$10,000,000 Medical Office Refinance with Low Rate – 15 Year fixed Financing – Santa Monica

Transaction Description: George Smith Partners successfully completed a $10,000,000 refinance of a single-tenant medical office with an NNN lease with 14 years remaining. GSP arranged this 15 year, fixed rate loan with a rate of 4.82%. The first 5 years are interest only and then the loan converts to a 30 year amortization. The loan also features a step-down prepayment instead of typical yield maintenance.

Challenges: The first challenge dealt with the remaining lease term. It is customary for loan terms especially on non-recourse loans to be at least 2 years shorter than the lease term on single tenant buildings. In this case, 14 years remain on the single tenant lease and the Sponsor wanted a 15-year term.

The second challenge was that the lease was to an entity that was a partnership between a local doctors group and an investment grade hospital without a guarantee from either group.

Solutions: Because the building was well located in a high demand market, GSP did extensive market research and looked at the value from two different perspectives. First we looked at it from the perspective of the Tenant staying in the building and secondly we looked at it from the perspective of the Tenant moving at the end of the lease term. We proved it would be very hard and unlikely for the Tenant to relocate in Santa Monica. Using GSP’s relationships, market experience and medical office expertise, we were able to identify a lender who understood our view of the market and accepted it. The Lender was willing to do a 15 year fixed rate financing beyond the term of the lease. It was non-recourse to the Sponsor and had no guarantee from the Tenant.