Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Basis of Presentation. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company's management in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial statement and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. Certain information and footnote disclosures required for annual consolidated financial statements have been condensed or excluded pursuant to rules and regulations of the SEC. In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature that are considered necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of our operations, and cash flows as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. However, the results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2018. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 20, 2018.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries and entities the Company controls or of which it is the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates include the allocation of purchase price paid for property acquisitions between land, building and intangible assets acquired including their useful lives; valuation of long-lived assets, and the allowance for doubtful accounts, which is based on an evaluation of the tenants’ ability to pay. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we had approximately $4.7 million and $3.8 million in cash equivalents and $7.1 million and $4.5 million of restricted cash, respectively. Our cash equivalents and restricted cash consist of invested cash and cash in our operating accounts and are held in bank accounts at third party institutions. Restricted cash consists of funds used for property taxes, insurance, capital expenditures and leasing commission.

Real Estate Held for Sale

Real Estate Held for Sale. Real estate held for sale during the current period is classified as “real estate held for sale” for all prior periods presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. Mortgage notes payable related to the real estate held for sale during the current period is classified as “mortgage notes payable related to real estate held for sale, net” for all prior periods presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Asset Impairments

Asset Impairments. We review for impairment on a property by property basis. Impairment is recognized on properties held for use when the expected undiscounted cash flows for a property are less than its carrying amount at which time the property is written-down to fair value. The calculation of both discounted and undiscounted cash flows requires management to make estimates of future cash flows including revenues, operating expenses, required maintenance and development expenditures, market conditions, demand for space by tenants and rental rates over long periods. Since our properties typically have a long life, the assumptions used to estimate the future recoverability of book value requires significant management judgment. Actual results could be significantly different from the estimates. These estimates have a direct impact on net income because recording an impairment charge results in a negative adjustment to net income. The evaluation of anticipated cash flows is highly subjective and is based in part on assumptions regarding future occupancy, rental rates and capital requirements that could differ materially from actual results in future periods.

Properties held for sale are recorded at the lower of the carrying amount or the expected sales price less costs to sell. Although our strategy is to hold our properties over the long-term, if our strategy changes or market conditions otherwise dictate an earlier sale date, an impairment loss may be recognized to reduce the property to fair value and such loss could be material.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, management estimated that the fair market value of the Waterman Plaza property was below the carrying value and an impairment of approximately $533,000 was recorded.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements. Under GAAP, we are required to measure certain financial instruments at fair value on a recurring basis. In addition, we are required to measure other non-financial and financial assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis (e.g., carrying value of impaired real estate loans receivable and long-lived assets). Fair value is defined as the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The GAAP fair value framework uses a three-tiered approach. Fair value measurements are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:



•	Level 1: unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities;



•	Level 2: quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model-derived valuations in which significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets; and



•	Level 3: prices or valuation techniques where little or no market data is available that requires inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

When available, we utilize quoted market prices from independent third-party sources to determine fair value and classify such items in Level 1 or Level 2. In instances where the market for a financial instrument is not active, regardless of the availability of a nonbinding quoted market price, observable inputs might not be relevant and could require us to make a significant adjustment to derive a fair value measurement. Additionally, in an inactive market, a market price quoted from an independent third party may rely more on models with inputs based on information available only to that independent third party. When we determine the market for a financial instrument owned by us to be illiquid or when market transactions for similar instruments do not appear orderly, we use several valuation sources (including internal valuations, discounted cash flow analysis and quoted market prices) and establish a fair value by assigning weights to the various valuation sources. Additionally, when determining the fair value of a liability in circumstances in which a quoted price in an active market for an identical liability is not available, we measure fair value using (i) a valuation technique that uses the quoted price of the identical liability when traded as an asset or quoted prices for similar liabilities when traded as assets or (ii) another valuation technique that is consistent with the principles of fair value measurement, such as the income approach or the market approach. During the three months ended September 30, 2018, the Company measured the fair value of the Waterman Plaza property on a nonrecurring basis using Level 3 inputs.

Changes in assumptions or estimation methodologies can have a material effect on these estimated fair values. In this regard, the derived fair value estimates cannot be substantiated by comparison to independent markets and, in many cases, may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications. Certain reclassifications have been made to the previously presented consolidated financial statements and condensed consolidated financial statements to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of consolidated operations or equity.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events. We evaluate subsequent events up until the date the consolidated financial statements are issued.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, “Revenue From Contracts With Customers (ASC 606)," which outlines a comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The standard states that “an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.” While the standard specifically references contracts with customers, it may apply to certain other transactions such as the sale of real estate. The standard applies to the Company's recognition of gains on sale of real estate. The Company's adoption of the standard on January 1, 2018 did not have an impact on the pattern of revenue recognition for gains on sale of real estate.

On November 17, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Restricted Cash,” which requires that the statement of cash flows explain the change during a reporting period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents. This standard states that transfers between cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash are not part of the entity’s operating, investing, and financing activities. Therefore, restricted cash should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the standard and retrospectively applied the guidance of the standard to the prior period presented, which resulted in a decrease of $417,000 in net cash provided by investing activities on its consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which sets out principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e. lessees and lessors). The standard requires that lessors expense, on an as-incurred basis, certain initial direct costs that are not incremental in negotiating a lease. Under existing standards, certain of these costs are capitalizable and therefore this new standard may result in certain of these costs being expensed as incurred after adoption. Under the standard, lessees apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases. A lessee is required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than twelve months, regardless of their lease classification. The Company is a lessee on ground leases at certain properties, on certain office space leases and on certain other improvements and equipment. The standard will impact the accounting and disclosure requirements for these leases. The standard is effective for the Company under a modified retrospective approach beginning January 1, 2019. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.

On January 5, 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, “Business Combinations,” which clarifies the definition of a business. The objective of the standard is to add further guidance that assists entities in evaluating whether a transaction will be accounted for as an acquisition of an asset or a business. The guidance requires an entity to evaluate if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets. If so, the set of transferred assets and activities are not a business and should be treated as an asset acquisition. The guidance also requires a business to include at least one substantive process and narrows the definition of outputs. The primary difference between business combinations and asset acquisitions is the recognition of transaction costs, which are expensed as period costs for business combinations and capitalized for asset acquisitions. The Company's adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018 did not have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-05, “Other Income-Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20): Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets,” which clarifies the scope of asset derecognition and adds further guidance for recognizing gains and losses from the transfer of nonfinancial assets in contracts with non-customers. The Company has concluded that property sales represent transactions with non-customers. Sales of property generally represent only one performance obligation and are recognized when an enforceable contract is in place, collectability is ensured and control is transferred to the buyer. The Company's adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018 did not have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.