Operational Considerations – Purchasing Real Estate – Loan Documentation

Part 7 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

Once you’ve established your legal entity, the next step will be purchase the real estate you wish to lease (or invest in). The type of real estate which will be appropriate for your business will vary depending on a number of factors, including your location, level of investment, and potential tenant base. Not surprisingly, thorough research, inspections, and planning are critical to ensuring success. In this series of posts, we’re outlining several important issues when selecting a property to purchase: title insurance, indenture review, and ensuring appropriate loan documentation.

A Note on Loan Documentation

If you purchase your property with cash, you can skip over this section. However, if you are going to seek a loan from a traditional lender, you will want to make sure the loan is properly documented. This includes, to the extent possible, working with your lender to ensure the business entity (not the members/shareholders) is listed on the loan documents. Ideally, your entity will be listed as the borrower on the promissory note and the grantor of the deed of trust (mortgage) on the property to be acquired by your entity. This helps to distinguish the transaction as one of the business rather than that of the members and shareholders personally. Every lender is different and will have its own lending requirements.

As a side note, it is becoming increasingly common for real estate transactions to involve some form of tax credits as the credits can be critical in ensuring the economic success of a particular deal. The principles above concerning appropriate loan documentation are also applicable to seeking and securing tax credits.

Personal Guarantees and the Lender Exception to Asset Protection

When you seek a loan in the name of your company, the lender may still request the principals of the acquiring entity to personally guarantee the loan. This will be more likely the case with new entities, entities without other assets, and where the debt to equity ratio of the loan to property value is high. A personal guaranty of the principals helps assure the lender that if the company fails to pay the promissory note, the lender can still seek repayment from the individual(s) that caused the company to get the loan. Continue reading »

Operational Considerations – Purchasing Real Estate – Indenture Review

Part 6 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

Once you’ve established your legal entity, the next step will be purchase the real estate you wish to lease (or invest in). The type of real estate which will be appropriate for your business will vary depending on a number of factors, including your location, level of investment, and potential tenant base. Not surprisingly, thorough research, inspections, and planning are critical to ensuring success. In this series of posts, we’re outlining several important issues to consider when purchasing a property: title insurance, indenture review, and ensuring appropriate loan documentation.

Indenture Review

Most title searches will disclose that the property you are purchasing is subject to certain local rules and agreements between neighbors. The terms used for these neighbor agreements will vary depending on the nature of the property. Condominiums are subject to declarations and by-laws while houses are typically subject to neighborhood or subdivision indentures. (For simplicity, we’ll refer to all of these agreements as indentures.) Continue reading »

Operational Considerations – Purchasing Real Estate – Title Insurance

Part 5 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

Once you’ve established your legal entity, the next step will be to purchase the real estate you wish to lease (or invest in). The appropriate type of real estate for your business will vary depending on a number of factors, including your location, level of investment, and potential tenant base. Not surprisingly, thorough research, inspections, and planning are critical to ensuring success. In this and the next two posts in this series, we’ll outline several important issues at this juncture: title insurance, indenture review, and ensuring appropriate loan documentation.

Title Insurance

When you purchase real estate you may be purchasing more (and maybe less) than the land and improvements you actually see. The land is likely encumbered by third parties who may have rights (possibly superior to your rights) to your land which could restrict your use and ownership in various ways. Encumbrances can be minor, such as a minimum set-back restrictions simply preventing owners from building up to a property line, but others can be more severe, such as utility or access easements, and even unreleased mortgages and liens – requiring the purchaser to pay up or lose the property. Continue reading »

Your Entity’s Governing Documents

Part 4 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

Simply put, every company should have an agreed-upon, written set of rules identifying how the company is to be run and by whom. The names for these sets of rules vary depending upon the type of entity you have, e.g. operating agreements, partnership agreements, and shareholder agreements, but they are generally known as the company’s governing documents.

Common issues described and controlled by these governing documents include:

• Ownership structure of the company including the source and amount of owner contributions)
• Capital contributions and division of profits and losses
• Roles and restrictions of the owners in managing the company
• Decision-making process for the company including notice and voting procedures
• How and where the company’s books and records will be kept
• Policy regarding transfer of owner interests
• Dispute resolution
• Wind up and dissolution of the company

Additionally, if certain owners make special agreements with the company, including arrangements for the company to use an owner’s vehicles, tools, or other personal property, the nature and scope of those arrangements should be stated in a written, signed agreement. This helps avoid confusion as to the extent of company assets and observance of corporate formalities. Continue reading »

Tax Treatment Considerations When Selecting Your Entity

Part 3 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

With tax season upon us, we thought it particularly appropriate to outline the basics of how the entities outlined in Part Two are generally taxed on their profits and losses.

Limited Partnerships

Income, expenses, and losses of limited partnerships pass through the entity to the partners and are reported on their respective individual tax returns according to their proportionate interest in the partnership. The partnership pays no income tax itself, but is required to file an annual informational tax return.

Corporations

Corporations that have not made an election to be taxed under subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code, on the other hand, do not have such “pass through” status and are required to pay their own taxes on profits. As such, they are required to file their own tax returns separately from their shareholders. Because of this additional layer of tax, shareholders end up being taxed twice on income – once initially on the corporation’s profit and then again when dividends are distributed.

Limited Liability Companies

Limited liability companies are not taxed themselves and profits and losses pass through to their members. Members report profits and losses on their individual returns in the same manner as the limited partnerships above. Although the limited liability company itself is not taxed, it is still required to file an informational return. Continue reading »

What Types of Legal Entities are Available?

Part 2 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

Several types of legal entities are available to operate your real estate venture. The entity type most appropriate for your business will vary depending on factors such as the number of owners, desired tax treatment, and management preference. Below we’ll outline several of the more commonly utilized types of entities available: limited partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies.

Limited Partnerships

One commonly used entity is the limited partnership (LP). To explain how a limited partnership operates, it is first necessary to describe what constitutes a regular or general partnership.

A general partnership is typically defined as a business where two or more people share ownership and management. This type of partnership does not require a special filing with the Secretary of State and is generally presumed when two individuals go into business together. In a general partnership, each partner is expected to contribute to the business and management decisions are made together by the partners. Profits and losses are split equally between the partners in the absence of a written agreement. General partnerships do not have personal liability protections — each partner is personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the business.

An LP alters a general partnership in management and liability. LPs have a general partner and a number of limited partners. Management of the LP is vested in the general partner, who remains personally liable for all debt and liabilities of the business. The limited partners do not manage the day-to-day affairs of the company, but their liability is typically capped at the amount of their investment in the partnership. This entity type can be useful when silent investors are present. LPs can only be created through filings with the Secretary of State. Continue reading »

Do I Need a Legal Entity?

Part 1 of a 12-part series on Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

A common statement we’ve heard from folks considering getting into real estate leasing (or investing for that matter) is that they need or want “a LLC,” but far fewer seem to know exactly why. While there are certainly other valid reasons for choosing to operate your business through a legal entity, the primary basis for using one is asset protection.

Consider this: If you buy stock and the price plummets to zero, you’re typically out only the cost of your investment. Real estate investment, on the other hand, operates differently and may not necessarily end at zero or the cost of your investment, but can extend beyond to reach your personal home, bank account, and day-to-day finances. Proper use of a legal entity can help insulate you from that risk and ensure a bad investment does not turn into your financial ruin. The following scenarios help exemplify the importance of using a legal entity:

Scenario 1: Direct or Individual Ownership and Operation

John takes $50,000 from his savings and buys a condo in his personal name. He then enters into a lease with Bob, as landlord and tenant respectively, in his personal name. Within the first month of the tenancy, Bob falls down the stairs and is injured (ideally John would have insurance in place to cover such an incident, but let’s assume he doesn’t in this example). Bob racks up $75,000 in medical bills. Bob believes his injuries resulted from a defective condition at the condo and sues John, his landlord and owner of the condo, personally. Bob wins and obtains a judgment against John, personally, in the amount of $75,000. John refuses to pay the judgment and Bob begins collection efforts against John. Continue reading »

Legal Considerations for Your Missouri Leasing Business: What You Should Consider Now, Later, and Throughout the Process

For many folks, the thought of extra income from leasing commercial or residential real estate is quite attractive and straightforward:

1. Buy property,
2. Get tenant, and
3. Collect rent.

As many brokers and managers in the industry will tell you, it doesn’t always work out that way. Real estate leasing is a risky business. There are countless ways for your business to fail and end up not as a benefit to, but drain on your finances. Continue reading »

Short-term Rentals Via Internet Outlets: Three Tips for Homeowner & Condominium Association Boards

Community associations continue to struggle with the emergence of the “sharing economy” issues raised by AirBnB, VRBO and other online outlets (see CNN Money article: Why everyone is cracking down on Airbnb).

When addressing these issues, condominium, townhome, and neighborhood association boards should consider the following steps as a proactive approach to maintaining their desired community environment:

1. Be vigilant. The good news is that you are only a few mouse clicks away from finding out whether your owners are making short term or transient leases. Nearly all of these sharing economy services are online and searchable by location. Additionally, urge other residents to keep an eye out for new faces on a regular basis.

2. Know the rules. Does your association prohibit short term leasing or lodging? Is permission required to rent? Do tenants have access to all common areas?  The answers to these questions should all be found in your governing document, the declaration or indenture and possibly in your rules and regulations as well. Know the rules of the game and consider whether they should be updated or amended to address emerging issues.

Continue reading »

No Vacancy – When Bed & Breakfasts Run Afoul of Condominium Communities

The popularity of vacationing or traveling via bed and breakfast lodging, or, as more popularly known, “BnB,” is rapidly on the rise. The concept allows an owner with a vacant house, condominium, apartment, or even a single room, to create investment property by listing the space on a website for rent to vacation and business travelers, often for very short stays and possibly as short as a single night. Property owners can make a little extra money, and travelers can often find better accommodations at lower prices. Add in the ease of use by listing your space on the internet – airbnb.com and vrbo.com are among the most popular sites – and this is a quickly expanding industry.

Frequently, the phenomenon overlooks the legal ramifications of being a short-term landlord, or essentially acting as a hotel or lodge. Some local governments are addressing the issue and requiring that property owners apply for permitting, pay taxes, or maintain compliance with other local rules relating to lodging or short-term leasing. However, the Airbnb concept also runs afoul of various considerations applicable to community associations, specifically condominiums and townhomes. Continue reading »