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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation. These consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, which requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates in the accompanying consolidated financial statements include our allowance for credit losses and the fair value of financial instruments.
Consolidation. These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of ours and our subsidiaries, all of which are 100% owned directly by us. All intercompany transactions and balances with or among our consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated.
For each loan investment we make, we evaluate whether we have a controlling financial interest and consolidation of the borrower's financial statements is required under GAAP.
Cash and Cash Equivalents. We consider highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.
Secured Financing Agreements. Loans financed through our Secured Financing Agreements (as defined in Note 5) are treated as collateralized financing transactions, unless they meet sales treatment under GAAP. Pursuant to GAAP treatment of collateralized financing transactions, loans financed through our Secured Financing Agreements remain on our consolidated balance sheets as assets and cash received from the purchasers is recorded on our consolidated balance sheets as liabilities. Interest paid in accordance with our Secured Financing Agreements is recorded as interest expense.
Loans Held for Investment. Generally, our loans are classified as held for investment based upon our intent and ability to hold them until maturity. Loans that are held for investment are carried at cost, net of unamortized loan origination fees, accreted exit fees, unamortized premiums and unaccreted discounts, as applicable, that are required to be recognized in the carrying value of the loans in accordance with GAAP, unless the loans are determined to be collateral dependent. Loans that we have a plan to sell or liquidate are held at the lower of cost or fair value less cost to sell.
Allowance for Credit Losses. On January 1, 2023, we adopted Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which replaces the “incurred loss” model for recognizing credit losses with a forward-looking “expected loss” model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of credit losses. The measurement of current expected credit losses, or CECL, is based upon historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts incorporating forward-looking information that affect the collectability of the reported amount. ASU No. 2016-13 is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures, such as unfunded loan commitments.
The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is deducted from the related loans’ amortized cost basis in our consolidated balance sheets. Our loans typically include commitments to fund incremental proceeds to borrowers over the life of the loan; these future funding commitments are also subject to the CECL model. The allowance for credit losses related to unfunded loan commitments is included in accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets.
Given the lack of historical loss data related to our loan portfolio, we estimate our expected losses using an analytical model that considers the likelihood of default and loss given default for each individual loan. This analytical model incorporates data from a third party database with historical loan loss information for commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, and CRE loans since 1998. We estimate the allowance for credit losses for our portfolio, including unfunded loan commitments, at the individual loan level. Significant inputs to the model include certain loan specific data, such as loan to value, or LTV, property type, geographic location, occupancy, vintage year, remaining loan term, net operating income, expected timing and amounts of future loan fundings and macroeconomic forecast assumptions, including the performance of CRE assets, unemployment rates, interest rates and other factors. We utilize the model to estimate credit losses over a reasonable and supportable economic forecast period of 12 months, followed by a straight-line reversion period of six months to average historical losses. Average historical losses are established using a population of third party historical loss data that approximates our portfolio as of the measurement date. We evaluate the estimated allowance for each of our loans individually and we consider our internal loan risk rating as the primary credit quality indicator underlying our assessment.
We have elected to exclude accrued interest receivable from amortized cost and not to measure an allowance for credit losses on accrued interest receivable. Accrued interest receivables are generally written off when payments are 120 days past due. Such amounts are reversed against interest income and no further interest will be recorded until it is collected.
If a loan is determined to be collateral dependent (because the repayment of the loan is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the underlying collateral property) and the borrower is experiencing financial difficulties, but foreclosure is not probable, we may elect to apply a practical expedient to determine the loan's allowance for credit losses by comparing the collateral's fair value to the amortized cost basis of the loan. For collateral-dependent loans for which foreclosure is probable, the related allowance for credit losses is determined using the fair value, less costs to sell, if applicable, of the collateral compared to the loan's amortized cost.
Upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13 using the modified retrospective transition method and, based on our loan portfolio, the then current economic environment and expectations for future conditions, we recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment reducing our cumulative net income in our consolidated balance sheets by $6,595, establishing an allowance for credit losses of $4,893 with respect to our then outstanding loans held for investment and increasing accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities by $1,702 with respect to our then unfunded loan commitments. No reserve for loan losses or allowance for credit losses was recognized within our consolidated financial statements prior to our adoption of ASU No. 2016-13.
We evaluate the credit quality of each of our loans at least quarterly by assessing a variety of risk factors in relation to each loan and assigning a risk rating to each loan based on those factors. Factors considered in these evaluations include, but are not limited to, property type, geographic and local market dynamics, physical condition, leasing and tenant profile, projected cash flow, risk of loss, current LTV, debt yield, collateral performance, structure, exit plan and sponsorship. Loans are rated “1” (less risk) through “5” (greater risk) as defined below:
“1” lower risk—Criteria reflects a sponsor having a strong financial condition and low credit risk and our evaluation of management's experience; collateral performance exceeding performance metrics included in the business plan or credit underwriting; and the property demonstrating stabilized occupancy and/or market rates, resulting in strong current cash flow and net operating income and/or having a very low LTV.
“2” average risk—Criteria reflects a sponsor having a stable financial condition and our evaluation of management's experience; collateral performance meeting or exceeding substantially all performance metrics included in the business plan or credit underwriting; and the property demonstrating improved occupancy at market rents, resulting in sufficient current cash flow and/or having a low LTV.
“3” acceptable risk—Criteria reflects a sponsor having a history of repaying loans at maturity and meeting its credit obligations and our evaluation of management's experience; collateral performance expected to meet performance metrics included in the business plan or credit underwriting; and the property having a moderate LTV. New loans and loans with a limited history will typically be assigned this rating and will be adjusted to other levels from time to time as appropriate.
“4” higher risk—Criteria reflects a sponsor having a history of unresolved missed or late payments, maturity extensions and difficulty timely fulfilling its credit obligations and our evaluation of management's experience; collateral performance failing to meet the business plan or credit underwriting; the existence of a risk of default possibly leading to a loss and/or potential weaknesses that deserve management’s attention; and/or the property having a high LTV.
“5” loss likely—Criteria reflects a very high risk of realizing a principal loss or having incurred a principal loss; a sponsor having a history of default payments, trouble fulfilling its credit obligations, deeds in lieu of foreclosures, and/or bankruptcies; collateral performance is significantly worse than performance metrics included in the business plan; loan covenants or performance milestones having been breached or not attained; timely exit via sale or refinancing being uncertain; and/or the property having a very high LTV.
See Note 3 for further information regarding our allowance for credit losses and our loan portfolio’s assessment under our internal risk rating policy.
Real Estate Owned. Real estate owned is property acquired in full or partial settlement of loan obligations generally through foreclosure or by deed in lieu of foreclosure. Upon acquisition, we allocate the fair value of the real estate owned in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations.
Upon acquisition, real estate owned is recognized at the fair value of the property at the time of acquisition. We allocate the purchase price to land, building and improvements, and acquired in place leases based on determinations of the relative fair values of these assets assuming the properties are vacant. The fair value of the property is determined using Level III inputs and standard industry valuation methods, including discounted cash flow analyses that are based on a number of factors, including capitalization rates and discount rates, among others, and sales comparisons. If the amortized cost of the loan exceeds the fair value of the property the difference is recorded through the allowance for credit losses as a write off. Conversely, if the fair value of the property exceeds the amortized cost of the loan, the difference is recorded through the allowance for credit losses as a recovery, with any excess recorded as a gain. Any related shortfall or excess of previously established allowances for credit losses is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations as a provision for or reversal of credit losses, respectively.
Subsequent to acquisition, costs incurred related to improvements to the property are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives and costs related to the operation of the property are expensed as incurred. We recognize depreciation on a straight line basis over estimated useful lives generally ranging from 7 to 40 years.
We allocate a portion of the purchase price to acquired in place leases and tenant relationships based upon market estimates to lease up the property based on the leases in place at the time of acquisition. We allocate this aggregate value between acquired in place lease values and tenant relationships based on our evaluation of the specific characteristics of each tenant’s lease. We amortize the value of acquired in place leases (included in acquired real estate leases, net in our consolidated balance sheets) over the terms of the associated leases. Such amortization is included in expenses from real estate owned in our consolidated statements of operations.
We regularly evaluate real estate owned for indicators of impairment. Impairment indicators may include declining tenant occupancy, lack of progress leasing vacant space, tenant bankruptcies, low long term prospects for improvement in property performance, weak or declining tenant profitability, cash flow or liquidity, our decision to dispose of an asset before the end of its estimated useful life and legislative, market or industry changes that could permanently reduce the value of a property. If there is an indication that the carrying value of an asset is not recoverable, we estimate the projected undiscounted cash flows to determine if an impairment loss should be recognized. The future net undiscounted cash flows are subjective and are based in part on assumptions regarding hold periods, market rents and terminal capitalization rates. We determine the amount of any impairment loss by comparing the carrying value to estimated fair value. We estimate fair value through an evaluation of recent financial performance and projected discounted cash flows using standard industry valuation methods.
See Note 4 for further information regarding our real estate owned.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments. We determine the estimated fair value of financial assets and liabilities using the three-tier fair value hierarchy established by GAAP, which prioritizes observable inputs in active markets when measuring fair value. The three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value in order of priority are as follows:
Level I—Inputs include quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that we have the ability to access.
Level II—Inputs include quoted prices in markets that are less active or inactive or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level III—Inputs include unobservable prices and are supported by little or no market activity and are significant to the overall fair value measurement.
Loan Deferred Fees. Loan origination and exit fees are fees charged to our borrowers and unamortized or unaccreted balances are reflected as a reduction in loans held for investment, net, in our consolidated balance sheets. These fees are recognized in interest income over the life of the related loans held for investment.
Deferred Financing Costs. Costs incurred in connection with financings are capitalized and recorded as a reduction to the related liability in our consolidated balance sheets. Deferred financing costs are amortized over the term of the respective financing agreement and are recorded in our consolidated statements of operations as a component of interest and related expenses.
Net Income Per Common Share. We calculate net income per common share - basic using the two class method. We calculate net income per common share - diluted using the more dilutive of the two class or treasury stock method.
Revenue Recognition. Interest income related to our first mortgage loans secured by CRE will generally be accrued based on the coupon rates applied to the outstanding principal balance of such loans. Fees, premiums and discounts, if any, will be amortized or accreted into interest income over the remaining lives of the loans using the effective interest method, as adjusted for any prepayments.
If a loan's interest or principal payments are not paid when due and there is uncertainty that such payments will be collected, the loan may be categorized as non-accrual and no interest will be recorded until it is collected. When all overdue payments are collected and, in our judgment, a loan is likely to remain current, it may be re-categorized as accrual. We did not have any non-accrual loans as of December 31, 2024.
For loans purchased at a discount, GAAP limits the yield that may be accreted (accretable yield) to the excess of the investor’s estimate of undiscounted expected principal, interest and other cash flows (cash flows expected at acquisition to be collected) over the investor’s initial investment in the loan. GAAP also requires that the excess of contractual cash flows over cash flows expected to be collected (non-accretable difference) not be recognized as an adjustment of yield, loss accrual or valuation allowance. Subsequent increases in cash flows expected to be collected from such loans generally will be recognized prospectively through adjustment of the loan’s yield over its remaining life. Decreases in cash flows expected to be collected will be recorded through our provision for credit losses.
Revenue from real estate owned represents rental income from operating leases with tenants and is recognized on a straight line basis over the lease term.
Segments. Effective for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, we adopted ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, or ASU No. 2023-07, which requires public entities to: i) provide disclosures of significant segment expenses and other segment items if they are regularly provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker, or the CODM, and included in each reported measure of segment profit or loss; ii) provide all annual disclosures about a reportable segment’s profit or loss and assets currently required by ASC 280, Segment Reporting, or ASC 280, in interim periods; and iii) disclose the CODM’s title and position, as well as an explanation of how the CODM uses the reported measures and other disclosures. Public entities with a single reportable segment must apply all the disclosure requirements of ASU No. 2023-07, as well as all the existing segment disclosures under ASC 280. The amendments in ASU No. 2023-07 are incremental to the requirements in ASC 280 and do not change how a public entity identifies its operating segments, aggregates those operating segments, or applies the quantitative thresholds to determine its reportable segments. As a result, we have included additional information related to the required disclosures within Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements.
New Accounting Pronouncements. In November 2024, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement (Topic 220): Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures, or ASU No. 2024-03, which requires public entities to provide disaggregated disclosure of certain income statement expense captions within the footnotes to the financial statements. ASU No. 2024-03 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. We are currently evaluating the impact ASU No. 2024-03 will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.