Deck 17: Sources of Commercial Debt and Equity Capital

Question 1

At the end of 2011,commercial banks and other financial institutions collectively owned $51 billion in commercial real estate equity.The vast majority of these holding are the result of which of the following types of investment by these institutions?

A)Direct equity investment through private market purchases
B)Indirect investment through real estate securities
C)Commingled real estate funds
D)Real estate obtained as a result of borrower default and foreclosure.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In recent years,a number of pooled ownership structures have emerged that have changed the analysis of ownership form selection for many investors.Which of the following ownership structures is generally used for small,local investments that are marketed to accredited,but non-institutional investors?

A)General partnership
B)Limited partnership
C)C corporation
D)Limited liability company

Answer 2

D

Question 3

All of the following are responsibilities of the syndicator in the origination phase of a syndicate's life EXCEPT:

A)Develop the concept for the syndication
B)Organize the legal entity
C)Acquire or obtain control of the real estate
D)Raise additional investment capital

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code permits investors to defer some or all of the taxable gain that would ordinarily be due on the sale of a property if they exchange for "like-kind" property.In order to avoid income taxes,many investors attempted to make use of this tax code when disposing of commercial real estate assets.This led to the reemergence of which of the following forms of ownership in commercial real estate?

A)General Partnership
B)Limited Liability Company
C)Tenancy-in-common
D)Limited Partnership

Question 5

The choice of ownership form for pooled equity investments depends heavily on federal tax considerations.Which of the following ownership structures suffers from the major disadvantage of double taxation?

A)C Corporation
B)Subchapter S Corporation
C)General Partnership
D)Limited Liability Company

Question 6

In contrast to public markets,private markets are characterized by individually negotiated transactions that take place without the aid of a centralized market.Therefore,private markets will generally have:

A)High transaction costs and high liquidity
B)High transaction costs and low liquidity
C)Low transaction costs and high liquidity
D)Low transaction costs and low liquidity

Question 7

Of the $3.2 trillion in outstanding mortgage debt in the U.S. ,approximately 714% is privately held by institutional and individual investors.Which of the following institutions is the largest single source of private mortgage funds?

A)Savings institutions
B)Life insurance companies
C)Government Sponsored Enterprises
D)Commercial banks

Question 8

The choice of ownership form for pooled equity investments can also depend on the desire to avoid personal liability.Which of the following ownership structures suffers from the major disadvantage of unlimited liability for all investors?

A)C Corporation
B)Subchapter S Corporation
C)General Partnership
D)Limited Partnership

Question 9

The syndication agreement generally creates a principal/agent relationship in which the syndicator (agent)is empowered to act on behalf of the investors (principals).In most principal/agent relationships,there is the concern that the agent will act in the agent's best interest,not in the best interests of the principal.This issue is more commonly referred to as:

A)adverse selection
B)moral hazard
C)dual agency
D)signaling

Question 10

The $6.5 trillion total market value of commercial real estate can be broken into four quadrants.Which of the following sectors of the commercial real estate market currently accounts for the largest proportion of market value?

A)Public equity
B)Privately held equity
C)Publicly traded mortgage debt
D)Privately held mortgage debt

Question 11

Ownership forms for pooled equity investment can differ in terms of how the entity's cash flows are distributed to its investors.Which of the following ownership structures requires cash flows to be allocated to each shareholder in proportion to his or her ownership of the entity,thereby preventing special allocations to multiple classes of investors?

A)Subchapter S Corporation
B)General Partnership
C)Limited Partnership
D)Limited Liability Company

Question 12

In most small to medium private real estate deals,syndicators play important roles within the origination,operation,and completion phases of a real estate syndicate's life.All of the following are responsibilities of the syndicator in the operation phase of a syndicate's life EXCEPT:

A)Manage the syndication
B)Manage properties
C)Raise additional investment capital if required
D)Prepare the properties for sale

Question 13

When fund managers collect contributions from multiple sources and "commingle" them to purchase properties,this is referred to as the use of commingled real estate funds.Which of the following institutional investors utilize commingled real estate funds for approximately one-half of their investments in real estate?

A)Investment banks
B)Life insurance companies
C)Real estate advisory firms
D)Pension funds

Question 14

The estimated market value of investible commercial real estate in the United States at the end of 2011 was approximately $6.5 trillion.In terms of market size,which of the following asset categories is most closely related to commercial real estate?

A)Owner-occupied housing
B)Corporate equities
C)U.S.Treasury securities
D)Municipal securities

Question 15

There are two major types of REITs: Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs.Each differs in terms of what they invest in.Which of the following choices best describes the investment focus of an Equity REIT?

A)Invests a significant percentage of their assets in both properties and mortgages
B)Invests primarily in and operates commercial properties
C)Purchases mortgage obligations
D)Purchases ownership interests in shares of pension funds and life insurance companies

Question 16

Up until the market for these instruments collapsed in 2008,which of the following was the fastest-growing source of long-term commercial mortgage funds from 2002-2007?

A)Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
B)Commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS)
C)Construction loans
D)Residential mortgage backed securities (MBS)

Question 17

Though difficult to accurately measure,the market value of U.S.real estate held by non-real estate corporations is estimated to exceed $10 trillion.All of the following are examples of noninvestible commercial real estate EXCEPT:

A)Medical office buildings owned by the hospital
B)Branch offices owned by the bank
C)Plant and equipment owned by steel corporations
D)Assembly plant building owned by a group of investors as part of an LLC

Question 18

As of 2011,nearly 88% of private commercial real estate equity was owned by "noninstitutional investors." Which of the following investor categories represents the most common form of noninstitutional ownership?

A)Pension funds
B)Sole proprietorship
C)"local" syndications and private equity funds
D)Life insurance companies

Question 19

In most pooled ownership forms a single partner is empowered to act on behalf of the investors in terms of making property investment decisions.Based on your understanding of the different types of pooled ownership which of the following structures would we expect this issue to be the least prevalent?

A)General partnership
B)Limited partnership
C)C corporation
D)Subchapter S corporation

Question 20

There are a set of restrictive conditions that REITs must satisfy on an ongoing basis in order to maintain their special tax status.All of the following statements regarding the main restrictions are true EXCEPT:

A)At least 100 investors must own a REIT's shares
B)No five investors can own more than 50 percent of a REIT's shares
C)At least 75 percent of the value of a REIT's assets must consist of real estate assets
D)A REIT must distribute at least 75% of its taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends.

Question 21

Given the following information,calculate the price-FFO multiple for the following REIT.Funds from Operation: $4,000,000;Stock Price: $40;Shares Outstanding: 1,000,000

A)0.10
B)0.25
C)4.00
D)10.00

Question 22

One measure of the importance of a publicly traded asset class in the U.S.economy can be calculated by multiplying the number of publicly traded shares by the current market price of the stock.The result of this calculation is more commonly referred to as:

A)market capitalization
B)capitalization rate
C)price-earnings ratio
D)earnings-per-share ratio

Question 23

Most real estate investment trusts (REITs)are actively managed operating companies that typically focus their investments either by property type or geographic market.Which of the following commercial property types represents the largest proportion of REIT market value?

A)Apartments
B)Office
C)Industrial
D)Retail

Question 24

Real estate private equity funds can focus investment on anything from "Class A" real estate to redevelopment in the urban center.On the risk-return spectrum,which of the following private equity fund categories tends to have a heavier development component and
Often involves investment in riskier property types and locations?

A)Core
B)Value Added
C)Opportunistic
D)Full platform

Question 25

Direct investment in private commercial real estate markets is a preferred means of ownership for the largest institutional market participants.Which of the following types of institutions rely on stable income from commercial real estate properties to pay out retirement benefits?

A)Pension funds
B)Life insurance companies
C)Commercial Banks
D)Investment Banks

Question 26

If the per share stock price of a REIT is greater than its per share net asset value (NAV),the REIT is said to be selling at:

A)par value
B)a discount
C)a premium
D)an auction

Question 27

Which of the following measures,equal to the estimated total market value of a REITs underlying assets,allows investors to compare the value of a publicly traded security to the value of the properties that it holds in the private market?

A)Net income
B)Net asset value
C)Funds from operations
D)Effective gross income

Question 28

In recent years,which of the following pooled ownership structures are used by private funds that are trying to attract capital from very high net worth and institutional investors?

A)General partnership
B)Limited partnership
C)C corporation
D)Limited liability company

Question 29

Given the following information,calculate the price-FFO multiple for the following REIT.Net income: $1,200,000,Gain/losses from infrequent and unusual events: $0,Amortization of tenant improvements: $120,000,Amortization of leasing expenses: $75,000,Depreciation (real property): $2,675,000.Stock Price: $40;Market Capitalization: $40,000,000

A)0.10
B)4.07
C)9.83
D)393.12

Question 30

When investing in commercial real estate through an intermediary,it is important to consider whether the fund has a finite or infinite life.By having a finite life,the fund manager is forced to eventually dispose of the assets and return the investors' capital.With which of the following fund structures do you expect the issues associated with finite life to be least prevalent?

A)Closed-end commingled real estate fund
B)Open-end commingled real estate fund
C)Real estate private equity fund
D)Public,non-traded REIT

Question 31

Given the following information,calculate the funds from operation (FFO).Net income: $1,200,000,Gain/losses from infrequent and unusual events: $0,Amortization of tenant improvements: $120,000,Amortization of leasing expenses: $75,000,Depreciation (real property): $2,675,000.

A)$195,000
B)$1,395,000
C)$2,870,000
D)$4,070,000

Question 32

Since most real estate assets are depreciable,using accounting income to measure a REIT's cash flow may actually understate the funds that are available to distribute to investors as dividends.Therefore,REITs utilize a measure that adds back depreciation and amortization expenses,more commonly referred to as:

A)Net income
B)Net asset value
C)Funds from operations
D)Effective gross income

Question 33

There are a number of ways in which individual and institutional investors can hold investments in commercial real estate as a part of their portfolio.One way is to purchase and hold the title to the actual commercial property,which gives the owner complete control of the asset.This type of transaction would be considered which of the following?

A)Direct investment in private commercial real estate equity
B)Indirect investment in private commercial real estate equity
C)Direct investment in private commercial real estate debt
D)Indirect investment in private commercial real estate debt