Entitled Land Acquisition Financing for a Single Family Home Community; San Marcos, TX

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.

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 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.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged a $5,400,000 financing facility for the acquisition of a 29,930 square foot vacant parking lot in the trendy Highland Park submarket of Los Angeles, CA. In addition to purchase financing, the facility offers good news money for predevelopment costs related to the Sponsors planned 150-unit co-living community on the site, which will be a by-right development and will take advantage of TOC Tier 1 incentives.

Co-living has emerged as a remedy to address the acute shortage of affordable housing across the country by offering tenants fully furnished, highly amenitized units with the cost of utilities, common area maintenance, and other traditional living spaces bundled into the rent. The Property is within a 5-minute walk from both York Boulevard and Figueroa Street, Highland Park’s two main amenity-rich thoroughfares lined with shopping and dining destinations.

By focusing attention on land lenders who are active in the local area, GSP identified a capital provider who is familiar with the local market and also understands the importance that the co-living space will serve in the greater rental market going forward. The loan was uniquely structured to disburse the balance of the down payment in addition to sponsor equity at closing. The remaining proceeds will be reserved in a holdback feature to cover the predevelopment soft costs in order to bring the project to permit-ready status. The interest-only predevelopment land loan was priced at 8.50%, with a 15-month term and one 6-month extension option. The loan closed in less than 30 days from application.