$4,300,000 Acquisition/Bridge Loan for 18-Unit, Multifamily Property; Long Beach, CA

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully brokered both the sale and acquisition financing for an extended stay hotel conversion located in the Mountain States region. The Seller, initially intending to undertake the Project, engaged GSP to source bridge financing for the 126-apartment conversion. Most of the conversion will be cosmetic changing the feel from hotel to residential. The hotel had been closed due to COVID, but the Sponsor needed to cancel the Management Agreement with the Operator and vacate the hotel. Because the hotel was in foreclosure, the Seller put the asset in bankruptcy before the trustee sale. This complicated the transaction and resulted in closing the deal two weeks from court approval.

GSP found a buyer with experience in hotel conversions who understood the Property’s value proposition and the bankruptcy process. With limited time, GSP represented the Sponsor in sourcing $10,000,000 of 3-month Gap financing for the purchase while concurrently working on inexpensive bridge financing. No appraisal was required for the Gap loan. This was an extremely complicated financing with exceptionally short time constraints. GSP was able to serve the needs of both Buyer and Seller and successfully secure financing.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners identified a national balance sheet lender with an intimate knowledge of the Hayward submarket and arranged $8,400,000 in acquisition and bridge financing for the purchase and reposition of a currently 50% occupied, 1960’s-built apartment complex located in Hayward, CA. The Sponsor placed the portfolio under contract during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The loan includes $1,350,000 of future funding for extensive renovations of unit interiors and exterior upgrades, including an earthquake retrofit. Interest is not charged on the holdback until funds are drawn. This Capital Provider also structured and capitalized an interest reserve to cover the shortfall of cash flow during repositions. Sized to 76% of the total capitalization, the three-year bridge loan is interest only for 36 months and carries a floating rate of LIBOR + 4.25% and include two extension options for up to a term of five-years.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners structured $1,590,000 of acquisition bridge financing for a 6-unit multifamily building in a well-located area of the Koreatown section of Los Angeles. The existing building is almost 100 years old and underutilizes the potential density that the site allows for. The Sponsor plans to entitle the site for a larger multifamily development down the line. A 12-month term will give them ample time to prepare to be shovel ready. GSP was able to secure a high leverage execution between a senior lender and a mezzanine lender that provided 79.5% LTV based on purchase price. The blended rate of the total debt stack is 8.84% and is interest only. While the senior loan is non-recourse, the mezzanine lender does require recourse on their portion.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $8,400,000 in acquisition and bridge financing for the purchase and reposition of a currently 50% occupied, 1960’s-built apartment complex located in Hayward, CA. Our Sponsor placed the portfolio under contract during the COVID-19 pandemic. The financing includes $1,350,000 of future funding for extensive renovations of unit interiors and exterior upgrades, including an earthquake retrofit. Interest is not charged on the holdback until funds are drawn.

GSP identified a national balance sheet lender with an intimate knowledge of the Hayward submarket. They structured and capitalized an interest reserve to cover the shortfall of cash flow during repositions. Sized to 76% of the total capitalization, the three-year bridge loan is interest only for 36 months and carries a floating rate of LIBOR + 4.25% and include two extension options for up to a term of five-years.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $16,100,000 in non-recourse, acquisition bridge financing on a 30-unit trophy multifamily property in West Los Angeles, California. The Property featured significant below-market rents, deferred maintenance, and physical vacancy (in part due to roommates that decided to downsize in light of COVID-19). The value-add business plan will involve a large capital expenditure budget to renovate the Property’s exterior and units, and reposition the asset utilizing a specialist property manager focused on providing family-oriented housing product with amenities like technology integration, childcare services, and community programming. The Sponsor’s expertise coupled with the Property’s trophy location created a competitive lending environment despite the ongoing pandemic. GSP ran a robust process including marketing the deal to over 70 lenders and fielding multiple lender proposals. The non-recourse financing was sized to 70% LTC and featured a rate of 1-Month Libor plus 500 basis points for a three-year term plus extensions.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged acquisition bridge financing for a value-add multifamily property in the Arlington Heights Neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The 11-unit, 1960’s vintage property had significant deferred maintenance and below market rents. The Sponsor’s business plan was to reposition the Property, buyout tenants and release the units at market rents. Sized to 72.5% of total project cost, the loan includes 100% of future funding for tenant buyouts, a full gut renovation of unit interiors and an exterior upgrade.

The two-year bridge loan is interest only and floats at a rate of Prime plus 0.50% (5.75% today) with no floor rate, which is important in a declining interest rate environment. The loan carries no prepayment penalty, and interest is not charged on the holdback until funds are drawn. The lender fee was negotiated down to 0.5%.