Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Line of Credit, Mortgage Payable, and Churchill Facility

v3.23.1
Line of Credit, Mortgage Payable, and Churchill Facility
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Line of Credit, Mortgage Payable, and Churchill Facility  
Line of Credit, Mortgage Payable, and Churchill Facility

7. Line of Credit, Mortgage Payable, and Churchill Facility

Wells Fargo Margin Line of Credit

During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company established a margin loan account at Wells Fargo Advisors that is secured by the Company's portfolio of short-term securities. The credit line bears interest at a rate equal to 1.75% below the prime rate (5.75% at December 31, 2022). As of December 31, 2022 the total outstanding balance was $3,587,894.

Mortgage Payable

In 2021, the Company obtained a $1.4 million adjustable-rate mortgage loan from New Haven Bank (the “NHB Mortgage”) of which $750,000 was funded at closing and remained outstanding as of December 31, 2022. The NHB Mortgage accrues interest at an initial rate of 3.75% per annum for the first 72 months and was due and payable in full on December 1, 2037. During the first 12 months, from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022, only interest was due and payable. Beginning on December 1, 2022 and through December 1, 2037, principal and interest on the NHB Mortgage were to be due and payable on a monthly basis. All payments under the NHB Mortgage was to be amortized based on a 20-year amortization schedule. The interest rate was to be adjusted on each of December 1, 2027 and 2032 to the then published 5-year Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston Classic Advance Rate, plus 2.60%. The NHB Mortgage was a non-recourse loan, secured by a first mortgage lien on each of the properties, located at 698 Main Street, Branford, Connecticut, and 568 East Main Street, Branford, Connecticut. The $750,000 of proceeds funded at closing were used to reimburse the Company for out-of-pocket costs relating to the acquisition of the East Main Street property. The balance of the loan was used to reimburse the Company for the out-of-pocket costs incurred to renovate the East Main Street property. The NHB Mortgage was refinanced on February 28, 2023. See note 22 – Subsequent Events.

Churchill MRA Funding I LLC Repurchase Financing Facility

On July 21, 2021, the Company consummated a $200 million master repurchase financing facility (“Facility”) with Churchill MRA Funding I LLC (“Churchill”), a subsidiary of Churchill Real Estate, a vertically integrated real estate finance company based in New York, New York. Under the terms of the Facility, the Company has the right, but not the obligation, to sell mortgage loans to Churchill, and Churchill has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase those loans. In addition, the Company has the right and, in some instances the obligation, to repurchase those loans from Churchill. The amount that Churchill will pay for each mortgage loan it purchases will vary based on the attributes of the loan and various other circumstances. The repurchase price is calculated by applying an interest factor to the purchase price of the mortgage loan. The Company has also pledged the mortgage loans sold to Churchill to secure its repurchase obligation. The cost of capital under the Facility is equal to the sum of (a) the greater of (i) 0.25% and (ii) the 90-day LIBOR plus (b) 3%-4%, depending on the aggregate principal amount of the mortgage loans held by Churchill at that time. On November 18, 2022, the Facility was amended to replace the 90-day LIBOR with the 90-day SOFR as the new benchmark rate. As of December 31, 2022 the effective rate charged under the Facility was 8.52%.

The Facility is subject to other terms and conditions, including representations and warranties, covenants and agreements typically found in these types of financing arrangements. Under one such covenant, the Company (A) is prohibited from (i) paying any dividends or making distributions in excess of 90% of its taxable income, (ii) incurring any indebtedness or (iii) purchasing any of its capital stock, unless, it has an asset coverage ratio of at least 150%; and (B) must maintain unencumbered cash and cash equivalents in an amount equal to or greater than 2.50% of the amount of its repurchase obligations. Churchill has the right to terminate the Facility at any time upon 180 days prior notice to the Company. The Company then has an additional 180 days after termination to repurchase all the mortgage loans held by Churchill.

The Company uses the proceeds from the Facility to finance the continued expansion of its lending business and for general corporate purposes. At December 31, 2022, the total amount outstanding under the Facility was $42,533,466. The collateral pledged to Churchill at December 31, 2022 was 32 mortgage loans that in the aggregate had unpaid principal balance of approximately $77.8 million.

Each of the NHB Mortgage and the Facility contain cross-default provisions, as defined.