Commercial Lending Terminology:

The following terms are applicable to a conventional bank as well as to a bridge loan company and a commercial hard money lender.

INDEX – an economic indicator, usually a published interest rate.

INDUSTRIAL – property used for industrial purposes, such as factories.

INDUSTRIAL FOR LEASE – industrial space available.

INTEREST – the sum paid for borrowing money, which pays the lender’s costs of doing business.

INTEREST RATE – the sum charged for borrowing money, expressed as a percentage

INTEREST RATE CAP – limits the interest rate or the interest rate adjustment to a specified maximum. This protects the borrower from increasing interest rates. 

J

JOINT VENTURE – an agreement by two or more individuals or entities to engage in a single project or undertaking. Joint ventures are used in real estate development as a means of raising capital and spreading risk. For all practical purposes a joint venture is similar to a general partnership. However, once the purpose of the joint venture has been accomplished, the entity ceases to exist. 

L

LEASE ASSIGNMENT – an agreement between the commercial property owner and the lender that assigns lease payments directly to the lender.

LEASE TYPE – Gross, Triple Net (NNN), Net Net (NN), Hybrid, etc.

LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS – the cost of improvements for a leased property, often paid by the tenant.

LEASING COMMISSIONS – an amount earned by a real estate broker or leasing agent for his services.

LESSEE – tenant in a building.

LIBOR (London Inter-bank Offered Rate) – the rate that the most creditworthy international banks dealing in Eurodollars charge each other for large loans. Rates are quoted in monthly increments out to 1 year.

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC) – the restriction of one’s potential losses to the amount invested. The absence of personal liability. Provided to stockholders in a corporation and limited partners of a limited partnership.

LIMITED PARTNERSHIP – one in which there is at least one partner who is passive and limits liability to the amount invested, and at least one partner whose liability extends beyond monetary investment.

LIMITED SERVICE – a hotel that offers lodging services only.

LOAN PROCESSING FEE – the fee charged by a lender, to prepare all the documents associated with your mortgage.

LOAN–TO–VALUE RATIO (LTV) – the ratio between the principal amount of the mortgage balance, at origination or thereafter, to the current value of the underlying real estate collateral. The ratio is commonly expressed to a potential borrower as the percentage of value a lending institution is willing to finance. The ratio is dynamic, and varies by lending institution, property type, geographic location, property size, etc.

LOCK–OUT PERIOD – a period of time after loan origination during which a borrower cannot prepay the mortgage loan.

LOT SIZE – total square footage of property.

LOW RISE OFFICE – a commonly used expression referring to an office building that is too low to require an elevator. 

M

MALL – (also called Super Regional Center) an enclosed shopping center with three or more major department stores, which draws from a large trade area of 12 or more miles.

MANAGEMENT FEE – the agreed–upon compensation paid to a property management company for managing a real estate project. The fee is usually based on a percentage of effective gross income.

MANUFACTURING – (also called Heavy Industrial) auto making, textiles, steel, chemicals, and food processing are typical uses of such properties. Typically zero to five percent office space.

MARGIN – the amount that is added to an index rate to determine the total interest rate.

MARKETING EXPENSES – expenses accrued to market commercial properties.

MAT – Monthly Average Treasury

MATURITY – 1. The termination period of a note (e.g., a 25–year mortgage has maturity of 25 years.) 2. In sales law, the date a note becomes due.

MAX CONTIGUOUS SF – the amount of available connected square feet.

MAX LEASE RATE – the highest asking lease rate.

MEDICAL OFFICE – an office space which offers medical services.

MEZZANINE/SECOND LOAN – a loan secured by a mortgage or trust deed, in which the lien is junior, or secondary, to another mortgage or trust deed.

MID–RISE – a commonly used expression referring to an office building, that is high enough to require stairs, but too low to require an elevator.

MILITARY CLAUSE – a clause included in a lease of residential property, which allows the tenant to terminate
 the lease without penalty if and when the tenant is transferred to another location.

MIN LEASE RATE – the lowest lease rate available.

MIN. DIVISIBLE SF – the smallest amount of available square feet.

MIXED USE – a real estate development that contains two or more different uses all intended to be harmonious and complementary. An example would include a high–rise building with retail shops on the first two floors, office space on floors three through ten, apartments on the next ten floors, and a restaurant on the top floor.

MOBILE HOME PARK – a parcel of land zoned and developed for use by occupants of mobile homes.

MONEY MARKET – the market for short–term debt instruments.

MULTI–FAMILY PROPERTY CLASS A – properties are above average in terms of design, construction and finish; command the highest rental rates; have a superior location, in terms of desirability and/or accessibility; generally are professionally managed by national or large regional management companies.

MULTI–FAMILY PROPERTY CLASS B – properties frequently do not possess design and finish reflective of current standards and preferences; construction is adequate; command average rental rates; generally are well maintained by national or regional management companies; unit sizes are usually larger than current standards.

MULTI–FAMILY PROPERTY CLASS C – properties provide functional housing; exhibit some level of deferred maintenance; command below average rental rates; usually located in less desirable areas; generally managed by smaller, local property management companies; tenants provide a less stable income stream to property
owners than Class A and B tenants. 

N

NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER – (including Community Center) a shopping center anchored by a supermarket and/or drugstore, that provides convenience goods and services to a neighborhood. It is usually between 30,000 – 100,000 square feet, and draws from a one to three mile radius.

NET EFFECTIVE RENT – rental rate adjusted for lease concessions.

NET OPERATING INCOME (NOI) – total income less operating expenses, adjustments, etc., but before mortgage payments, tenant improvements and leasing commissions.

NET–NET LEASE (NN) – usually requires the tenant to pay for property taxes and insurance in addition to the rent.

NON–RECOURSE – a mortgage or deed of trust securing a note without recourse allows the lender to look only to the security (property) for repayment in the event of default, and not personally to the borrower. A loan not allowing for a deficiency judgment. The lender’s only recourse in the event of default is the security (property) and the borrower is not personally liable.

NOTICE OF DEFAULT (NOD) – to initiate a non–judicial foreclosure proceeding involving a public sale of the real property securing the deed of trust. The trustee under the deed of trust records a Notice of Default and Election to Sell ("NOD") the real property collateral in the public records.

O

OFFICE – a structure used primarily for the carrying on of business.

100% PRIVATE PAY – assisted living designation where senior housing residents pay 100% of the rent versus by welfare or government subsidies.

OPERATING EXPENSE – periodic expenses necessary to the operation and maintenance of an enterprise (e.g., taxes, salaries, insurance, maintenance). Often used as a basis for rent increases.

ORIGINATION – securing a completed mortgage application from a commercial or residential borrower. 

A-C | D-H | I-O | P-Z