Use of Special Purpose Entities (SPE) and Variable Interest Entities (VIE)

The Company uses SPEs to facilitate transactions that involve securitizing financial assets or re-securitizing previously securitized financial assets. The objective of such transactions may include obtaining non-recourse financing, obtaining liquidity or refinancing the underlying securitized financial assets on improved terms. Securitization involves transferring assets to an SPE to convert all or a portion of those assets into cash before they would have been realized in the normal course of business through the SPE’s issuance of debt or equity instruments. Investors in an SPE usually have recourse only to the assets in the SPE and depending on the overall structure of the transaction, may benefit from various forms of credit enhancement, such as over-collateralization in the form of excess assets in the SPE, priority with respect to receipt of cash flows relative to holders of other debt or equity instruments issued by the SPE, or a line of credit or other form of liquidity agreement that is designed with the objective of ensuring that investors receive principal and/or interest cash flow on the investment in accordance with the terms of their investment agreement.

The Company has entered into re-securitization or financing transactions which required the Company to analyze and determine whether the SPEs that were created to facilitate the transactions are VIEs in accordance with ASC 810, Consolidation, and if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary requiring consolidation. As of March 31, 2019, the Company evaluated its Residential CDOs and concluded that the entities created to facilitate each of the financing transactions are VIEs and that the Company is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. Accordingly, the Company continues to consolidate the Residential CDOs as of March 31, 2019.

As of December 31, 2018, the Company evaluated the following re-securitization and financing transactions: 1) its Residential CDOs; 2) its multi-family CMBS re-securitization transaction and 3) its distressed residential mortgage loan securitization transaction (each a “Financing VIE” and collectively, the “Financing VIEs”) and concluded that the entities created to facilitate each of the transactions were VIEs and that the Company was the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. Accordingly, the Company consolidated the Financing VIEs as of December 31, 2018. On March 14, 2019, the Company exercised its right to an optional redemption of its multi-family CMBS re-securitization with an outstanding principal balance of $33.2 million resulting in a loss on extinguishment of debt of $2.9 million. Additionally, on March 25, 2019, the Company repaid outstanding notes from its April 2016 distressed residential mortgage loan securitization with an outstanding principal balance of $6.5 million. Due to the redemptions, the multi-family CMBS held by the re-securitization trust and residential mortgage loans held in securitization trust were returned to the Company.

The Company invests in multi-family CMBS consisting of POs that represent the first loss position of the Freddie Mac-sponsored multi-family K-series securitizations from which they were issued, and certain IOs and mezzanine CMBS securities issued from the securitization. The Company has evaluated these CMBS investments to determine whether they are VIEs and if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary requiring consolidation. The Company has determined that eleven and nine Freddie Mac-sponsored multi-family K-Series securitization trusts are VIEs as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The Company also determined that it is the primary beneficiary of each VIE within the Consolidated K-Series and, accordingly, has consolidated its assets, liabilities, income and expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements (see Notes 2 and 6). Of the multi-family CMBS investments owned by the Company that are included in the Consolidated K-Series, eleven and eight of these investments are not included as collateral to any Financing VIE as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

In analyzing whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of the Consolidated K-Series and the Financing VIEs, the Company considered its involvement in each of the VIEs, including the design and purpose of each VIE, and whether its involvement reflected a controlling financial interest that resulted in the Company being deemed the primary beneficiary of the VIEs. In determining whether the Company would be considered the primary beneficiary, the following factors were assessed:


•	whether the Company has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE; and


•	whether the Company has a right to receive benefits or absorb losses of the entity that could be potentially significant to the VIE.

The Company owns 100% of RB Development Holding Company, LLC ("RBDHC"). RBDHC owns 50% of Kiawah River View Investors LLC ("KRVI"), a limited liability company that owns developed land and residential homes under development in Kiawah Island, SC, for which RiverBanc LLC ("RiverBanc", a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) is the manager. The Company has evaluated KRVI to determine if it is a VIE and if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary requiring consolidation. The Company has determined that KRVI is a VIE for which RBDHC is the primary beneficiary as the Company, collectively through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, RiverBanc and RBDHC, has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of KRVI and has a right to receive benefits or absorb losses of KRVI that could be potentially significant to KRVI. Accordingly, the Company has consolidated KRVI in its condensed consolidated financial statements with a non-controlling interest for the third-party ownership of KRVI membership interests.

The Company evaluates the home pricing and lot values of the real estate under development that is owned by KRVI, which is included in receivables and other assets on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets, on a quarterly basis. Based on the evaluation during the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company determined that the real estate under development with a carrying amount of $20.9 million was no longer fully recoverable and was impaired. The Company recognized a $0.9 million impairment loss which is included in other income in the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, $0.5 million of this impairment loss is included in net income attributable to non-controlling interest in consolidated variable interest entities on the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations, resulting in a net loss to the Company of $0.4 million. Fair value was determined based on the sales comparison approach which derives a value indication by comparing the subject property to similar properties that have been recently sold and assumes a purchaser will not pay more for a particular property than a similar substitute property. Real estate under development as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 of $20.0 million and $22.0 million, respectively, is included in receivables and other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In March 2017, the Company reconsidered its evaluation of its variable interests in 200 RHC Hoover, LLC ("Riverchase Landing") and The Clusters, LLC ("The Clusters"), two VIEs that each owned a multi-family apartment community and in each of which the Company held a preferred equity investment. The Company determined that it gained the power to direct the activities, and became primary beneficiary, of Riverchase Landing and The Clusters and consolidated them in its condensed consolidated financial statements. In March 2018, Riverchase Landing completed the sale of its multi-family apartment community and redeemed the Company's preferred equity investment. Also, in February 2019, The Clusters completed the sale of its multi-family apartment community and redeemed the Company's preferred equity investment. The Company de-consolidated Riverchase Landing and The Clusters as of the date of each property's sale. Prior to the properties' sale, the Company did not have any claims to the assets or obligations for the liabilities of Riverchase Landing and The Clusters.

The following table presents a summary of the assets and liabilities of the Residential CDOs, the Consolidated K-Series, and KRVI of as of March 31, 2019. Intercompany balances have been eliminated for purposes of this presentation.



	Financing VIE		Other VIEs
	Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization		Multi-family CMBS		Other		Total
Cash and cash equivalents	$	—	$	—	$	712	$	712
Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts, net	52,869		—		—		52,869
Multi-family loans held in securitization trusts, at fair value	—		14,328,336		—		14,328,336
Receivables and other assets	1,203		47,186		20,225		68,614
Total assets	$	54,072	$	14,375,522	$	20,937	$	14,450,531

Residential collateralized debt obligations	$	49,247	$	—	$	—	$	49,247
Multi-family collateralized debt obligations, at fair value	—		13,547,195		—		13,547,195
Mortgages and notes payable in consolidated variable interest entities	—		—		3,986		3,986
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	24		46,154		439		46,617
Total liabilities	$	49,271	$	13,593,349	$	4,425	$	13,647,045

The following table presents the Consolidated K-Series, the Financing VIEs, KRVI, and The Clusters as of December 31, 2018.



	Financing VIEs						Other VIEs
	Multi-family CMBS Re- securitization ⁽¹⁾		Distressed Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization ⁽²⁾		Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization		Multi- family CMBS ⁽³⁾		Other		Total
Cash and cash equivalents	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	708	$	708
Investment securities available for sale, at fair value held in securitization trusts	52,700		—		—		—		—		52,700
Residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts, net	—		—		56,795		—		—		56,795
Distressed residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts, net	—		88,096		—		—		—		88,096
Multi-family loans held in securitization trusts, at fair value	1,107,071		—		—		10,572,776		—		11,679,847
Real estate held for sale in consolidated variable interest entities	—		—		—		—		29,704		29,704
Receivables and other assets	4,243		10,287		1,061		37,679		23,254		76,524
Total assets	$	1,164,014	$	98,383	$	57,856	$	10,610,455	$	53,666	$	11,984,374

Residential collateralized debt obligations	$	—	$	—	$	53,040	$	—	$	—	$	53,040
Multi-family collateralized debt obligations, at fair value	1,036,604		—		—		9,985,644		—		11,022,248
Securitized debt	30,121		12,214		—		—		—		42,335
Mortgages and notes payable in consolidated variable interest entities	—		—		—		—		31,227		31,227
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,228		444		26		37,022		1,166		42,886
Total liabilities	$	1,070,953	$	12,658	$	53,066	$	10,022,666	$	32,393	$	11,191,736

⁽¹⁾

The Company classified the multi-family CMBS issued by two securitizations included in the Consolidated K-Series and held by this Financing VIE as available for sale securities as the purpose is not to trade these securities. The Financing VIE consolidated one securitization included in the Consolidated K-Series that issued certain of the multi-family CMBS owned by the Company, including its assets, liabilities, income and expenses, in its financial statements, as based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary and has a controlling financial interest in this particular K-Series securitization (see Note 6).

⁽²⁾

The Company engaged in this transaction for the purpose of financing certain distressed residential mortgage loans acquired by the Company. The distressed residential mortgage loans serving as collateral for the financing are comprised of re-performing and, to a lesser extent, non-performing and other delinquent mortgage loans secured by first liens on one- to four- family properties. Balances as of December 31, 2018 are related to a securitization transaction that closed in April 2016 that involved the issuance of $177.5 million of Class A Notes representing the beneficial ownership in a pool of performing and re-performing seasoned mortgage loans. The Company holds 5% of the Class A Notes issued as part of the securitization transaction, which were eliminated in consolidation.


⁽³⁾	Eight of the securitizations included in the Consolidated K-Series were not held in a Financing VIE as of December 31, 2018.

As of March 31, 2019, the Company had no securitized debt outstanding. The following table summarizes the Company’s securitized debt collateralized by multi-family CMBS or distressed residential mortgage loans as of December 31, 2018 (dollar amounts in thousands):



	Multi-family CMBS Re-securitization ⁽¹⁾			Distressed Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization
Principal Amount at December 31, 2018	$	33,177		$	12,381
Carrying Value at December 31, 2018 ⁽²⁾	$	30,121		$	12,214
Pass-through rate of notes issued	5.35		%	4.00		%


⁽¹⁾	The Company engaged in the re-securitization transaction primarily for the purpose of obtaining non-recourse financing on a portion of its multi-family CMBS portfolio. As a result of engaging in this transaction, the Company remained economically exposed to the first loss position on the underlying multi-family CMBS transferred to the Consolidated VIE.


⁽²⁾	Presented net of unamortized deferred costs of $0.2 million related to the issuance of the securitized debt, which include underwriting, rating agency, legal, accounting and other fees.

The following table presents contractual maturity information about the Financing VIEs’ securitized debt as of December 31, 2018 (dollar amounts in thousands):



Scheduled Maturity (principal amount)	December 31, 2018
Within 24 months	$	12,381
Over 24 months to 36 months	—
Over 36 months	33,177
Total	45,558
Discount	(2,983		)
Debt issuance cost	(240		)
Carrying value	$	42,335

Residential Mortgage Loan Securitization Transaction

The Company has completed four residential mortgage loan securitizations (other than the distressed residential mortgage loan securitizations discussed above) since inception; the first three were accounted for as permanent financings and have been included in the Company’s accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. The fourth was accounted for as a sale and, accordingly, is not included in the Company’s accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Unconsolidated VIEs

As of March 31, 2019, the Company evaluated its mezzanine loan, preferred equity and other equity investments to determine whether they are VIEs and should be consolidated by the Company. Based on a number of factors, the Company determined that it does not have a controlling financial interest and is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. The following table presents the classification and carrying value of unconsolidated VIEs as of March 31, 2019 (dollar amounts in thousands):



	March 31, 2019
	Preferred equity and mezzanine loan investments		Investments in unconsolidated entities		Total
Preferred equity investments in multi-family properties	$	164,533	$	55,789	$	220,322
Mezzanine loans on multi-family properties	10,595		—		10,595
Equity investments in entities that invest in residential properties	—		11,185		11,185
Total assets	$	175,128	$	66,974	$	242,102

As of December 31, 2018, the Company evaluated its multi-family CMBS investments in two Freddie Mac-sponsored multi-family loan K-Series securitizations and its mezzanine loan, preferred equity and other equity investments to determine whether they are VIEs and should be consolidated by the Company. Based on a number of factors, the Company determined that, except for The Clusters as of December 31, 2018, it does not have a controlling financial interest and is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs. The following table presents the classification and carrying value of unconsolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2018 (dollar amounts in thousands):



	December 31, 2018
	Investment securities, available for sale, at fair value, held in securitization trusts		Receivables and other assets		Preferred equity and mezzanine loan investments		Investments in unconsolidated entities		Total
Multi-family CMBS	$	52,700	$	72	$	—	$	—	$	52,772
Preferred equity investments in multi-family properties	—		—		154,629		40,472		195,101
Mezzanine loans on multi-family properties	—		—		10,926		—		10,926
Equity investments in entities that invest in residential properties	—		—		—		10,954		10,954
Total assets	$	52,700	$	72	$	165,555	$	51,426	$	269,753

Our maximum loss exposure on the multi-family CMBS investments, mezzanine loan, preferred equity and other equity investments is approximately $242.1 million and $269.8 million at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. The Company’s maximum exposure does not exceed the carrying value of its investments.