2. Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management will base the use of estimates on (a) various assumptions that consider prior reporting results, (b) the Company’s projections regarding future operations and (c) general financial market and local and general economic conditions. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates.

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of all subsidiaries in which the Company has control over significant operating, financial and investing decisions of the entity. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all demand deposits, cashier’s checks, money market accounts and certificates of deposit with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Investment Securities

Debt investments are classified as available-for-sale and realized gains and losses are recorded using the specific identification method. Changes in fair value, excluding credit losses and impairments, are recorded in other comprehensive income. Fair value is calculated based on publicly available market information or other estimates determined by management. If the cost of an investment exceeds its fair value, management evaluates, among other factors, general market conditions, credit quality of debt instrument issuers, and the extent to which the fair value is less than cost. To determine credit losses, management may employ a systematic methodology that considers available quantitative and qualitative evidence. In addition, management may consider specific adverse conditions related to the financial health of, and business outlook for, the investee. If the Company plans to sell the security or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery, then a decline in fair value below cost is recorded as an impairment charge in net income and a new cost basis in the investment is established. If market, industry, and/or investee conditions deteriorate, the Company may incur future losses and/or impairments.

Equity investments with readily determinable fair values are measured at fair value. Equity investments without readily determinable fair values are measured using the equity method or measured at cost with adjustments for observable changes in price or impairments (referred to as the measurement alternative). Management performs a qualitative assessment on a periodic basis and

recognize an impairment if there are sufficient indicators that the fair value of the investment is less than carrying value. Changes in value are recorded in net income.

Allowance for Current Expected Credit Losses

The Company adopted the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) standard effective January 1, 2023 in accordance with ASU No. 2016-13. The initial CECL allowance adjustment of $2,489,574 was recorded effective January 1, 2023 as a cumulative-effect of change in accounting principle through a direct charge to accumulated deficit on the consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity. Subsequent changes to the CECL allowance will be recognized in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

The Company records an allowance for credit losses in accordance with the CECL standard on the Company’s loan portfolio, including unfunded construction commitments, on a collective basis by assets with similar risk characteristics. This methodology replaces the probable incurred loss impairment methodology. In addition, interest and fees receivable and amounts included in due from borrowers, other than reimbursements, which include origination, modification and other fees receivable are also analyzed for credit losses in accordance with the CECL standard, as they represent a financial asset that is subject to credit risk. As allowed under the CECL standard used by the Company, as a practical expedient, the fair value of the collateral at the reporting date is compared to the net carrying amount of the loan when determining the allowance for credit losses for loans in pending/pre-foreclosure status, as defined. Fair value of collateral is reduced by estimated cost to sell if the collateral is expected to be sold. The amount of loans in pending/pre-foreclosure including unpaid interest and other charges, as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 was approximately $68.1 million and $24.0 million, respectively.

The CECL standard requires an entity to consider historical loss experience, current conditions, and a reasonable and supportable forecast of the economic environment. The Company utilizes a loss-rate method for estimating current expected credit losses. The loss rate method involves applying a loss rate to a pool of loans with similar risk characteristics to estimate the expected credit losses on that pool of loans. In determining the CECL allowance, the Company considers various factors including (1) historical loss experience in its portfolio, (2) loan specific losses for loans deemed collateral dependent based on excess amortized cost over the fair value of the underlying collateral, and (3) its current and future view of the macroeconomic environment. The Company utilizes a forecast of three years which approximates its longer-term loans, which are often the construction loans.

Management estimates the allowance for credit losses using relevant information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The allowance for credit losses is maintained at a level sufficient to provide for expected credit losses over the life of the loans based on evaluating historical credit loss experience and to make adjustments to historical loss information for differences in the specific risk characteristics in the current loan portfolio. The CECL allowance related to the principal outstanding is presented within “Mortgages receivable, net” and for unfunded commitments is within accounts payable and accrued liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The CECL allowance related to the late payment fees are presented in “Interest and fees receivable, net”, and “Due from borrowers, net” in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

The below table represents the financial statement line items that are impacted by the CECL allowance:

​

​

In addition, CECL made changes to the accounting for available-for-sale debt securities. One such change is to require credit losses to be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down on available-for-sale debt securities if management does not intend to sell and does not believe that it is more likely than not, they will be required to sell. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022 the Company had a CECL allowance of $808,561 and $0, respectively, which is presented in “Investment securities, net” on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. In connection with the allowance, during the years December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had a provision for credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities of $808,561 and $0, respectively, which is presented on the Company’s consolidated statements of comprehensive income. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, fair market value of these securities was $839,280 and $813,650, respectively. The cost basis of these securities were $1,647,841. The implementation of the CECL standard’s effect on the Company’s earnings per share, for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $0.15.

​

Fair Value Measurements

The framework for measuring fair value provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820 are described as follows:

Level 1Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Company can access.

Level 2Inputs to the valuation methodology include:

If the asset or liability has a specified (i.e., contractual) term, the Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

Property and Equipment

Land and building acquired in December 2016 to serve as the Company’s office facilities is stated at cost. The building is being depreciated using the straight-line method over its estimated useful life of 40 years. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. The Company relocated its entire operations to this property in March 2019. On August 14, 2023 this property was sold. The Company realized a loss of approximately $183,000 on the sale, which is included in (gain) loss on sale of real estate and property and equipment, net in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Land and building acquired in 2021 to serve as the Company’s future corporate headquarters is stated at cost. Renovation of the building was completed in the first quarter of 2023 and the Company relocated its operations to the new building in March 2023. The building is being depreciated using the straight-line method over its estimated useful life of 40 years. The new building was placed in service in March 2023 when the Company received the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy.

The following tables represent the Company’s Property and Equipment, Net as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

​

​

​

Investment in Rental Real Estate

Real estate is carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Betterments, major renewals and certain costs directly related to the improvement and leasing of real estate are capitalized. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. For redevelopment of existing operating properties, the net book value of the existing property under redevelopment plus the cost for the construction and improvements incurred in connection with the redevelopment, including interest and debt expense, are capitalized to the extent the capitalized costs of the property do not exceed the estimated fair value of the redeveloped property when complete. If the cost of the redeveloped property, including the net book value of the existing property, exceeds the estimated fair value of the redeveloped property, the excess is charged to expense. Depreciation is recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of these assets which range from 7 to 40 years. Tenant allowances are amortized on a straight-line basis over the lives of the related leases, which approximate the useful lives of the assets.

Upon the acquisition of real estate, the Company assesses whether the transaction should be accounted for as an asset acquisition or as a business combination. Acquisitions of integrated sets of assets and activities that do not meet the definition of a business are accounted for as asset acquisitions. Acquisitions of real estate generally will not meet the definition of a business because substantially all of the fair value is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets (i.e. land, buildings, and related identified intangible assets).

The Company allocates the purchase price of real estate to land and building (inclusive of site and tenant improvements) and, if determined to be material, intangibles, such as the value of above- and below-market leases and origination costs associated with the in-place leases.

The allocation of the purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed involves subjectivity as the allocations are based on an analysis of the respective fair values. In determining the fair value of the real estate acquired, the Company utilized a third-party valuation which primarily utilizes cash flow projections that apply, among other things, estimated revenue and expense growth rates, discount rates and capitalization rates, as well as sales comparison approach, which utilizes comparable sales, listings and sales contracts. The Company assesses the fair value of the acquired leases based on estimated cash flow projections that utilize appropriate discount rates and available market information. Estimates of future cash flows are based on a number of factors including the historical operating results, known trends, and market/economic conditions that may affect the property. The determined and allocated fair values to the real estate acquired will affect the amount of depreciation and amortization we record over the respective estimated useful lives or term of the lease.

2023 Acquisition

On June 23, 2023, the Company entered into a purchase and sale contract (the “Westport Purchase Agreement”) for $10,600,000 to acquire a commercial office building in Westport, CT (the “Westport Asset”). The transaction was completed on August 31, 2023. In connection with this transaction, which was accounted for as an asset acquisition, the Company allocated the purchase price and acquisition-related costs to the tangible and intangible assets acquired based on fair value. In addition, the Company recorded a lease liability stemming from below-market rental rates. Total consideration, including capitalized acquisition-related costs, was $10,725,237.

The following table summarizes the allocation for the acquisition:

​

​

Building and site improvements are being depreciated using the straight-line method over its estimated useful life of 40 years and 15 years, respectively. Tenant improvements are amortized over the life of the respective lease using the straight-line method. Lease in-place intangible assets, deferred leasing costs and acquired below market leases are amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective life of the lease. For the year ended December 31, 2023, depreciation and amortization related to the asset was approximately $30,800.

Estimated annual amortization of acquired below market lease intangible is as follows:

​

​

Estimated annual amortization of acquired in-place lease intangible is as follows:

​

​

Estimated annual amortization of deferred leasing costs is as follows:

​

​

In addition, the Westport Purchase Agreement contains a provision requiring the payment of an Additional Purchase Price, as defined, upon the earlier to occur of:

These payments represent contingent consideration in connection with this acquisition, requiring accrual when the payments are deemed probable and reasonably estimable. The Company notes that neither of these events which would give rise to a payment of Additional Purchase Price is considered probable or estimatable as of the acquisition date and as of December 31, 2023. Accordingly, no accrual for these payments has been made in the consolidated balance sheet. The agreed payment is $75,000 per approved and sold or permitted market rate residential units. As of January 2024, the Company submitted a proposal to the town of Westport for 8 market rate residential units and 2 affordable rate units. Those units were approved in March of 2024, subject to a 30 day appeal period, which extends into April 2024. This indicates the potential payment could be as high as $600,000, as of the date of this filing.

See Note 5 – Investment in Rental Real Estate, Net for further details surrounding the above acquisition as of December 31, 2023.

Real Estate Owned (“REO”)

REO is initially measured at fair value and is thereafter subject to an ongoing impairment analysis. After an REO acquisition, events or circumstances may occur that result in a material and sustained decrease in the cash flows generated from the property or other market indicators including listing data may signal a decline in the liquidation value. REO is evaluated for recoverability when impairment indicators are identified. Any impairment losses are included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company continually monitors events or changes in circumstances that could indicate carrying amounts of long-lived assets may not be recoverable. When such events or changes in circumstances occur, the Company assesses the recoverability of long-lived assets by determining whether the carrying value of such assets will be recovered through undiscounted expected future cash flows. If the undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amount of these assets, the Company recognizes an impairment loss based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the assets.

Goodwill

Goodwill is not amortized, but rather tested for impairment annually or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate potential impairment. Goodwill at December 31, 2023 represents the excess of the consideration paid over the fair value of net assets acquired from Urbane New Haven, LLC in October 2022.

In testing goodwill for impairment, the Company adheres to FASB ASC 350, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other”, which permits a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value including goodwill. If the qualitative assessment determines that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value including goodwill, then no impairment is determined to exist for the reporting unit. However, if the

qualitative assessment determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value including goodwill, or the Company chooses not to perform the qualitative assessment, then it compares the fair value of that reporting unit with its carrying value, including goodwill.

As of December 31, 2023, and 2022 Goodwill was approximately $0.4 million. As of December 31, 2023, and 2022 there was no impairment to goodwill.

Deferred Financing Costs

Costs incurred in connection with the Company’s revolving credit facilities, described in Note 8—Line of Credit, Mortgage Payable and Churchill Facility are amortized over the term of the applicable facility using the straight-line method.

Costs incurred by the Company in connection with the public offering of its unsecured, unsubordinated notes, described in Note 9–Notes Payable, are being amortized over the term of the respective Notes.

Revenue Recognition

Interest income from the Company’s loan portfolio is earned over the loan period and is calculated using the simple interest method on principal amounts outstanding. Generally, the Company’s loans provide for interest to be paid monthly in arrears. The Company, generally, does not accrue interest income on mortgages receivable that are more than 90 days past due or interest charged at default rates. However, interest income not accrued at December 31, 2023, but collected prior to the issuance of this report is included in income for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Origination, modification fee and other revenue, generally 1% – 3% of either the original loan principal or the modified loan balance, is collected at loan funding and is recognized ratably over the contractual life of the loan in accordance with FASB ASC 310.

Income Taxes

The Company believes it qualifies as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes and operates accordingly. It made the election to be taxed as a REIT on its 2017 Federal income tax return. The Company’s qualification as a REIT depends on its ability to meet on a continuing basis, through actual investment and operating results, various complex requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, relating to, among other things, the sources of its income, the composition and values of its assets, its compliance with the distribution requirements applicable to REITs and the diversity of ownership of its outstanding capital stock. So long as it qualifies as a REIT, the Company, generally, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income distributed to its shareholders. However, if it fails to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year and does not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, it will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates and may also be subject to various penalties and may be precluded from re-electing REIT status for the four taxable years following the year during in which it lost its REIT qualification.

The Company has elected, and may elect in the future, to treat certain of its existing or newly created corporate subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRSs”). In general, a TRS may hold assets that the Company cannot hold directly and generally may engage in any real estate or non-real estate related business. The TRSs generate income, resulting in federal and state income tax liability for these entities. The Company does not expect to incur any corporate federal income tax liability outside of the TRSs, as it believes it has maintained our qualification as a REIT. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized a provision for federal and state income taxes in the amount of $90,440 and $0, respectively.

The income tax provision for the Company differs from the amount computed from applying the statutory federal income tax rate to income before income taxes due to non-taxable REIT income and other permanent differences including the non-deductibility of acquisition costs of business combinations for federal income tax reporting.

FASB ASC Topic 740-10 “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes” prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and disclosure required. Under this standard, an entity may only recognize or continue to recognize tax positions that meet a “more likely than not” threshold. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense. The Company has determined that there are no uncertain tax positions requiring accrual or disclosure in the accompanying consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Earnings Per Share

Basic and diluted earnings per share are calculated in accordance with ASC 260 —“Earnings Per Share.” Under ASC 260, basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. The computation of diluted earnings per share is similar to basic earnings per share, except that the denominator is increased to include the potential dilution from the exercise of stock options and warrants for common shares using the treasury stock method. The numerator in calculating both basic and diluted earnings per common share for each period is the reported net income.

The computation of diluted earnings per common share is based on the weighted average number of participating securities outstanding plus the incremental shares that would be outstanding assuming exercise of the warrants. As of December 31, 2023 the Company had basic and diluted weighted average shares of 44,244,988 outstanding, resulting in basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.27, respectively. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had basic weighted averages shares of 37,741,657 and a weighted average of 7,512 outstanding warrants resulting diluted weighted average shares of 37,749,169. Both basic and diluted earnings per share were $0.46.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”, (ASU 2016-13), which changes accounting requirements for the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses from an incurred or probable methodology to a current expected credit loss methodology. Mortgages receivable, unfunded loan commitments, interest and fees receivable and amounts included in due from borrowers, other than reimbursements, which include origination, modification and other fees receivable are the only items currently held by the Company that are within the scope of ASU 2016-13. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2023 and applied a modified retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption. At transition on January 1, 2023, the cumulative effect of adopting this ASU resulted in a decrease in retained earnings of $2,489,574 and an increase in the allowance for credit losses. The increase in the allowance is driven by the fact that the allowance under CECL covers expected credit losses over the full expected life of the loan portfolios and takes into account forecasts of expected future economic conditions.

In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (FASB ASC 326), Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures.” ASU 2022-02 addresses areas identified by the FASB as part of its post-implementation review of the credit losses standard (ASU 2016-13) that introduced the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model. The amendments eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors that have adopted the CECL model and enhance the disclosure requirements for loan refinancings and restructurings made with borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, the amendments require a public business entity to disclose current-period gross write-offs for financing receivables and net investment in leases by year of origination in the vintage disclosures. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. This update did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, except for requiring additional disclosure relating to loan modifications to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty.

In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-03, “Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions.” ASU 2022-03 was issued to (1) to clarify the guidance in FASB ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement”, when measuring the fair value of an equity security subject to contractual restrictions that prohibit the sale of an equity security, (2) to amend a related illustrative example, and (3) to introduce new disclosure requirements for equity securities subject to contractual sale

restrictions that are measured at fair value in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 820. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the accounting and disclosure requirements of ASU 2022-03 and plans to adopt this new guidance on January 1, 2024. The Company does not anticipate that this update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (FASB ASC Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”). ASU 2023-07 intends to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements, enhance interim disclosure requirements and provides new segment disclosure requirements for entities with a single reportable segment. This standard is effective for the Company beginning with its 2024 annual reporting. ASU 2023-07 is to be adopted retrospectively to all prior periods presented. The Company does not anticipate that this update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts included in the December 31, 2022 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the December 31, 2023 presentation.