Working with Mezzanine Lenders

Evaluate the pros and cons for working with mezzanine lenders

In real estate, mezzanine loans can provide the solution to a need for capital. Mezzanine loan providers, often called mezz lenders, finance the loans. There are many pros and cons to working with mezzanine lenders, and you'll want to evaluate them before you sign any contracts.

If you believe that mezzanine lending is your best solution, you may want to take a closer look at the services offered by the lending companies. Like most types of financing, the interest rate and term of the loan may vary by company. You may want to consider the following things before you select which company to work with:

1. Understand the basic concepts of mezzanine lending in order to understand the difference between it and other types of financing.

2. Review standard contracts for the industry and understand the type of contract the mezzanine financing lenders offer.

3. Find the right mezzanine lenders to work with for your situation.

 

Discover the basic uses for mezzanine loans

Similar to other forms of lending, there are different types of mezzanine loans. You need to understand the basic concepts for this type of lending in order to evaluate the services offered by mezz lenders. You'll also want to consider the risks involved with this type of lending.
Try: Get the borrower's perspective on working with mezzanine lenders at HVS. The article provides a basic definition of a mezzanine loan and covers some of the problems with this type of funding. Preconstruction Programs offers an in-depth article that explains what mezzanine loans provide. It includes information on the common structures and terms you can expect.

Get familiar with the types of contracts that mezzanine lenders use

If you fail to pay a mezzanine loan on time, you may wind up forfeiting a percentage of the ownership in your property a lender. Legal documents, or contracts, spell out in fine print the terms and conditions of the loans. You can review actual contracts in order to get a better understanding of the type of contract you will need to sign in order to secure this kind of loan.
Try: You can browse through standard-issue contracts provided by The Consus Group at its website. It includes contracts from companies like Keybank, McGraw-Hill and La Quinta. Practice Technologies provides actual legal documents drafted by law firms for use in a mezzanine loan agreement. It provides descriptions of the different types of contracts that a mezzanine lender might use.

Evaluate the services available from companies that specialize in mezzanine lending

If you are looking for a company that works with mezzanine loan recovery, you won't want to call a regular lender. Each company offers a select grouping of services, and you'll want to work with companies that offer you the services you need to fulfill your business needs.
Try: Ocean Pacific Capital, a mezzanine lender, provides information on the type of loans it offers. You can also read articles written on mezzanine loans. Learn more about the services offered by Hunton & Williams, a company that specializes in mezzanine loans recovery at its website.

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