since the opening of Loop 202, a new freeway that connects Laveen and other South Phoenix communities with Interstate 10. The Sponsor fully entitled the site during escrow which included the annexation of 6 of the 10 acres from County to City property.

GSP also advised on the acquisition and procured over $2,000,000 of Co-GP equity to complete predevelopment of the site. GSP was able to find a non-recourse senior lender for the land acquisition that gave 100% value to approximately $2,500,000 of imputed equity. The Sponsor, a Phoenix-based development firm with over 60 years of development experience, will complete its value-engineering during the term of the land loan while GSP procures construction financing.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured a $5,100,000 land loan entitled for a 69-unit multifamily building slated to begin ground-up construction in late 2024. The borrower purchased the original parcel 17 years prior as a fully occupied 32-unit property; since then, the building has been vacated and demolished. To achieve full-term proceeds, the appraisal needed a land value above the original PSA, including the previous building collateral. GSP utilized a broad comp set of per-acre comps, leaning on footprint analysis instead of per-unit. Additionally, the lender’s due diligence concluded there was value creation through both the fully approved entitlements and the fact the Sponsor was able to achieve a condo tract map, giving them optionality for apartments or for-sale units.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully closed a 1st and 2nd Trust Deed at 85% of the purchase price for unentitled land in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The two loans have a blended rate of 9.98% for the twelve-month initial term. The Sponsor will have a six-month extension option available. GSP was able to identify two lending sources, to maximize leverage, who understood the market and the demand for multifamily development in this location.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $10,975,000 of financing for the non-recourse refinance of a 5-property portfolio of land parcels in various infill locations in Los Angeles, CA. Most of the land is not fully entitled and is in the pre-development process for multi-family ground-up development. The Sponsor needed a lender that could provide structure for the different ownerships and allow for release provisions as the properties become ready for construction.

GSP accomplished the Sponsor’s goal of providing liquidity for potential acquisitions with debt that was also pre-payable at any time. GSP was able to identify a lending source that understood the market and demand for multifamily development in these locations.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully placed the land acquisition senior loan and JV equity for 57.62 AC of vacant and unentitled land in Cibolo, TX (suburb of San Antonio). We went out to 40+ sources and the Lender loved the site and was aggressive by bringing the effective financing between debt and equity to about 78% LTP. The deal is in the early stages, with no clear exit plan and most lenders were not comfortable with taking on that risk. Initially, the Sponsor was under LOI to flip 30 acres to a tech-related entity post close, however, that fell through when we were already under app. Regardless, the site was highly favored after putting their feet on the ground and closed on the original structure.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully placed $6,000,000 (66% Loan to Purchase Price) in acquisition land financing for a 6.8-acre site to be developed into 120 units in the Denver Metropolitan area. An infill site originally zoned agricultural; the Sponsor invested significant time and capital to change the site’s use to residential. The ability to develop attainable housing is the driver for both the city and the developer, as the finalized project will provide much-needed affordable housing to the increasingly expensive Denver Metro. With preliminary entitlements achieved, the Sponsor is working through civil engineering to receive final entitlements and sell the fully-entitled site to a well-known build-to-rent developer.

GSP was able to source debt with favorable leverage, a fixed-rate, and most importantly, without the need for an appraisal.

George Smith Partners secured a land loan for the acquisition of a 0.35 AC, 15,000 SF student housing property adjacent to San Diego State University. The proceeds represent 35% of the purchase price of the Property. The loan carries a 24-month term with two, 6-month extensions available. The loan is fixed at a rate of 4.5% annually and payments are made on an interest only basis for the entirety of the loan period.

The Sponsor identified the parcel inclusive of an existing 15,000 SF 66-bed student housing property as a potential redevelopment opportunity due to the vintage of the existing structure and the permitted use through the current zoning. Following the acquisition of the property, the Sponsor intends to demolish the existing building and construct a state-of-the-art 226-bed student housing facility. The approval for the Project is ministerial and by-right, which requires no environmental review or public hearings and is exempt from CEQA. The Sponsor intends to seek a building permit for the by-right development of upon successfully obtaining the appropriate approvals within an anticipated 3-to-4-month timeframe post acquisition.

Due to strategic advising of GSP, the extremely low leverage of the acquisition loan, and the deep track record of the Sponsorship, the client was able to obtain a non-recourse loan with a very attractive rate. GSP emphasized the massive undersupply of housing at the university along with the lack of entitlement risk in order to attract the best financing possible. GSP was also able to obtain a loan with zero prepayment penalty and no exit fee, allowing the Sponsor flexibility to complete the business plan.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $14,400,000 of non-recourse land acquisition financing in Austin, TX. The land will eventually be home to 368 Build-for-Rent homes. GSP was able to negotiate accretive terms for the Sponsor and their Limited Partner within a two-month timeframe from marketing to closing. Once the project becomes stabilized, it will enrich the surrounding Austin area.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured senior and mezzanine financing for the acquisition of 49.3 acres of land in San Marcos, TX. The City is located midway between Austin and San Antonio, the #1 and #7 fastest growing cities in the US. The Property is fully entitled for single-family residential development. The Sponsor, a Texas-based developer, recognized the Property’s underlying value and the unique opportunity to build much-needed housing for the area. GSP sourced a high leverage lender who not only recognized the booming submarket, but also the Sponsor’s ability to execute on the master-planned community. The transaction closed 17 days after signing the term sheet.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $5,340,000 in a pre-entitlement land development loan for a proposed 226-unit affordable housing project in California. The 60% loan to acquisition is priced at 4.50% over LIBOR (with a 5.50% floor) interest only. The Sponsor is addressing a major need for affordable housing in the state. GSP secured a unique capital source to arrange favorable and flexible capital that met with the Sponsor’s timeline. The interest-only land loan was priced at 5.50%, with an 18-month term and one 6-month extension option. There is additional flexibility with the loan structure having no prepayment penalty. Despite dealing with a strict closing deadline on the purchase, GSP was able to identify a lender who could execute on terms and close within the purchase agreement.

Transaction Description:
George Smith Partners successfully placed a $4,680,000, 50% LTV loan to fund the acquisition of a 6.9-acre parcel of land located in North County, San Diego, California, and the funds needed to finalize the entitlements for 135 paper lot townhome subdivision.

When GSP became involved, the Borrower had already invested over $2,300,000 to secure a tentative map and development agreement while the land was under option. However, there were only ten days remaining on the purchase contract when the land lender with whom the Borrower had been dealing with directly, declined to proceed. When the Seller refused to grant the Buyer an extension on the purchase escrow, GSP was engaged to arrange the land acquisition financing to enable a timely closing.

GSP had several highly reliable alternative land lenders that could close within ten days. Strategically, GSP selected a lender that was not only willing to finance the land acquisition and final entitlements, but also was willing to give the Sponsor a strong indication that they would favorably consider funding the future stages of the project, including the grading, horizontal land, and infrastructure development as well as the vertical construction financing once the final map was achieved in approximately nine months.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners secured financing for twelve acres of raw land located in the Western U.S. Our Sponsor plans to get a variance for this land to build out five, forty-unit multi-family buildings, with shared open air common areas and a pad for a restaurant. This financing was especially challenging due to the land being unentitled, without water, the location, low loan amount, and lenders being more restricted due to COVID.

Due to GSP’s vast networks and strong relationships, we were able to secure attractive financing for this Project. GSP arranged a 55% loan to purchase at 9.25% interest only, with a 24-month term and 12-month extension option. GSP’s ability to secure this financing in just 10 business days allowed the Sponsor to renegotiate the purchase price and get a hefty discount.

Most land lenders are restricted to 40%-50% leverage. This high-leverage financing structure allows our Sponsor to start pre-development, including entitlements and pulling permits. The extension option gives flexibility to the Sponsor should they face delays in getting to entitlement due to COVID effects. There’s additional flexibility because there is no prepayment penalty. Per our long-standing relationship with the capital provider, we were able to close this transaction in 14 days from receiving the request.