Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

Note 10.  Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

The table below presents certain of our assets and liabilities measured at fair value during 2012, categorized by the level of inputs used in the valuation of each asset and liability:

				Fair Value at Reporting Date Using
				Quoted Prices in					Significant
				Active Markets for		Significant Other			Unobservable
				Identical Assets		Observable Inputs			Inputs
Description	Total			(Level 1)		(Level 2)			(Level 3)
Recurring Fair Value Measurements:
Effective portion of interest rate contracts (1)	$	(18,237	)	$	—	$	(18,237	)	$	—

(1)The fair value of our interest rate swap contracts is determined using the net discounted cash flows of the expected cash flows of each derivative based on the market based interest rate curve (level 2 inputs) and adjusted for our credit spread and the actual and estimated credit spreads of the counterparties (level 3 inputs).  Although we have determined that the majority of the inputs used to value our derivatives fall within level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with our derivatives utilize level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by us and the counterparties.  As of June 30, 2012, we have assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of our derivative positions and have determined that the credit valuation adjustments are not significant to the overall valuation of our derivatives.  As a result, we have determined that our derivative valuations in their entirety are classified as level 2 inputs in the fair value hierarchy.

We are exposed to certain risks relating to our ongoing business operations, including the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates.  The only risk currently managed by using our derivative instruments is a part of our interest rate risk.  Although we have not done so as of June 30, 2012 and have no present intention to do so, we may manage our Australian currency exchange exposure by borrowing in Australian dollars or using derivative instruments in the future, depending on the relative significance of our business activities in Australia at that time.  We have interest rate swap agreements to manage our interest rate risk exposure on $175,000 of mortgage notes payable due 2019, with interest payable at a rate equal to a spread over LIBOR.  The interest rate swap agreements utilized by us qualify as cash flow hedges and effectively modify our exposure to interest rate risk by converting our floating interest rate debt to a fixed interest rate basis for this loan through December 1, 2016, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense.  These agreements involve the receipt of floating interest rate amounts in exchange for fixed rate interest payments over the life of the agreements without an exchange of the underlying principal amount.  The fair value of our derivative instruments decreased by $2,404 and $2,441 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2012, respectively, based primarily on changes in market interest rates.  The fair value of our derivative instruments decreased by $4,119 and $2,074 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 based primarily on changes in market interest rates.  As of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the fair value of these derivative instruments included in accounts payable and accrued expenses and cumulative other comprehensive loss in our condensed consolidated balance sheets totaled ($18,237) and ($15,796), respectively. We may enter additional interest rate swaps or hedge agreements from time to time to manage some of our additional interest rate risk associated with our floating rate borrowings.

In addition to the liabilities described in the above table, our financial instruments include our cash and cash equivalents, rents receivable, equity investments, investment in direct financing lease receivable, real estate mortgages receivable, restricted cash, revolving credit facilities, senior notes and mortgage notes payable, accounts payable and accrued expenses, rent collected in advance, security deposits and amounts due to related persons.  At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the fair values of these additional financial instruments were not materially different from their carrying values, except as follows:

	June 30, 2012				December 31, 2011
	Carrying		Fair		Carrying		Fair
	Amount		Value		Amount		Value
Equity investment in GOV	$	169,421	$	225,069	$	172,186	$	224,373
Senior notes and mortgage notes payable	$	2,764,861	$	2,916,469	$	2,745,331	$	2,924,141

At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the fair values of our equity investment in GOV are based on quoted market prices of $22.62 and $22.55, respectively (level 1 inputs).  The fair values of our senior notes and mortgage notes payable are based on estimates using discounted cash flow analyses and currently prevailing interest rates adjusted by credit risk spreads (level 3 inputs).

Other financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of rents receivable; however, as of June 30, 2012, no single tenant of ours was responsible for more than 3% of our total annualized rents.

We maintain derivative financial instruments, including interest rate swaps, with major financial institutions and monitor the amount of credit exposure to any one counterparty.