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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation

Basis of presentation

The financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

The partnership’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the partnership, its wholly-owned subsidiaries (consisting of single-member limited liability companies owning a single real property asset). All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications, not affecting previously reported net income or total partner capital, have been made to the previously issued consolidated financial statements to conform to the current period presentation. 

Management Estimates

Management estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions about the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities, at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. Such estimates relate principally to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, including, when applicable, the valuation of impaired loans (which itself requires determining the fair value of the collateral), and the valuation of real estate held for sale and held as investment, at acquisition and subsequently. Actual results could differ significantly from these estimates.

Fair Value Estimates

Fair value estimates

GAAP defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. An orderly transaction is a transaction that assumes exposure to the market for a period prior to the measurement date to allow for marketing activities that are usual and customary for transactions involving such assets and liabilities; it is not a forced transaction. Market participants are buyers and sellers in the principal market that are:

 

independent;

 

knowledgeable;

 

able to transact; and,

 

willing to transact.

Fair values of assets and liabilities are determined based on the fair value hierarchy established in GAAP. The hierarchy is comprised of three levels of inputs to be used.

 

Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the partnership has the ability to access at the measurement date. An active market is a market in which transactions occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

 

Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly in active markets and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities that are not active, and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable or inputs derived from or corroborated by market data.

 

Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Unobservable inputs reflect the partnership’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability (including assumptions about risk). Unobservable inputs are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances and may include the partnership’s own data.

The fair value of the collateral is determined by exercise of judgment based on management’s experience informed by appraisals (by licensed appraisers), brokers’ opinion of values, and publicly available information on in-market transactions. Appraisals of commercial real property generally present three approaches to estimating value:  

 

market comparables or sales approach;

 

cost to replace; and,

 

capitalized cash flows or investment approach.

These approaches may or may not result in a common, single value. The market-comparables approach may yield several different values depending on certain basic assumptions, such as, determining highest and best use (which may or may not be the current use); determining the condition (e.g., as-is, when-completed, or for land when-entitled); and determining the unit of value (e.g., as a series of individual unit sales or as a bulk disposition).

Management has the requisite familiarity with the markets it lends in generally and of the properties lent on specifically to analyze sales-comparables and assess their suitability/applicability. Management is acquainted with market participants – investors, developers, brokers, lenders – that are useful, relevant secondary sources of data and information regarding valuation and valuation variability. These secondary sources may have familiarity with and perspectives on pending transactions, successful strategies to optimize value, and the history and details of specific properties – on and off the market – that enhance the process and analysis that is particularly and principally germane to establishing value in distressed markets and/or property types.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents

The partnership considers all highly liquid financial instruments with maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. At September 30, 2019, substantially all of the partnership’s cash balances in banks exceed the federal depository insurance limit of $250,000.The bank or banks in which funds are deposited are reviewed periodically for their general credit worthiness/investment grade credit rating.

Loans and Interest Income

Loans and interest income

Performing loans are carried at amortized cost which is generally equal to the unpaid principal balance (principal). Management has discretion to pay amounts (advances) to third parties on behalf of borrowers to protect the partnership’s interest in the loan. Advances include, but are not limited to, the payment of interest and principal on a senior lien to prevent foreclosure by the senior lien holder, property taxes, insurance premiums, and attorney fees. Advances generally are stated at the unpaid principal balance and accrue interest until repaid by the borrower. For performing loans, interest is accrued daily on the principal plus advances, if any.

Non-performing loans (i.e., loans with a payment in arears) less than 180 days delinquent continue to recognize interest income as long as the loan is in the process of collection and is considered to be well-secured. Non-performing loans are placed on non-accrual status if 180 days delinquent or earlier if management determines that the primary source of repayment will come from the foreclosure and subsequent sale of the collateral securing the loan (which usually occurs when a notice of sale is filed) or when the loan is no longer considered well-secured. When a loan is placed on non-accrual status, the accrual of interest is discontinued; however, previously recorded interest is not reversed. A loan may return to accrual status when all delinquent interest and principal payments become current in accordance with the terms of the loan agreement. Late fees are recognized in the period received.

The partnership may fund a specific loan origination net of an interest reserve (one to two years) to insure timely interest payments at the inception of the loan. In the event of an early loan payoff, any unapplied interest reserves would be first applied to any accrued but unpaid interest and then as a reduction of principal.

From time to time, the manager negotiates and enters into loan modifications with borrowers whose loans are delinquent. If a loan modification were to result in an economic concession to the borrower (i.e., a significant delay or reduction in cash flows compared to the original note), the modification is deemed a troubled debt restructuring.

In the normal course of the partnership’s operations, loans that mature may be renewed at then current market rates and terms for new loans. Such renewals are not designated as impaired, unless the matured loan was previously designated as impaired.

The partnership originates loans with the intent to hold the loans until maturity.  From time to time the partnership may sell certain loans.  Loans are classified as held-for-sale once a decision has been made to sell loans and the loans held-for-sale have been identified. In 2019 and 2018 certain performing loans were sold at an immaterial gain (net of expenses). As a result, the recorded amount of the performing loans (i.e., the loan balance), and the loan balance of loans designated impaired for which a specific reserve has not been recorded because the loan is well collateralized and management has determined that collection of the amount owed is assured, are deemed to approximate fair value.

Allowance for Loan Losses

Allowance for loan losses

Loans and the related accrued interest and advances (i.e., the loan balance) are analyzed on a periodic basis for ultimate recoverability. Collateral fair values are reviewed quarterly and the protective equity for each loan is computed. As used herein, “protective equity” is the dollar amount by which the net realizable value (i.e., fair value less the cost to sell) of the collateral, net of any senior liens, exceeds the loan balance, where “loan balance” is the sum of the unpaid principal, advances and the recorded interest thereon.

If based upon current information and events, it is probable the partnership will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement, then a loan may be designated as impaired. Impaired loans are included in management’s periodic analysis of recoverability. If a valuation allowance had been established on an impaired loan, any subsequent payments on impaired loans are applied to late fees and then to reduce first the accrued interest, then advances, and then unpaid principal.

For loans designated impaired, a provision is made for loan losses to adjust the allowance for loan losses to an amount such that the net carrying amount (unpaid principal less the specific allowance) is reduced to the lower of the loan balance or the estimated fair value of the related collateral, net of any costs to sell in arriving at net realizable value and net of any senior loans.

The partnership charges off uncollectible loans and related receivables directly to the allowance account once it is determined the full amount is not collectible. Any amounts collected after a charge off is deemed a recovery of loan losses.

At foreclosure, any excess of the recorded investment in the loan (accounting basis) over the net realizable value is charged against the allowance for loan losses.

Real Estate Owned (REO)

Real estate owned (REO)

Real estate owned (REO) is property acquired in full or partial settlement of loan obligations generally through foreclosure, and is recorded at acquisition at the property’s net realizable value, which is the fair value less estimated costs to sell, as applicable. The fair value estimates are derived from information available in the real estate markets including similar property, and often require the experience and judgment of third parties such as commercial real estate appraisers and brokers. The estimates figure materially in calculating the value of the property at acquisition, the level of charge to the allowance for loan losses and any subsequent valuation reserves. After acquisition, costs incurred relating to the development and improvement of property are capitalized to the extent they do not cause the recorded value to exceed the net realizable value, whereas costs relating to holding and disposition of the property are expensed as incurred. After acquisition, REO is analyzed periodically for changes in fair values and any subsequent write down is charged to operations expense. Any recovery in the fair value subsequent to such a write down is recorded, not to exceed the value recorded at acquisition. Recognition of gains on the sale of real estate is dependent upon the transaction meeting certain criteria related to the nature of the property and the terms of the sale including potential seller financing.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently issued accounting pronouncements- Accounting and Financial Reporting for Expected Credit Losses

The Financial Account Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) that significantly changes how entities will account for credit losses for most financial assets that are not measured at fair value through net income. The new standard will supersede currently in effect guidance and applies to all entities. Entities will be required to use a current expected credit loss (CECL) model to estimate credit impairment. This estimate will be forward-looking, meaning management will be required to use forecasts about future economic conditions to determine the expected credit loss over the remaining life of an instrument. This will be a significant change from the current incurred credit loss model and generally may result in allowances being recognized in earlier periods than under the current credit loss model. The ASU is effective for smaller reporting companies and for interim and annual reporting periods in 2023.

RMI VIII invests in real estate secured loans made with the expectation that the possibility of credit losses is remote as a result of substantial protective equity provided by the underlying collateral.  The real estate secured programs and low loan-to-value ratios have caused RMC to expect that the adoption of the CECL model from the incurred loss models presently in use as to credit loss recognition will likely not materially impact the reported results of operations or financial position of the partnership.