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Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party
6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015
Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party [Abstract]  
Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party

Note 8 - Management agreement, fees and transactions with related party:

Hekemian & Co., Inc. (“Hekemian”) currently manages all the properties owned by FREIT and its affiliates, except for The Rotunda, a mixed-use office and retail facility located in Baltimore, Maryland, which is managed by an independent third party management company. The management agreement with Hekemian, effective November 1, 2001, requires the payment of management fees equal to 4% to 5% of rents collected. Such fees were approximately $933,000 and $906,000, for the six-month period ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $473,000 and $463,000, for the three-month period ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  In addition, the management agreement provides for the payment to Hekemian of leasing commissions, as well as the reimbursement of operating expenses incurred on behalf of FREIT. Such items amounted to approximately $136,000 and $534,000, for the six-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $67,000 and $465,000, for the three-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Fees for the prior year's six and three-month periods include $396,000 in leasing commissions paid to Hekemian relative to the Safeway lease at the Damascus shopping center. The management agreement expires on October 31, 2015, and is automatically renewed for periods of two years unless either party gives not less than six (6) months prior notice of non-renewal.

FREIT also uses the resources of the Hekemian insurance department to secure various insurance coverages for its properties and subsidiaries. Hekemian is paid a commission for these services. Such commissions amounted to approximately $56,000 and $34,000, for the six-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $11,000 and $5,000, for the three-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. 

From time to time, FREIT engages Hekemian to provide certain additional services, such as consulting services related to development, property sales and financing activities of FREIT. Separate fee arrangements are negotiated between Hekemian and FREIT with respect to such additional services. In connection with the development activities at the Rotunda, which is owned and operated by Grande Rotunda, LLC, a definitive agreement for the development services to be provided by Hekemian Development Resources LLC (“Resources”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hekemian, has been approved and executed. Fees incurred to Hekemian and Resources during the six-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014 were $793,000 and $429,000, respectively, and $312,000 and $0 for the three-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Fees paid in the current six-month period relate to fees paid to Resources relative to the Rotunda development project. Fees paid in the prior year's six-month period relate to $330,000 in commissions paid to Hekemian relative to the sale of FREIT's South Brunswick, NJ property and $99,000 related to services performed with regard to the Hammel Gardens and Steuben Arms mortgage loan refinancings.

Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and a Trustee of FREIT, is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Hekemian. Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, Jr, a Trustee of FREIT, is the President of Hekemian. Trustee fee expense (including interest) incurred by FREIT for the six-months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014 was approximately $266,000 and $313,000, respectively, for Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, and $31,000 and $23,000, respectively, for Mr. Robert S. Hekemian, Jr.