2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) as contained within the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codication (“ASC”).

Principles of Consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of NetREIT and its subsidiaries, NetREIT Advisors, LLC and Dubose Advisors LLC (collectively, the “Advisors”), and NetREIT Dubose Model Home REIT, Inc. The consolidated financial statements also include the results of the NetREIT Partnerships, the Model Home Partnerships and NetREIT National City Partners, LP. As used herein, references to the “Company” include references to NetREIT, its subsidiaries, the Advisors, the Partnerships and the Income Funds. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company classifies the noncontrolling interests in the NetREIT Partnerships as part of consolidated net loss in 2015 and 2014, and includes the accumulated amount of noncontrolling interests as part of equity from the NetREIT Entities inception in February 2010. If a change in ownership of a consolidated subsidiary results in loss of control and deconsolidation, any retained ownership interest will be remeasured, with the gain or loss reported in the statement of operations. Management has evaluated the noncontrolling interests and determined that they do not contain any redemption features.

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates include the allocation of purchase price paid for property acquisitions between land, building and intangible assets acquired including their useful lives; valuation of long-lived assets, and the allowance for doubtful accounts, which is based on an evaluation of the tenants’ ability to pay. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

Real Estate Assets and Lease Intangibles. Land, buildings and improvements are recorded at cost, including tenant improvements and lease acquisition costs (including leasing commissions, space planning fees, and legal fees). The Company capitalizes any expenditure that replaces, improves, or otherwise extends the economic life of an asset, while ordinary repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. The Company allocates the purchase price of acquired properties between the acquired tangible assets and liabilities (consisting of land, building, tenant improvements, land purchase options, and long-term debt) and identified intangible assets and liabilities (including the value of above-market and below-market leases, the value of in-place leases, unamortized lease origination costs and tenant relationships), based in each case on their respective fair values.

The Company allocates the purchase price to tangible assets of an acquired property based on the estimated fair values of those tangible assets assuming the building was vacant. Estimates of fair value for land, building and building improvements are based on many factors including, but not limited to, comparisons to other properties sold in the same geographic area and independent third party valuations. The Company also considers information obtained about each property as a result of its pre-acquisition due diligence, marketing and leasing activities in estimating the fair values of the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities acquired.

The value allocated to acquired lease intangibles is based on management’s evaluation of the specific characteristics of each tenant’s lease. Characteristics considered by management in allocating these values include the nature and extent of the existing business relationships with the tenant, growth prospects for developing new business with the tenant, the remaining term of the lease and the tenant’s credit quality, among other factors.

The value allocable to the above-market or below-market component of an acquired in-place lease is determined based upon the present value (using a market discount rate) of the difference between (i) the contractual rents to be paid pursuant to the lease over its remaining term, and (ii) management’s estimate of rents that would be paid using fair market rates over the remaining term of the lease. The amounts allocated to above or below-market leases are amortized on a straight-line basis as an increase or reduction of rental income over the remaining non-cancelable term of the respective leases. Amortization of above and below-market rents resulted in a net increase (reduction) in rental income of approximately $44,000 and $(156,000) for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

The value of in-place leases and unamortized lease origination costs are amortized to expense over the remaining term of the respective leases, which range from less than a year to ten years. The amount allocated to acquire in-place leases is determined based on management’s assessment of lost revenue and costs incurred for the period required to lease the “assumed vacant” property to the occupancy level when purchased. The amount allocated to unamortized lease origination costs is determined by what the Company would have paid to a third party to secure a new tenant reduced by the expired term of the respective lease. The amount allocated to tenant relationships is the benefit resulting from the likelihood of a tenant renewing its lease. Amortization expense related to these assets was approximately $839,000 and $456,000 for years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Real Estate Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations. Real estate sold during the current period is classified as “real estate held for sale” for all prior periods presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. Mortgage notes payable related to the real estate sold during the current period is classified as “notes payable related to real estate held for sale” for all prior periods presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. Additionally, the Company records the operating results related to real estate that has been disposed of as discontinued operations for all periods presented if the operations have been eliminated and the Company will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the property following the sale.

Impairment of Real Estate Assets. The Company reviews the carrying value of each property to determine if circumstances that indicate impairment in the carrying value of the investment exist or that depreciation periods should be modified. If circumstances support the possibility of impairment, the Company prepares a projection of the undiscounted future cash flows, without interest charges, of the specific property and determines if the investment in such property is recoverable. If impairment is indicated, the carrying value of the property is written down to its estimated fair value based on the Company’s best estimate of the property’s discounted future cash flows.. During 2014, the Company determined that an additional impairment existed in one of its properties and, as a result, recorded an asset impairment of $950,000. There were no impairments during 2015.

Intangible Assets. Intangible assets, including goodwill and lease intangibles, are comprised of finite-lived and indefinite-lived assets. Lease intangibles represents the allocation of a portion of the purchase price of a property acquisition representing the estimated value of in-place leases, unamortized lease origination costs, tenant relationships and land purchase options. Intangible assets that are not deemed to have an indefinite useful life are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Indefinite-lived assets are not amortized. Amortization expense of intangible assets that are not deemed to have an indefinite useful life was approximately $556,000 and $608,000, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 and is included in depreciation and amortization in the accompanying consolidated statements of operation.

The Company is required to perform a test for impairment of goodwill and other definite and indefinite lived assets at least annually, and more frequently as circumstances warrant. Impairment is recognized only if the carrying amount of the intangible asset is considered to be unrecoverable from its undiscounted cash flows and is measured as the difference between the carrying amount and the estimated fair value of the asset. Based on the review, no impairment was deemed to exist at December 31, 2015 and 2014.

Depreciation and Amortization. The Company records depreciation and amortization expense using the straight-line method over the useful lives of the respective assets. The cost of buildings are depreciated over estimated useful lives of 39 years, the costs of improvements are amortized over the shorter of the estimated life of the asset or term of the tenant lease (which range from 1 to 10 years), and the cost of furniture, fixtures and equipment are depreciated over 4 to 5 years. Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was approximately $6.1 million and $5.0 million, respectively, and is included in depreciation and amortization in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Cash and Cash Equivalents. The Company considers all short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to cash and have an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Items classified as cash equivalents include money market funds. At December 31, 2015, the Company had approximately $3.5 million in deposits in financial institutions that were above the federally insurable limits.

Restricted Cash. Restricted cash consists of funds held in escrow for Company lenders for properties held as collateral by the lenders. The funds in escrow are primarily for escrow funds for payment of property taxes.

Tenant Receivables. The Company periodically evaluates the collectability of amounts due from tenants and maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of tenants to make required payments under lease agreements. In addition, the Company maintains an allowance for deferred rent receivable that arises from straight-lining of rents. The Company exercises judgment in establishing these allowances and considers payment history and current credit status of its tenants in developing these estimates. At December 31, 2015 and 2015, the balance of allowance for possible uncollectible tenant receivables included in other assets, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets was approximately $91,000 and $66,000, respectively.

Deferred Leasing Costs. Costs incurred in connection with successful property leases are capitalized as deferred leasing costs and amortized to leasing commission expense on a straight-line basis over the terms of the related leases which generally range from one to five years. Deferred leasing costs consist of third party leasing commissions. Management re-evaluates the remaining useful lives of leasing costs as the creditworthiness of the tenants and economic and market conditions change. If management determines the estimated remaining life of the respective lease has changed, the amortization period is adjusted. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had net deferred leasing costs of approximately $1,483,000 and $1,333,000, respectively, which are included in deferred leasing and financing costs, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Total amortization expense for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was approximately $412,000 and $393,000, respectively and is included in interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Deferred Financing Costs. Costs incurred, including legal fees, origination fees, and administrative fees, in connection with debt financing are capitalized as deferred financing costs and are amortized using the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method, over the contractual term of the respective loans. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, deferred financing costs related to mortgage notes payable were approximately $2,052,000 and $1,748,000, respectively, and deferred financing costs associated with the Series B preferred stock costs were approximately $1,606,000 and $2,358,000, respectively, which are included in deferred leasing and financing costs, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. For the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, total amortization expense related to the mortgage notes payable deferred financing costs was approximately $335,000 and $417,000, respectively, and total amortization expense related to the Series B preferred stock costs was approximately $952,000 and $380,000, respectively, and is included in interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes. We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, for federal income tax purposes. To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income to our stockholders and meet the various other requirements imposed by the Code relating to such matters as operating results, asset holdings, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership. Provided we maintain our qualification for taxation as a REIT, we are generally not subject to corporate level income tax on the earnings distributed currently to our stockholders that we derive from our REIT qualifying activities. If we fail to maintain our qualification as a REIT in any taxable year, and are unable to avail ourselves of certain savings provisions set forth in the Code, all of our taxable income would be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates, including any applicable alternative minimum tax. We are subject to certain state and local income taxes.

We have elected to treat such subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries (a “TRS”) for federal income tax purposes. Certain activities that we undertake must be conducted by a TRS, such as non-customary services for our tenants, and holding assets that we cannot hold directly. A TRS is subject to federal and state income taxes.

The Company has concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions requiring recognition in its financial statements. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have been assessed any significant interest or penalties for tax positions by any major tax jurisdictions.

Fair Value Measurements. Certain assets and liabilities are required to be carried at fair value, or if long-lived assets are deemed to be impaired, to be adjusted to reflect this condition. The guidance requires disclosure of fair values calculated under each level of inputs within the following hierarchy:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted process that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

Fair value is defined as the price at which an asset or liability is exchanged between market participants in an orderly transaction at the reporting date. Cash equivalents, mortgage notes receivable, accounts receivable and payables and accrued liabilities all approximate fair value due to their short term nature. Management believes that the recorded and fair values of notes payable are approximately the carrying value of December 31, 2015 and 2014.

Sales of Real Estate Assets. Gains from the sale of real estate assets are not recognized under the full accrual method until certain criteria are met. Gain or loss (the difference between the sales value and the cost of the real estate sold) shall be recognized at the date of sale if a sale has been consummated and the following criteria are met:

The buyer is independent of the seller;

Collection of the sales price is reasonably assured; and

The seller is not required to support the operations of the property or its related obligations to an extent greater than its proportionate interest.

Gains relating to transactions which do not meet the criteria for full accrual method of accounting are deferred and recognized when the full accrual method of accounting criteria are met or by using the installment or deposit methods of profit recognition, as appropriate in the circumstances.

Revenue Recognition. The Company recognizes revenue from rent, tenant reimbursements, and other revenue once all of the following criteria are met:

Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists;

Delivery has occurred or services have been rendered;

The amount is fixed or determinable; and

The collectability of the amount is reasonably assured.

Annual rental revenue is recognized in rental revenues on a straight-line basis over the term of the related lease. Estimated recoveries from certain tenants for their pro rata share of real estate taxes, insurance and other operating expenses are recognized as revenues in the period the applicable expenses are incurred or as specified in the leases. Other tenants pay a fixed rate and these tenant recoveries are recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over the term of the related leases.

Certain of the Company’s leases currently contain rental increases at specified intervals. The Company records as an asset, and include in revenues, deferred rent receivable that will be received if the tenant makes all rent payments required through the expiration of the initial term of the lease. Deferred rent receivable in the accompanying balance sheets includes the cumulative difference between rental revenue recorded on a straight-line basis and rents received from the tenants in accordance with the lease terms. Accordingly, Management determines to what extent the deferred rent receivable applicable to each specific tenant is collectible. The Company reviews material deferred rent receivable and takes into consideration the tenant’s payment history, the financial condition of the tenant, business conditions in the industry in which the tenant operates and economic conditions in the area in which the property is located. In the event that the collectability of deferred rent with respect to any given tenant is in doubt, we record an increase in the allowance for uncollectible accounts, the Company records a direct write-off of the specific rent receivable. No such reserves related to deferred rent receivables have been recorded as of December 31, 2015 or 2014.

Loss per common share. Basic loss per common share (Basic EPS) is computed by dividing net loss available to common shareholders (Numerator) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding (Denominator) during the period. Diluted loss per common share (Diluted EPS) is similar to the computation of Basic EPS except that the Denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the dilutive potential common shares had been issued. In addition, in computing the dilutive effect of convertible securities, the Numerator is adjusted to add back the after-tax amount of interest recognized in the period associated with any convertible debt. The computation of Diluted EPS does not assume exercise or conversion of securities that would have an anti-dilutive effect on net earnings per share

Basic and diluted net loss per share are equivalent because the Company has incurred a net loss in all periods presented causing any potentially dilutive securities to be anti-dilutive. Dilutive securities include non-vested restricted shares issued under the Company’s share-based incentive plan, shares issuable under certain of the Company’s partnership arrangements and (for 2013) shares issuable under stock purchase warrants. The calculation of net loss per share excludes dilutive securities totaling 722,019 and 701,51 shares for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Subsequent Events. Management has evaluated subsequent events through the date that the accompanying financial statements were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for transactions and other events which may require adjustment of and/or disclosure in such financial statements.

Reclassifications. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year’s consolidated financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of consolidated operations or equity.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU No. 2016-02”). The amendments in ASU No. 2016-02 changes the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets and making targeted changes to lessor accounting. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 as of its issuance is permitted. The new leases standard requires a modified retrospective transition approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after, the date of initial application, with an option to use certain transition relief. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the new leases standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805), Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments (“ASU No. 2015-16”). ASU No. 2015-16 eliminates the requirement that an acquirer in a business combination account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Instead, an acquirer will recognize a measurement-period adjustment during the period in which it determines the amount of the adjustment, including the effect on earnings of any amounts it would have recorded in previous periods if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. ASU No. 2015-16 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within these fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU No. 2015-16 to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued an ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU No. 2015-03. The amendments in ASU No. 2015-03 require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU No. 2015-03 to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (“ASU No. 2015-02”), which makes certain changes to both the variable interest model and the voting model, including changes to (1) the identification of variable interests (fees paid to a decision maker or service provider), (2) the variable interest entity characteristics for a limited partnership or similar entity and (3) the primary beneficiary determination. ASU No. 2015-02 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within these fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU No. 2015-02 to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements (Subtopic 205-40), Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (“ASU No. 2014-15”). The amendments in ASU No. 2014-15 require management to evaluate, for each annual and interim reporting period, whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or are available to be issued when applicable) and, if so, provide related disclosures. ASU No. 2014-15 is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted for annual or interim reporting periods for which the financial statements have not previously been issued. We believe the adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on income from operations or the Company’s financial position.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU No. 2014-09”). ASU No. 2014-09 requires an entity to recognize the revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. ASU No. 2014-09 supersedes the revenue requirements in Revenue Recognition (Topic 605) and most industry-specific guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the Codification. ASU No. 2014-09 does not apply to lease contracts within the scope of Leases (Topic 840). In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, which deferred the effective date of its new revenue recognition standard by one year. The standard will be effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting ASU No. 2014-09 but does not believe it will have a material effect on income from operations or the Company’s financial position.