The fresh Money Techniques are the fresh IRS’s history significant declaration of REITs due to the fact mezzanine lenders, and as such, it has been the primary source of great tips on this subject for REITs in addition to their legal counsel ever since.
This new Revenue Techniques also offers a secure harbor, it generally does not expose the fresh new exclusive criteria to own measuring compliance which have the REIT Criteria. Simply put, an excellent REIT mezzanine lender you’ll comply with the new REIT Criteria also whether it will not fulfill the Funds Procedure’s criteria. The purpose of the newest Revenue Procedure would be to provide confidence-these days it is the sole method for expose for several one an effective mezzanine loan complies towards REIT Requirements. Due to the fact talked about above, failure in order to adhere to new REIT Criteria can also be release good menagerie regarding gruesome outcomes, also death of REIT position altogether and you may imposition regarding a business-top taxation. Therefore, many REITs are simply unwilling to use the smallest enjoy into the its REIT conformity. In the event the REITs will likely do the area to meet up the fresh new increasing need for mezzanine investment, it’s important to has actually an established, workable secure harbor.
REITs had been productive in the mezzanine money in the decades once the new Internal revenue service granted new Money Processes. This past year, CareTrust REIT participated in the new origination of over $52 mil inside mezzanine finance covered because of the portfolios away from skilled nursing and you will helped living qualities.
Yet, even though some REITs have joined brand new mezzanine credit place, of numerous enjoys averted it because of certain problematic aspects of this new Money Processes. A number of the Funds Procedure’s standards argument with simple mezzanine lending techniques. The 2 most commonly cited problems are: (1) the necessity the mortgage be nonrecourse, and you can (2) the necessity the financing immediately accelerate in the event the even part of the root a property is sold otherwise moved. A number of the challenging lending techniques, such recourse provisions, are made to decrease new heightened risk of losings working in mezzanine credit. Therefore, REIT mezzanine lenders currently need choose between increased likelihood of shedding their REIT position otherwise increased danger of dropping their capital. Confronted with such unpalatable solutions, of several REITs have merely stopped the newest mezzanine lending area entirely.