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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
 ý  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015
or
o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from       to       
Commission File Number: 000-54671
NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Maryland
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or
Organization)
 
26-4141646
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
399 Park Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10022
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)
(212) 547-2600
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934: None
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:
Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes o No ý
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No ý
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or any amendment to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer o
 
Accelerated filer o
 
Non-accelerated filer ý
 (Do not check if a
smaller reporting company)
 
Smaller reporting company ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o    No ý
There is no established trading market for the registrant’s common stock, and therefore the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates cannot be determined.
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:
The Company has one class of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, 120,942,393 shares outstanding as of March 14, 2016.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the definitive proxy statement for the registrant’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed within 120 days after the end of the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 are incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K in response to Part III, Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.
 



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC.
FORM 10-K
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Index
 
Page
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


2



FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “intend,” “expect,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “could,” “project,” “predict,” “continue,” “future” or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and are based on certain assumptions, discuss future expectations, describe plans and strategies, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition or state other forward-looking information. Such statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to our ability to make distributions to our stockholders, our reliance on our advisor and our sponsor, the operating performance of our investments, our financing needs, the effects of our current strategies and investment activities and our ability to effectively deploy capital. Our ability to predict results or the actual effect of plans or strategies is inherently uncertain, particularly given the economic environment. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, our actual results and performance could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements and you should not unduly rely on these statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results in future periods to differ materially from those forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to:
adverse economic conditions and the impact on the commercial real estate industry;
our ability to deploy capital quickly and successfully;
our dependence on the resources and personnel of our advisor, our sponsor and their affiliates;
the performance of our advisor, our sponsor and their affiliates;
our liquidity and access to capital;
our use of leverage;
our ability to make distributions to our stockholders;
the lack of a public trading market for our shares;
the effect of economic conditions on the valuation of our investments;
the impact of NorthStar Realty Finance Corp.’s spin-off of its asset management business, which included our advisor;
our advisor’s and its affiliates’ ability to attract and retain qualified personnel to support our operations and potential changes to key personnel providing management services to us;
our reliance on our advisor and its affiliates and sub-advisors/co-venturers in providing management services to us, the payment of substantial fees to our advisor, the allocation of investments by our advisor and its affiliates among us and the other sponsored or managed companies and strategic vehicles of NSAM and its affiliates, and various potential conflicts of interest in our relationship with NSAM;
a change in the ownership or management of NSAM;
the impact of market and other conditions influencing the performance of our investments relative to our expectations and the impact on our actual return on invested equity, as well as the cash provided by these investments;
changes in our business or investment strategy;
the impact of economic conditions on borrowers of the debt we originate and acquire and the mortgage loans underlying the commercial mortgage backed securities in which we invest as well as on the tenants of the real property that we own;
changes in the value of our portfolio;
the impact of fluctuations in interest rates;
our ability to realize current and expected returns over the life of our investments;
any failure in our advisor’s and its affiliates’ due diligence to identify relevant facts during our underwriting process or otherwise;
illiquidity of debt investments or properties in our portfolio;

3



our ability to finance our assets on terms that are acceptable to us, if at all, including our ability to complete securitization financing transactions;
environmental compliance costs and liabilities;
risks associated with our joint ventures and unconsolidated entities, including our lack of sole decision making authority and the financial condition of our joint venture partners;
increased rates of loss or default and decreased recovery on our investments;
the degree and nature of our competition;
the effectiveness of our portfolio management techniques and strategies;
the potential failure to maintain effective internal controls, disclosure and procedures;
regulatory requirements with respect to our business and the related cost of compliance;
legislative and regulatory changes, including changes to laws governing the taxation of real estate investment trusts, or REITs, and changes to laws affecting non-traded REITs and alternative investments generally;
our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and limitations imposed on our business by our status as a REIT;
the loss of our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
general volatility in capital markets;
the adequacy of our cash reserves and working capital; and
other risks associated with investing in our targeted investments, including changes in our industry, interest rates, the securities markets, the general economy or the capital markets and real estate markets specifically.
The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. All forward-looking statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are based on information available to us on the date hereof and we are under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform these statements to actual results.
Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects are set forth in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, including the “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K beginning on page 15. The risk factors set forth in our filings with the SEC could cause our actual results to differ significantly from those contained in any forward-looking statement contained in this report.





4



PART I
Item 1. Business
References to “we,” “us” or “our” refer to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and its subsidiaries, in all cases acting through our external advisor, unless context specifically requires otherwise.
Overview
We were formed to originate, acquire and asset manage a diversified portfolio of commercial real estate, or CRE, debt, select equity and securities investments, predominantly in the United States. We may also invest in CRE investments internationally. CRE debt investments include first mortgage loans, subordinate mortgage and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans and preferred equity interests. Real estate equity investments include direct ownership in properties, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity, as well as indirect interests in real estate through real estate private equity funds, or PE Investments. CRE securities primarily consist of commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, and may include unsecured real estate investment trust, or REIT, debt, collateralized debt obligation, or CDO, notes and other securities. In addition, we may own investments through joint ventures. We were formed in January 2009 as a Maryland corporation and commenced operations in October 2010. We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Internal Revenue Code, commencing with the taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We conduct our operations so as to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
We are externally managed and have no employees. Prior to June 30, 2014, we were managed by an affiliate of NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. (NYSE: NRF), or NorthStar Realty. Effective June 30, 2014, NorthStar Realty spun-off its asset management business into a separate publicly traded company, NorthStar Asset Management Group Inc. (NYSE: NSAM), our Sponsor. Our Sponsor and its affiliates provide asset management and other services to us, NorthStar Realty, NorthStar Realty Europe Corp. (NYSE: NRE), other sponsored public retail-focused companies and any other companies our Sponsor and its affiliates may manage in the future, or collectively the NSAM Managed Companies, both in the United States and internationally. As of December 31, 2015, NSAM has an aggregate of $38.0 billion of assets under management, adjusted for commitments to acquire certain investments by NSAM and the NSAM Managed Companies. Concurrent with the spin-off, affiliates of our Sponsor entered into a new advisory agreement with us and each of the other NSAM Managed Companies. Pursuant to our advisory agreement, NSAM J-NSI Ltd, an affiliate of our Sponsor, or our Advisor, agreed to manage our day-to-day operations on terms substantially similar to those set forth in our prior advisory agreement with NS Real Estate Income Trust Advisor, LLC, or our Prior Advisor. References to our Prior Advisor herein refer to the services performed by and fees paid and accrued to our Prior Advisor during the period prior to June 30, 2014. The spin-off of NorthStar Realty’s asset management business had no impact on our operations.
Our primary investment types are as follows:
Commercial Real Estate Debt - Our CRE debt investments include first mortgage loans, subordinate interests and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans, as well as preferred equity interests.
Commercial Real Estate Equity - Our CRE equity investments include direct ownership in real estate, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity and indirect interests in real estate through PE Investments since the underlying collateral in the funds is primarily real estate.
Commercial Real Estate Securities - Our CRE securities investments may include CMBS, unsecured REIT debt, CDO notes and other securities.
We believe that our targeted investment types are complementary to each other due to their overlapping sources of investment opportunities, common reliance on real estate fundamentals and ability to apply similar portfolio management and servicing skills to maximize value and to protect shareholder capital. We believe our Advisor’s platform and experience provide us the flexibility to invest across the real estate capital structure.
We initially registered to offer up to 100,000,000 shares of our common stock, or our shares, pursuant to our primary offering to the public, or our Primary Offering, and up to 10,526,315 shares pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan, or DRP. In April 2013, our board of directors authorized the reallocation of shares available under our DRP to our Primary Offering. Our Primary Offering (including 7.6 million shares reallocated from our DRP, or our Total Primary Offering) was completed on July 1, 2013 and all of the shares initially registered for our Offering were issued. As a result of a registration statement to offer up to an additional 15.0 million shares pursuant to our DRP, we continue to offer DRP shares beyond our Total Primary Offering.
We raised total gross proceeds of $1.2 billion in the Offering.

5



Our Investments
The following table presents our investments as of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016 (dollars in thousands):
Investment Type:
 
Count
 
Principal
Amount/Cost(1)
 
% of
Principal Amount
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CRE Debt
 
Loans
 
 
 
 
First mortgage loans(2)
 
15
 
$
849,486

 
46.4
%
Mezzanine loans(2)
 
5
 
91,639

 
5.0
%
Subordinate interests
 
1
 
36,206

 
2.0
%
Preferred equity interests
 
1
 
73,803

 
4.0
%
Total CRE debt
 
22
 
1,051,134

 
57.4
%
Real estate
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating Real Estate
 
Properties
 
 
 
 
Multi-tenant office
 
12
 
247,858

 
13.6
%
Multifamily
 
2
 
114,537

 
6.3
%
Student Housing
 
3
 
66,731

 
3.6
%
Subtotal
 
17
 
429,126

 
23.5
%
PE Investments
 
 
 
 
 
 
PE Investment I
 
1
 
65,313

 
3.6
%
PE Investment II(2)
 
1
 
85,582

 
4.7
%
PE Investment IIA
 
1
 
75,162

 
4.1
%
Subtotal
 
3
 
226,057

 
12.4
%
Total real estate
 
20
 
655,183

 
35.9
%
CRE Securities
 
 
 
 
 
 
CMBS
 
9
 
122,513

 
6.7
%
Total CRE securities
 
9
 
122,513

 
6.7
%
Total
 
51
 
$
1,828,830

 
100.0
%
___________________________________________________
(1)
Based on principal amount for real estate debt and securities investments, fair value for our PE Investments and cost for real estate equity, which includes purchase price allocations related to net intangibles, deferred costs and other assets.
(2)
Includes for CRE debt, future funding commitments and the deferred purchase price for PE Investment II (as defined below).
For financial information regarding our reportable segments, refer to Note 15. “Segment Reporting” in our accompanying consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”
Underwriting Process
We use a rigorous investment and underwriting process that has been developed and utilized by our Advisor’s and its affiliates’ senior management team leveraging their extensive commercial real estate expertise over many years and real estate cycles which focuses on some or all of the following factors designed to ensure each investment is evaluated appropriately: (i) macroeconomic conditions that may influence operating performance; (ii) fundamental analysis of underlying real estate, including tenant rosters, lease terms, zoning, necessary licensing, operating costs and the asset’s overall competitive position in its market; (iii) real estate market factors that may influence the economic performance of the investment, including leasing conditions and overall competition; (iv) the operating expertise and financial strength and reputation of a tenant, operator, partner or borrower; (v) the cash flow in place and projected to be in place over the term of the investment and potential return; (vi) the appropriateness of the business plan and estimated costs associated with tenant buildout, repositioning or capital improvements; (vii) an internal and third-party valuation of a property, investment basis relative to the competitive set and the ability to liquidate an investment through a sale or refinancing; (viii) review of third-party reports including appraisals, engineering and environmental reports; (ix) physical inspections of properties and markets; (x) the overall legal structure of the investment, contractual implications and the lenders’ rights; and (xi) the tax and accounting impact.

6



The following section describes the major CRE asset classes in which we may invest and actively manage to maximize value and to protect capital.
Commercial Real Estate Debt
Overview
Our CRE debt investment strategy is focused on originating, acquiring and asset managing CRE debt investments, including first mortgage loans, subordinate mortgage and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans and preferred equity interests.
We emphasize direct origination of our debt investments as this allows us a greater degree of control over how they are underwritten and structured and it provides us the opportunity to syndicate all or portions of the loan (senior or subordinate interests) to maximize returns, if desired. Further, it facilitates a more direct relationship with our borrowers which helps us maintain a robust pipeline and provides an opportunity for us to earn origination and other fees.
Our Portfolio
As of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016, $1.1 billion, or 57.4%, of our assets were invested in CRE debt, consisting of 22 loans with an average investment size of $47.8 million. The weighted average extended maturity of our CRE debt portfolio is 3.9 years.
The following table presents a summary of our CRE debt investments as of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016 (refer to the below and “Recent Developments”) (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted Average
 
Floating Rate
as % of
Principal
Amount
Investment Type:
 
Count
 
Principal
Amount(1)
 
Carrying
Value
 
Allocation by
Investment
Type(2)
 
Fixed
Rate
 
Spread
over
LIBOR(3)
 
Total Unleveraged
Current
Yield
 
First mortgage loans
 
15
 
$
849,486

 
$
823,056

 
80.9
%
 

 
6.47
%
 
6.37
%
 
100.0
%
Mezzanine loans
 
5
 
91,639

 
72,948

 
8.7
%
 
10.10
%
 
11.76
%
 
11.63
%
 
86.9
%
Subordinate interests
 
1
 
36,206

 
36,206

 
3.4
%
 
13.11
%
 

 
13.23
%
 

Preferred equity interests(4)
 
1
 
73,803

 
74,366

 
7.0
%
 
10.00
%
 

 
10.00
%
 

Total/Weighted average
 
22
 
$
1,051,134

 
$
1,006,576

 
100.0
%
 
10.93
%
 
6.81
%
 
7.27
%
 
88.4
%
___________________________________________________
(1)
Includes future funding commitments of $46.6 million.
(2)
Based on principal amount.
(3)
Includes a fixed minimum LIBOR rate, or LIBOR floor, as applicable. As of December 31, 2015, we had $766.0 million principal amount of floating-rate loans subject to a weighted average LIBOR floor of 0.37%.
(4)
Excludes an $8.2 million proportionate interest in a preferred equity investment owned by a joint venture partner.


7




The following presents our CRE debt portfolio’s diversity across investment type, property type and geographic location based on principal amount:
Debt Investments by Investments Type
Debt Investments by Property Type
 
Debt Investments by Geographic Location
 
Real Estate
Our real estate equity investment strategy focuses on direct ownership in commercial real estate with an emphasis on properties, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity, and PE Investments, both of which have stable cash flow and/or the potential to appreciate in value and therefore help overcome our upfront fees and expenses. In addition, we may own investments through joint ventures with one or more partners.
Real Estate Properties
As part of our real estate properties strategy, we explore a variety of real estate investments including multi-tenant office, multifamily, student housing and industrial. These properties are typically well located with strong operating partners and we believe offer both attractive cash flow and returns.

8



As of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016, $429.1 million, or 23.5%, of our assets were invested in real estate properties and our portfolio was 95% occupied. The following table presents our real estate property investments as of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016 (refer to the below and “Recent Developments”) (dollars in thousands):
Property Type
 
Number of Portfolios
 
Number of Properties
 
Capacity
 
Amount(1)
Multi-tenant office
 
2
 
12
 
1,446,780
square feet
 
$
247,858

Multifamily
 
2
 
2
 
1,422

units
 
114,537

Student Housing
 
1
 
3
 
2,166

beds
 
66,731

Total
 
5
 
17
 
 
 
 
$
429,126

_____________________________________________
(1)
Based on cost which includes purchase price allocations related to net intangibles, deferred costs and other assets.
Private Equity Investments
Our real estate equity investment strategy includes PE Investments. We classify our PE Investments as equity investments since the underlying collateral in the funds is primarily real estate. We believe the investments provide diversity and have the potential to appreciate in value and therefore help overcome our upfront fees and expenses.
Our PE Investments own limited partnership interests in real estate private equity funds acquired in the secondary market and managed by institutional-quality sponsors, which we refer to as fund interests. As of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016, $226.1 million, or 12.4%, of our assets were invested in PE Investments through unconsolidated ventures.
The following tables present a summary of our PE Investments (dollars in millions):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Underlying Fund Interests
 
 
PE Investment(1)
 
Number of Funds
 
Number of General Partners
 
Initial NAV
 
Amount(2)
 
Assets, at Cost
 
Implied Underlying Leverage(3)
 
Expected Future Contributions(4)
PE Investment I(5)
 
49
 
26
 
$
802.4

 
$
65.3

 
$17,600
 
43.2%
 
$
1

PE Investment II(6)
 
24
 
15
 
910.0

 
85.6

 
19,800
 
38.7%
 

PE Investment IIA(7)
 
24
 
15
 
660.6

 
75.2

 
19,800
 
38.7%
 

 
 

 

 

 
$
226.1

 

 
 
 
$
1

_______________________________________________________________
(1)
Based on financial data reported by the underlying funds as of September 30, 2015, which is the most recent financial information from the underlying funds, except as otherwise noted.
(2)
Represents fair value and includes the deferred purchase price for PE Investment II and PE Investment IIA.
(3)
Represents implied leverage for funds with investment-level financing, calculated as the underlying borrowing divided by assets at fair value.
(4)
Represents the estimated amount of expected future contributions to funds as of December 31, 2015.
(5)
We, together with NorthStar Realty, have an ownership interest in PE Investment I of 51%, of which we own 29.5% and NorthStar Realty owns 70.5%.
(6)
We, NorthStar Realty and funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management each have an ownership interest in PE Investment II of 15%, 70% and 15%, respectively. PE Investment II paid an initial amount of $505 million and will pay the remaining $411 million, or 45% of the purchase price, or the Deferred Amount, by the last day of the fiscal quarter after the four year anniversary of the applicable closing date of each fund interest. As of December 31, 2015, our share of the Deferred Amount was $52 million.
(7)
In February 2016, we purchased an additional 14% of NorthStar Realty’s interest in PE Investment II. We acquired PE Investment IIA for $26.5 million based on a NAV of $661 million as of September 30, 2015, adjusted for distributions and contributions. This add-on investment increased our total ownership in PE Investment II from 15% to 29% and we will be responsible for 29% of the Deferred Amount, or $101 million.


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Our Proportionate Share of PE Investments
 
 
Income
 
Return of Capital
 
Total Distributions
 
Contributions
 
Net
PE Investment I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Year ended December 31, 2015
 
$
19.4

 
$
16.7

 
$
36.1

 
$
0.8

 
$
35.3

Year ended December 31, 2014
 
$
25.8

 
$
14.8

 
$
40.6

 
$
0.5

 
$
40.1

February 15, 2013 to December 31, 2015(1)
 
$
65.2

 
$
66.2

 
$
131.4

 
$
10.0

 
$
121.4

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PE Investment II
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Year ended December 31, 2015
 
$
10.8

 
$
23.5

 
$
34.3

 
$
9.2

 
$
25.1

Year ended December 31, 2014
 
$
12.5

 
$
12.4

 
$
24.9

 
$
1.3

 
$
23.6

July 3, 2013 to December 31, 2015(1)
 
$
28.2

 
$
53.4

 
$
81.6

 
$
13.0

 
$
68.6

______________________________________________________________
(1)
Represents activity from the respective initial closing date through December 31, 2015.
The following presents the underlying fund interests in our PE Investments by investment type and geographic location based on NAV as of September 30, 2015:
PE Investments by Underlying Investment Type(1)
 
PE Investments by Underlying Geographic Location(1)
 
_________________________________
(1)
Based on individual fund financial statements.
Real Estate Securities
Our CRE securities investments include CMBS and may include unsecured REIT debt and CDO notes backed primarily by CRE securities and debt. Substantially all of our CRE securities have credit ratings assigned by at least one of the major rating agencies (Moody’s Investors Services, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Ratings, Morningstar, DBRS and/or Kroll).
As of December 31, 2015, adjusted for acquisitions and commitments to purchase through March 14, 2016, $122.5 million, or 6.7%, of our assets were invested in CRE securities and consisted of nine CMBS investments purchased at an aggregate $57.9 million discount to par and our average investment size was $13.6 million. As of December 31, 2015, the weighted average expected maturity of our CMBS was 6.4 years.
Financing Strategy
We use asset-level financing as part of our investment strategy and we seek to match-fund our assets and liabilities by having similar maturities and like-kind interest rate benchmarks (fixed or floating) to manage refinancing and interest rate risk and utilize non-recourse liabilities whenever possible. Our Advisor is responsible for managing such refinancing and interest rate risk on our behalf. We intend to pursue a variety of financing arrangements such as securitization financing transactions, credit facilities, mortgage notes and other term borrowings. We continue to seek and prefer long-term, non-recourse financing, including non mark-to-market financing that may be available through securitization.
Although we have a limitation on the maximum leverage for our portfolio, which approximates 75% of the aggregate cost of our investments, excluding indirect leverage held through our unconsolidated venture investments, before deducting loan loss reserves, other non-cash reserves and depreciation, we do not have a targeted debt-to-equity ratio on an asset-by-asset basis, as we believe the appropriate leverage for the particular assets we finance depends on the specific credit characteristics of each asset. We use

10



leverage for the sole purpose of financing our investments and diversifying our equity and we do not employ leverage to speculate on changes in interest rates. Our current overall portfolio leverage is 50%.
Borrowing levels for CRE investments may change depending upon the nature of the assets and the related financing. Our financing strategy for our CRE debt and securities investments is dependent on our ability to obtain match-funded borrowings at rates that provide a positive net spread, generally using credit facilities and securitization financing transactions. Our financing strategy for our real estate is typically to use long-term, non-recourse mortgage notes.
Our credit facilities currently include three secured term loan facilities, or our Term Loan Facilities, that provide for an aggregate of up to $550.0 million to finance the origination of first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate and two CMBS Facilities to finance the acquisition of CMBS. In November 2012 and August 2013, we closed securitization financing transactions, which provide permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market financing for our debt investments that were mainly previously financed on our Term Loan Facilities. In January 2015, Securitization 2012-1 was repaid in full. As of December 31, 2015, we had $185.3 million issued as part of Securitization 2013-1, $306.9 million outstanding under our Term Loan Facilities and $11.1 million outstanding under our CMBS Facilities. As of March 14, 2016, we have $255.9 million of available borrowing under our Term Loan Facilities. Refer to “Liquidity and Capital Resources” for further disclosure regarding our Securitization Financing Transactions.
Portfolio Management
Our Advisor and its affiliates maintain a comprehensive portfolio management process that generally includes day-to-day oversight by the portfolio management and servicing team, regular management meetings and an exhaustive quarterly credit review process. These processes are designed to enable management to evaluate and proactively identify asset-specific credit issues and trends on a portfolio-wide basis. Nevertheless, we cannot be certain that our Advisor’s review will identify all issues within our portfolio due to, among other things, adverse economic conditions or events adversely affecting specific assets; therefore, potential future losses may also stem from investments that are not identified during these credit reviews. The portfolio management team, under the direction of the Investment Committee, uses many methods to actively manage our asset base to preserve our income and capital. Credit risk management is the ability to manage our assets in a manner that preserves principal/cost and income and minimizes credit losses that could decrease income and portfolio value. For CRE debt and real estate investments, frequent re-underwriting and dialogue with borrowers/tenants/partners and regular inspections of our collateral and owned properties have proven to be an effective process for identifying issues early. During the quarterly credit review, or more frequently as necessary, investments are put on highly-monitored status and identified for possible loan loss reserves/asset impairment, as appropriate, based upon several factors, including missed or late contractual payments, significant declines in collateral performance and other data which may indicate a potential issue in our ability to recover our invested capital from an investment. Our Advisor uses an experienced portfolio management and servicing team that monitors these factors on our behalf.
Our investments are reviewed on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary, to assess whether there are any indicators that the value of our investments may be impaired or that its carrying value may not be recoverable. In conducting these reviews, we consider macroeconomic factors, including real estate sector conditions, together with asset and market specific circumstances among other factors. To the extent an impairment has occurred, the loss will be measured as compared to the carrying amount of the investment. An allowance for a doubtful account for a tenant receivable is established based on a periodic review of aged receivables resulting from estimated losses due to the inability of tenants to make required rent and other payments contractually due. Additionally, we establish, on a current basis, allowance for future tenant credit losses on unbilled rents receivable based upon an evaluation of the collectability of such amounts.
Each of our debt investments is secured by CRE collateral and requires customized portfolio management and servicing strategies for dealing with potential credit situations. The complexity of each situation depends on many factors, including the number of properties, the type of property, macro and local market conditions impacting supply/demand, cash flow and the financial condition of our collateral and our borrowers’/tenants’ ability to further support the collateral. Further, many of our investments may be considered transitional in nature because the business plan is to re-position, re-develop or otherwise lease-up the property in order to improve the collateral. At the time of origination or acquisition, the underlying property revenues may not be sufficient to support debt service, lease payments or generate positive net operating income. The business plan may necessitate an interest or lease reserve or other reserves, whether through proceeds from our loans, borrowings, offering proceeds or otherwise, to support debt service or lease payments and capital expenditures during the implementation of the business plan. There may also be a requirement for the borrower, tenant, guarantor or us, to refill these reserves should they become deficient during the applicable period for any reason.
As of December 31, 2015, all of our CRE debt investments were performing in accordance with the contractual terms of its governing documents in all material respects. There can be no assurance that our investments will continue to perform in accordance

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with the contractual terms of the governing documents or underwriting and we may, in the future, record loan loss reserves/asset impairment, as appropriate, if required.
Independent Directors’ Review of Our Policies
As required by our charter, our independent directors have reviewed our policies, including but not limited to our policies regarding investments, leverage, conflicts of interest and investment allocation, and determined that they are in the best interests of our stockholders. Our key policies that provide the basis for such determination are summarized herein.
Regulation
We are subject, in certain circumstances, to supervision and regulation by state and federal governmental authorities and are subject to various laws and judicial and administrative decisions imposing various requirements and restrictions, which, among other things:
regulate our public disclosures, reporting obligations and capital raising activity;
require compliance with applicable REIT rules;
establish loan servicing standards;
regulate credit granting activities;
require disclosures to customers;
govern secured transactions;
set collection, taking title to collateral, repossession and claims-handling procedures and other trade practices;
regulate land use and zoning;
regulate the foreign ownership or management of real property or mortgages;
regulate the ability of foreign persons or corporations to remove profits earned from activities within the country to the person’s or corporation’s country of origin;
regulate tax treatment and accounting standards; and
regulate use of derivative instruments and our ability to hedge our risks related to fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates.
We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2010. If we continue to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we will generally not be subject to federal income tax on our taxable income that we distribute as dividends to our stockholders. If we fail to continue to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year after electing REIT status, we will be subject to federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate income tax rates and will generally not be permitted to qualify for treatment as a REIT for federal income tax purposes for four years following the year in which our qualification is denied. Such an event could materially and adversely affect our net income and cash available for distribution. However, we believe that we are organized and expect to operate in a manner that enables us to qualify for treatment as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and we intend to continue to operate so as to remain qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes thereafter.
On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, an omnibus spending bill, with a provision referred to as the Protecting Americans From Tax Hikes Act of 2015, which changes certain of the rules affecting REIT qualification and taxation of REITs and REIT stockholders described under the heading “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in our Prospectus included in our Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed with the SEC on July 2, 2013, relating to sales of our shares pursuant to the DRP. These changes are briefly summarized as follows:
For taxable years beginning after 2017, the percentage of a REIT’s total assets that may be represented by securities of one or more TRSs is reduced from 25% to 20%.
For distributions in taxable years beginning after 2014, the preferential dividend rules no longer apply to us as a “publicly offered REIT,” as defined in new Internal Revenue Code Section 562(c)(2).
For taxable years beginning after 2015, debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs are treated as real estate assets for purposes of the 75% asset test, but interest on debt of a publicly offered REIT will not be qualifying income under

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the 75% gross income test unless the debt is secured by real property. Under a new asset test, not more than 25% of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of debt instruments that are issued by publicly offered REITs and would not otherwise be treated as qualifying real estate assets.
For taxable years beginning after 2015, to the extent rent attributable to personal property is treated as rents from real property (because rent attributable to the personal property for the taxable year does not exceed 15% of the total rent for the taxable year for such real and personal property), the personal property will be treated as a real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test. Similarly, debt obligation secured by a mortgage on both real and personal property will be treated as a real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test, and interest thereon will be treated as interest on an obligation secured by real property, if the fair market value of the personal property does not exceed 15% of the fair market value of all property securing the debt.
For taxable years beginning after 2015, a 100% excise tax will apply to “redetermined services income,” i.e., non-arm’s-length income of a REIT’s TRS attributable to services provided to, or on behalf of, the REIT (other than services provided to REIT tenants, which are potentially taxed as redetermined rents).
For taxable years beginning after 2014, the period during which dispositions of properties with net built-in gains acquired from C corporations in carry-over basis transactions will trigger the built-in gains tax is reduced from ten years to five years.
REITs are subject to a 100% tax on net income from “prohibited transactions,” i.e., sales of dealer property (other than “foreclosure property”). These rules also contain safe harbors under which certain sales of real estate assets will not be treated as prohibited transactions. One of the requirements for the current safe harbors is that (I) the REIT does not make more than seven sales of property (subject to specified exceptions) during the taxable year at issue, or (II) the aggregate adjusted bases (as determined for purposes of computing earnings and profits) of property (other than excepted property) sold during the taxable year does not exceed 10% of the aggregate bases in the REIT’s assets as of the beginning of the taxable year, or (III) the fair market value of property (other than excepted property) sold during the taxable year does not exceed 10% of the fair market value of the REIT’s total assets as of the beginning of the taxable year. If a REIT relies on clause (II) or (III), substantially all of the marketing and certain development expenditures with respect to the properties sold must be made through an independent contractor. For taxable years beginning after December 18, 2015, clauses (II) and (III) are liberalized to permit the REIT to sell properties with an aggregate adjusted basis (or fair market value) of up to 20% of the aggregate bases in (or fair market value of) the REIT’s assets as long as the 10% standard is satisfied on average over the three-year period comprised of the taxable year at issue and the two immediately preceding taxable years. In addition, for taxable years beginning after 2015, for REITs that rely on clauses (II) or (III), a TRS may make the marketing and development expenditures that previously had to be made by independent contractors.
A number of changes applicable to REITs are made to the FIRPTA rules for taxing non-US persons on gains from sales of US real property interests, or USRPIs:
For dispositions and distributions on or after December 18, 2015, the stock ownership thresholds for exemption from FIRPTA taxation on sale of stock of a publicly traded REIT and for recharacterizing capital gain dividends as ordinary dividends is increased from not more than 5% to not more than 10%.
Effective December 18, 2015, new rules will simplify the determination of whether we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity.”
For dispositions and distributions after December 18, 2015, “qualified foreign pension funds” as defined in new Internal Revenue Code Section 897(l)(2) and entities that are wholly owned by a qualified foreign pension fund are exempted from FIRPTA and FIRPTA withholding. New FIRPTA rules also apply to “qualified shareholders” as defined in new Internal Revenue Code Section 897(k)(3).
For sales of USRPIs occurring after February 16, 2016, the FIRPTA withholding rate for sales of USRPIs and certain distributions generally increases from 10% to 15%.
We believe that we are not, and intend to conduct our operations so as not to become regulated as, an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. We have relied, and intend to continue to rely, on current interpretations of the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC in an effort to continue to qualify for an exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act. For more information on the exemptions that we use refer to Item 1A. “Risk Factors-Maintenance of our Investment Company Act exemption imposes limits on our operations.”
We are also subject to regulation governing mortgage lending. Although most states do not regulate commercial real estate finance, certain states impose limitations on interest rates and other charges and on certain collection practices and creditor remedies and

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require licensing of lenders and financiers and adequate disclosure of certain contract terms. We are also required to comply with certain provisions of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act that are applicable to CRE loans.
Real estate properties owned by us and the operations of such properties are subject to various international, federal, state and local laws and regulations concerning the protection of the environment, including air and water quality, hazardous or toxic substances and health and safety. In addition, such properties are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or the ADA, the Fair Housing Act, applicable fire and safety regulations, building codes and other land use regulations.
In the judgment of management, while we do incur significant expense complying with the various regulations to which we are subject, existing statutes and regulations have not had a material adverse effect on our business. However, it is not possible to forecast the nature of future legislation, regulations, judicial decisions, orders or interpretations, nor their impact upon our future business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects.
For additional information regarding regulations applicable to us, refer to Item 1A. “Risk Factors.”
Competition
Although we have completed our Offering and continue to see a robust pipeline of opportunities to invest any capital we may have, we are subject to increased competition in seeking CRE investments. We compete with many third parties engaged in real estate investment activities including publicly-traded REITs, non-traded REITs, insurance companies, commercial and investment banking firms, private equity funds and other investors. Some of these competitors, including other REITs and private real estate companies and funds, have substantially greater financial resources than we do. Such competitors may also enjoy significant competitive advantages that result from, among other things, a lower cost of capital and enhanced operating efficiencies.
Future competition from new market entrants may limit the number of suitable investment opportunities offered to us. It may also result in higher prices, lower yields and a narrower spread over our borrowing costs, making it more difficult for us to originate or acquire new investments on attractive terms.
Employees
As of December 31, 2015, we had no employees. Our Advisor or its affiliates provide management, acquisition, advisory, marketing, investor relations and certain administrative services for us.
Corporate Governance and Internet Address
We emphasize the importance of professional business conduct and ethics through our corporate governance initiatives. Our board of directors consists of a majority of independent directors. The audit committee of our board of directors is composed exclusively of independent directors. We have adopted corporate governance guidelines and a code of ethics, which delineate our standards for our officers and directors.
Our internet address is www.northstarsecurities.com/income. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We make available, free of charge through a link on our website, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to such reports, if any, as filed or furnished with the SEC, as soon as reasonably practicable after such filing or furnishing. Our site also contains our code of ethics, corporate governance guidelines and our audit committee charter. Within the time period required by the rules of the SEC, we will post on our website any amendment to our code of ethics as defined in the code of ethics.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors
The following risk factors and other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K should be carefully considered. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we currently deem immaterial or that generally apply to all businesses also may adversely impact our business. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition, operating results, cash flow and liquidity could be materially adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Business
The CRE industry has been and may continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the U.S. and global financial markets generally.
Our business and operations are currently dependent on the CRE industry generally, which in turn is dependent upon broad economic conditions in the United States, Europe, China and elsewhere. Recently, concerns over global economic conditions, energy and commodity prices, geopolitical issues, deflation, Federal Reserve short term rate decisions, foreign exchange rates, the availability and cost of credit, the sovereign debt crisis, the Chinese economy, the United States mortgage market and a potentially weakening real estate market in the United States have contributed to increased economic uncertainty and diminished expectations for the global economy. These factors, combined with volatile prices of oil and declining business and consumer confidence, may precipitate an economic slowdown, as well as cause extreme volatility in security prices. Global economic and political headwinds, along with global market instability and the risk of maturing commercial real estate debt that may have difficulties being refinanced, may continue to cause periodic volatility in the CRE market for some time. Adverse conditions in the CRE industry could harm our business and financial condition by, among other factors, the tightening of the credit markets, decline in the value of our existing assets and continuing credit and liquidity concerns and otherwise negatively impacting our operations.
Challenging economic and financial market conditions could significantly reduce the amount of income we earn on our CRE investments and further reduce the value of our investments.
Challenging economic and financial market conditions may cause us to experience an increase in the number of CRE investments that result in losses, including delinquencies, non-performing assets and taking title to collateral and a decrease in the value of the property or other collateral which secures our investments, all of which could adversely affect our results of operations. We may incur substantial losses and need to establish significant provision for losses or impairment. Our revenue from investments could diminish significantly.
Volatility, disruption or uncertainty in the financial markets may impair our ability to raise capital, obtain new financing or refinance existing obligations and fund real estate activities.
The global financial markets have experienced pervasive and fundamental disruptions. Market disruption, volatility or uncertainty could materially adversely impact our ability to raise capital, obtain new financing or refinance our existing obligations as they mature and fund real estate activities. In addition, market disruption, volatility or uncertainty may also expose us to increased litigation and shareholder activism. These conditions could materially disrupt our business, operations and ability to make distributions to stockholders. Market volatility could also lead to significant uncertainty in the valuation of our investments, which may result in a substantial decrease in the value of our investments. As a result, we may not be able to recover the carrying amount of such investments and the associated goodwill, if any, which may require us to recognize impairment charges in earnings.
Risks Related to Our Advisor
Our Sponsor, the parent company to our Advisor, has announced that it is exploring possible strategic alternatives to maximize NSAM stockholder value, or the NSAM Process, which could have an adverse impact on our business.
On January 11, 2016, the board of directors of NSAM, our Sponsor and the parent company to our Advisor, announced that it has engaged Goldman, Sachs & Co. as its financial advisor to assist it in the NSAM Process. The NSAM Process may be time consuming and disruptive to NSAM’s business operations, including its service to us as our Advisor and our Sponsor.
As a result of the NSAM Process, NSAM could undergo a change of control involving a third party, which could result in a change to the management of our Advisor and its affiliates as well as a change to the board of directors of NSAM. Consequently, we could be managed by an entity and personnel that do not have the experience and track record of NSAM and its personnel and suitable alternatives may not be available. New management and personnel at NSAM could change the manner in which our Advisor provides services to us and such services may not be as effective. Any such change to NSAM could be disruptive to our business and operations and could have a material adverse effect on our performance. Further, certain corporate strategic alternatives that may be available to NSAM may give rise to conflicts of interest among NSAM and us, as we are dependent upon NSAM for the management of our day-to-day affairs.

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Our Advisor may not be successful, or there may be delays, in locating suitable investments, which could limit our ability to make distributions and lower the overall return on stockholders’ investment.
We rely upon our Advisor or its affiliates’ investment professionals, including Messrs. Hamamoto, Tylis and Gilbert, to identify suitable investments. The other NSAM Managed Companies also rely on such investment professionals for investment opportunities. Our Advisor may not be successful in locating suitable investments on financially attractive terms, and we may not achieve our objectives. If we, through our Advisor, are unable to find suitable investments promptly, we may hold the funds available for investment in an interest-bearing account or invest the proceeds in short-term assets. We expect that the income we earn on these temporary investments will not be substantial. Further, we may use the principal amount of these investments, and any returns generated on these investments, to pay for fees and expenses in connection with our distributions. Therefore, delays in investing proceeds we receive from payoffs or sales of our assets could impact our ability to generate cash flow for distributions or to achieve our investment objectives.
Our Advisor may acquire assets on our behalf where the returns are substantially below expectations or which result in net losses. In the event we are unable to timely locate suitable investments, we may be unable or limited in our ability to pay distributions and we may not be able to meet our investment objectives. Our Advisor or its affiliates’ investment professionals face competing demands upon their time, including in instances when we have capital ready for investment and consequently we may face delays in execution. Further, the more money we have available for investment, the more difficult it will be to invest the funds promptly and on attractive terms. Delays we encounter in the selection and origination or acquisition of investments would likely limit our ability to pay distributions to stockholders and lower their overall returns.
Our ability to achieve our investment objectives and to pay distributions depends in substantial part upon the performance of our Advisor and third-party servicers.
Our ability to achieve our investment objectives and to pay distributions depends in substantial part upon the performance of our Advisor in the origination and acquisition of our investments, including the determination of any financing arrangements, as well as the performance of the third-party servicers of our real estate debt investments. Stockholders must rely entirely on the management abilities of our Advisor and the oversight of our board of directors, along with those of our third-party servicers. Our Advisor and its affiliates receive fees in connection with transactions involving the origination, acquisition, management and sale of our investments regardless of their quality or performance or the services provided. As a result, our Advisor may be incentivized to allocate investments that have a greater cost to increase the amount of fees payable to them.
We and our Advisor have adopted an investment allocation policy with the intent of eliminating the impact of any conflict that our Advisor or its affiliates’ investment professionals might encounter in allocating investment opportunities among us, our Sponsor and any other NSAM Managed Company, however, there is no assurance that the investment allocation policy will continue or successfully eliminate the impact of any such conflicts. If our Advisor performs poorly and as a result is unable to originate and acquire our investments successfully, we may be unable to achieve our investment objectives or to pay distributions to stockholders at presently contemplated levels, if at all. Similarly, if our third-party servicers perform poorly, we may be unable to realize all cash flow associated with our real estate debt investments.
Because we are dependent upon our Advisor and its affiliates to conduct our operations, any adverse changes in the financial health of these entities or our relationship with them could hinder our operating performance and the return on stockholders’ investment.
We are dependent on our Advisor and its affiliates to manage our operations and our portfolio. Our Advisor and its affiliates depend upon the fees and other compensation or reimbursement of costs that they receive from us and other NSAM Managed Companies in connection with the origination, acquisition, management and sale of assets to conduct their operations. Any adverse changes in the financial condition of our Advisor or its affiliates could hinder their ability to successfully support our business and growth, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
The loss of or the inability to obtain key investment professionals at our Sponsor or its affiliates could delay or hinder implementation of our investment strategies, which could limit our ability to make distributions and decrease the value of stockholders’ investments.
Our success depends to a significant degree upon the contributions of key personnel at our Sponsor or its affiliates, such as Messrs. Hamamoto, Tylis, Gilbert, Lieberman, Saracino, Ms. Hess and Ms. Neslin, among others, each of whom would be difficult to replace. We cannot assure stockholders that they will continue to be associated with our Sponsor or its affiliates in the future. If any of these persons were to cease their association with us or our Sponsor or its affiliates, our operating results could suffer. We do not intend to maintain key person life insurance on any person. We believe that our future success depends, in large part, upon our Sponsor and its affiliates’ ability to hire and retain highly-skilled managerial, operational and marketing professionals. Competition for such professionals is intense, and our Sponsor and its affiliates may be unsuccessful in attracting and retaining

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such skilled individuals. If our Sponsor loses or is unable to obtain the services of highly-skilled professionals, our ability to implement our investment strategies could be delayed or hindered and the value of our common stock may decline.
Our Sponsor may determine not to provide assistance, personnel support or other resources to our Advisor or us, which could impact our ability to achieve our investment objectives and pay distributions.
We rely on our Sponsor and its affiliates’ personnel and other support for the purposes of originating, acquiring and managing our investment portfolio. Our Sponsor, however, may determine not to provide assistance to our Advisor or us. Consequently, if our Sponsor and its professionals determine not to provide our Advisor or us with any assistance or other resources, we may not achieve the same success that we would expect to achieve with such assistance, personnel support and resources. Further, during periods of economic retraction, our Sponsor and/or our Advisor may be incented to reduce its personnel and costs, which could have an adverse effect on us.
Our Advisor’s platform may not be as scalable as we anticipate and we could face difficulties growing our business without significant new investment in personnel and infrastructure from our Advisor.
If our business grows substantially, our Advisor may need to make significant new investments in personnel and infrastructure to support that growth. In addition, service providers to whom our Advisor may delegate certain functions may also be strained by our growth. Our Advisor may be unable to make significant investments on a timely basis or at reasonable costs and its failure in this regard could disrupt our business and operations. Furthermore, during periods of economic retraction, our Advisor or its affiliates may be incented to reduce their personnel and costs, which could have an adverse effect on us.
Risks Related to Our Investments
Our debt, select equity and securities investments are subject to the risks typically associated with CRE.
Our CRE debt, select equity and securities investments are subject to the risks typically associated with real estate, including:
local, state, national or international economic conditions, including market disruptions caused by regional concerns, political upheaval, the sovereign debt crisis and other factors;
real estate conditions, such as an oversupply of or a reduction in demand for real estate space in an area;
lack of liquidity inherent in the nature of the assets;
tenant/operator mix and the success of the tenant/operator business;
the ability and willingness of tenants/operators/managers to maintain the financial strength and liquidity to satisfy their obligations to us and to third parties;
reliance on tenants/operators/managers to operate their business in a sufficient manner and in compliance with their contractual arrangements with us;
ability and cost to replace a tenant/operator/manager upon default;
property management decisions;
property location and conditions;
property operating costs, including insurance premiums, real estate taxes and maintenance costs;
the perceptions of the quality, convenience, attractiveness and safety of the properties;
branding, marketing and operational strategies;
competition from comparable properties;
the occupancy rate of, and the rental rates charged at, the properties;
the ability to collect on a timely basis all rent;
the effects of any bankruptcies or insolvencies;
the expense of leasing, renovation or construction;
changes in interest rates and in the availability, cost and terms of mortgage financing;

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unknown liens being placed on the properties;
bad acts of third parties;
the ability to refinance mortgage notes payable related to the real estate on favorable terms, if at all;
changes in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies;
tax implications;
changes in laws, including laws that increase operating expenses or limit rents that may be charged;
the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws, including costs of remediation and liabilities associated with environmental conditions affecting properties;
cost of compliance with the ADA;
adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies;
social unrest and civil disturbances;
acts of nature, including earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters;
terrorism;
the potential for uninsured or underinsured property losses;
adverse changes in state and local laws, including zoning laws; and
other factors which are beyond our control.
The value of each property is affected significantly by its ability to generate cash flow and net income, which in turn depends on the amount of rental or other income that can be generated net of expenses required to be incurred with respect to the property. Many expenses associated with properties (such as operating expenses and capital expenses) cannot be reduced when there is a reduction in income from the properties.
These factors may have a material adverse effect on the value and the return that we can realize from our assets, as well as the ability of our borrowers to pay their loans and the ability of the borrowers on the underlying loans securing our securities to pay their loans.
A prolonged economic slowdown, a lengthy or severe recession or declining real estate values could harm our investments.
Many of our investments may be susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions, which could lead to financial losses and a decrease in revenues, earnings and assets. An economic slowdown or recession, in addition to other non-economic factors such as an excess supply of properties, could have a material negative impact on the values of our investments. Declining real estate values will likely reduce our level of new loan originations, since borrowers often use increases in the value of their existing properties to support the purchase or investment in additional properties. Borrowers may also be less likely to achieve their business plans and be able to pay principal and interest on our CRE debt investments if the economy weakens and property values decline. Further, declining real estate values significantly increase the likelihood that we will incur losses on our investments in the event of a default because the value of our collateral may be insufficient to cover our cost. In addition, declining real estate values will reduce the value of any of our properties, as well as ability to refinance properties and use the value of existing properties to support the purchase or investment in additional properties. Slower than expected economic growth pressured by a strained labor market, along with overall financial uncertainty, could result in lower occupancy rates and lower lease rates across many property types and may create obstacles for us to achieve our business plans. We may also be less able to pay principal and interest on our borrowings, which could cause us to lose title to properties securing our borrowings. Any sustained period of increased payment delinquencies, taking title to collateral or losses could adversely affect both our CRE investments as well as our ability to originate, sell and securitize loans, which would significantly harm our revenues, results of operations, financial condition, business prospects and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
We are subject to significant competition and we may not be able to compete successfully for investments.
We are subject to significant competition for attractive investment opportunities from other real estate investors, some of which have greater financial resources than us, including publicly-traded REITs, non-traded REITs, insurance companies, commercial and investment banking firms, private institutional funds, hedge funds, private equity funds and other investors. We have observed increased competition in 2014 and 2015 and expect that to continue into 2016. We may not be able to compete successfully for

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investments. In addition, the number of entities and the amount of funds competing for suitable investments may increase. If we pay higher prices for investments or originate loans on less advantageous terms to us, our returns may be lower and the value of our assets may not increase or may decrease significantly below the amount we paid for such assets. As we reinvest capital, we may not realize risk adjusted returns that are as attractive as those we have realized in the past. If such events occur, we may experience lower returns on our investments.
We have no established investment criteria limiting the geographic or industry concentration or investment type of our investments. If our investments are concentrated in a particular region or asset class that experiences adverse economic conditions, our investments may lose value and we may experience losses.
Certain of our investments may be secured by a single property or properties in one geographic location or asset class. Additionally, properties that we may acquire may be concentrated in a geographic location or in a particular asset class. These investments carry the risks associated with significant geographical or industry concentration. We have not established and do not plan to establish any investment criteria to limit our exposure to these risks for future investments. As a result, our properties and/or properties underlying our investments may be overly concentrated in certain geographic areas or industries or asset classes and we may experience losses as a result. A worsening of economic conditions, a natural disaster or civil disruptions in a geographic area in which our investments may be concentrated or economic upheaval with respect to a particular asset class could have an adverse effect on our business, including reducing the demand for new financings, limiting the ability of borrowers to pay financed amounts and impairing the value of our collateral or the properties we may acquire, which may in turn limit our ability to make required payments under our financings or refinance such borrowings.
We have no established investment criteria limiting the size of each investment we make in CRE debt, select equity and securities investments. If we have an investment that represents a material percentage of our assets and that investment experiences a loss, the value of stockholders’ investment in us could be significantly diminished.
We are not limited in the size of any single investment we may make and certain of our CRE debt, select equity and securities investments may represent a significant percentage of our assets. Any such investment may carry the risk associated with a significant asset concentration. Should we experience a loss on a portion or all of an investment that represents a significant percentage of our assets, this event would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition, which would result in the value of stockholders’ investment in us being diminished.
We may not be effective in originating and managing our investments.
We, through our Advisor, originate and generally manage our investments. Our origination capabilities depend on our ability to leverage our relationships in the market and deploy capital to borrowers and tenants that hold properties meeting our underwriting standards. Managing these investments requires significant resources, adherence to internal policies and attention to detail. Managing investments may also require significant judgment and, despite our expectations, we may make decisions that result in losses. If we are unable to successfully originate investments on favorable terms, or at all, and if we are ineffective in managing those investments, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
The CRE debt we originate and invest in and mortgage loans underlying the CRE securities we invest in are subject to risks of delinquency, taking title to collateral, loss and bankruptcy of the borrower under the loan. If the borrower defaults, it may result in losses to us.
Our CRE debt investments are secured by commercial real estate and are subject to risks of delinquency, loss, taking title to collateral and bankruptcy of the borrower. The ability of a borrower to repay a loan secured by commercial real estate is typically dependent primarily upon the successful operation of such property rather than upon the existence of independent income or assets of the borrower. If the net operating income of the property is reduced or is not increased, depending on the borrower’s business plan, the borrower’s ability to repay the loan may be impaired. If a borrower defaults or declares bankruptcy and the underlying asset value is less than the loan amount, we will suffer a loss. In this manner, real estate values could impact the value of our CRE debt and securities investments. Therefore, our CRE debt and securities will be subject to the risks typically associated with real estate.
Additionally, we may suffer losses for a number of reasons, including the following, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance:
If the value of real property or other assets securing our CRE debt deteriorates. The majority of our CRE debt investments are fully or substantially non-recourse. In the event of a default by a borrower on a non-recourse loan, we will only have recourse to the real estate-related assets (including escrowed funds and reserves, if any) collateralizing the debt. There can be no assurance that the value of the assets securing our CRE debt investments will not deteriorate over time due to factors beyond our control, as was the case during the credit crisis and as a result of the recent economic recession. Further, we may not know whether the value of these properties has declined below levels existing on the dates of

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origination. If the value of the properties drop, our risk will increase because of the lower value of the collateral and reduction in borrower equity associated with the related CRE debt. If a borrower defaults on our CRE debt and the mortgaged real estate or other borrower assets collateralizing our CRE debt are insufficient to satisfy the loan, we may suffer a loss of principal or interest.
If a borrower or guarantor defaults on recourse obligations under a CRE debt investment. We sometimes obtain personal or corporate guarantees from borrowers or their affiliates. These guarantees are often triggered only upon the occurrence of certain trigger, or “bad boy,” events. In cases where guarantees are not fully or partially secured, we will typically rely on financial covenants from borrowers and guarantors which are designed to require the borrower or guarantor to maintain certain levels of creditworthiness. As a result of challenging economic and market conditions, many borrowers and guarantors faced, and continue to face, financial difficulties and were unable, and may continue to be unable, to comply with their financial covenants. If the economy does not strengthen, our borrowers could experience additional financial stress. Where we do not have recourse to specific collateral pledged to satisfy such guarantees or recourse loans, we will only have recourse as an unsecured creditor to the general assets of the borrower or guarantor, some or all of which may be pledged to satisfy other lenders. There can be no assurance that a borrower or guarantor will comply with its financial covenants or that sufficient assets will be available to pay amounts owed to us under our CRE debt and related guarantees.
Our due diligence may not reveal all of a borrower’s liabilities and may not reveal other weaknesses in its business. Before making a loan to a borrower, we assess the strength and skills of an entity’s management and other factors that we believe are material to the performance of the investment. This underwriting process is particularly important and subjective with respect to newly-organized entities because there may be little or no information publicly available about the entities. In making the assessment and otherwise conducting customary due diligence, we rely on the resources available to us and, in some cases, an investigation by third parties. There can be no assurance that our due diligence processes will uncover all relevant facts or that any investment will be successful. Furthermore, historic performance evaluated in connection with our underwriting process may not be indicative of future performance.
Delays in liquidating defaulted CRE debt investments could reduce our investment returns. The occurrence of a default on a CRE debt investment could result in our taking title to collateral. However, we may not be able to take title to and sell the collateral securing the loan quickly. Taking title to collateral can be an expensive and lengthy process that could have a negative effect on the return on our investment. Borrowers often resist when lenders, such as us, seek to take title to collateral by asserting numerous claims, counterclaims and defenses, including but not limited to lender liability claims, in an effort to prolong the foreclosure action. In some states, taking title to collateral can take several years or more to resolve. At any time during a foreclosure proceeding, for instance, the borrower may file for bankruptcy, which would have the effect of staying the foreclosure action and further delaying the foreclosure process. The resulting time delay could reduce the value of our investment in the defaulted loans. Furthermore, an action to take title to collateral securing a loan is regulated by state statutes and regulations and is subject to the delays and expenses associated with lawsuits if the borrower raises defenses, counterclaims or files for bankruptcy. In the event of default by a borrower, these restrictions, among other things, may impede our ability to take title to and sell the collateral securing the loan or to obtain proceeds sufficient to repay all amounts due to us on the loan. In addition, we may be forced to operate any collateral for which we take title for a substantial period of time, which could be a distraction for our management team and may require us to pay significant costs associated with such collateral. We may not recover any of our investment even if we take title to collateral.
We may make certain CRE debt and securities investments that involve high risks.
We may make investments in certain assets that involve greater risks, such as transitional assets, non-performing assets and construction or development assets. These types of investments may involve greater risks than investments in stabilized, performing assets and make our future performance more difficult to predict. For example:
Transitional properties are often associated with floating-rate loans and increases in a borrower’s monthly payment as a result of an increase in prevailing market interest rates may make it more difficult for the borrowers with floating-rate loans to repay the loan and could increase the risk of default of their obligations under the loan.
Non-performing real estate assets are challenging to evaluate as they do not have a consistent stream of cash flow to support normalized debt service, lack stabilized occupancy rates and may require significant capital for repositioning. Further, strategies available to create value in a non-performing real estate investment, including development, redevelopment or lease-up of a property or negotiating a reduced payoff, may not be successful.

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Construction loans have the potential for cost overruns, the developer’s failing to meet a project delivery schedule, market downturns and the inability of a developer to sell or refinance the project at completion in accordance with its business plan and repay our CRE debt.
In addition, we may invest in subordinate, unrated or distressed mortgage loans or unrated or non-investment grade CRE securities, which typically result from increased leverage, lack of strong operating history, borrowers’ credit history, underlying cash flow from the properties and other factors. As a result, these investments typically have higher risk of default and loss, particularly during economic downturns.
We may be subject to risks associated with future advance or capital expenditure obligations, such as declining real estate values and operating performance.
Our CRE debt investments may require us to advance future funds. We may also need to fund capital expenditures and other significant expenses for our real estate property investments. Future funding obligations subject us to significant risks, such as a decline in value of the property, cost overruns and the borrower and tenant may be unable to generate enough cash flow and execute its business plan, or sell or refinance the property, in order to repay its obligations to us. We could determine that we need to fund more money than we originally anticipated in order to maximize the value of our investment even though there is no assurance additional funding would be the best course of action. Further, future funding obligations may require us to maintain higher liquidity than we might otherwise maintain and this could reduce the overall return on our investments. We could also find ourselves in a position with insufficient liquidity to fund future obligations.
We may be unable to restructure our investments in a manner that we believe maximizes value, particularly if we are one of multiple creditors in a large capital structure.
In order to maximize value, we may be more likely to extend and work out an investment rather than pursue other remedies such as taking title to collateral. However, in situations where there are multiple creditors in large capital structures, it can be particularly difficult to assess the most likely course of action that a lender group or the borrower may take and it may also be difficult to achieve consensus among the lender group as to major decisions. Consequently, there could be a wide range of potential principal recovery outcomes, the timing of which can be unpredictable, based on the strategy pursued by a lender group or other applicable parties. These multiple creditor situations tend to be associated with larger loans. If we are one of a group of lenders, we may not independently control the decision making. Consequently, we may be unable to restructure an investment in a manner that we believe would maximize value.
CRE debt restructurings may reduce our net interest income.
While the U.S. economy is stronger today, a return to weak economic conditions in the future may cause our borrowers to be at increased risk of default and we, or a third party, may need to restructure loans if our borrowers are unable to meet their obligations to us and we believe restructuring is the best way to maximize value. In order to preserve long-term value, we may determine to lower the interest rate on loans in connection with a restructuring, which will have an adverse impact on our net interest income. We may also determine to extend the maturity and make other concessions with the goal of increasing overall value, however, there is no assurance that the results of our restructurings will be favorable to us. Restructuring an investment may ultimately result in us receiving less than had we not restructured the investment. We may lose some or all of our investment even if we restructure in an effort to increase value.
Our CRE debt and securities investments may be adversely affected by changes in credit spreads.
Our CRE debt we originate or acquire and securities investments we invest in are subject to changes in credit spreads. When credit spreads widen, the economic value of our investments decrease even if such investment is performing in accordance with its terms and the underlying collateral has not changed.
Provision for loan losses are difficult to estimate, particularly in a challenging economic environment.
In a challenging economic environment, we may experience an increase in provisions for loan losses and asset impairment charges, as borrowers may be unable to remain current in payments on loans and declining property values weaken our collateral. Our determination of provision for loan losses requires us to make certain estimates and judgments, which may be difficult to determine, particularly in a challenging economic environment. Our estimates and judgments are based on a number of factors, including projected cash flow from the collateral securing our CRE debt, structure, including the availability of reserves and recourse guarantees, likelihood of repayment in full at the maturity of a loan, potential for refinancing and expected market discount rates for varying property types, all of which remain uncertain and are subjective. Our estimates and judgments may not be correct, particularly during challenging economic environments, and therefore our results of operations and financial condition could be severely impacted.

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Both our borrowers’ and tenants’ forms of entities may cause special risks or hinder our recovery.
Most of the borrowers for our CRE debt investments and our tenants in the real estate that we own, as well as borrowers underlying our CRE securities, are legal entities rather than individuals. The obligations these entities will owe us are typically non-recourse so we can only look to our collateral, and at times, the assets of the entity may not be sufficient to recover our investment. As a result, our risk of loss may be greater than for leases with or originators of loans made to individuals. Unlike individuals involved in bankruptcies, these legal entities will generally not have personal assets and creditworthiness at stake. As a result, the default or bankruptcy of one of our borrowers or tenants, or a general partner or managing member of that borrower or tenant may impair our ability to enforce our rights and remedies under the related mortgage or the terms of the lease agreement, respectively.
The subordinate CRE debt we originate and invest in may be subject to risks relating to the structure and terms of the related transactions, as well as subordination in bankruptcy, and there may not be sufficient funds or assets remaining to satisfy our investments, which may result in losses to us.
We originate, structure and acquire subordinate CRE debt investments secured primarily by commercial properties, which may include subordinate mortgage loans, mezzanine loans and participations in such loans and preferred equity interests in borrowers who own such properties. We have not placed any limits on the percentage of our portfolio that may be comprised of these types of investments, which may involve a higher degree of risk than the type of assets that we expect will constitute the majority of our debt investments, namely first mortgage loans secured by real property. These investments may be subordinate to other debt on commercial property and are secured by subordinate rights to the commercial property or by equity interests in the borrower. In addition, real properties with subordinate debt may have higher loan-to-value ratios than conventional debt, resulting in less equity in the real property and increasing the risk of loss of principal and interest. If a borrower defaults or declares bankruptcy, after senior obligations are met, there may not be sufficient funds or assets remaining to satisfy our subordinate interests. Because each transaction is privately negotiated, subordinate investments can vary in their structural characteristics and lender rights. Our rights to control the default or bankruptcy process following a default will vary from transaction to transaction. The subordinate investments that we originate and invest in may not give us the right to demand taking title to collateral as a subordinate real estate debt holder. Furthermore, the presence of intercreditor agreements may limit our ability to amend our loan documents, assign our loans, accept prepayments, exercise our remedies and control decisions made in bankruptcy proceedings relating to borrowers. Similarly, a majority of the participating lenders may be able to take actions to which we object, but by which we will be bound. Even if we have control, we may be unable to prevent a default or bankruptcy and we could suffer substantial losses. Certain transactions that we originate and invest in could be particularly difficult, time consuming and costly to work out because of their complicated structure and the diverging interests of all the various classes of debt in the capital structure of a given asset.
We may make investments in assets with lower credit quality, which will increase our risk of losses.
We may invest in unrated or non-investment grade CRE securities, enter into leases with unrated tenants or participate in subordinate, unrated or distressed mortgage loans. The non-investment grade ratings for these assets typically result from the overall leverage of the loans, the lack of a strong operating history for the properties underlying the loans or securities, the borrowers’ credit history, the properties’ underlying cash flow or other factors. Because the ability of obligors of properties and mortgages, including mortgage loans underlying CMBS, to make rent or principal and interest payments may be impaired during an economic downturn, prices of lower credit quality investments and CRE securities may decline. As a result, these investments may have a higher risk of default and loss than investment grade rated assets. The existing credit support in the securitization structure may be insufficient to protect us against loss of our principal on these investments. Any loss we incur may be significant and may reduce distributions to stockholders and may adversely affect the value of our common stock.
Investments in non-performing real estate assets involve greater risks than investments in stabilized, performing assets and make our future performance more difficult to predict.
We may make investments in non-performing real estate assets in which the operating cash flow generated from the underlying property is insufficient to support current debt service payments. Traditional performance metrics of real estate assets are generally not as reliable for non-performing real estate assets as they are for performing real estate assets. Non-performing properties, for instance, do not have stabilized occupancy rates and may require significant capital for repositioning. Similarly, non-performing loans do not have a consistent stream of cash flow to support normalized debt service. In addition, for non-performing loans, often there is greater uncertainty as to the amount or timeliness of principal repayment. Borrowers will typically try to create value in a non-performing real estate investment, including by development, redevelopment or lease-up of a property. However, none of these strategies may be effective and the subject properties may never generate sufficient cash flow to support debt service payments. If this occurs, we may negotiate a reduced payoff, restructure the terms of the loan or enforce rights as lender and take title to collateral securing the loan with respect to CRE debt investments. It is challenging to evaluate non-performing investments, which increases the risks associated with such investments. We may suffer significant losses with respect to these investments which would negatively impact our operating performance and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.

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Floating-rate CRE debt, which is often associated with transitional assets, may entail greater risks of default to us than fixed-rate CRE debt.
Floating-rate loans are often, but not always, associated with transitional properties as opposed to those with highly stabilized cash flow. Floating-rate CRE debt may have higher delinquency rates than fixed-rate loans. Borrowers with floating-rate loans may be exposed to increased monthly payments if the related interest rate adjusts upward from the initial fixed rate in effect during the initial period of the loan to the rate calculated in accordance with the applicable index and margin. Increases in a borrower’s monthly payment as a result of an increase in prevailing market interest rates may make it more difficult for the borrowers with floating-rate loans to repay the loan and could increase the risk of default of their obligations under the loan.
We may be subject to risks associated with construction lending, such as declining real estate values, cost overruns and delays in completion.
Our CRE debt investments may include loans made to developers to construct prospective projects, which may include ground-up construction or repositioning an existing asset. The primary risks to us of construction loans are the potential for cost overruns, the developer’s failing to meet a project delivery schedule, market downturns and the inability of a developer to sell or refinance the project at completion in accordance with its business plan and repay our CRE debt. These risks could cause us to have to fund more money than we originally anticipated in order to complete the project.
Insurance may not cover all potential losses on CRE investments, which may impair the value of our assets.
We generally require that each of the borrowers under our CRE debt investments obtain comprehensive insurance covering the collateral, including liability, fire and extended coverage. We also generally obtain insurance directly on any property we acquire. However, there are certain types of losses, generally of a catastrophic nature, such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes that may be uninsurable or not economically insurable. We may not obtain, or require borrowers to obtain, certain types of insurance if it is deemed commercially unreasonable. Inflation, changes in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations and other factors also might make it infeasible to use insurance proceeds to replace a property if it is damaged or destroyed. Further, it is possible that our borrowers could breach their obligations to us and not maintain sufficient insurance coverage. Under such circumstances, the insurance proceeds, if any, might not be adequate to restore the economic value of the property, which might decrease the value of the property and in turn impair our investment.
We may obtain only limited warranties when we purchase a property, which will increase the risk that we may lose some or all of our invested capital in the property or rental income from the property which, in turn, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results from operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
The seller of a property often sells such property in an “as is” condition on a “where is” basis and “with all faults,” without any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular use or purpose. In addition, the related real estate purchase and sale agreements may contain only limited warranties, representations and indemnifications that will only survive for a limited period after the closing. Despite our efforts, we may fail to uncover all material risks during our diligence process. The purchase of properties with limited warranties increases the risk that we may lose some or all of our invested capital in the property, as well as the loss of rental income from that property if an issue should arise that decreases the value of that property and is not covered by the limited warranties. If any of these results occur, it may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
We depend on borrowers and tenants for a substantial portion of our revenue and, accordingly, our revenue and our ability to make distributions to stockholders will be dependent upon the success and economic viability of such borrowers and tenants.
The success of our origination or acquisition of investments significantly depends on the financial stability of the borrowers and tenants underlying such investments. The inability of a single major borrower or tenant, or a number of smaller borrowers or tenants, to meet their payment obligations could result in reduced revenue or losses.
If we overestimate the value or income-producing ability or incorrectly price the risks of our investments, we may experience losses.
Analysis of the value or income-producing ability of a commercial property is highly subjective and may be subject to error. We value our potential investments based on yields and risks, taking into account estimated future losses on the CRE loans and the properties included in the securitization’s pools or select CRE equity investments and the estimated impact of these losses on expected future cash flow and returns. In the event that we underestimate the risks relative to the price we pay for a particular investment, we may experience losses with respect to such investment.

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Lease defaults, terminations or landlord-tenant disputes may reduce our income from our real estate investments.
The creditworthiness of tenants in our real estate investments has been, or could become, negatively impacted as a result of challenging economic conditions or otherwise, which could result in their inability to meet the terms of their leases. Lease defaults or terminations by one or more tenants may reduce our revenues unless a default is cured or a suitable replacement tenant is found promptly. In addition, disputes may arise between the landlord and tenant that result in the tenant withholding rent payments, possibly for an extended period. These disputes may lead to litigation or other legal procedures to secure payment of the rent withheld or to evict the tenant. Upon a lease default, we may have limited remedies, be unable to accelerate lease payments and have limited or no recourse against a guarantor. Tenants as well as guarantors may have limited or no ability to satisfy any judgments we may obtain. We may also have duties to mitigate our losses and we may not be successful in that regard. Any of these situations may result in extended periods during which there is a significant decline in revenues or no revenues generated by a property. If this occurred, it could adversely affect our results of operations.
A significant portion of our leases may expire in the same year.
A significant portion of the leases for our real estate investments may expire in the same year. For certain of our properties, such as multifamily and student housing, leases are short term in nature and therefore subject to heightened lease turnover risk. As a result, we could be subject to a sudden and material change in value of our real estate investments and available cash flow from such investments in the event that these leases are not renewed or in the event that we are not able to extend or refinance the mortgage notes payable on the properties that are subject to these leases.
We may not be able to relet or renew leases at the properties underlying CRE debt investments or the properties held by us on favorable terms, or at all.
Our investments in real estate will be pressured if economic conditions and rental markets continue to be challenging. For instance, upon expiration or early termination of leases for space located at our properties, the space may not be relet or, if relet, the terms of the renewal or reletting (including the cost of required renovations or concessions to tenants) may be less favorable than current lease terms. We may be receiving above market rental rates which will decrease upon renewal, which will adversely impact our income and could harm our ability to service our debt and operate successfully. Weak economic conditions would likely reduce tenants’ ability to make rent payments in accordance with the contractual terms of their leases and lead to early termination of leases. Furthermore, commercial space needs may contract, resulting in lower lease renewal rates and longer releasing periods when leases are not renewed. Any of these situations may result in extended periods where there is a significant decline in revenues or no revenues generated by a property. Additionally, to the extent that market rental rates are reduced, property-level cash flow would likely be negatively affected as existing leases renew at lower rates. If we are unable to relet or renew leases for all or substantially all of the space at these properties, if the rental rates upon such renewal or reletting are significantly lower than expected, or if our reserves for these purposes prove inadequate, we will experience a reduction in net income and may be required to reduce or eliminate cash distributions to stockholders.
The bankruptcy, insolvency or financial deterioration of any of our tenants could significantly delay our ability to collect unpaid rents or require us to find new tenants.
Our financial position and our ability to make distributions to stockholders may be adversely affected by financial difficulties experienced by any of our major tenants, including bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn in the business, or in the event any of our major tenants do not renew or extend their relationship with us as their lease terms expire.
We are exposed to the risk that our tenants may not be able to meet their obligations to us or other third parties, which may result in their bankruptcy or insolvency. Although our leases and loans permit us to evict a tenant, demand immediate repayment and pursue other remedies, bankruptcy laws afford certain rights to a party that has filed for bankruptcy or reorganization. A tenant in bankruptcy may be able to restrict our ability to collect unpaid rents or interest during the bankruptcy proceeding. Furthermore, dealing with a tenants’ bankruptcy or other default may divert management’s attention and cause us to incur substantial legal and other costs.
Bankruptcy laws provide that a debtor has the option to assume or reject an unexpired lease within a certain period of time of filing for bankruptcy, but generally requires such assumption or rejection to be made in its entirety. Thus, a debtor cannot choose to keep the beneficial provisions of a contract while rejecting the burdensome ones; the contract must be assumed or rejected as a whole. However, where under applicable law a contract (even though it is contained in a single document) is determined to be divisible or severable into different agreements, or similarly, where a collection of documents is determined to constitute separate agreements instead of a single, integrated contract, then in those circumstances a debtor/trustee may be allowed to assume some of the divisible or separate agreements while rejecting the others. If the debtor has the ability, and chooses, to assume some of the divisible agreement while rejecting the other divisible agreements, or if a non-debtor tenant is unable to comply with the terms of an agreement, we may be forced to modify the agreements in ways that are unfavorable to us.

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Because real estate investments are relatively illiquid, we may not be able to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions, which may result in losses to us.
Many of our investments are illiquid. A variety of factors could make it difficult for us to dispose of any of our assets on acceptable terms even if a disposition is in the best interests of stockholders. We cannot predict whether we will be able to sell any property for the price or on the terms set by us or whether any price or other terms offered by a prospective purchaser would be acceptable to us. We also cannot predict the length of time needed to find a willing purchaser and to close the sale of a property. Certain properties may also be subject to transfer restrictions that materially restrict us from selling that property for a period of time or impose other restrictions, such as a limitation on the amount of financing that can be placed or repaid on that property. We may be required to expend cash to correct defects or to make improvements before a property can be sold, and we cannot assure that we will have cash available to correct those defects or to make those improvements. The Internal Revenue Code also places limits on our ability to sell certain properties held for fewer than two years.
Borrowers under certain of our CRE debt investments may give their tenants or other persons similar rights with respect to the collateral. Similarly, we may also determine to give our tenants a right of first refusal or similar options. Such rights could negatively affect the residual value or marketability of the property and impede our ability to sell the collateral or the property.
As a result, our ability to sell investments in response to changes in economic and other conditions could be limited. To the extent we are unable to sell any property for its book value or at all, we may be required to take a non-cash impairment charge or loss on the sale, either of which would reduce our earnings. Limitations on our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our investments may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
To the extent capital improvements are not undertaken, the ability of our tenants to manage our properties effectively and on favorable terms may be affected, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial conditions and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
To the extent capital improvements are not undertaken or are deferred, occupancy rates and the amount of rental and reimbursement income generated by the property may decline, which would negatively impact the overall value of the affected property. We may be forced to incur unexpected significant expense to maintain properties that are net leased. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
Environmental compliance costs and liabilities associated with our properties or our real estate-related investments may materially impair the value of our investments and expose us to liability.
Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner of real property, such as us and our tenants, may be liable in certain circumstances for the costs of investigation, removal or remediation of, or related releases of, certain hazardous or toxic substances, including materials containing asbestos, at, under or disposed of in connection with such property, as well as certain other potential costs relating to hazardous or toxic substances, including government fines and damages for injuries to persons and adjacent property. In addition, some environmental laws create a lien on the contaminated site in favor of the government for damages and the costs it incurs in connection with the contamination. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence or disposal of such substances and liability may be imposed on the owner in connection with the activities of a tenant at the property. The presence of contamination or the failure to remediate contamination may adversely affect our or our tenants’ ability to sell or lease real estate, or to borrow using the real estate as collateral, which, in turn, could reduce our revenues. We, or our tenants, as owner of a site, including if we take ownership through foreclosure, may be liable under common law or otherwise to third parties for damages and injuries resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the site. The cost of any required investigation, remediation, removal, fines or personal or property damages and our or our tenants’ liability could significantly exceed the value of the property without any limits.
The scope of the indemnification our tenants have agreed to provide us may be limited. For instance, some of our agreements with our tenants do not require them to indemnify us for environmental liabilities arising before the tenant took possession of the premises. Further, we cannot assure stockholders that any such tenant would be able to fulfill its indemnification obligations. If we were deemed liable for any such environmental liabilities and were unable to seek recovery against our tenant, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
Furthermore, we may invest in real estate, or mortgage loans secured by real estate, with environmental problems that materially impair the value of the real estate. Even as a lender, if we take title to collateral with environmental problems or if other circumstances arise, we could be subject to environmental liability. There are substantial risks associated with such an investment.

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Our joint venture partners could take actions that decrease the value of an investment to us and lower our overall return.
We currently have, and may in the future enter into, joint ventures with third parties, affiliates of our Advisor and other NSAM Managed Companies to make investments. We may also make investments in partnerships or other co-ownership arrangements or participations. Such investments may involve risks not otherwise present with other methods of investment, including, for instance, the following risks:
our joint venture partner in an investment could become insolvent or bankrupt;
fraud or other misconduct by our joint venture partners;
we may share decision-making authority with our joint venture partner regarding certain major decisions affecting the ownership of the joint venture and the joint venture property, such as the sale of the property or the making of additional capital contributions for the benefit of the property, which may prevent us from taking actions that are opposed by our joint venture partner;
such joint venture partner may at any time have economic or business interests or goals that are or that become in conflict with our business interests or goals, including for example the operation of the properties;
such joint venture partner may be in a position to take action contrary to our instructions or requests or contrary to our policies or objectives;
our joint venture partners may be structured differently than us for tax purposes and this could create conflicts of interest and risk to our REIT status;
we may rely upon our joint venture partners to manage the day-to-day operations of the joint venture and underlying assets, as well as to prepare financial information for the joint venture and any failure to perform these obligations may have a negative impact our performance and results of operations;
our joint venture partner may experience a change of control, which could result in new management of our joint venture partner with less experience or conflicting interests to ours and be disruptive to our business;
the terms of our joint ventures could restrict our ability to sell or transfer our interest to a third party when we desire on advantageous terms, which could result in reduced liquidity;
our joint venture partners may not have sufficient personnel or appropriate levels of expertise to adequately support our initiatives; and
to the extent we partner with other NSAM Managed Companies, our Sponsor may have conflicts of interest that may not be resolved in our favor.
Any of the above might subject us to liabilities and thus reduce our returns on our investment with that joint venture partner. In addition, disagreements or disputes between us and our joint venture partner could result in litigation, which could increase our expenses and potentially limit the time and effort our officers and directors are able to devote to our business.
Further, in some instances, we and/or our partner may have the right to trigger a buy-sell arrangement, which could cause us to sell our interest, or acquire our partner’s interest, at a time when we otherwise would not have initiated such a transaction. Our ability to acquire our partner’s interest may be limited if we do not have sufficient cash, available borrowing capacity or other capital resources. In such event, we may be forced to sell our interest in the joint venture when we would otherwise prefer to retain it.
We have in the past and expect to continue to make opportunistic investments that may involve asset classes and structures with which we have less familiarity, thereby increasing our risk of loss.
We have in the past and may continue to make opportunistic investments that may involve asset classes and structures with which we have less familiarity. When investing in asset classes with which we have limited or no prior experience, we may not be successful in our diligence and underwriting efforts. We may also be unsuccessful in preserving value, especially if conditions deteriorate, and we may expose ourselves to unknown substantial risks. Furthermore, these assets could require additional management time and attention relative to assets with which we are more familiar. All of these factors increase our risk of loss.
We have significant investments in joint ventures owning real estate private equity funds and there is no assurance these investments will achieve the returns expected upon initial execution of the respective investments.
As of December 31, 2015, $150.9 million of our assets were invested in PE Investments. In February 2016, we acquired an additional 14% of PE Investment II from NorthStar Realty for $26.5 million based on a NAV of $660.6 million as of September

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30, 2015, adjusted for distributions and contributions. With this add-on investment, we will be responsible for 29% of the Deferred Amount, or $100.8 million. The purchase was approved by our board of directors, including a majority of our independent directors, on the same terms and conditions negotiated by another existing and purchasing co-investor in the transaction. The success of our PE Investments in general is subject to a variety of risks, including, without limitation, risks related to: (i) the quality of the management of the portfolio funds in which we invest and the ability of such management to successfully select investment opportunities; (ii) general economic conditions; and (iii) the ability of the portfolio funds and, if applicable, us, to liquidate investments on favorable terms or at all. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, but are not limited to, the possibility that: (a) the agreed upon NAV does not necessarily reflect the fair value of the fund interests on such date and the current fair value could be materially different; (b) the actual amount of future capital commitments underlying all of the fund interests that will be called and funded by us could vary materially from our expectations; and (c) because, among other matters, the sponsors of the private equity funds, rather than us, will control the investments in those funds, we could lose some or all of our investment. Furthermore, the timing in which we will realize proceeds, if any, from our PE Investments could differ materially from expectations and our actual yield could be substantially lower than our assumed yield. There can be no assurance that the management team of a portfolio fund or any successor will be able to operate the portfolio fund in accordance with our expectations or that we will be able to recover on our investments. In addition, investments in a real estate private equity fund generally will entail the payment of certain expenses, plus management fees and carried interest to the general partner or investment manager of the fund, which are in addition to the fees and expenses incurred directly by us. Such fees and expenses reduce our returns. Furthermore, our PE Investments are co-invested with NorthStar Realty, another company managed by an affiliate of our Advisor, which increases the likelihood that our Advisor could have conflicts of interest with that company.
Our acquisitions of PE Investments in Secondary Transactions (as defined below) are based on available information and assumptions.
We generally will acquire PE Investments from one or more sellers who is/are existing limited partners in the portfolio funds in one or more transactions on the secondary market, or Secondary Transactions. The overall performance of PE Investments acquired in a Secondary Transaction will depend largely on the acquisition price paid for such PE Investments, which may be negotiated based on incomplete or imperfect information, including valuations provided by the portfolio fund managers, which may be based on interim unaudited financial statements, research, market data or other information available to the manager. Such information may prove to be incomplete or imperfect, which could adversely affect the performance of the PE Investments. Additionally, in determining the acquisition price, we will be relying on certain assumptions with respect to the investments held by the portfolio funds, projected exit dates, future operating results, market conditions, the timing and manner of dispositions and other similar considerations. Actual realized returns on PE Investments will depend on various factors, including future operating results, market conditions at the time of disposition, legal and contractual restrictions on transfer that may limit liquidity, any related transaction costs, and the timing and manner of disposition, all of which may materially differ from the assumptions on which we relied in negotiating the acquisition price.
We may agree to a deferred component of the purchase price for the acquisition of a PE Investment, which increases our leverage and may create additional risks.
We may agree with a seller for all or a portion of the purchase price for a PE Investment acquired in a Secondary Transaction to be paid by over a period of time, or a Deferred Purchase Price Acquisition, which increases our leverage by the amount of the deferred payment obligation. In addition, the terms of any Deferred Purchase Price Acquisition may require us to pay all or a portion of cash flows received from the portfolio funds to the seller to reduce the unpaid purchase price. Therefore, there may be little or no near term cash flow available to us following the PE Investment.
PE Investments acquired in Secondary Transactions may include a pool of portfolio funds that are acquired on an “all or nothing” basis.
We may have the opportunity to acquire a portfolio of portfolio funds from a seller on an "all or nothing" basis. Certain of the portfolio funds in the portfolio may be less attractive (for commercial, tax, legal or other reasons) than others, and certain of the sponsors of such portfolio funds may be more familiar to us than others, or may be more experienced or highly regarded than others. In such cases, it may not be possible for us to carve out from such purchases those investments which we consider (for commercial, tax, legal or other reasons) less attractive. In addition, because the purchaser in a Secondary Transaction generally will step into the position of the seller, we generally will not have the ability to modify or amend a portfolio fund’s constituent documents (e.g. limited partnership agreement) or otherwise negotiate the legal or economic terms of the interests being acquired. Additionally, our acquisition of portfolio funds in a Secondary Transaction will generally be subject to the consent of each portfolio fund manager and may, in some cases, be subject to rights of first refusal or similar rights by existing portfolio fund investors. In the event a portfolio fund manager withholds its consent to a transfer to us or the investors in a portfolio fund exercise any rights of first refusal to acquire all or a portion of the interests to be transferred to us, it could adversely impact the performance of the PE Investment portfolio and us.

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PE Investments are short-lived assets and we may not be able to reinvest capital in comparable investments.
As of December 31, 2015, our PE Investments have a weighted average life of approximately 1.69 years based on our projections and assumptions. Because these PE Investments are short-lived, we may be unable to reinvest the distributions received from the portfolio funds in investments with similar returns, which could adversely impact our performance.
We invest in CRE securities, including CMBS and other subordinate securities, which entail certain heightened risks.
We invest in a variety of CRE securities, including CMBS and other subordinate securities, subject to the first risk of loss if any losses are realized on the underlying mortgage loans. CMBS entitle the holders thereof to receive payments that depend primarily on the cash flow from a specified pool of commercial or multifamily mortgage loans. Consequently, CMBS and other CRE securities will be adversely affected by payment defaults, delinquencies and losses on the underlying mortgage loans, which increase during times of economic stress and uncertainty. Furthermore, if the rental and leasing markets deteriorate, including by decreasing occupancy rates and decreasing market rental rates, it could reduce cash flow from the mortgage loan pools underlying our CMBS investments. The market for CRE securities is dependent upon liquidity for refinancing and may be negatively impacted by a slowdown in new issuance.
Additionally, CRE securities such as CMBS may be subject to particular risks, including lack of standardized terms and payment of all or substantially all of the principal only at maturity rather than regular amortization of principal. The value of CRE securities may change due to shifts in the market’s perception of issuers and regulatory or tax changes adversely affecting the CRE debt market as a whole. Additional risks may be presented by the type and use of a particular commercial property, as well as the general risks relating to the net operating income from and value of any commercial property. The exercise of remedies and successful realization of liquidation proceeds relating to CRE securities may be highly dependent upon the performance of the servicer or special servicer. Expenses of enforcing the underlying mortgage loan (including litigation expenses) and expenses of protecting the properties securing the loan may be substantial. Consequently, in the event of a default or loss on one or more loans contained in a securitization, we may not recover a portion or all of our investment. Ratings for CRE securities can also adversely affect their value.
We may change our targeted investments and investment guidelines without stockholder consent.
Our board of directors may change our targeted investments and investment guidelines at any time without the consent of stockholders, which could result in our making investments that are different from, and possibly riskier than, the investments described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. A change in our targeted investments or investment guidelines may increase our exposure to interest rate risk, default risk and real estate market fluctuations, all of which could adversely affect the value of our common stock and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
We may invest in CDO notes, which may involve significant risks.
We may invest in CDO notes which are multiple class securities secured by pools of assets, such as CMBS, mortgage loans, subordinate mortgage and mezzanine loans and REIT debt. Like typical securitization structures, in a CDO, the assets are pledged to a trustee for the benefit of the holders of the CDO bonds. Like CMBS, CDO notes are affected by payments, defaults, delinquencies and losses on the underlying loans or securities. CDOs often have reinvestment periods that typically last for five years during which proceeds from the sale of a collateral asset may be invested in substitute collateral. Upon termination of the reinvestment period, the static pool functions very similarly to a CMBS where repayment of principal allows for redemption of bonds sequentially. To the extent we may invest in the equity interest of a CDO, we will be entitled to all of the income generated by the CDO after the CDO pays all of the interest due on the senior securities and its expenses. However, there may be little or no income or principal available to the holders of CDO equity interests if defaults or losses on the underlying collateral exceed a certain amount. In that event, the value of our investment in any equity interest of a CDO could decrease substantially. In addition, the equity interests of CDOs are illiquid and often must be held by a REIT and because they represent a leveraged investment in the CDO’s assets, the value of the equity interests will generally have greater fluctuations than the value of the underlying collateral. Moreover, CDO notes generally do not qualify as real estate assets for purposes of the gross asset and income requirements that apply to REITs, which could adversely affect our ability to qualify for tax treatment as a REIT.
Some of our investments are carried at estimated fair value as determined by us and, as a result, there may be uncertainty as to the value of these investments.
Some of our investments are recorded at fair value but have limited liquidity or are not publicly traded. The fair value of these investments that have limited liquidity or are not publicly traded may not be readily determinable. We estimate the fair value of these investments on a quarterly basis. Because such valuations are inherently uncertain, may fluctuate over short periods of time and may be based on numerous estimates and assumptions, our determinations of fair value may differ materially from the values that would have been used if a readily available market for these securities existed. If our determination regarding the fair value

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of these investments are materially different than the values that we ultimately realize upon their disposal, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
The price we pay for acquisitions of real property and the terms of our debt investments will be based on our projections of market demand, occupancy and rental income, as well as on market factors, and our return on our investment may be lower than expected if any of our projections are inaccurate.
The price we pay for real property investments and the terms of our debt investments will be based on our projections of market demand, occupancy levels, rental income, the costs of any development, redevelopment or renovation of a property, borrower expertise and other factors. In addition, as the real estate market continues to strengthen with the improvement of the U.S. economy, we will face increased competition, which may drive up prices for real estate assets or make loan origination terms less favorable to us. If any of our projections are inaccurate or we ascribe a higher value to assets and their value subsequently drops or fails to rise because of market factors, returns on our investment may be lower than expected and could experience losses.
Risks Related to Our Financing Strategy
We may not be able to access financing sources on attractive terms, if at all, which could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan.
We require outside capital to fund and grow our business. Our business may be adversely affected by disruptions in the debt and equity capital markets and institutional lending market, including the lack of access to capital or prohibitively high costs of obtaining or replacing capital. A primary source of liquidity for us has been the debt and equity capital markets. Access to the capital markets and other sources of liquidity were severely disrupted during the recession that began in 2008. While there have been improvements from that recession, increasing concerns over diminished economic growth, inflation and worldwide economic conditions have recently resulted in a significant deterioration in the markets. If economic conditions do not improve or continue to worsen, we could suffer another severe downturn and another liquidity crisis could emerge. We cannot assure stockholders that financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all, or that we will be able to satisfy the conditions precedent required to use our credit facilities, which could reduce the number, or alter the type, of investments that we would make otherwise. This may reduce our income. To the extent that financing proves to be unavailable when needed, we may be compelled to modify our investment strategy to optimize the performance of our portfolio. If we cannot obtain sufficient debt and equity capital on acceptable terms, our ability to grow our business, operate and make distributions to stockholders could be severely impacted.
Our portfolio is highly leveraged, which may adversely affect our return on our investments and may reduce cash available for distribution.
We leverage our portfolio generally through the use of securitization financing transactions and our credit facilities. The type and percentage of financing varies depending on our ability to obtain credit and the lender’s estimate of the stability of the portfolio’s cash flow. High leverage can, particularly during difficult economic times, increase our risk of loss and harm our liquidity. Moreover, we may have to incur more recourse borrowings, including recourse borrowings that are subject to mark-to-market risk, in order to obtain financing for our business.
We may not successfully align the maturities of our liabilities with the maturities on our assets, which could harm our operating results and financial condition.
Our general financing strategy is focused on the use of “match-funded” structures. This means that we seek to align the maturities of our liabilities with the maturities on our assets in order to manage the risks of being forced to refinance our liabilities prior to the maturities of our assets. In addition, we plan to match interest rates on our assets with like-kind borrowings, so fixed-rate investments are financed with fixed-rate borrowings and floating-rate assets are financed with floating-rate borrowings, directly or indirectly through the use of interest rate swaps, caps and other financial instruments or through a combination of these strategies. We may fail to appropriately employ match-funded structures on favorable terms, or at all. We may also determine not to pursue a fully match-funded strategy with respect to a portion of our financings for a variety of reasons. If we fail to appropriately employ match-funded strategies or determine not to pursue such a strategy, our exposure to interest rate volatility and exposure to matching liabilities prior to the maturity of the corresponding asset may increase substantially, which could harm our operating results, liquidity and financial condition.
Our performance can be negatively affected by fluctuations in interest rates and shifts in the yield curve may cause losses.
Our financial performance is influenced by changes in interest rates, in particular, as such changes may affect our CRE securities, floating-rate borrowings and CRE debt to the extent such debt does not float as a result of floors or otherwise. Changes in interest rates, including changes in expected interest rates or “yield curves,” affect our business in a number of ways. Changes in the general level of interest rates can affect our net interest income, which is the difference between the interest income earned on our interest-earning assets and the interest expense incurred in connection with our interest-bearing borrowings and hedges. Changes

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in the level of interest rates also can affect, among other things, our ability to acquire CRE securities, acquire or originate CRE debt at attractive prices and enter into hedging transactions. Also, if market interest rates increase, the interest rate on any variable rate borrowings will increase and will create higher debt service requirements, which would adversely affect our cash flow and could adversely impact our results of operations. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control.
Interest rate changes may also impact our net book value as our CRE securities and hedge derivatives are recorded at fair value each quarter. Generally, as interest rates increase, the value of our fixed rate securities decreases, which will decrease the book value of our equity.
Furthermore, shifts in the U.S. Treasury yield curve reflecting an increase in interest rates would also affect the yield required on our CRE securities and therefore their value. For instance, increasing interest rates would reduce the value of the fixed rate assets we hold at the time because the higher yields required by increased interest rates result in lower market prices on existing fixed rate assets in order to adjust the yield upward to meet the market and vice versa. This would have similar effects on our CRE securities portfolio and our financial position and operations as a change in interest rates generally.
In a period of rising interest rates, our interest expense could increase while the interest we earn on our fixed-rate assets or LIBOR capped floating rate assets would not change, which would adversely affect our profitability.
Our operating results depend in large part on differences between the income from our assets less our operating costs, reduced by any financing costs and credit losses. Income from our assets may respond more slowly to interest rate fluctuations than the cost of our borrowings. Consequently, changes in interest rates, particularly short-term interest rates, may adversely influence our net income. Increases in these rates may decrease our net income. Interest rate fluctuations resulting in our interest expense exceeding the income from our assets would result in operating losses for us and may limit our ability to make distributions to stockholders. In addition, if we need to repay existing borrowings during periods of rising interest rates, we could be required to liquidate one or more of our investments at times that may not permit realization of the maximum return on those investments, which would adversely affect our profitability.
Hedging against interest rate and currency exposure may adversely affect our earnings, limit our gains or result in losses, which could adversely affect cash available for distribution to stockholders.
We may enter into swap, cap or floor agreements or pursue other interest rate or currency hedging strategies. Our hedging activity will vary in scope based on interest rate levels, currency exposure, the type of investments held and other changing market conditions. Interest rate and/or currency hedging may fail to protect or could adversely affect us because, among other things:
interest rate and/or currency hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of rising and volatile interest rates;
available interest rate and/or currency hedging may not correspond directly with the interest rate risk for which protection is sought;
the duration of the hedge may not match the duration of the related liability or asset;
our hedging opportunities may be limited by the treatment of income from hedging transactions under the rules determining REIT qualification;
the credit quality of the party owing money on the hedge may be downgraded to such an extent that it impairs our ability to sell or assign our side of the hedging transaction;
the counterparties with which we trade may cease making markets and quoting prices in such instruments, which may render us unable to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to an open position;
the party owing money in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay; and
we may purchase a hedge that turns out not to be necessary, i.e., a hedge that is out of the money.
Any hedging activity we engage in may adversely affect our earnings, which could adversely affect cash available for distribution to stockholders. Therefore, while we may enter into such transactions to seek to reduce interest rate and/or currency risks, unanticipated changes in interest rates or exchange rates may result in poorer overall investment performance than if we had not engaged in any such hedging transactions. In addition, the degree of correlation between price movements of the instruments used in a hedging strategy and price movements in the portfolio positions being hedged or liabilities being hedged may vary materially. Moreover, for a variety of reasons, we may not be able to establish a perfect correlation between hedging instruments and the investments being hedged. Any such imperfect correlation may prevent us from achieving the intended hedge and expose us to risk of loss. We may also be exposed to liquidity issues as a result of margin calls or settlement of derivative hedges. Our

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hedging activities, if not undertaken in compliance with certain federal income tax requirements, could also adversely affect our ability to qualify for taxation as a REIT.
Hedging instruments often are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearinghouse or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities and involve risks and costs.
The cost of using hedging instruments increases as the period covered by the instrument lengthens and during periods of rising and volatile interest rates. We may increase our hedging activity and thus increase our hedging costs during periods when interest rates are volatile or rising and hedging costs have increased. In addition, hedging instruments involve risk since they often are not traded on regulated exchanges, guaranteed by an exchange or its clearing house, or regulated by any U.S. or foreign governmental authorities. Consequently, there are no regulatory or statutory requirements with respect to record keeping, financial responsibility or segregation of customer funds and positions. Furthermore, the enforceability of agreements underlying derivative transactions may depend on compliance with applicable statutory, commodity and other regulatory requirements and, depending on the identity of the counterparty, applicable international requirements. The business failure of a hedging counterparty with whom we enter into a hedging transaction will most likely result in a default. Default by a party with whom we enter into a hedging transaction may result in the loss of unrealized profits and force us to cover our resale commitments, if any, at the then current market price. It may not always be possible to dispose of or close out a hedging position without the consent of the hedging counterparty and we may not be able to enter into an offsetting contract in order to cover our risk. We cannot assure stockholders that a liquid secondary market will exist for hedging instruments purchased or sold, and we may be required to maintain a position until exercise or expiration, which could result in losses.
Refer to the below risk factor “The direct or indirect effects of the Dodd-Frank Act, enacted in July 2010 for the purpose of stabilizing or reforming the financial markets, may have an adverse effect on our interest rate hedging activities” for a discussion of how the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, or the Dodd-Frank Act, may affect the use of hedging instruments.
We use short-term borrowings to finance our investments and we may need to use such borrowings for extended periods of time to the extent we are unable to access long-term financing. This may expose us to increased risks associated with decreases in the fair value of the underlying collateral, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations.
While we expect to seek non-recourse, non-mark-to-market, long-term financing through securitization financing transactions or other structures, such financing may be unavailable to us on favorable terms or at all. Consequently, we may be dependent on short-term financing arrangements that are not matched in duration to our financial assets. Short-term borrowing through repurchase arrangements, credit facilities and other types of borrowings may put our assets and financial condition at risk. Furthermore, the cost of borrowings may increase substantially if lenders view us as having increased credit risk during periods of market distress.
Any such short-term financing may also be recourse to us, which will increase the risk of our investments. We currently have three Term Loan Facilities that provide for an aggregate of up to $550 million to finance loan originations. As of March 14, 2016, we have $255.9 million of available borrowings under our Term Loan Facilities. We may obtain additional facilities and increase our lines of credit on existing facilities in the future.
In addition, the value of assets underlying any such short-term financing may be marked-to-market periodically by the lender, including on a daily basis. To the extent these financing arrangements contain mark-to-market provisions, if the market value of the investments pledged by us declines due to credit quality deterioration, we may be required by our lenders to provide additional collateral or pay down a portion of our borrowings. In a weakening economic environment, we would generally expect credit quality and the value of the investment that serves as collateral for our financing arrangements to decline, and in such a scenario, it is likely that the terms of our financing arrangements would require partial repayment from us, which could be substantial.
These facilities may also be restricted to financing certain types of assets, such as first mortgage loans, which could impact our asset allocation. In addition, such short-term borrowing facilities may limit the length of time that any given asset may be used as eligible collateral. As a result, we may not be able to leverage our assets as fully as we would choose, which could reduce our return on assets. Further, such borrowings may require us to maintain a certain amount of cash reserves or to set aside unleveraged assets sufficient to maintain a specified liquidity position that would allow us to satisfy our collateral obligations. Currently, our Term Loan Facilities provide for an unrestricted cash covenant of at least $3.75 million and a maximum of $22.5 million. In the event that we are unable to meet the collateral obligations for our short-term borrowings, our financial condition could deteriorate rapidly.
We use leverage in connection with our investments, which increases the risk of loss associated with our investments and may significantly impact our liquidity position.
We use a variety of structures to finance our investments. We finance the origination and acquisition of a portion of our investments with our credit facilities, securitization financing transactions and other term borrowings, including repurchase agreements. Although the use of leverage may enhance returns and increase the number of investments that we can make, it may also substantially

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increase the risk of loss. Our ability to execute this strategy depends on various conditions in the financing markets that are beyond our control, including liquidity and credit spreads. We may be unable to obtain additional financing on favorable terms or, with respect to our investments, on terms that parallel the maturities of the debt originated or acquired, if we are able to obtain additional financing at all. If our strategy is not viable, we will have to find alternative forms of long-term financing for our assets, as secured revolving credit facilities and repurchase agreements may not accommodate long-term financing. This could subject us to more restrictive recourse borrowings and the risk that debt service on less efficient forms of financing would require a larger portion of our cash flow, thereby reducing cash available for distribution to stockholders, for our operations and for future business opportunities. If alternative financing is not available on favorable terms, or at all, we may have to liquidate assets at unfavorable prices to pay off such financing. Our return on our investments and cash available for distribution to stockholders may be reduced to the extent that changes in market conditions cause the cost of our financing to increase relative to the earnings that we can derive from the assets we originate or acquire.
Further, short-term borrowing through repurchase agreements, credit facilities and other borrowings may put our assets and financial condition at risk. Repurchase agreements economically resemble short-term, floating-rate financing and usually require the maintenance of specific loan-to-collateral value ratios. Posting additional collateral to support our financing arrangements could significantly reduce our liquidity and limit our ability to leverage our assets. In the event we do not have sufficient liquidity to meet such requirements, our lenders can accelerate our borrowings, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.
Some of our credit facilities contain recourse obligations and any default could materially adversely affect our business, liquidity and financial condition.
In July 2012, we, through an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into a master repurchase agreement of $50.0 million, which was upsized to $100.0 million in November 2012 and $150.0 million in April 2013, or Loan Facility 2, to finance first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate. In connection with Loan Facility 2, we agreed to guarantee certain obligations of Loan Facility 2 if we or any of our affiliates engages in certain customary bad acts. Loan Facility 2 and its related agreements contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. More specifically, we must maintain at least $3.8 million and a maximum of $22.5 million in unrestricted cash at all times during the term of Loan Facility 2. In addition, we are required to maintain: (i) an amount equal to the lesser of (a) total equity equal to $162.5 million, subject to increases equal to 80% of aggregate net proceeds raised and (b) $250.0 million; (ii) a ratio of EBITDA (as defined in the guaranty) to fixed charges of not less than 1.4x; and (iii) a ratio of total borrowings to total equity not greater than 300%.
In March 2013, we, through an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into a master repurchase agreement, or Loan Facility 4, of $200.0 million to finance first mortgage loans and senior interests secured by commercial real estate. In connection with Loan Facility 4, we and our operating partnership entered into a guaranty agreement, under which we and our operating partnership guaranty certain of the obligations under Loan Facility 4. Loan Facility 4 and its related agreements contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. More specifically, we must maintain at least $20.0 million in unrestricted cash or cash equivalents at all times during the term of Loan Facility 4. In addition, we have agreed to guarantee certain customary obligations under Loan Facility 4 if we or an affiliate of ours engage in certain customary bad acts.
In October 2015, we, through an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary entered into a credit facility agreement with a global financial institution, or Loan Facility 5, which provides up to $200.0 million to finance first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate. The interest rate and advance rate depend upon asset type and characteristics and will range from the one-month LIBOR, plus a spread of 2.25% to 2.75%. The initial maturity date of the credit facility is October 13, 2018, with a one-year extension at our option, which may be exercised upon the satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the governing documents. During the initial term, the credit facility acts as a revolving credit facility that can be paid down as assets payoff and re-drawn upon for new investments. We agreed to guarantee certain obligations of the credit facility Loan Facility 5 if we or any of our affiliates engages in certain customary bad acts. The credit facility contains representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. More specifically, we must maintain: (i) minimum total equity of $300.0 million; (ii) minimum liquidity of $20.0 million; (iii) a ratio of total borrowings to total equity of not greater than 250%; and (iv) a ratio of EBITDA to fixed charges not greater than 140%.
We also finance certain of our CMBS investments through the use of repurchase agreements with one or more financial institutions. Obligations under certain repurchase agreements could be recourse obligations to us and any default thereunder could result in margin calls and further force a liquidation of assets at times when the pricing may be unfavorable to us. Our default under such repurchase agreements could negatively impact our business, liquidity and financial condition.

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Lenders may require us to enter into restrictive covenants relating to our operations, which could limit our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
When providing financing, a lender may impose restrictions on us that affect our distribution and operating policies, and our ability to incur additional borrowings. Financing arrangements that we may enter into may contain covenants that limit our ability to further incur borrowings and restrict distributions to stockholders or that prohibit us from discontinuing insurance coverage or replacing our Advisor. Our credit facilities contain financial covenants, including a minimum unrestricted cash covenant. These or other limitations would decrease our operating flexibility and our ability to achieve our operating objectives, including making distributions to stockholders.
We are subject to risks associated with obtaining mortgage financing on our real estate, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
As of December 31, 2015, our real estate portfolio had $317.9 million of total mortgage financing. We are subject to risks normally associated with financing, including the risks that our cash flow is insufficient to make timely payments of interest or principal, that we may be unable to refinance existing borrowings or support collateral obligations and that the terms of refinancing may not be as favorable as the terms of existing borrowing. If we are unable to refinance or extend principal payments due at maturity or pay them with proceeds from other capital transactions or the sale of the underlying property, our cash flow may not be sufficient in all years to make distributions to stockholders and to repay all maturing borrowings. Furthermore, if prevailing interest rates or other factors at the time of refinancing result in higher interest rates upon refinancing, the interest expense relating to that refinanced borrowing would increase, which could reduce our profitability, result in losses and negatively impact the amount of distributions we are able to pay to stockholders. Moreover, additional financing increases the amount of our leverage, which could negatively affect our ability to obtain additional financing in the future or make us more vulnerable in a downturn in our results of operations or the economy generally.
We have broad authority to use leverage and high levels of leverage could hinder our ability to make distributions and decrease the value of stockholders’ investment.
Our charter does not limit us from utilizing financing until our borrowings exceed 300% of our net assets, which is generally expected to approximate 75% of the aggregate cost of our investments, before deducting loan loss reserves, other non-cash reserves and depreciation. Further, we can incur financings in excess of this limitation with the approval of a majority of the stockholders who vote on the proposal. High leverage levels would cause us to incur higher interest charges and higher debt service payments and the agreements governing our borrowings may also include restrictive covenants. These factors could limit the amount of cash we have available to distribute to stockholders and could result in a decline in the value of stockholders’ investment.
We may be unable to complete additional securitization financing transactions due to, among other things, a decrease in liquidity in the CRE market.
We historically accessed the securitization markets to finance our CRE debt investments with non-recourse, non-mark to market, permanent financing which were structured as a CMBS. In November 2012 and in August 2013, we entered into two securitization financing transactions, however, we may be unable to complete similar transactions in the future due to several factors, including decreased liquidity in the CRE market. If we are unsuccessful in accessing this market, we may be exposed to less favorable financing terms, if any, which could adversely affect our business.
If we breach representations or warranties that we made in our securitization financing transactions, or if either we or NorthStar Realty suffer a loss in our retained interests in that transaction, our financial condition could be harmed.
In November 2012 and August 2013, we entered into two securitization financing transactions, in connection with the securitization financing transactions, subsidiaries of ours made certain customary representations, warranties and covenants. If there is a breach of those representations and warranties or a defect in the documentation of any of the contributed assets, which breach or defect materially and adversely affects the value of the subject contributed asset, the value of the related mortgaged property or the interests of the trustee therein, then we will be required to either cure the breach, repurchase the affected contributed asset from the issuing entity, replace the affected contributed asset with another asset or make a loss of value payment, as the case may be. Any such loss could be material and have an adverse effect on our financial condition.
Further in connection with these transactions, since we and NorthStar Realty both contributed assets into a single securitization, we entered into a partnership agreement with NorthStar Realty that provides that both parties will receive the economic benefit and bear the economic risk associated with the assets each contributed into the securitization. In both cases, a portion of our and NorthStar Realty’s respective retained interests will be subordinate to interests of the senior bondholders. In the event that we or NorthStar Realty suffers a complete loss of a portion of the respective retained interests, any additional losses would be borne by the remaining retained interests held by us or NorthStar Realty, as the case may be, prior to the senior bondholders.

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We may enter into similar transactions in the future and those transactions could likely entail similar and other substantial risks.
Risks Related to Our Company
Any adverse changes in our Sponsor’s financial health, the public perception of our Sponsor, or our relationship with our Sponsor or its affiliates could hinder our operating performance and the return on stockholders’ investment.
We have engaged our Advisor to manage our operations and our investments. Our ability to achieve our investment objectives and to pay distributions is dependent upon the performance of our Sponsor and its affiliates as well as our Sponsor’s investment professionals in the identification and origination or acquisition of investments, the determination of any financing arrangement, the management of our assets and operation of our day-to-day activities.
Because our Sponsor is a publicly-traded company, any negative reaction by the stock market reflected in its stock price or deterioration in the public perception of our Sponsor or other NSAM Managed Companies that are publicly traded, such as NorthStar Realty, could result in an adverse effect on our ability to acquire assets and obtain financing from third parties on favorable terms or at all. Recently, NSAM and NorthStar Realty common stock has been highly volatile and NSAM is subject to an activist campaign, all of which could disrupt operations and potentially harm our business. Any adverse changes in the financial condition or our relationship with our Sponsor, our Advisor and related affiliates could hinder our Advisor’s ability to successfully manage our operations and our portfolio of investments.
We do not own the NorthStar name, but were granted a license by our Sponsor to use the NorthStar name. Use of the name by other parties or the termination of our license may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
Pursuant to our advisory agreement, we were granted a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the name “NorthStar.” Under this license, we have a right to use the “NorthStar” name as long as our Advisor continues to advise us. Our Sponsor will retain the right to continue using the “NorthStar” name. We are unable to preclude our Sponsor from licensing or transferring the ownership of the “NorthStar” name to third parties, some of whom may compete against us. Consequently, we will be unable to prevent any damage to the goodwill associated with our name that may occur as a result of the activities of our Sponsor or others related to the use of our name. In addition, in the event the license is terminated, we will be required to change our name and cease using the “NorthStar” name. Furthermore, “NorthStar” is commonly used and our Sponsor’s right to use the name could be challenged, which could be expensive and disruptive with an uncertain outcome. Any of these events could disrupt our recognition in the market place, damage any goodwill we may have generated and may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
Stockholders may be more likely to sustain a loss on their investment because our Sponsor does not have as strong an economic incentive to avoid losses as do sponsors who have made significant equity investments in their companies.
While our Sponsor has incurred substantial costs and devoted significant resources to support our business, our Sponsor has not purchased any shares of our common stock and has no obligation to do so in the future. In addition, as of December 31, 2015, NorthStar Realty, one of the NSAM Managed Companies has only invested $5.8 million in us through the purchase by its subsidiary of 645,847 shares of our common stock including amounts related to its obligation under the distribution support agreement with us that terminated in connection with the completion of our initial public offering. As a result, our Sponsor will have no exposure to loss in the value of our shares. Without this exposure, stockholders may be at a greater risk of loss because our Sponsor does not have as much to lose from a decrease in the value of our shares as do those sponsors who make more significant equity investments in their sponsored companies.
If our Advisor’s portfolio management systems are ineffective, we may be exposed to material unanticipated losses.
Our Advisor refines its portfolio management techniques, strategies and assessment methods. However, our Advisor’s portfolio management techniques and strategies may not fully mitigate the risk exposure of our operations in all economic or market environments, or against all types of risk, including risks that we might fail to identify or anticipate. Any failures in our Advisor’s portfolio management techniques and strategies to accurately quantify such risk exposure could limit our ability to manage risks in our operations or to seek adequate risk adjusted returns and could result in losses.
We are highly dependent on information systems and systems failures could significantly disrupt our business.
As a diversified CRE company, our business is highly dependent on information technology systems, including systems provided by our Sponsor and third parties for which we have no control. Various measures have been implemented to manage our risks related to the information technology systems, but any failure or interruption of our systems could cause delays or other problems in our activities, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance. Potential sources for disruption, damage

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or failure of our information technology systems include, without limitation, computer viruses, security breaches, human error, cyber attacks, natural disasters and defects in design.
Failure to implement effective information and cyber security policies, procedures and capabilities could disrupt our business and harm our results of operations.
We are dependent on the effectiveness of our information and cyber security policies, procedures and capabilities to protect our computer and telecommunications systems and the data that resides on or is transmitted through them. An externally caused information security incident, such as a hacker attack, virus or worm, or an internally caused issue, such as failure to control access to sensitive systems, could materially interrupt business operations or cause disclosure or modification of sensitive or confidential information and could result in material financial loss, loss of competitive position, regulatory actions, breach of contracts, reputational harm or legal liability.
The use of estimates and valuations may be different from actual results, which could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
We make various estimates that affect reported amounts and disclosures. Broadly, those estimates are used in measuring the fair value of certain financial instruments, establishing provision for loan losses and potential litigation liability. Market volatility may make it difficult to determine the fair value for certain of our assets and liabilities. Subsequent valuations, in light of factors then prevailing, may result in significant changes in the values of these financial instruments in future periods. In addition, at the time of any sales and settlements of these assets and liabilities, the price we ultimately realize will depend on the demand and liquidity in the market at that time for that particular type of asset and may be materially lower than our estimate of their current fair value. Estimates are based on available information and judgment. Therefore, actual values and results could differ from our estimates and that difference could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements.
We provide stockholders with information using funds from operations attributable to our common stockholders, or FFO, and modified funds from operations attributable to our common stockholders, or MFFO, which are non-GAAP financial measures that may not be meaningful for comparing the performances of different REITs and that have certain other limitations.
We provide stockholders with information using FFO and MFFO which are non-GAAP measures, as additional measures of our operating performance. We compute FFO in accordance with the standards established by National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or NAREIT. We compute MFFO in accordance with the definition established by the Investment Program Association, or the IPA, and adjust for certain items, such as accretion of a discount and amortization of a premium on borrowings and related deferred financing costs, as such adjustments are comparable to adjustments for debt investments and will be helpful in assessing our operating performance. We also adjust MFFO for deferred tax benefit or expense, as applicable, as such items are not indicative of our operating performance. However, our computation of FFO and MFFO may not be comparable to other REITs that do not calculate FFO or MFFO using these definitions without further adjustments.
Neither FFO nor MFFO is equivalent to net income or cash generated from operating activities determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, as an indicator of our operating performance or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities as a measure of our liquidity.
Our distribution policy is subject to change.
Our board of directors determines an appropriate common stock distribution based upon numerous factors, including our targeted distribution rate, REIT qualification requirements, the amount of cash flow generated from operations, availability of existing cash balances, borrowing capacity under existing credit agreements, access to cash in the capital markets and other financing sources, our view of our ability to realize gains in the future through appreciation in the value of our assets, general economic conditions and economic conditions that more specifically impact our business or prospects. Future distribution levels are subject to adjustment based upon any one or more of the risk factors set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as other factors that our board of directors may, from time-to-time, deem relevant to consider when determining an appropriate common stock distribution.
We may not be able to make distributions in the future.
Our ability to generate income and to make distributions may be adversely affected by the risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and any document we file with the SEC. All distributions are made at the discretion of our board of directors, subject to applicable law, and depend on our earnings, our financial condition, maintenance of our REIT qualification and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant from time-to-time. We may not be able to make distributions in the future.

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Our ability to make distributions is limited by the requirements of Maryland law.
Our ability to make distributions on our common stock is limited by the laws of Maryland. Under applicable Maryland law, a Maryland corporation may not make a distribution if, after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation would not be able to pay its liabilities as the liabilities become due in the usual course of business, or generally if the corporation’s total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus the amount that would be needed if the corporation were dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of the stockholders whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the distribution. Accordingly, we may not make a distribution on our common stock if, after giving effect to the distribution, we would not be able to pay our liabilities as they become due in the usual course of business or generally if our total assets would be less than the sum of our total liabilities plus the amount that would be needed to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of the holders of shares of any class or series of preferred stock then outstanding, if any, with preferences senior to those of our common stock.
Stockholders may experience dilution.
Stockholders do not have preemptive rights. If we engage in a subsequent offering of common shares or securities convertible into common shares, issue additional shares pursuant to our DRP or otherwise issue additional shares, stockholders who purchased shares in our Offering who do not participate in those other stock issuances will experience dilution in their percentage ownership of our outstanding common stock. Furthermore, stockholders may experience dilution in the value of their shares depending on the terms and pricing of any new issuances and the value of our assets at such time.
Stockholders have limited control over changes in our policies and operations, which increases the uncertainty and risks they face as stockholders.
Our board of directors determines our major policies, including our policies regarding growth, REIT qualification and distributions. Our board of directors may amend or revise these and other policies without a vote of the stockholders. We may change our investment policies without stockholder notice or consent, which could result in investments that are different than, or in different proportion than, those described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, and our charter, stockholders have a right to vote only on limited matters. Our board of directors’ broad discretion in setting policies and stockholders’ inability to exert control over those policies increases the uncertainty and risks stockholders face. Under MGCL and our charter, stockholders have a right to vote only on:
the election or removal of directors;
amendment of our charter, except that our board of directors may amend our charter without stockholder approval to (i) increase or decrease the aggregate number of our shares of stock of any class or series that we have the authority to issue; (ii) effect certain reverse stock splits; and (iii) change our name or the name or other designation or the par value of any class or series of our stock and the aggregate par value of our stock;
our liquidation or dissolution;
certain reorganizations of our company, as provided in our charter; and
certain mergers, consolidations or sales or other dispositions of all or substantially all our assets, as provided in our charter.
Pursuant to Maryland law, all matters other than the election or removal of a director must be declared advisable by our board of directors prior to a stockholder vote. Our board of directors’ broad discretion in setting policies and stockholders’ inability to exert control over those policies increases the uncertainty and risks stockholders face.
Our board of directors’ broad discretion in setting policies and stockholders’ inability to exert control over those policies increases the uncertainty and risks stockholders face.
If stockholders fail to meet the fiduciary and other standards under the Employment Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, or the Internal Revenue Code as a result of an investment in our stock, stockholders could be subject to criminal and civil penalties.
Special considerations apply to the purchase of shares by employee benefit plans subject to the fiduciary rules of Title I of ERISA, including pension or profit sharing plans and entities that hold assets of such plans, or ERISA Plans, and plans and accounts that are not subject to ERISA, but are subject to the prohibited transaction rules of Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, including IRAs, Keogh Plans, and medical savings accounts (collectively, we refer to ERISA Plans and plans subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code as “Benefit Plans”). If stockholders are investing the assets of any Benefit Plan, stockholders should consult with their own counsel and satisfy themselves that:

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their investment is consistent with the fiduciary obligations under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code or any other applicable governing authority in the case of a government plan;
their investment is made in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Benefit Plan, including the Benefit Plan’s investment policy;
their investment satisfies the prudence and diversification requirements of Sections 404(a)(1)(B) and 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA, if applicable and other applicable provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code;
their investment will not impair the liquidity of the Benefit Plan;
their investment will not unintentionally produce unrelated business taxable income for the Benefit Plan;
stockholders will be able to value the assets of the Benefit Plan annually in accordance with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code; and
their investment will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Fiduciaries may be held personally liable under ERISA for losses as a result of failure to satisfy the fiduciary standards of conduct and other applicable requirements of ERISA. In addition, if an investment in our shares constitutes a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code, the fiduciary of the Benefit Plan who authorized or directed the investment may be subject to imposition of excise taxes with respect to the amount invested and an IRA investment in our shares may lose its tax-exempt status.
Governmental plans, church plans and foreign plans that are not subject to ERISA or the prohibited transaction rules of the Internal Revenue Code may be subject to similar restrictions under other laws. A plan fiduciary making an investment in our shares on behalf of such a plan should satisfy themselves that an investment in our shares satisfies both applicable law and is permitted by the governing plan documents.
We expect that our common stock qualifies as publicly offered securities such that investments in shares of our common stock will not result in our assets being deemed to constitute “plan assets” of any Benefit Plan investor. If, however, we were deemed to hold “plan assets” of Benefit Plan investors: (i) ERISA’s fiduciary standards may apply to us and might materially affect our operations, and (ii) any transaction with us could be deemed a transaction with each Benefit Plan investor and may cause transactions into which we might enter in the ordinary course of business to constitute prohibited transactions under ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Stockholders’ interest in us will be diluted if we issue additional shares, which could reduce the overall value of stockholders’ investment.
Stockholders do not have preemptive rights to any shares we issue in the future. Our charter authorizes us to issue a total of 450,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 400,000,000 shares are classified as common stock and 50,000,000 shares are classified as preferred stock. Our board of directors may amend our charter from time to time to increase or decrease the number of authorized shares of capital stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue without stockholder approval. Our board of directors may elect to: (i) sell additional shares in a future public offering; (ii) issue equity interests in private offerings; (iii) issue shares to our Advisor, or its successors or assigns, in payment of an outstanding fee obligation; (iv)  issue shares of our common stock to sellers of assets we acquire in connection with an exchange of limited partnership interests of our operating partnership; or (v) issue shares of our common stock to pay distributions to existing stockholders. To the extent we issue additional equity interests, stockholders’ percentage ownership interest in us will be diluted. In addition, depending upon the terms and pricing of any additional offerings and the value of our investments, stockholders may also experience dilution in the book value and fair value of their shares.
Our charter permits our board of directors to issue stock with terms that may subordinate the rights of our common stockholders or discourage a third party from acquiring us in a manner that could result in a premium price to stockholders.
Our board of directors may classify or reclassify any unissued common stock or preferred stock into other classes or series of stock and establish the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of any such stock. Thus, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of preferred stock with priority as to distributions and amounts payable upon liquidation over the rights of the holders of our common stock. Such preferred stock could also have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us, including an extraordinary transaction (such as a merger, tender offer or sale of all or substantially all of our assets) that might provide a premium price to holders of our common stock. Our board of directors may determine to issue different classes of stock that have different fees and commissions from those being paid with respect to the shares sold in our Offering. Additionally, our

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board of directors may amend our charter from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of stock or the number of authorized shares of any class or series of stock without stockholder approval.
Our umbrella partnership real estate investment trust, or UPREIT, structure may result in potential conflicts of interest with limited partners in our operating partnership whose interests may not be aligned with those of stockholders.
Limited partners in our operating partnership have the right to vote on certain amendments to the partnership agreement, as well as on certain other matters. Persons holding such voting rights may exercise them in a manner that conflicts with the interests of stockholders. As general partner of our operating partnership, we are obligated to act in a manner that is in the best interest of our operating partnership. Circumstances may arise in the future when the interests of limited partners in our operating partnership may conflict with the interests of stockholders. These conflicts may be resolved in a manner stockholders do not believe are in their best interests.
In addition, NorthStar OP Holdings, LLC, or the Special Unit Holder, is an affiliate of our Advisor and, as the special limited partner in our operating partnership may be entitled to: (i) certain cash distributions upon the disposition of certain of our operating partnership’s assets; or (ii) a one-time payment in the form of cash or shares in connection with the redemption of the special units upon the occurrence of a listing of our shares on a national stock exchange or certain events that result in the termination or non-renewal of our advisory agreement. The Special Unit Holder will only become entitled to the compensation after stockholders have received, or are deemed to receive, in the aggregate, cumulative distributions equal to their invested capital plus an 8.0% cumulative, non-compounded annual pre-tax return on such invested capital. This potential obligation to make substantial payments to the holder of the special units would reduce the overall return to stockholders to the extent such return exceeds 8.0%.
Stockholders are limited in their ability to sell their shares of common stock pursuant to our share repurchase program, or our Share Repurchase Program. Stockholders may not be able to sell any of their shares of common stock back to us, and if they do sell their shares, they may not receive the price they paid upon subscription.
Our Share Repurchase Program may provide stockholders with an opportunity to have their shares of common stock repurchased by us after stockholders have held them for one year. We anticipate that shares of our common stock may be repurchased on a quarterly basis. However, our Share Repurchase Program contains certain restrictions and limitations, including those relating to the number of shares of our common stock that we can repurchase at any given time and limiting the repurchase price. Specifically, we presently intend to limit the number of shares to be repurchased during any calendar year to no more than: (i) 5% of the weighted average of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding during the prior calendar year; and (ii) those that could be funded from the net proceeds from the sale of shares under our DRP in the prior calendar year plus such additional cash as may be reserved for that purpose by our board of directors. In addition, our board of directors reserves the right to reject any repurchase request for any reason or no reason or to amend or terminate our Share Repurchase Program at any time upon ten-days’ notice except that changes in the number of shares that can be repurchased during any calendar year will only take effect upon ten business days prior written notice. Therefore, stockholders may not have the opportunity to make a repurchase request prior to a potential termination of our Share Repurchase Program and stockholders may not be able to sell any of their shares of common stock back to us pursuant to our Share Repurchase Program. Moreover, if stockholders do sell their shares of common stock back to us pursuant to our Share Repurchase Program, they may not receive the same price they paid for any shares of our common stock being repurchased.
Our board of directors determined an estimated value per share of $10.02 for our shares of common stock as of October 31, 2014. You should not rely on the estimated value per share as being an accurate measure of the current value of our shares of common stock or in making an investment decision.
On December 16, 2014, our board of directors approved and established an estimated value per share of $10.02 for our common stock as of October 31, 2014. Our board of directors’ objective in determining the estimated value per share was to arrive at a value, based on the most recent data available, that it believed was reasonable. However, the market for commercial real estate assets can fluctuate quickly and substantially and values are expected to change in the future and may decrease. Also, our board of directors did not consider certain other factors, such as a liquidity discount. In connection with its determination of the estimated value of our shares of common stock, our board of directors also determined that, effective January 1, 2015 distributions may be reinvested in shares of our common stock pursuant to the DRP at a price of $9.52 per share, which is approximately 95% of the estimated value per share, and the price paid for shares redeemed under the Share Repurchase Program will be $9.52 per share.
As with any valuation methodology, the methodologies used to determine the estimated value per share are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that may prove later to be inaccurate or incomplete. Further, different market participants using different assumptions and estimates could derive different estimated values. The estimated value per share may also not represent the price that the shares of our common stock would trade at on a national securities exchange, the amount realized in a sale, merger or liquidation or the amount a stockholder would realize in a private sale of shares.

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The estimated value per share of our common stock was calculated as of a specific date and is expected to fluctuate over time in response to future events, including but not limited to, changes in market interest rates for commercial real estate debt investments, changes to commercial real estate values, changes in capitalization rates, rental and growth rates, returns on competing investments, changes in administrative expenses and other costs, the amount of distributions on our common stock, repurchases of our common stock, changes in the number of shares of our common stock outstanding, the proceeds obtained for any common stock transactions, local and national economic factors and the factors specified these risk factors. There is no assurance that the methodologies used to estimate value per share would be acceptable to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, or in compliance with ERISA guidelines with respect to their reporting requirements.
The terms of our Share Repurchase Program require us to repurchase shares at a price of $9.52 per share, which is approximately 95% of the estimated value per share of our common stock as of October 31, 2014. If the actual NAV of our shares is less than the price paid for the shares to be repurchased, any repurchases made would be immediately dilutive to our remaining stockholders.
The terms of our Share Repurchase Program require us to repurchase shares at a price of $9.52 per share, which is approximately 95% of the estimated value per share of our common stock as of October 31, 2014. The estimated value per share of our common stock was calculated as of a specific date and is expected to fluctuate over time in response to future events. However, we anticipate only determining an estimated value per share annually. In the event that the value of our shares decrease due to market or other conditions, the price at which we repurchase our shares pursuant to our Share Repurchase Program might reflect a premium to NAV. If the actual NAV of our shares is less than the price paid for the shares to be repurchased, any repurchases made would be immediately dilutive to our remaining stockholders.
The current price for shares under our DRP may exceed the book value of our shares.
We are currently issuing shares in our DRP at a purchase price of $9.52 per share, or 95% of the estimated value per share of our common stock as of October 31, 2014. The estimated value per share of our common stock was calculated as of a specific date and is expected to fluctuate over time in response to future events. However, we anticipate only determining an estimated value per share annually. In the event that the value of our shares increases due to market or other conditions, the price at which we sell in our DRP might reflect a premium to book value. If the actual book value of our shares is less than the price paid to purchase shares in our DRP, such purchases would be immediately dilutive for DRP participants.
The price of our shares in our Offering was not established on an independent basis and the actual value of stockholders’ investments may be substantially less than what they paid.
Our Offering was completed on July 1, 2013 and all of the shares initially registered for the Offering were issued. We established the Offering price of our shares on an arbitrary basis. The selling price of our shares did not bear any relationship to our book or asset values or to any other established criteria for valuing shares. Because the Offering price was not based upon any independent valuation, the Offering price may not be indicative of the proceeds that stockholders would receive upon liquidation. Further, the Offering price may have been significantly more than the price at which the shares would trade if they were to be listed on an exchange or actively traded by broker-dealers.
Payment of fees to our Advisor and its affiliates reduces cash available for investment and distribution and increases the risk that stockholders will not be able to recover the amount of their investment in our shares.
Our Advisor and its affiliates perform services for us in connection with the selection, acquisition, origination, management and administration of our investments. We pay them substantial fees for these services, which results in immediate dilution to the value of stockholders’ investment and reduces the value of cash available for investment or distribution to stockholders. We may increase the compensation we pay to our Advisor subject to approval by our board of directors and other limitations in our charter, which would further dilute stockholders’ investment and the amount of cash available for investment or distribution to stockholders.
Affiliates of our Advisor could also receive significant payments even without our reaching the investment-return thresholds should we seek to become self-managed. Due to the apparent preference of the public markets for self-managed companies, a decision to list our shares on a national securities exchange might well be preceded by a decision to become self-managed. Given our Advisor’s familiarity with our assets and operations, we might prefer to become self-managed by acquiring entities affiliated with our Advisor. Such an internalization transaction could result in significant payments to affiliates of our Advisor irrespective of whether stockholders received the returns on which we have conditioned incentive compensation.
Therefore, these fees increase the risk that the amount available for distribution to common stockholders upon a liquidation of our portfolio would be less than the purchase price of the shares in our Offering. These substantial fees and other payments also increase the risk that stockholders will not be able to resell their shares at a profit, even if our shares are listed on a national securities exchange.

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If we terminate our advisory agreement with our Advisor, we may be required to pay significant fees to an affiliate of our Sponsor, which will reduce cash available for distribution to stockholders.
Upon termination of our advisory agreement for any reason, including for cause, our Advisor will be paid all accrued and unpaid fees and expense reimbursements earned prior to the date of termination and the Special Unit Holder may be entitled to a one-time payment upon redemption of the special units (based on an appraisal or valuation of our portfolio) in the event that the Special Unit Holder would have been entitled to a subordinated distribution had the portfolio been liquidated on the termination date. If special units are redeemed pursuant to the termination of our advisory agreement, there may not be cash from the disposition of assets to make a redemption payment; therefore, we may need to use cash from operations, borrowings or other sources to make the payment, which will reduce cash available for distribution to stockholders.
No public trading market for our shares currently exists, and as a result, it will be difficult for stockholders to sell their shares and, if stockholders are able to sell their shares, stockholders will likely sell them at a substantial discount to the price paid for those shares.
Our charter does not require our board of directors to seek stockholder approval to liquidate our assets by a specified date, nor does our charter require us to list our shares for trading on a national securities exchange by a specified date or otherwise pursue a transaction to provide liquidity to stockholders. There is no public market for our shares and we currently have no plans to list our shares on a national securities exchange. Until our shares are listed, if ever, stockholders may not sell their shares unless the buyer meets the applicable suitability and minimum purchase standards. In addition, our charter prohibits the ownership of more than 9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of our stock of any class or series or more than 9.8% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of our common stock, unless exempted by our board of directors, which may inhibit large investors from purchasing stockholders’ shares. We have adopted our Share Repurchase Program that may enable stockholders to sell their shares to us in limited circumstances. Share repurchases will be made at the sole discretion of our board of directors. In its sole discretion, our board of directors could amend, suspend or terminate our Share Repurchase Program upon ten-days prior written notice to stockholders except that changes in the number of shares that can be redeemed during any calendar year will only take effect upon ten-business days prior written notice. Further, our Share Repurchase Program includes numerous restrictions that would limit stockholders’ ability to sell their shares. Therefore, it will be difficult for stockholders to sell their shares promptly or at all. If stockholders are able to sell their shares, stockholders would likely have to sell them at a substantial discount to the public Offering price paid for those shares. It is also likely that stockholders’ shares would not be accepted as the primary collateral for a loan. Because of the illiquid nature of our shares, stockholders should purchase our shares only as a long-term investment and be prepared to hold them for an indefinite period of time.
We have paid, and may continue to pay, distributions from sources other than our cash flow from operations, therefore we will have less cash available for investments and stockholders’ overall return may be reduced.
Our organizational documents permit us to pay distributions from any source, including offering proceeds, borrowings or sales of assets. We have not established a limit on the amount of proceeds we may use to fund distributions and we may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to fund distributions. For the year ended December 31, 2015, we declared distributions of $95.7 million compared to cash flow provided by operations of $85.0 million, representing approximately 89% of such distributions declared. During this period, the remaining 28% of distributions declared were paid using proceeds from our DRP. During our initial public offering, pursuant to a distribution support agreement, in certain circumstances where our cash distributions exceeded our MFFO, NorthStar Realty purchased $4.6 million of shares of our common stock at $9.00 per share to provide additional cash to support distributions to stockholders. The sale of these shares resulted in the dilution of the ownership interests of our public stockholders. Our distribution support agreement expired in July 2013. We may not have sufficient cash available to pay distributions at the rate we had paid during preceding periods or at all. If we pay distributions from sources other than our cash flow provided by operations, we will have less cash available for investments, we may have to reduce our distribution rate, our NAV may be negatively impacted and stockholders’ overall return may be reduced.
Our rights and the rights of stockholders to recover claims against our independent directors are limited, which could reduce stockholders’ and our recovery against them if they negligently cause us to incur losses.
Maryland law provides that a director has no liability in that capacity if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith, in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in our best interests and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. Our charter generally provides that: (i) no director shall be liable to us or stockholders for monetary damages (provided that such director satisfies certain applicable criteria); (ii) we will generally indemnify non-independent directors for losses unless they are negligent or engage in misconduct; and (iii) we will indemnify independent directors for losses unless they are grossly negligent or engage in willful misconduct. As a result, stockholders and we may have more limited rights against our independent directors than might otherwise exist under common law, which could reduce stockholders’ and our recovery from these persons if they act in a negligent manner. In addition, we may be obligated to fund the defense costs

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incurred by our independent directors (as well as by our other directors, officers, employees (if we ever have employees) and agents) in some cases, which would decrease the cash otherwise available for distribution to stockholders.
If we do not successfully implement a liquidity transaction, stockholders may have to hold their investments for an indefinite period.
Our charter does not require our board of directors to pursue a transaction providing liquidity to stockholders. If our board of directors determines to pursue a liquidity transaction, we would be under no obligation to conclude the process within a set time. If we adopt a plan of liquidation, the timing of the sale of assets will depend on real estate and financial markets, economic conditions in areas in which our investments are located and federal income tax effects on stockholders that may prevail in the future. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to liquidate all of our assets on favorable terms, if at all. In addition, we are not restricted from effecting a liquidity transaction with an NSAM Managed Company, which may result in certain conflicts of interest. After we adopt a plan of liquidation, we would likely remain in existence until all our investments are liquidated. If we do not pursue a liquidity transaction or delay such a transaction due to market conditions, our common stock may continue to be illiquid and stockholders may, for an indefinite period of time, be unable to convert stockholders’ shares to cash easily, if at all, and could suffer losses on their investment in our shares.
If we internalize our management functions, stockholders’ interests in us could be diluted and we could incur other significant costs associated with being self-managed.
Our board of directors may decide in the future to internalize our management functions. If we do so, we may elect to negotiate to acquire our Advisor’s assets and/or to directly employ the personnel of our Advisor or its affiliates used to perform services for us.
Additionally, while we would no longer bear the costs of the various fees and expenses we expect to pay to our Advisor under our advisory agreement, our additional direct expenses would include general and administrative costs, including certain legal, accounting and other expenses related to corporate governance, SEC reporting and compliance matters that are borne by our Advisor. We would also be required to employ personnel and would be subject to potential liabilities commonly faced by employers, such as workers disability and compensation claims, potential labor disputes and other employee-related liabilities and grievances, as well as incur the compensation and benefits costs of our officers and other employees and consultants that are paid by our Advisor or its affiliates. We may issue equity awards to officers, employees and consultants, which awards would decrease net income and MFFO and may further dilute stockholders’ investments. We cannot reasonably estimate the amount of fees to our Advisor we would save or the costs we would incur if we became self-managed. If the expenses we assume as a result of an internalization are higher than the expenses we avoid paying to our Advisor, our net income and MFFO would be lower as a result of the internalization than it otherwise would have been, potentially decreasing the amount of cash available to distribute to stockholders and the value of our shares.
Internalization transactions involving the acquisition of advisors affiliated with entity sponsors have also, in some cases, been the subject of litigation. We could be forced to spend significant amounts of money defending claims which would reduce the amount of funds available for us to invest and cash available to pay distributions.
If we internalize our management functions, we could have difficulty integrating these functions as a stand-alone entity. Currently, our Advisor and its affiliates perform asset management and general and administrative functions, including accounting and financial reporting, for multiple entities. These personnel have substantial know-how and experience which provides us with economies of scale. We may fail to properly identify the appropriate mix of personnel and capital needs to operate as a stand-alone entity. Certain key employees may not become employees of our Advisor but may instead remain employees of our Sponsor or its affiliates. An inability to manage an internalization transaction effectively could thus result in our incurring excess costs and suffering deficiencies in our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting. Such deficiencies could cause us to incur additional costs and our management’s attention could be diverted from most effectively managing our investments.
We depend on third-party contractors and vendors and our results of operations and the success of our business could suffer if our third-party contractors and vendors fail to perform or if we fail to manage them properly.
We use third-party contractors and vendors including, but not limited to, our external legal counsel, auditors, research firms, property managers, appraisers, insurance brokers, environmental engineering consultants, construction consultants, financial printers, proxy solicitation firms and transfer agent. If our third-party contractors and vendors fail to successfully perform the tasks for which they have been engaged to complete, either as a result of their own negligence or fault, or due to our failure to properly supervise any such contractors or vendors, we could incur liabilities as a result and our results of operations and financial condition could be negatively impacted.

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Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest
The fees we pay to our Advisor in connection with the origination, acquisition and management of our investments were not determined on an arm’s length basis; therefore, we do not have the benefit of arm’s length negotiations of the type normally conducted between unrelated parties.
The fees to be paid to our Advisor for services they provide for us were not determined on an arm’s length basis. As a result, the fees have been determined without the benefit of arm’s length negotiations of the type normally conducted between unrelated parties and may be in excess of amounts that we would otherwise pay to third parties for such services.
Our organizational documents do not prevent us from buying assets from or selling assets to another NSAM Managed Company or from paying our Advisor an acquisition fee or a disposition fee related to such a purchase or sale.
If we buy an asset from or sell an asset to another NSAM Managed Company, our organizational documents would not prohibit us from paying our Advisor an acquisition fee or a disposition fee, as applicable. As a result, our Advisor may not have an incentive to pursue an independent third-party buyer, rather than us or one of the other NSAM Managed Companies. Our charter does not require that such transaction be the most favorable transaction available or provide any other restrictions on our Advisor recommending a purchase or sale of assets among the NSAM Managed Companies. As a result, our Advisor may earn an acquisition or disposition fee despite the transaction not being the most favorable to us or stockholders.
Our executive officers and our Advisor or its affiliates’ key professionals face conflicts of interest caused by their compensation arrangements with us, which could result in actions that are not in the long-term best interests of our company.
Our executive officers and the key investment professionals relied upon by our Advisor are also officers, directors and managers of certain of our Sponsor’s other managed companies. Our Advisor and its affiliates receive substantial fees from us. These fees could influence the advice given to us by the key personnel of our Advisor and its affiliates, including our Advisor’s Investment Committee. Among other matters, these compensation arrangements could affect their judgment with respect to:
the continuation, renewal or enforcement of our agreements with our Advisor and its affiliates, including our advisory agreement;
originations and acquisitions of investments, which entitle our Advisor to acquisition fees and asset management fees and, in the case of acquisitions of investments from the other NSAM Managed Companies, might entitle affiliates of our Advisor to disposition fees in connection with services for the seller;
sales of investments, which entitle our Advisor to disposition fees;
borrowings to originate or acquire CRE debt or securities investments, which borrowings will increase the acquisition fees and asset management fees payable to our Advisor, as well as increase the amount of allocable expenses that may be reimbursed by us;
whether and when we seek to list our common stock on a national securities exchange, which listing could entitle the Special Unit Holder to have its interest in our operating partnership redeemed;
whether we seek approval to internalize our management, which may entail acquiring assets from our Sponsor (such as office space, furnishings and technology costs) and employing our Advisor or its affiliates’ professionals performing services for us for consideration that would be negotiated at that time and may result in these investment professionals receiving more compensation from us than they currently receive from our Advisor or its affiliates; and
whether and when we seek to sell our company or its assets, which would entitle the Special Unit Holder to a subordinated distribution.
The fees our Advisor receives in connection with transactions involving the origination or acquisition of an asset are based on the cost of the investment, and not based on the quality of the investment or the quality of the services rendered to us. In addition, the Special Unit Holder, an affiliate of our Advisor, may be entitled to certain distributions subject to our stockholders receiving an 8.00% cumulative, non-compounded annual pre-tax return. This may influence our Advisor and its affiliates’ key professionals to recommend riskier transactions to us.
In addition to the management fees we pay to our Advisor, we reimburse our Advisor for costs and expenses incurred on our behalf, including indirect personnel and employment costs of our Advisor and its affiliates and these costs and expenses may be substantial.
We pay our Advisor substantial fees for the services it provides to us and we also have an obligation to reimburse our Advisor for costs and expenses it incurs and pays on our behalf. Subject to certain limitations and exceptions, we reimburse our Advisor for

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both direct expenses as well as indirect costs, including personnel and employment costs of our Advisor and its affiliates, which may include certain executive officers of our Advisor and its affiliates, as well as rental and occupancy, technology, office supplies, travel and entertainment and other general and administrative costs and expenses. The costs and expenses our Advisor incurs on our behalf, including the compensatory costs incurred by our Advisor and its affiliates can be substantial. However, there is no reimbursement for personnel costs related to executive officers, although there may be reimbursement for certain executive officers of our Advisor. There are conflicts of interest that arise when our Advisor makes allocation determinations. For the year ended December 31, 2015, our Advisor allocated $13.1 million in costs and expenses to us. Our Advisor could allocate costs and expenses to us in excess of what we anticipate and such costs and expenses could have an adverse effect on our financial performance and ability to make cash distributions to our stockholders.
Professionals acting on behalf of our Advisor face competing demands relating to their time and this may cause our operations and stockholders’ investment to suffer.
Professionals acting on behalf of our Advisor that perform services for us, including Messrs. Hamamoto, Tylis, Gilbert, Lieberman, Saracino, Ms. Hess and Ms. Neslin, are also executive officers of our Sponsor and/or certain other NSAM Managed Companies. As a result of their interests in other NorthStar entities and the fact that they engage in and they continue to engage in other business activities on behalf of themselves and others, these individuals face conflicts of interest in allocating their time among us, our Advisor and its affiliates, the other NSAM Managed Companies and other business activities in which they are involved. These conflicts of interest could result in less effective execution of our business plan as well as declines in the returns on our investments and the value of stockholders’ investment.
Our executive officers and our Advisor and its affiliates’ key investment professionals who perform services for us face conflicts of interest related to their positions and interests in our Advisor and its affiliates which could hinder our ability to implement our business strategy and to generate returns to stockholders.
Our executive officers and the key investment professionals of our Advisor and its affiliates, including members of our Advisor’s Investment Committee, who perform services for us may also be executive officers, directors and managers of our Advisor and its affiliates. As a result, they owe duties to each of these entities, their members and limited partners and investors, which duties may from time-to-time conflict with the fiduciary duties that they owe to us and stockholders. In addition, our Sponsor may grant equity interests in our Advisor and the Special Unit Holder to certain management personnel performing services for our Advisor. The loyalties of these individuals to other entities and investors could result in action or inaction that is detrimental to our business, which could harm the implementation of our business strategy and our investment opportunities. If we do not successfully implement our business strategy, we may be unable to generate the cash needed to make distributions to stockholders and to maintain or increase the value of our assets.
Our Advisor faces conflicts of interest relating to performing services on our behalf and such conflicts may not be resolved in our favor, meaning that we could invest in less attractive assets, which could limit our ability to make distributions and reduce stockholders’ overall investment.
We rely on our Advisor or its affiliates’ investment professionals to identify suitable investment opportunities for our company as well as the other NSAM Managed Companies. Our investment strategy may be similar to that of, and may overlap with, the investment strategies of the other NSAM Managed Companies, as well as other companies, funds or vehicles that may be co-sponsored, co-branded and co-founded by, or subject to a strategic relationship between, our Sponsor or one of its affiliates, on the one hand, and a strategic or joint venture partner of our sponsor, or a partner, on the other, which we refer to collectively as the Strategic Vehicles. Therefore, many investment opportunities sourced by our Advisor or its affiliates or one or more of the partners that are suitable for us may also be suitable for other NSAM Managed Companies and/or Strategic Vehicles.
Our Advisor and its affiliates may allocate investment opportunities sourced by a partner directly to the associated Strategic Vehicle or, as applicable, among multiple associated Strategic Vehicles on a rotating basis, which we refer to as a Special Allocation. For all investment opportunities other than Special Allocations, our Advisor and its affiliates will allocate, in their sole discretion, each investment opportunity to one or more of the NSAM Managed Companies, including us, and, as applicable, Strategic Vehicles or our Sponsor, for which such investment opportunity is most suitable. When determining the entity for which an investment opportunity would be the most suitable, the factors that our Advisor and its affiliates may consider include, without limitation, the following:
investment objectives, strategy and criteria;
cash requirements;
effect of the investment on the diversification of the portfolio, including by geography, size of investment, type of investment and risk of investment;

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leverage policy and the availability of financing for the investment by each entity;
anticipated cash flow of the asset to be acquired;
income tax effects of the purchase;
the size of the investment;
the amount of funds available;
cost of capital;
risk return profiles;
targeted distribution rates;
anticipated future pipeline of suitable investments;
the expected holding period of the investment and the remaining term of the NSAM Managed Company, if applicable;
affiliate and/or related party considerations; and
whether a Strategic Vehicle has received a Special Allocation.
If, after consideration of the relevant factors, our Advisor and its affiliates determine that an investment is equally suitable for more than one company, the investment will be allocated on a rotating basis. If, after an investment has been allocated to a particular company, including us, a subsequent event or development, such as delays in structuring or closing on the investment, makes it, in the opinion of our Advisor and its affiliates, more appropriate for a different entity to fund the investment, our Advisor and its affiliates may determine to place the investment with the more appropriate entity while still giving credit to the original allocation. In certain situations, our Advisor and its affiliates may determine to allow more than one NSAM Managed Company, including us, and/or a Strategic Vehicle to co-invest in a particular investment. In discharging their duties under the investment allocation, our Advisor and its affiliates endeavor to allocate all investment opportunities among the NSAM Managed Companies, the Strategic Vehicles and our Sponsor in a manner that is fair and equitable over time.
While these are the current procedures for allocating investment opportunities, our Sponsor or its affiliates may sponsor or co-sponsor, co-brand or co-found additional investment vehicles in the future and, in connection with the creation of such investment vehicles or otherwise, our Advisor and its affiliates may revise the investment allocation policy. The result of such a revision to the investment allocation policy may, among other things, be to increase the number of parties who have the right to participate in investment opportunities sourced by our Advisor and its affiliates and/or its partners, thereby reducing the number of investment opportunities available to us. Changes to the investment allocation policy that could adversely impact the allocation of investment opportunities to us in any material respect may be proposed by our Advisor and must be approved by our board of directors.
The decision of how any potential investment should be allocated among us and other NSAM Managed Companies or Strategic Vehicles for which such investment may be most suitable may, in many cases, be a matter of highly subjective judgment which will be made by our Advisor and its affiliates in their sole discretion. Stockholders may not agree with the determination and such determination could have an adverse effect on our investment strategy. Our right to participate in the investment allocation process described above will terminate once we are no longer advised by our Advisor or its affiliates.
In addition, subject to compliance with Investment Advisers Act of 1940 rules, we may enter into principal transactions with our Advisor or its affiliates or cross-transactions with other NSAM Managed Companies or Strategic Vehicles. For certain cross-transactions, our Advisor may receive a fee from us or another NSAM Managed Company and conflicts may exist. There is no guaranty that any such transactions will be favorable to us. Because our interests and the interests of Sponsor and our Advisor may not be aligned, we may face conflicts of interest that result in action or inaction that is detrimental to us.
Further, there are conflicts of interest that arise when our Advisor makes expense allocation determinations, as well as in connection with any fees payable between us and our Advisor. These fees and allocation determinations are sometimes based on estimates or judgments, which may not be correct and could result in our Advisor’s failure to allocate certain fees and costs to us appropriately.
Our ability to operate our business successfully would be harmed if key personnel terminate their employment with us and/or our Sponsor.
Our future success depends, to a significant extent, upon the continued services of key personnel of our Sponsor, such as Messrs. Hamamoto, Tylis, Gilbert, Saracino and Lieberman, Ms. Hess and Ms. Neslin. We do not have employment agreements with any of our executive officers. If the management agreement with our Advisor were to be terminated, we may lose the services of our executive officers and other of our Sponsor’s investment professionals acting on our behalf. Furthermore, if any of our

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executive officers ceased to be employed by our Sponsor, such individual may also no longer serve as one of our executive officers. Any change in our Sponsor’s relationship with any of our executive officers may be disruptive to our business and hinder our ability to implement our business strategy. For instance, the extent and nature of the experience of our executive officers and the nature of the relationships they have developed with real estate professionals and financial institutions are critical to the success of our business. We cannot assure stockholders of their continued employment with us or our Sponsor. The loss of services of certain of our executive officers could harm our business and our prospects.
Risks Related to Regulatory Matters and Our REIT Tax Status
We are subject to substantial regulation, numerous contractual obligations and extensive internal policies and failure to comply with these matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We and our subsidiaries are subject to substantial regulation, numerous contractual obligations and extensive internal policies. Given our organizational structure, we are subject to regulation by the SEC, FINRA, the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, and other federal, state and local governmental bodies and agencies and state blue sky laws. These regulations are extensive, complex and require substantial management time and attention. If we fail to comply with any of the regulations that apply to our business, we could be subjected to extensive investigations as well as substantial penalties and our business and operations could be materially adversely affected. Our lack of compliance with applicable law could result in, among other penalties, our ineligibility to contract with and receive revenue from the federal government or other governmental authorities and agencies. We also expect to have numerous contractual obligations that we must adhere to on a continuous basis to operate our business, the default of which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition. Our internal policies may not be effective in all regards and, further, if we fail to comply with our internal policies, we could be subjected to additional risk and liability.
The direct or indirect effects of the Dodd-Frank Act enacted in July 2010 for the purpose of stabilizing or reforming the financial markets, may have an adverse effect on our interest rate hedging activities.
In July 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act became law in the United States. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act provides for significantly increased regulation of and restrictions on derivatives markets and transactions that could affect our interest rate hedging or other risk management activities, including: (i) regulatory reporting for swaps; (ii) mandated clearing through central counterparties and execution through regulated exchanges or electronic facilities for certain swaps; and (iii) margin and collateral requirements. Although the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has not yet finalized certain requirements, many other requirements have taken effect, such as swap reporting, the mandatory clearing of certain interest rate swaps and credit default swaps and the mandatory trading of certain swaps on swap execution facilities or exchanges. While the full impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on our interest rate hedging activities cannot be assessed until implementing rules and regulations are adopted and market practice develops, the requirements of Title VII may affect our ability to enter into hedging or other risk management transactions, may increase our costs of entering into such transactions and may result in us entering into such transactions on less favorable terms than prior to effectiveness of the Dodd-Frank Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. The occurrence of any of the foregoing events may have an adverse effect on our business.
Maintenance of our Investment Company Act exemption imposes limits on our operations.
Neither we, nor our operating partnership, nor any of the subsidiaries of our operating partnership intend to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We intend to make investments and conduct our operations so that we are not required to register as an investment company. If we were obligated to register as an investment company, we would have to comply with a variety of substantive requirements under the Investment Company Act that impose, among other things:
limitations on capital structure;
restrictions on specified investments;
prohibitions on transactions with affiliates; and
compliance with reporting, recordkeeping, voting, proxy disclosure and other rules and regulations that would significantly increase our operating expenses.
Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act defines an investment company as any issuer that is or holds itself out as being engaged primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities. Section 3(a)(1)(C) of the Investment Company Act defines an investment company as any issuer that is engaged or proposes to engage in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and owns or proposes to acquire investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of the issuer’s total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis, which we refer to as the 40% test. Excluded from the term “investment securities,” among other things, are U.S. government securities

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and securities issued by majority-owned subsidiaries that are not themselves investment companies and are not relying on the exception from the definition of investment company set forth in Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act. Moreover, we take the position that general partnership interests in joint ventures structured as general partnerships are not considered securities at all and thus are not investment securities.
Because we are a holding company that conducts its businesses through subsidiaries, the securities issued by our subsidiaries that rely on the exception from the definition of “investment company” in Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act, together with any other investment securities we may own directly, may not have a combined value in excess of 40% of the value of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. This requirement limits the types of businesses in which we may engage through these subsidiaries.
We must monitor our holdings and those of our operating partnership to ensure that they comply with the 40% test. Through our operating partnership’s wholly-owned or majority-owned subsidiaries, we and our operating partnership will be primarily engaged in the non-investment company businesses of these subsidiaries, namely the business of purchasing real estate properties or otherwise originating or acquiring mortgages and other interests in real estate.
Most of these subsidiaries will rely on the exclusion from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, which is available for entities “primarily engaged in [the business of] purchasing or otherwise acquiring mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate.” This exclusion generally requires that at least 55% of a subsidiary’s portfolio must be comprised of qualifying real estate assets and at least 80% of its portfolio must be comprised of qualifying real estate assets and real estate-related assets (and no more than 20% comprised of miscellaneous assets). Qualification for exclusion from registration under the Investment Company Act will limit our ability to acquire or sell certain assets and also could restrict the time at which we may acquire or sell assets. For purposes of the exclusion provided by Section 3(c)(5)(C), we will classify our investments based in large measure on no-action letters issued by the SEC staff and other SEC interpretive guidance and, in the absence of SEC guidance, on our view of what constitutes a qualifying real estate asset and a real estate related asset. These no-action positions were issued in accordance with factual situations that may be substantially different from the factual situations we may face and a number of these no-action positions were issued more than twenty years ago. In August 2011, the SEC issued a concept release in which it asked for comments on various aspects of Section 3(c)(5)(C), and, accordingly, the SEC or its staff may issue further guidance in the future. Future revisions to the Investment Company Act or further guidance from the SEC or its staff may force us to re-evaluate our portfolio and our investment strategy.
We may in the future organize special purpose subsidiaries of the operating partnership that will borrow under or participate in government sponsored incentive programs to the extent they exist. We expect that some of these subsidiaries will rely on Section 3(c)(7) for their Investment Company Act exclusion and, therefore, our operating partnership’s interest in each of these subsidiaries would constitute an “investment security” for purposes of determining whether the operating partnership passes the 40% test. Also, we may in the future organize one or more subsidiaries that seek to rely on the Investment Company Act exclusion provided to certain structured financing vehicles by Rule 3a-7. Any such subsidiary would need to be structured to comply with any guidance that may be issued by the SEC staff on the restrictions contained in Rule 3a-7. In certain circumstances, compliance with Rule 3a-7 may require, among other things, that the indenture governing the subsidiary include limitations on the types of assets the subsidiary may sell or acquire out of the proceeds of assets that mature, are refinanced or otherwise sold, on the period of time during which such transactions may occur, and on the amount of transactions that may occur.
The loss of our Investment Company Act exclusion could require us to register as an investment company or substantially change the way we conduct our business, either of which may have an adverse effect on us and the value of our common stock.
On August 31, 2011, the SEC published a concept release (Release No. 29778, File No. S7-34-11, Companies Engaged in the Business of Acquiring Mortgages and Mortgage Related Instruments), pursuant to which it is reviewing whether certain companies that invest in mortgage-backed securities and rely on the exclusion from registration under Section 3(c)(5)(C) of the Investment Company Act, such as us, should continue to be allowed to rely on such an exclusion from registration. If the SEC or its staff takes action with respect to this exclusion, these changes could mean that certain of our subsidiaries could no longer rely on the Section 3(c)(5)(C) exclusion, and would have to rely on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7), which would mean that our investment in those subsidiaries would be investment securities. This could result in our failure to maintain our exclusion from registration as an investment company.
If we fail to maintain an exclusion from registration as an investment company, either because of SEC interpretational changes or otherwise, we could, among other things, be required either: (i) to substantially change the manner in which we conduct our operations to avoid being required to register as an investment company; or (ii) to register as an investment company, either of which could have an adverse effect on us and the value of our common stock. If we are required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would become subject to substantial regulation with respect to our capital structure (including our ability to use leverage), management, operations, transactions with affiliated persons (as defined in the

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Investment Company Act), portfolio composition, including restrictions with respect to diversification and industry concentration and other matters.
Our Advisor is subject to extensive regulation, including as an investment adviser in the United States, as a fund services business in the Bailiwick of Jersey, which could adversely affect its ability to manage our business.
Certain of our Sponsor’s affiliates, including our Advisor, are subject to regulation as investment advisers and/or fund managers by various regulatory authorities that are charged with protecting the interests of our Advisor’s managed companies, including us. Instances of criminal activity and fraud by participants in the investment management industry and disclosures of trading and other abuses by participants in the financial services industry have led the U.S. government and regulators in foreign jurisdictions to consider increasing the rules and regulations governing, and oversight of, the financial system. This activity is expected to result in continued changes to the laws and regulations governing the investment management industry and more aggressive enforcement of the existing laws and regulations. Our Advisor could be subject to civil liability, criminal liability, or sanction, including revocation of its registration as an investment adviser in the United States or its registration in the Bailiwick of Jersey, revocation of the licenses of its employees, censures, fines or temporary suspension or permanent bar from conducting business if it is found to have violated any of these laws or regulations. Any such liability or sanction could adversely affect its ability to manage our business.
Our Advisor must continually address conflicts between its interests and those of its managed companies, including us. In addition, the SEC, the Jersey Financial Services Commission and other regulators have increased their scrutiny of potential conflicts of interest. However, appropriately dealing with conflicts of interest is complex and difficult and if our Advisor fails, or appears to fail, to deal appropriately with conflicts of interest, it could face litigation or regulatory proceedings or penalties, any of which could adversely affect its ability to manage our business.
Certain provisions of Maryland law may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of us.
Certain provisions of the MGCL may have the effect of inhibiting a third-party from acquiring us or of impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide our stockholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of such shares, including:
“business combination” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business combinations between an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of our outstanding shares of voting stock or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding stock of the corporation) or an affiliate of any interested stockholder and us for five years after the most recent date on which the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, and thereafter imposes two super-majority stockholder voting requirements on these combinations; and
“control share” provisions that provide that holders of “control shares” of our company (defined as voting shares of stock that, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned or controlled by the acquirer, would entitle the acquirer to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing directors) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of issued and outstanding “control shares”) have no voting rights except to the extent approved by stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares.
Pursuant to the Maryland Business Combination Act, our board of directors has by resolution opted out of the business combination provisions. Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act any and all acquisitions by any person of shares of our stock. There can be no assurance that these resolutions or exemptions will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.
Our charter includes a provision that may discourage a person from launching a mini-tender offer for our shares.
Our charter provides that any tender offer made by a person, including any “mini-tender” offer, must comply with most provisions of Regulation 14D of the Exchange Act. A “mini-tender offer” is a public, open offer to all stockholders to buy their stock during a specified period of time that will result in the bidder owning less than 5% of the class of securities upon completion of the mini-tender offer process. Absent such a provision in our charter, mini-tender offers for shares of our common stock would not be subject to Regulation 14D of the Exchange Act. Tender offers, by contrast, result in the bidder owning more than 5% of the class of securities and are automatically subject to Regulation 14D of the Exchange Act. Pursuant to our charter, the offeror must provide our company notice of such tender offer at least ten business days before initiating the tender offer. If the offeror does not comply with these requirements, our company will have the right to redeem the offeror’s shares, including any shares acquired in the tender offer. In addition, the noncomplying offeror shall be responsible for all of our company’s expenses in connection with that offeror’s noncompliance and no stockholder may transfer any shares to such noncomplying offeror without first offering

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the shares to us at the tender offer price offered by such noncomplying offeror. This provision of our charter may discourage a person from initiating a mini-tender offer for our shares and prevent stockholders from receiving a premium price for their shares in such a transaction.
Our failure to continue to qualify as a REIT would subject us to federal income tax and reduce cash available for distribution to stockholders.
We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code commencing with the taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We intend to continue to operate in a manner so as to continue to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex Internal Revenue Code provisions for which only a limited number of judicial and administrative interpretations exist. Even an inadvertent or technical mistake could jeopardize our REIT status. Our continued qualification as a REIT will depend on our satisfaction of certain asset, income, organizational, distribution, stockholder ownership and other requirements on a continuing basis. Moreover, new tax legislation, administrative guidance or court decisions, in each instance potentially with retroactive effect, could make it more difficult or impossible for us to continue to qualify as a REIT. If we fail to continue to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we would be subject to federal and applicable state and local income tax on our taxable income at corporate rates, in which case we might be required to borrow or liquidate some investments in order to pay the applicable tax. Losing our REIT status would reduce our net income available for investment or distribution to stockholders because of the additional tax liability. In addition, distributions to stockholders would no longer qualify for the dividends-paid deduction and we would no longer be required to make distributions. Furthermore, if we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year for which we have elected to be taxed as a REIT, we would generally be unable to elect REIT status for the four taxable years following the year in which our REIT status is lost.
Complying with REIT requirements may force us to borrow funds to make distributions to stockholders or otherwise depend on external sources of capital to fund such distributions.
To continue to qualify as a REIT, we are required to distribute annually at least 90% of our taxable income, subject to certain adjustments, to stockholders. To the extent that we satisfy the distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income. In addition, we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gain. In that case, if we so elect, a stockholder would be taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term gain and would receive a credit or refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid. A stockholder, including a tax-exempt or foreign stockholder, would have to file a federal income tax return to claim that credit or refund. Furthermore, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if the actual amount that we distribute to stockholders in a calendar year is less than a minimum amount specified under federal tax laws.
From time-to-time, we may generate taxable income greater than our net income (loss) for U.S. GAAP, due to among other things, amortization of capitalized purchase premiums, fair value adjustments and reserves. In addition, our taxable income may be greater than our cash flow available for distribution to stockholders as a result of, among other things, investments in assets that generate taxable income in advance of the corresponding cash flow from the assets (for instance, if a borrower defers the payment of interest in cash pursuant to a contractual right or otherwise).
If we do not have other funds available in the situations described in the preceding paragraphs, we could be required to borrow funds on unfavorable terms, sell investments at disadvantageous prices or find another alternative source of funds to make distributions sufficient to enable us to distribute enough of our taxable income to satisfy the REIT distribution requirement and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% excise tax in a particular year. These alternatives could increase our costs or reduce our equity.
Because of the distribution requirement, it is unlikely that we will be able to fund all future capital needs, including capital needs in connection with investments, from cash retained from operations. As a result, to fund future capital needs, we likely will have to rely on third-party sources of capital, including both debt and equity financing, which may or may not be available on favorable terms or at all. Our access to third-party sources of capital will depend upon a number of factors, including our current and potential future earnings and cash distributions.
We could fail to continue to qualify as a REIT if the IRS successfully challenges our treatment of our mezzanine loans or repurchase agreements.
We intend to continue to operate in a manner so as to continue to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. However, qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex Internal Revenue Code provisions for which only a limited number of judicial and administrative interpretations exist. If the IRS disagrees with the application of these provisions to our assets or transactions, including assets we have owned and past transactions, our REIT qualification could be jeopardized. For instance, IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65 provides a safe harbor pursuant to which a mezzanine loan, if it meets each of the requirements contained therein, will be treated by the IRS as a real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests and interest derived from it will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% income test. Although Revenue

48



Procedure 2003-65 provides a safe harbor on which taxpayers may rely, it does not prescribe rules of substantive tax law. While mezzanine loans in which we invest may not meet all of the requirements for reliance on this safe harbor, we expect to invest in mezzanine loans in a manner that we believe will enable us to continue to satisfy the REIT gross income and asset tests.
In addition, we have entered into sale and repurchase agreements under which we nominally sold certain of our mortgage assets to a counterparty and simultaneously entered into an agreement to repurchase the sold assets. We believe that we will be treated for federal income tax purposes as the owner of the mortgage assets that are the subject of any such sale and repurchase agreement notwithstanding that we transferred record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement. It is possible, however, that the IRS could assert that we did not own the mortgage assets during the term of the sale and repurchase agreement, in which case our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT could be adversely affected.
Even if the IRS were to disagree with one or more of our interpretations and we were treated as having failed to satisfy one of the REIT qualification requirements, we could maintain our REIT qualification if our failure was excused under certain statutory savings provisions. However, there can be no guarantee that we would be entitled to benefit from those statutory savings provisions if we failed to satisfy one of the REIT qualification requirements, and even if we were entitled to benefit from those statutory savings provisions, we could be required to pay a penalty tax.
Despite our qualification for taxation as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we may be subject to other tax liabilities that reduce our cash flow and our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
Despite our qualification for taxation as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we may be subject to certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and assets, including taxes on any undistributed income or property. Any of these taxes would decrease cash available for distribution to stockholders. For instance:
In order to continue to qualify as a REIT, we must distribute annually at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (which is determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction or net capital gain for this purpose) to stockholders. To the extent that we satisfy the distribution requirement but distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on the undistributed income.
We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which distributions we pay in any calendar year are less than the sum of 85% of our ordinary income, 95% of our capital gain net income and 100% of our undistributed income from prior years.
If we have net income from the sale of foreclosure property that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business or other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property, we must pay a tax on that income at the highest corporate income tax rate.
If we sell an asset, other than foreclosure property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business and do not qualify for a safe harbor in the Code, our gain would be subject to the 100% “prohibited transaction” tax.
Any domestic taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS, of ours will be subject to federal corporate income tax on its income, and on any non-arm’s-length transactions between us and any TRS, for instance, excessive rents charged to a TRS could be subject to a 100% tax.
We may be subject to tax on income from certain activities conducted as a result of taking title to collateral.
We may be subject to state or local income, property and transfer taxes, such as mortgage recording taxes.
Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities or liquidate otherwise attractive investments.
To continue to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to stockholders and the ownership of our stock. As discussed above, we may be required to make distributions to stockholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. Additionally, we may be unable to pursue investments that would be otherwise attractive to us in order to satisfy the requirements for qualifying as a REIT.
We must also ensure that at the end of each calendar quarter, at least 75% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash items, government securities and qualified real estate assets, including certain mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities. The remainder of our investment in securities (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) generally cannot include more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. In addition, in general, no more than 5% of the value of our assets can consist of the securities of any

49



one issuer (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) and no more than 25% (20% after 2017) of the value of our gross assets may be represented by securities of one or more TRSs. Finally, for the taxable years after 2015, no more than 25% of our assets may consist of debt investments that are issued by “publicly offered REITs” and would not otherwise be treated as qualifying real estate assets. If we fail to comply with these requirements at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct such failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter to avoid losing our REIT status and suffering adverse tax consequences, unless certain relief provisions apply. As a result, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to operate solely on the basis of profit maximization and may require us to liquidate investments from our portfolio, or refrain from making, otherwise attractive investments. These actions could have the effect of reducing our income and amounts available for distribution to stockholders.
Modification of the terms of our CRE debt investments and mortgage loans underlying our CMBS in conjunction with reductions in the value of the real property securing such loans could cause us to fail to continue to qualify as a REIT.
Our CRE debt and securities investments may be materially affected by a weak real estate market and economy in general. As a result, many of the terms of our CRE debt and the mortgage loans underlying our CRE securities may be modified to avoid taking title to a property. Under Treasury Regulations, if the terms of a loan are modified in a manner constituting a “significant modification,” such modification triggers a deemed exchange of the original loan for the modified loan. In general, under applicable Treasury Regulations, or the Loan-to-Value Regulation, if a loan is secured by real property and other property and the highest principal amount of the loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property securing the loan determined as of the date we agreed to acquire the loan or the date we significantly modified the loan, a portion of the interest income from such loan will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test although it may nevertheless be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. Although the law is not entirely clear, a portion of the loan will likely be a non-qualifying asset for purposes of the 75% asset test. The non-qualifying portion of such a loan would be subject to, among other requirements, the requirement that a REIT not hold securities representing more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer, or the 10% Value Test. For taxable years beginning after 2015, debt obligations secured by a mortgage on both real and personal property will be treated as a real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test, and interest thereon will be treated as interest on an obligation secured by real property, if the fair market value of the personal property does not exceed 15% of the fair market value of all property securing the debt.
IRS Revenue Procedure 2014-51 provides a safe harbor pursuant to which we will not be required to redetermine the fair market value of the real property securing a loan for purposes of the gross income and asset tests discussed above in connection with a loan modification that is: (i) occasioned by a borrower default; or (ii) made at a time when we reasonably believe that the modification to the loan will substantially reduce a significant risk of default on the original loan. No assurance can be provided that all of our loan modifications have or will qualify for the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2014-51. To the extent we significantly modify loans in a manner that does not qualify for that safe harbor, we will be required to redetermine the value of the real property securing the loan at the time it was significantly modified. In determining the value of the real property securing such a loan, we generally will not obtain third-party appraisals, but rather will rely on internal valuations. No assurance can be provided that the IRS will not successfully challenge our internal valuations. If the terms of our debt investments and mortgage loans underlying our CMBS are “significantly modified” in a manner that does not qualify for the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2014-51 and the fair market value of the real property securing such loans has decreased significantly, we could fail the 75% gross income test, the 75% asset test and/or the 10% Value Test. Unless we qualified for relief under certain Internal Revenue Code cure provisions, such failures could cause us to fail to continue to qualify as a REIT.
Our acquisition of debt or securities investments may cause us to recognize income for federal income tax purposes even though no cash payments have been received on the debt investments.
We may acquire debt or securities investments in the secondary market for less than their face amount. The amount of such discount will generally be treated as a “market discount” for federal income tax purposes. If these debt or securities investments provide for “payment-in-kind” interest, we may recognize “original issue discount,” or OID, for federal income tax purposes. Moreover, we may acquire distressed debt investments that are subsequently modified by agreement with the borrower. If the amendments to the outstanding debt constitute “significant modifications” under the applicable Treasury Regulations, the modified debt may be considered to have been reissued to us in a debt-for-debt exchange with the borrower. In that event, if the debt is considered to be “publicly-traded” for federal income tax purposes, the modified debt in our hands may be considered to have been issued with OID to the extent the fair market value of the modified debt is less than the principal amount of the outstanding debt. In the event the debt is not considered to be “publicly traded” for federal income tax purposes, we may be required to recognize taxable income to the extent that the principal amount of the modified debt exceeds our cost of purchasing it. Also, certain loans that we originate and later modify and certain previously modified debt we acquire in the secondary market may be considered to have been issued with the OID at the time it was modified.
In general, we will be required to accrue OID on a debt instrument as taxable income in accordance with applicable federal income tax rules even though no cash payments may be received on such debt instrument on a current basis.

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In the event a borrower with respect to a particular debt instrument encounters financial difficulty rendering it unable to pay stated interest as due, we may nonetheless be required to continue to recognize the unpaid interest as taxable income. Similarly, we may be required to accrue interest income with respect to subordinate mortgage-backed securities at the stated rate regardless of when their corresponding cash payments are received.
In order to meet the REIT distribution requirements, it might be necessary for us to arrange for short-term, or possibly long-term borrowings, or to pay distributions in the form of our shares or other taxable in-kind distributions of property. We may need to borrow funds at times when the market conditions are unfavorable. Such borrowings could increase our costs and reduce the value of a stockholders’ investment. In the event in-kind distributions are made, a stockholder’s tax liabilities associated with an investment in our common stock for a given year may exceed the amount of cash we distribute to stockholders during such year.
Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively.
The REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code may limit our ability to hedge our operations effectively. Our aggregate gross income from non-qualifying hedges, fees and certain other non-qualifying sources cannot exceed 5% of our annual gross income. As a result, we might have to limit our use of advantageous hedging techniques or implement those hedges through a TRS. Any hedging income earned by a TRS would be subject to federal, state and local income tax at regular corporate rates. This could increase the cost of our hedging activities or expose us to greater risks associated with interest rate or other changes than we would otherwise incur.
Liquidation of assets may jeopardize our REIT qualification.
To continue to qualify as a REIT, we must comply with requirements regarding our assets and our sources of income. If we are compelled to liquidate our investments to satisfy our obligations to our lenders, we may be unable to comply with these requirements, ultimately jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT, or we may be subject to a 100% prohibited transaction tax on any resulting gain if we sell assets that are treated as dealer property or inventory.
The prohibited transactions tax may limit our ability to engage in transactions, including disposition of assets and certain methods of securitizing loans, which would be treated as sales for federal income tax purposes.
A REIT’s net income from prohibited transactions is subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of dealer property, other than foreclosure property, but including loans held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. We might be subject to the prohibited transaction tax if we were to dispose of or securitize loans in a manner that is treated as a sale of the loans, for federal income tax purposes. Therefore, in order to avoid the prohibited transactions tax, we may choose not to engage in certain sales of loans and may limit the structures that we use for any securitization financing transactions, even though such sales or structures might otherwise be beneficial to us. Additionally, we may be subject to the prohibited transaction tax upon a disposition of real property. Although a safe-harbor exception to prohibited transaction treatment is available, we cannot assure stockholders that we can comply with such safe harbor or that we will avoid owning property that may be characterized as held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our trade or business. Consequently, we may choose not to engage in certain sales of real property or may conduct such sales through a TRS.
It may be possible to reduce the impact of the prohibited transaction tax by conducting certain activities through a TRS. However, to the extent that we engage in such activities through a TRS, the income associated with such activities will be subject to a corporate income tax.
We also may not be able to use secured financing structures that would create taxable mortgage pools, other than in a TRS or through a subsidiary REIT.
We may recognize substantial amounts of REIT taxable income, which we would be required to distribute to stockholders, in a year in which we are not profitable under U.S. GAAP principles or other economic measures.
We may recognize substantial amounts of REIT taxable income in years in which we are not profitable under U.S. GAAP or other economic measures as a result of the differences between U.S. GAAP and tax accounting methods. For instance, certain of our assets have been marked-to-market for U.S. GAAP purposes but not for tax purposes, which could result in losses for U.S. GAAP purposes that are not recognized in computing our REIT taxable income. Additionally, we may deduct our capital losses only to the extent of our capital gains in computing our REIT taxable income for a given taxable year. Consequently, we could recognize substantial amounts of REIT taxable income and would be required to distribute such income to stockholders, in a year in which we are not profitable under U.S. GAAP or other economic measures.

51



We may distribute our common stock in a taxable distribution, in which case stockholders may sell shares of our common stock to pay tax on such distributions, and stockholders may receive less in cash than the amount of the dividend that is taxable.
We may make taxable distributions that are payable in cash and common stock. The IRS has issued private letter rulings to other REITs treating certain distributions that are paid partly in cash and partly in stock as taxable distributions that would satisfy the REIT annual distribution requirement and qualify for the dividends paid deduction for federal income tax purposes. Those rulings may be relied upon only by taxpayers to whom they were issued, but we could request a similar ruling from the IRS. Accordingly, it is unclear whether and to what extent we will be able to make taxable distributions payable in cash and common stock. If we made a taxable dividend payable in cash and common stock, taxable stockholders receiving such distributions will be required to include the dividend, as taxable income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for federal income tax purposes. As a result, stockholders may be required to pay income tax with respect to such distributions in excess of the cash distributions received. If a U.S. stockholder sells the common stock that it receives as a dividend in order to pay this tax, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount recorded in earnings with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of our common stock at the time of the sale. Furthermore, with respect to certain non-U.S. stockholders, we may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax with respect to such dividends, including in respect of all or a portion of such dividend that is payable in common stock.
REIT distribution requirements could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan.
We generally must distribute annually at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (which is determined without regard to the dividends-paid deduction or net capital gain for this purpose) in order to continue to qualify as a REIT. We intend to make distributions to stockholders to comply with the REIT requirements of the Internal Revenue Code and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% excise tax. We may be required to make distributions to stockholders at times when it would be more advantageous to reinvest cash in our business or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to operate solely on the basis of maximizing profits.
Our qualification as a REIT could be jeopardized as a result of our interest in joint ventures or investment funds.
We may hold certain limited partner or non-managing member interests in partnerships and limited liability companies that are joint ventures or investment funds. If a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our qualification as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a REIT gross income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to continue to qualify as a REIT unless we are able to qualify for a statutory REIT “savings” provision, which may require us to pay a significant penalty tax to maintain our REIT qualification.
Distributions paid by REITs do not qualify for the reduced tax rates that apply to other corporate distributions.
The maximum tax rate for “qualified dividends” paid by corporations to non-corporate stockholders is currently 20%. Distributions paid by REITs, however, generally are taxed at ordinary income rates (subject to a maximum rate of 39.6% for non-corporate stockholders), rather than the preferential rate applicable to qualified dividends.
Our qualification as a REIT may depend upon the accuracy of legal opinions or advice rendered or given or statements by the issuers of assets we acquire.
When purchasing securities, we may rely on opinions or advice of counsel for the issuer of such securities, or statements made in related offering documents, for purposes of determining, among other things, whether such securities represent debt or equity securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the value of such securities, and also to what extent those securities constitute qualified real estate assets for purposes of the REIT asset tests and produce qualified income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. The inaccuracy of any such opinions, advice or statements may adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT and result in significant corporate-level tax.
Our charter limits the number of shares a person may own, which may discourage a takeover that could otherwise result in a premium price paid to stockholders.
Our charter, with certain exceptions, authorizes our board of directors to take such actions as are necessary and desirable to preserve our qualification as a REIT. To help us comply with the REIT ownership requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, among other purposes, our charter prohibits a person from directly or constructively owning more than 9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of our stock of any class or series or more than 9.8% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of our common stock, unless exempted (prospectively or retroactively) by our board of directors. This restriction may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us, including an

52



extraordinary transaction (such as a merger, tender offer or sale of all or substantially all of our assets) that might otherwise provide a premium price for holders of our shares of common stock.
Legislative or regulatory tax changes could adversely affect us or stockholders.
At any time, the federal income tax laws can change. Laws and rules governing REITs or the administrative interpretations of those laws may be amended. Any of those new laws or interpretations may take effect retroactively and could adversely affect us or stockholders.

53



Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
Our real estate property investments are part of our real estate equity segment and are described under Item 1. “Business.” The following table presents information with respect to our real estate investments as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
Location City, State
 
Square Feet
 
Number of Properties
 
Percentage Occupied
 
Ownership Interest
 
Type
 
Lease Expiration Date(1)
 
Gross Carrying Value(2)
 
Borrowings
Clemson, SC
 
204,612

 
1
 
97%
 
80%
 
Student Housing
 
Various
 
$
19,865

 
$
12,907

Columbia, SC
 
234,800

 
1
 
99%
 
80%
 
Student Housing
 
Various
 
23,707

 
16,395

Farmington Hills, MI
 
702,130

 
1
 
96%
 
90%
 
Multifamily
 
Various
 
58,044

 
42,370

Kalamazoo, MI
 
278,412

 
1
 
94%
 
80%
 
Student Housing
 
Various
 
22,660

 
15,747

New Orleans, LA
 
354,988

 
1
 
97%
 
85%
 
Multifamily
 
Various
 
55,180

 
42,902

St. Louis, MO
 
892,306

 
7
 
88%
 
95%
 
Office
 
Jun-25
 
115,217

 
108,569

Warrendale, PA
 
554,474

 
5
 
100%
 
89%
 
Office
 
Nov-24
 
93,672

 
77,512

Total / weighted average
 
3,221,722

 
17
 
95%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
388,345

 
$
316,402

__________________________________________________________
(1)
All leases for multifamily and student housing properties are short term in nature. For office properties, based on initial term and represents the weighted average lease expiration date if more than one lease.
(2)
Represents operating real estate before accumulated depreciation as presented in our consolidated financial statements. Refer to “Note 4. Operating Real Estate” of Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”
As of December 31, 2015, we had no properties with a carrying value equal to or greater than 10% of our total assets. For the year ended December 31, 2015, we had one single property with gross revenues equal to or greater than 10% of our total revenues.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
We may be involved in various litigation matters arising in the ordinary course of our business. Although we are unable to predict with certainty the eventual outcome of any litigation, in the opinion of management, any legal proceedings are not expected to have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.

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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information
There is no established public trading market for our shares of common stock. We do not expect that our shares will be listed for trading on a national securities exchange in the near future, if ever. Our board of directors will determine when, and if, to apply to have shares of our common stock listed for trading on a national securities exchange, subject to satisfying existing listing requirements. Our board of directors does not have a stated term for evaluating a listing on a national securities exchange as we believe setting a finite date for a possible, but uncertain future liquidity transaction may result in actions that are not necessarily in the best interest or within the expectations of our stockholders.
We provide an estimated value per share of our common stock in each annual report distributed to our stockholders, the method by which it was developed and the date of the data used to develop the estimated value to assist broker-dealers in connection with the obligations under FINRA Rule 5110 and to assist fiduciaries of retirement plans subject to the annual reporting requirements of ERISA in the preparation of their reports relating to an investment in our shares of common stock. On December 16, 2014, upon the recommendation of the audit committee of our board of directors, our board of directors, including all of our independent directors, approved and established an estimated value per share of our common stock of $10.02 as of October 31, 2014, or the Valuation Date. The estimated value per share is based upon the estimated value of our assets less the estimated value of our liabilities as of the Valuation Date. As of the Valuation Date, (1) the estimated value of our CRE debt investments was $1.5 billion, compared with an aggregate outstanding principal balance of $1.4 billion; (2) the estimated value of our CRE equity investments was $366.7 million, compared with an aggregate initial purchase price, including subsequent capital expenditures, of $305.3 million; (3) the estimated value of our PE Investments was $172.4 million, compared with a carrying value of $137.8 million; and (4) the estimated value of our CRE securities was $83.4 million, compared to a carrying value of $70.2 million. For additional information on the methodology used in calculating our estimated value per share, refer to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 17, 2014.
In connection with its determination of the estimated value of our shares of common stock, and pursuant to our DRP, our board of directors determined that, effective January 1, 2015, distributions may be reinvested in shares of our common stock at a price of $9.52 per share, which is approximately 95% of the estimated value per share as of the Valuation Date. Prior to the determination of the estimated value per share, the DRP offering price for the most recent distribution reinvestment in December 2014 was $9.50 per share, which was 95% of the $10.00 estimated value per share based upon the public offering price in our initial public offering.
The board of directors currently expects that our next estimated value per share will be based upon our assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and such value will be included in a Current Report on Form 8-K or such other filing with the SEC. We intend to continue to publish updated estimated values per share annually.
Stockholders
As of March 14, 2016, we had 24,273 stockholders of record.

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Distributions
The following table summarizes distributions declared for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013 (dollars in thousands):
 
Distributions(1)
Period
Cash
 
DRP
 
Total
2015
 
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
$
12,640

 
$
10,720

 
$
23,360

Second Quarter
12,910

 
10,882

 
23,792

Third Quarter
13,107

 
11,095

 
24,202

Fourth Quarter
13,169

 
11,145

 
24,314

Total
$
51,826

 
$
43,842

 
$
95,668

 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
$
12,369

 
$
10,338

 
$
22,707

Second Quarter
12,492

 
10,650

 
23,142

Third Quarter
12,674

 
10,885

 
23,559

Fourth Quarter
12,717

 
10,997

 
23,714

Total
$
50,252

 
$
42,870

 
$
93,122

 
 
 
 
 
 
2013
 
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
$
7,728

 
$
5,736

 
$
13,464

Second Quarter
10,694

 
8,170

 
18,864

Third Quarter
12,644

 
10,213

 
22,857

Fourth Quarter
12,678

 
10,359

 
23,037

Total
$
43,744

 
$
34,478

 
$
78,222

________________________________________________________
(1)
Represents distributions declared for such period, even though such distributions are actually paid to stockholders the month following such period.
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
We adopted our DRP through which common stockholders may elect to reinvest an amount equal to the distributions declared on their shares in additional shares of our common stock in lieu of receiving cash distributions. The initial purchase price per share under our DRP was $9.50. In connection with its determination of the estimated value of our shares of common stock, and pursuant to our DRP, the board of directors determined that, effective January 1, 2015, distributions may be reinvested in shares of our common stock at a price of $9.52 per share, which is approximately 95% of the estimated value per share as of the Valuation Date.
No selling commissions or dealer manager fees are paid on shares issued pursuant to our DRP. Our board of directors may amend or terminate our DRP for any reason upon ten days’ notice to participants, except that we may not amend our DRP to eliminate a participant’s ability to withdraw from our DRP.
For the period from October 18, 2010 through December 31, 2015, we issued 13.8 million shares totaling $130.9 million of gross offering proceeds pursuant to our DRP.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
We adopted our Share Repurchase Program effective July 19, 2010, which enables stockholders to sell their shares to us in limited circumstances. We may not repurchase shares unless a stockholder has held shares for one year. However, we may repurchase shares held for less than one year in connection with a stockholder’s death or disability, if the disability is deemed qualifying by our board of directors, in their sole discretion, and after receiving written notice from the stockholder or the stockholder’s estate. We are not obligated to repurchase shares under our Share Repurchase Program. We fund repurchase requests received during a quarter with proceeds set aside for that purpose which are not expected to exceed proceeds received from our DRP. However, to the extent that the aggregate DRP proceeds are not sufficient to fund repurchase requests, our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, choose to use other sources of funds. Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, amend, suspend or terminate our Share Repurchase Program at any time upon ten days’ notice except that changes in the number of shares that can be repurchased during any calendar year will take effect only upon ten business days’ prior written notice. In addition, our Share Repurchase

56



Program will terminate in the event a secondary market develops for our shares or until our shares are listed on a national exchange or included for quotation in a national securities market.
For the three months ended December 31, 2015, we repurchased shares of our common stock as follows:
Period
Total Number of
Shares Purchased
 
Average Price
Paid Per Share
 
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plan or Program
 
Maximum Approximate
Dollar Value of Shares
that May Yet Be Purchased
Under the Plan or Program
October 1 to October 31
670,129

 
$
9.64

 
670,129

 
(1) 
November 1 to November 30

 

 

 
(1) 
December 1 to December 31

 

 

 
(1) 
Total
670,129

 
$
9.64

 
670,129

 
 
__________________________________________________________
(1)
Subject to funds being available, we will limit the number of shares redeemed pursuant to our Share Repurchase Program to: (i) 5.0% of the weighted average number of shares of our common stock outstanding during the prior calendar year; and (ii) those that could be funded from the net DRP proceeds in the prior calendar year plus such additional funds as may be reserved for that purpose by our board of directors; provided, however, that the above volume limitations shall not apply to repurchases requested within two years after the death or qualifying disability of a stockholder.
As of December 31, 2015, we had no unfulfilled repurchase requests.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
On October 19, 2015, we granted 7,485 shares of restricted common stock at $10.02 per share to a newly appointed independent director on the board of directors and a member of the audit committee.
During the three months ended December 31, 2015, we did not issue any equity securities that were not registered under the Securities Act. All prior sales of unregistered securities have been previously reported on quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.


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Item 6. Selected Financial Data
The information below should be read in conjunction with “Forward-Looking Statements” Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors,” Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Operating Data:
(Dollars in thousands, except per share and distributions declared data)
Net interest income
$
75,132

 
$
81,597

 
$
62,374

 
$
21,302

 
$
2,190

Rental and other income
60,394

 
29,342

 
1,970

 

 

Expenses
112,733

 
70,341

 
31,355

 
6,569

 
1,324

Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense)
10,685

 
52,759

 
32,989

 
15,304

 
1,598

Net income (loss)
45,591

 
88,953

 
61,017

 
15,304

 
1,598

Net income (loss) per share of common stock, basic/diluted
$
0.38

 
$
0.77

 
$
0.63

 
$
0.44

 
$
0.22

Distributions declared per share of common stock
$
0.80

 
$
0.80

 
$
0.80

 
$
0.80

 
$
0.80

 
As of December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Balance Sheet Data:
(Dollars in thousands)
Cash
$
127,890

 
$
35,755

 
$
119,595

 
$
213,727

 
$
53,859

Real estate debt investments, net
997,836

 
1,250,023

 
1,074,773

 
514,058

 
72,937

Operating real estate, net
365,327

 
403,347

 
125,168

 

 

Investments in unconsolidated ventures
157,843

 
195,860

 
156,616

 

 

Real estate securities, available for sale
83,622

 
79,636

 
66,450

 
29,582

 
34,746

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total assets
1,947,516

 
2,188.021

 
1,831,104

 
859,938

 
169,365

Total borrowings
819,716

 
996,178

 
637,752

 
250,812

 
24,061

Total liabilities
915,505

 
1,125,324

 
825,879

 
342,192

 
33,458

Total equity
1,032,011

 
1,062,697

 
1,005,225

 
517,746

 
135,907

 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Other Data:
(Dollars in thousands)
Cash flow provided by (used in):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Operating activities
$
84,995

 
$
93,392

 
$
66,600

 
$
13,367

 
$
1,325

    Investing activities
257,731

 
(504,087
)
 
(913,785
)
 
(444,395
)
 
(75,678
)
    Financing activities
(250,591
)
 
326,855

 
753,053

 
590,896

 
107,807



58



Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” and risk factors in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this report. References to “we,’’ “us,’’ or “our’’ refer to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and its subsidiaries unless the context specifically requires otherwise.
Introduction
We were formed to originate, acquire and asset manage a diversified portfolio of CRE, debt, select equity and securities investments, predominantly in the United States. We may also invest in CRE investments internationally. CRE debt investments include first mortgage loans, subordinate mortgage and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans and preferred equity interests. Real estate equity investments include direct ownership in properties, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity, as well as indirect interests in real estate through PE Investments. CRE securities primarily consist of commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, and may include unsecured real estate investment trust, or REIT debt, CDO, notes and other securities. In addition, we may own investments through joint ventures. We were formed in January 2009 as a Maryland corporation and commenced operations in October 2010. We elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, commencing with the taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We conduct our operations so as to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
We are externally managed and have no employees. Prior to June 30, 2014, we were managed by an affiliate of NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. (NYSE: NRF), or NorthStar Realty. Effective June 30, 2014, NorthStar Realty spun-off its asset management business into a separate publicly traded company, NorthStar Asset Management Group Inc. (NYSE: NSAM), our Sponsor. Our Sponsor and its affiliates provide asset management and other services to us, NorthStar Realty, NorthStar Realty Europe Corp. (NYSE: NRE), other sponsored public retail-focused companies and any other companies our Sponsor and its affiliates may manage in the future, or collectively the NSAM Managed Companies, both in the United States and internationally. As of December 31, 2015, NSAM has an aggregate of $38.0 billion of assets under management, adjusted for commitments to acquire or sell certain investments by NSAM and the NSAM Managed Companies. Concurrent with the spin-off, affiliates of our Sponsor entered into a new advisory agreement with us and each of the other NSAM Managed Companies. Pursuant to our advisory agreement, NSAM J-NSI Ltd, an affiliate of our Sponsor, or our Advisor, agreed to manage our day-to-day operations on terms substantially similar to those set forth in our prior advisory agreement with NS Real Estate Income Trust Advisor, LLC, or our Prior Advisor. References to our Prior Advisor herein refer to the services performed by and fees paid and accrued to our Prior Advisor during the period prior to June 30, 2014. The spin-off of NorthStar Realty’s asset management business had no impact on our operations.
Our primary investment types are as follows:
Commercial Real Estate Debt - Our CRE debt investments include first mortgage loans, subordinate interests and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans, as well as preferred equity interests.
Commercial Real Estate Equity - Our CRE equity investments include direct ownership in real estate, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity and indirect interests in real estate through PE Investments since the underlying collateral in the funds is primarily real estate.
Commercial Real Estate Securities - Our CRE securities investments may include CMBS, unsecured REIT debt, CDO notes and other securities.
We believe that our targeted investment types are complementary to each other due to their overlapping sources of investment opportunities, common reliance on real estate fundamentals and ability to apply similar portfolio management and servicing skills to maximize value and to protect shareholder capital. We believe our Advisor’s platform and experience provide us the flexibility to invest across the real estate capital structure.
We initially registered to offer up to 100,000,000 shares pursuant to our primary offering to the public, or our Primary Offering, and up to 10,526,315 shares pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan, or DRP. In April 2013, our board of directors authorized the reallocation of shares available under our DRP to our Primary Offering. Our Primary Offering (including 7.6 million shares reallocated from our DRP, or our Total Primary Offering) was completed on July 1, 2013 and all of the shares initially registered for our Offering were issued. As a result of a registration statement to offer up to an additional 15.0 million shares pursuant to our DRP, we continue to offer DRP shares beyond our Total Primary Offering.
We have raised total gross proceeds of $1.2 billion in the Offering.

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Sources of Operating Revenues and Cash Flows
We primarily generate revenue from net interest income on our CRE debt and securities investments and net rental and other operating income from our real estate properties. Additionally, we record equity in earnings of unconsolidated ventures, including from PE Investments. Our income is primarily derived through the difference between net revenue and the cost at which we are able to finance our investments. We may also acquire investments which generate attractive returns without any leverage.
Profitability and Performance Metrics
We calculate Funds from Operations, or FFO, and Modified Funds from Operations, or MFFO, (see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures-Funds from Operations and Modified Funds from Operations” for a description of these metrics), to evaluate the profitability and performance of our business.
Outlook and Recent Trends
The U.S. economy has improved, with the Federal Reserve raising the Federal Funds Rate for the first time in seven years in December 2015. Concerns remain regarding low inflation in the United States, a stronger U.S. dollar, slow global growth and international market volatility. Many other global central banks are easing monetary conditions to combat low inflation and stagnant growth.
Our business and operations are dependent on the commercial real estate industry generally, which in turn is dependent upon broad economic conditions in the United States, Europe, China and elsewhere. Recently, concerns over global economic conditions, energy and commodity prices, geopolitical issues, deflation, foreign exchange rates, the availability and cost of credit, the sovereign debt crisis, the Chinese economy, the U.S. mortgage market and a potentially weakening real estate market in the United States have contributed to increased economic uncertainty. These factors, combined with volatile prices of oil and declining business and consumer confidence, may precipitate an economic slowdown, as well as cause extreme volatility in security prices. The concern of a possible recession is resulting in uncertainty regarding the timing of the next Federal Reserve increase to the Federal Funds Rate.
CRE fundamentals remain relatively healthy across U.S. property types. Robust investor demand in 2014 for commercial real estate increased transaction activity and prices as rent and vacancy fundamentals improved across most property sectors and continued to improve in 2015, especially in the real estate private markets. However, property price appreciation has slowed and the markets may be in the later stage of the current real estate cycle that could lead to a recessing environment.
Global economic and political headwinds, along with global market instability and the risk that maturing commercial real estate debt may have difficulties being refinanced, among other factors, may continue to cause periodic volatility in the commercial real estate market for some time. It is currently estimated that approximately $1.4 trillion of commercial real estate debt in the United States will mature through 2018. A proxy for the liquidity in the commercial real estate market is non-agency CMBS issuance. Approximately $80 billion and $88 billion of non-agency CMBS was issued in the United States in 2013 and 2014, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2015, approximately $95 billion of new CMBS was issued in the United States, slightly below the original projection of $100 billion, with industry experts currently predicting approximately $90 billion of non-agency CMBS issuance in 2016. While there appears to be a supply of available liquidity and improved fundamentals in the commercial real estate market, we still anticipate that certain of these loans will not be able to be refinanced, potentially inhibiting growth and contracting credit.
A return to weak economic conditions in the future, such as those of the credit crisis of 2008, could reduce a tenant’s/operator’s/resident’s/guest’s ability to make payments in accordance with contractual terms and could weaken demand to lease or occupy new space. To the extent that market rental and occupancy rates weaken, property-level cash flow could be negatively affected, and therefore, reduce our ability to make distributions to stockholders.
After showing resiliency during the economic downturn between 2007 and 2010, the non-traded REIT sector experienced strong growth over recent years, with sales peaking in 2013, with approximately $20 billion of equity being raised for programs in this space, largely influenced by a high volume of liquidity events due to favorable capital markets conditions. Non-traded REIT capital raising was down 20% in 2014 (with approximately $16 billion dollars in equity sales) and 2015 sales were down 36% compared to 2014, due to a variety of factors including a reduced number of liquidity events and an expanding regulatory environment. We continue to actively monitor these regulatory changes including the implementation of FINRA 15-02 related to broker-dealer account statements, the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposal on a fiduciary standard for retirement accounts and potential state or federal limitations on the concentration of alternative investment products as a percentage of customer portfolios. Although these developments may negatively impact overall non-traded equity sales, these dynamics are not anticipated to impact the Company as we are no longer in our offering period.

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Due to generally positive real estate market dynamics and our Advisor’s and its affiliates’ expertise and industry relationships, we continue to see a robust pipeline of investment opportunities that have credit qualities and yield profiles that are consistent with our underwriting standards and that we believe offer the opportunity to meet or exceed our targeted returns to reinvest our capital as our portfolio experiences repayments and a return of our invested capital. While we remain optimistic that we will continue to be able to generate and capitalize on an attractive pipeline of opportunities, there is no assurance that will be the case.
Our Strategy
Our primary business objectives are to originate and acquire real estate-related investments, with a focus on CRE debt that we expect will generate attractive risk-adjusted returns, stable cash flow for distributions and provide downside protection to our stockholders. Some of our CRE debt investments may be considered transitional in nature because the borrower or owner may have a business plan to improve the collateral and, as a result, we generally require the borrower to fund interest or other reserves, whether through loan proceeds or otherwise, to support debt service payments and capital expenditures. We, our borrower or owner, and possibly a guarantor, may be required to refill these reserves should they become deficient during the applicable period for any reason. We will also seek to realize growth in the value of our real estate equity investments through appreciation and/or by opportunistic sales to maximize value. We believe that our Advisor, and its affiliates, have a platform that derives a potential competitive advantage from the combination of experience, proven track record of successfully managing public companies, deep industry relationships and market leading CRE credit underwriting and capital markets expertise which enables us to manage credit risk across our investments as well as to structure and finance our assets efficiently. We believe that our targeted investment types are complementary to each other due to their overlapping sources of investment opportunities, common reliance on CRE fundamentals and ability to apply similar portfolio management and servicing skills to maximize value and to protect capital. We use the proceeds from our DRP and other financing sources to carry out our primary business objectives of originating and acquiring real estate-related investments.
We began raising capital in late 2010 and completed our Total Primary Offering on July 1, 2013. We have raised total gross proceeds of $1.2 billion. Since the successful completion of our Total Primary Offering, we have only been raising new equity through our DRP. We also entered into term loan facilities that provide up to an aggregate of $550.0 million to finance the origination of CRE first mortgage loans, our Term Loan Facilities, and our CMBS facilities to make new investments in CMBS, or our CMBS Facilities, and collectively our Credit Facilities. In November 2012 and August 2013, we closed two securitization financing transactions, or our Securitization Financing Transactions, to finance debt investments on a permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market basis. The debt investments had previously been financed on our Term Loan Facilities. Our real estate portfolio is financed with long-term, non-recourse mortgage notes.
The following table presents our investment activity for the year ended December 31, 2015 and from inception through December 31, 2015, adjusted for our acquisitions and commitments through March 14, 2016 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
Year Ended
 
From Inception Through
 
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2015
Investment Type:
 
Count
 
Principal Amount/Cost
 
Count
 
Principal Amount/Cost(1)
CRE debt
 
1
 
$
45,050

 
47
 
$
1,867,975

Operating real estate
 
 

 
17
 
429,126

PE Investments(2)
 
 

 
3
 
341,473

CRE securities
 
1
 
16,113

 
12
 
156,175

Total
 
2
 
61,163

 
79
 
$
2,794,749

____________________________________________________________
(1)
Represents principal amount for real estate debt and securities and cost for real estate equity investments, which includes net purchase price allocation related to net intangibles, deferred costs and other assets.
(2)
Excludes contributions related to future funding commitments.
Critical Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation
Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of us, our operating partnership and our consolidated subsidiaries. We consolidate variable interest entities, or VIEs, where we are the primary beneficiary and voting interest entities which are generally majority owned or otherwise controlled by us. All significant intercompany balances are eliminated in consolidation.

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Variable Interest Entities
A VIE is an entity that lacks one or more of the characteristics of a voting interest entity. A VIE is defined as an entity in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. The determination of whether an entity is a VIE includes both a qualitative and quantitative analysis. We base the qualitative analysis on our review of the design of the entity, its organizational structure including decision-making ability and relevant financial agreements and the quantitative analysis on the forecasted cash flow of the entity. We reassess the initial evaluation of an entity as a VIE upon the occurrence of certain reconsideration events.
A VIE must be consolidated only by its primary beneficiary, which is defined as the party who, along with its affiliates and agents has both the: (i) power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance; and (ii) obligation to absorb the losses of the VIE or the right to receive the benefits from the VIE, which could be significant to the VIE. We determine whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE by considering qualitative and quantitative factors, including, but not limited to: which activities most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and which party controls such activities; the amount and characteristics of its investment; the obligation or likelihood for us or other interests to provide financial support; consideration of the VIE’s purpose and design, including the risks the VIE was designed to create and pass through to its variable interest holders and the similarity with and significance to our business activities and the other interests. We reassess the determination of whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE each reporting period. Significant judgments related to these determinations include estimates about the current and future fair value and performance of investments held by these VIEs and general market conditions.
We evaluate our investments and financings, including investments in unconsolidated ventures and securitization financing transactions to determine whether they are a VIE. We analyze new investments and financings, as well as reconsideration events for existing investments and financings, which vary depending on type of investment or financing.
Voting Interest Entities
A voting interest entity is an entity in which the total equity investment at risk is sufficient to enable it to finance its activities independently and the equity holders have the power to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact its economic performance, the obligation to absorb the losses of the entity and the right to receive the residual returns of the entity. The usual condition for a controlling financial interest in a voting interest entity is ownership of a majority voting interest. If we have a majority voting interest in a voting interest entity, the entity will generally be consolidated. We do not consolidate a voting interest entity if there are substantive participating rights by other parties and/or kick-out rights by a single party or a simple majority vote.
We perform on-going reassessments of whether entities previously evaluated under the voting interest framework have become VIEs, based on certain events, and therefore subject to the VIE consolidation framework.
Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures
A non-controlling, unconsolidated ownership interest in an entity may be accounted for using the equity method, at fair value or the cost method.
Under the equity method, the investment is adjusted each period for capital contributions and distributions and its share of the entity’s net income (loss). Capital contributions, distributions and net income (loss) of such entities are recorded in accordance with the terms of the governing documents. An allocation of net income (loss) may differ from the stated ownership percentage interest in such entity as a result of a preferred return and allocation formula, if any, as described in such governing documents. Equity method investments are recognized using a cost accumulation model in which the investment is recognized based on the cost to the investor, which includes acquisition fees. We record as an expense certain acquisition costs and fees associated with consolidated investments deemed to be business combinations and capitalizes these costs for investments deemed to be acquisitions of an asset, including an equity method investment.
We may account for an investment in an unconsolidated entity at fair value by electing the fair value option. We elected the fair value option for PE Investments. We record the change in fair value for our share of the projected future cash flow of such investments from one period to another in equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated ventures in the consolidated statements of operations. Any change in fair value attributed to market related assumptions is considered unrealized gain (loss).
We may account for an investment that does not qualify for equity method accounting or for which the fair value option was not elected using the cost method if we determine the investment in the unconsolidated entity is insignificant. Under the cost method, equity in earnings is recorded as dividends are received to the extent they are not considered a return of capital, which is recorded as a reduction of cost of the investment.

62



Fair Value Option
The fair value option provides an election that allows a company to irrevocably elect fair value for certain financial assets and liabilities on an instrument-by-instrument basis at initial recognition. We will generally not elect the fair value option for our assets and liabilities. However, we elected the fair value option for PE Investments. Any change in fair value for assets and liabilities for which the election is made is recognized in earnings.
Real Estate Debt Investments
CRE debt investments are generally intended to be held to maturity and, accordingly, are carried at cost, net of unamortized loan fees, premium and discount. CRE debt investments that are deemed to be impaired are carried at amortized cost less a loan loss reserve, if deemed appropriate, which approximates fair value. CRE debt investments where we do not have the intent to hold the loan for the foreseeable future or until its expected payoff are classified as held for sale and recorded at the lower of cost or estimated value.
Operating Real Estate
Operating real estate is carried at historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Ordinary repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Major replacements and betterments which improve or extend the life of the asset are capitalized and depreciated over their useful life. We follow the purchase method for an acquisition of operating real estate, where the purchase price is allocated to tangible assets such as land, building, tenant and land improvements and other identified intangibles. Costs directly related to an acquisition deemed to be a business combination are expensed and included in transaction costs in our consolidated statements of operations.
Real Estate Securities
We classify our CRE securities investments as available for sale on the acquisition date, which are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains (losses) are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income, or OCI, in our consolidated statements of equity. However, we may elect the fair value option for certain of our available for sale securities, and as a result, any unrealized gains (losses) on such securities are recorded in unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other in our consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2015, we did not have any CRE securities investments for which we elected the fair value option.
Fair Value Measurement
The fair value of financial instruments is categorized based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique and categorized into a three-level fair value hierarchy. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). If the inputs used to measure the financial instruments fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the categorization is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on our consolidated balance sheets are categorized based on the inputs to the valuation techniques as follows:
Level 1.
Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active market.
Level 2.
Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on the following:
a)
Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets.
b)
Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in non-active markets.
c)
Pricing models whose inputs are observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
d)
Pricing models whose inputs are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3.
Prices or valuation techniques based on inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
Financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Management determines the prices are representative of fair value through a review of available data, including observable inputs, recent transactions as well as our knowledge and experience of the market.

63



With respect to valuation for CRE securities, we generally obtain at least one quote from a pricing service or broker. Furthermore, we may use internal pricing models to establish arm’s length prices. Generally, the quote from the pricing service is used to determine fair value for the securities. The quotes are not adjusted. The pricing service uses market-based measurements based on valuation techniques that reflect market participants’ assumptions and maximize the use of relevant observable inputs including prices for similar assets, benchmark yield curves and market corroborated inputs such as contractual terms, discount rates for similar securities and credit (such as credit support and delinquency rates). We believe such broker quote is generally based on a market transaction of comparable securities.
To determine the fair value of CRE securities, we maintain a comprehensive quarterly process that includes a valuation committee comprised of senior members of the investment and accounting teams that is designed to enable management to ensure the prices used are representative of fair value and the instruments are properly classified pursuant to the fair value hierarchy.
Initially, a member of the investment team on the valuation committee reviews the prices at quarter end to ensure current market conditions are fairly presented. The investment team is able to assess these values because they are actively engaged in the market, reviewing bid lists, recent sales and frequently have discussions with various banks and other financial institutions regarding the state of the market. We then perform a variety of analyses to ensure the quotes are in a range which we believe to be representative of fair value and to validate the quotes obtained and used in determining the ultimate value used in the financial statements. At the portfolio level, we evaluate the overall change in fair value versus the overall change in the market. We review significant changes in fair value for individual instruments, both positive and negative, from the prior period. We perform back testing on any securities sold to validate the quotes used for the prior quarter. Where multiple quotes are available, we evaluate any large variance between the high and low price. We obtain any available market data that provides insight into the price through recent or comparable security trades, multiple broker bids and other pertinent information. This data may be available through the pricing service or based on data directly available to us. If as part of any of these processes, we are aware of data which we believe better supports the fair value, we challenge the quote provided by either the pricing service or broker. Any discrepancy identified from our processes are reviewed and resolved. The valuation committee approves the final prices. We believe these procedures are designed to enable us to estimate fair value.
Once we determine fair value of CRE securities, we review to ensure the instrument is properly classified pursuant to the fair value hierarchy consistent with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP, through our understanding of the valuation methodologies used by the pricing service via discussion with representatives of the pricing service and review of any documentation describing its valuation methodology.
Generally, when fair value is based on the pricing service or multiple broker quotes, we believe, based on our analysis, such quotes are based on observable inputs and are therefore classified as Level 2. Where the price is based on either a single broker quote or an internal pricing model, we generally consider such price to be based on less observable data and therefore classify such instruments as Level 3.
Revenue Recognition
Real Estate Debt Investments
Interest income is recognized on an accrual basis and any related premium, discount, origination costs and fees are amortized over the life of the investment using the effective interest method. The amortization is reflected as an adjustment to interest income in our consolidated statements of operations. The amortization of a premium or accretion of a discount is discontinued if such loan is reclassified to held for sale.
Operating Real Estate
Rental and other income from operating real estate is derived from leasing of space to various types of tenants. The leases are for fixed terms of varying length and generally provide for annual rentals and expense reimbursements to be paid in monthly installments. Rental income from leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the respective leases. The excess of rent recognized over the amount contractually due pursuant to the underlying leases is included in receivables on our consolidated balance sheet.
Real Estate Securities
Interest income is recognized using the effective interest method with any premium or discount amortized or accreted through earnings based on expected cash flow through the expected maturity date of the security. Changes to expected cash flow may result in a change to the yield which is then applied retrospectively for high-credit quality securities that cannot be prepaid or otherwise settled in such a way that the holder would not recover substantially all of the investment or prospectively for all other securities to recognize interest income.

64



Credit Losses and Impairment on Investments
Real Estate Debt Investments
Loans are considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that we will not be able to collect principal and interest amounts due according to the contractual terms. We assess the credit quality of the portfolio and adequacy of loan loss reserves on a quarterly basis or more frequently as necessary. Significant judgment of management is required in this analysis. We consider the estimated net recoverable value of the loan as well as other factors, including but not limited to the fair value of any collateral, the amount and the status of any senior debt, the quality and financial condition of the borrower and the competitive situation of the area where the underlying collateral is located. Because this determination is based on projections of future economic events, which are inherently subjective, the amount ultimately realized may differ materially from the carrying value as of the balance sheet date. If upon completion of the assessment, the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral is less than the net carrying value of the loan, a loan loss reserve is recorded with a corresponding charge to provision for loan losses. The loan loss reserve for each loan is maintained at a level that is determined to be adequate by management to absorb probable losses.
Income recognition is suspended for a loan at the earlier of the date at which payments become 90-days past due or when, in the opinion of management, a full recovery of income and principal becomes doubtful. When the ultimate collectability of the principal of an impaired loan is in doubt, all payments are applied to principal under the cost recovery method. When the ultimate collectability of the principal of an impaired loan is not in doubt, contractual interest is recorded as interest income when received, under the cash basis method until an accrual is resumed when the loan becomes contractually current and performance is demonstrated to be resumed. A loan is written off when it is no longer realizable and/or legally discharged.
Operating Real Estate
Our real estate portfolio is reviewed on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary, to assess whether there are any indicators that the value of our operating real estate may be impaired or that its carrying value may not be recoverable. A property’s value is considered impaired if management’s estimate of the aggregate expected future undiscounted cash flow generated by the property is less than the carrying value. In conducting this review, management considers U.S. macroeconomic factors, real estate sector conditions and asset specific and other factors. To the extent an impairment has occurred, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the property over the estimated fair value and recorded in impairment on operating real estate in our consolidated statements of operations.
An allowance for a doubtful account for a tenant receivable is established based on a periodic review of aged receivables resulting from estimated losses due to the inability of tenants to make required rent and other payments contractually due. Additionally, we establish, on a current basis, an allowance for future tenant credit losses on unbilled rent receivable based on an evaluation of the collectability of such amounts.
Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures
We review our investments in unconsolidated ventures for which we did not elect the fair value option on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary, to assess whether there are any indicators that the value may be impaired or that its carrying value may not be recoverable. An investment is considered impaired if the projected net recoverable amount over the expected holding period is less than the carrying value. In conducting this review, management considers U.S. macroeconomic factors, including real estate sector conditions, together with investment specific and other factors. To the extent an impairment has occurred and is considered to be other than temporary, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the investment over the estimated fair value and recorded in provision for loss on equity investment in our consolidated statements of operations.
Real Estate Securities
CRE securities for which the fair value option is elected are not evaluated for other-than-temporary impairment, or OTTI, as any change in fair value is recorded in our consolidated statements of operations. Realized losses on such securities are reclassified to realized gain (loss) on investments and other as losses occur.
CRE securities for which the fair value option is not elected are evaluated for OTTI quarterly. Impairment of a security is considered to be other-than-temporary when: (i) the holder has the intent to sell the impaired security; (ii) it is more likely than not the holder will be required to sell the security; or (iii) the holder does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost of the security. When a CRE security has been deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired due to (i) or (ii), the security is written down to its fair value and an OTTI is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations. In the case of (iii), the security is written down to its fair value and the amount of OTTI is then bifurcated into: (a) the amount related to expected credit losses; and (b) the amount related to fair value adjustments in excess of expected credit losses. The portion of OTTI related to expected credit losses is recognized in our consolidated statements of operations. The remaining OTTI related to the valuation adjustment is recognized

65



as a component of accumulated OCI in our consolidated statements of equity. The portion of OTTI recognized through earnings is accreted back to the amortized cost basis of the security through interest income, while amounts recognized through OCI are amortized over the life of the security with no impact on earnings. CRE securities which are not high-credit quality are considered to have an OTTI if the security has an unrealized loss and there has been an adverse change in expected cash flow. The amount of OTTI is then bifurcated as discussed above. As of December 31, 2015, we did not have any OTTI recorded on our CRE securities.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued an accounting update requiring a company to recognize as revenue the amount of consideration it expects to be entitled to in connection with the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The accounting standard update will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance currently promulgated by U.S. GAAP. In July 2015, the FASB decided to delay the effective date of the new revenue standard by one year. The effective date of the new revenue standard for us will be January 1, 2018. We are in the process of evaluating the impact, if any, of the update on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.
In February 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance that changes the rules regarding consolidation. The pronouncement eliminates specialized guidance for limited partnerships and similar legal entities and removes the indefinite deferral for certain investment funds. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. We will adopt the new standard on January 1, 2016 and it is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting update changing the presentation of financing costs in financial statements. Under the new guidance, an entity would present these costs in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related liability rather than as an asset. Amortization of the costs would continue to be reported as interest expense. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. We adopted this guidance in the fourth quarter 2015 and the impact of the adoption as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 was a reduction to both total assets and total liabilities of $2.3 million and $4.9 million, respectively.
In September 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance that eliminates the requirement that an acquirer in a business combination account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Under the new guidance, an acquirer will recognize a measurement-period adjustment during the period in which it determines the amount of the adjustment. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. We adopted this guidance in the third quarter 2015. See “Note 4. Operating Real Estate” for more information regarding adjustments to provisional amounts that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2015.
In January 2016, the FASB issued an accounting update that addresses certain aspects of recognition, measurement and disclosure of financial instruments. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact that the standard will have on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.
In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting update that requires lessees to present right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. The new guidance is to be applied using a modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We are evaluating the impact that this guidance will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

66



Results of Operations
Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2014 (Dollars in Thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
Increase (Decrease)
 
2015
 
2014
 
Amount
 
%
Net interest income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest income
$
96,471

 
$
102,697

 
$
(6,226
)
 
(6.1
)%
Interest expense
21,339

 
21,100

 
239

 
1.1
 %
Net interest income
75,132

 
81,597

 
(6,465
)
 
(7.9
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Property and other revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rental and other income
60,394

 
29,342

 
31,052

 
105.8
 %
Total property and other revenues
60,394

 
29,342

 
31,052

 
105.8
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asset management and other fees - related party
23,965

 
24,676

 
(711
)
 
(2.9
)%
Mortgage notes interest expense
14,832

 
7,763

 
7,069

 
91.1
 %
Transaction costs
1,344

 
2,777

 
(1,433
)
 
(51.6
)%
Property operating expenses
31,135

 
15,433

 
15,702

 
101.7
 %
General and administrative expenses
15,475

 
13,265

 
2,210

 
16.7
 %
Depreciation and amortization
25,982

 
6,427

 
19,555

 
304.3
 %
Total expenses
112,733

 
70,341

 
42,392

 
60.3
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other income (loss)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Realized gain (loss) on investments and other

 
397

 
(397
)
 
(100.0
)%
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other
(12,108
)
 
11,764

 
(23,872
)
 
(202.9
)%
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense)
10,685

 
52,759

 
(42,074
)
 
(79.7
)%
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
36,017

 
41,679

 
(5,662
)
 
(13.6
)%
Income tax benefit (expense)
(1,111
)
 
(5,485
)
 
4,374

 
(79.7
)%
Net income (loss)
$
45,591

 
$
88,953

 
$
(43,362
)
 
(48.7
)%


67



Net Interest Income
Net interest income is interest income generated on our interest-earning assets less interest expense on our related interest-bearing liabilities.
The following table presents the average balance of interest-earning assets less related interest-bearing liabilities, associated interest income and expense and corresponding yield earned and incurred for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014. Amounts presented have been impacted by the timing of new investments and repayments during the period (dollars in thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
Average
Carrying
Value(1)
 
Interest
Income/
Expense(2)
 
WA Yield/
Financing
Cost(3)
 
Average
Carrying
Value(1)
 
Interest
Income/
Expense(2)
 
WA Yield/
Financing
Cost(3)
Interest-earning assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CRE debt investments
$
1,167,036

 
$
91,334

 
7.83
%
 
$
1,209,809

 
$
96,709

 
7.99
%
CRE securities investments
54,288

 
5,137

 
9.46
%
 
53,334

 
5,988

 
11.23
%
 
$
1,221,324

 
$
96,471

 
7.90
%
 
$
1,263,143

 
$
102,697

 
8.13
%
Interest-bearing liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securitization bonds payable
$
261,811

 
$
12,212

 
4.66
%
 
$
470,286

 
$
15,902

 
3.38
%
Credit facilities
287,200

 
9,127

 
3.18
%
 
139,289

 
5,198

 
3.73
%
 
$
549,011

 
$
21,339

 
3.89
%
 
$
609,575

 
$
21,100

 
3.46
%
Net interest income
 
 
$
75,132

 
 
 
 
 
$
81,597

 
 
_____________________________________________
(1)
Based on amortized cost for CRE debt and securities investments and principal amount for securitization bonds payable and credit facilities. All amounts are calculated based on quarterly averages.
(2)
Includes the effect of amortization of premium or accretion of discount and deferred fees.
(3)
Calculated as interest income or expense divided by average carrying value.
Interest income decrease of $6.2 million was primarily attributable to the repayments of 23 debt investments that generated $24.6 million of interest income offset by the origination of 12 debt investments that earned $18.4 million.
Interest expense increase of $0.2 million was primarily attributable to an increase in expense of $3.5 million on our Credit Facilities due to existing and new borrowings offset by a decrease in expense of $3.3 million for our Securitization Financing Transactions due to repayments.
Other Revenues
Rental and Other Income
Rental and other income increase of $31.1 million was primarily attributable to the full year impact of real estate equity investments acquired in 2014.
Expenses
Asset Management and Other Fees - Related Party
Asset management and other fees - related party decrease of $0.7 million was driven by a decrease in acquisition activity in 2015 offset by an increase in asset management fees due to the stabilization of the portfolio.
Mortgage Notes Interest Expense
Mortgage notes interest expense increase of $7.1 million was attributable to the full year impact of real estate equity investments acquired in 2014.
Transaction Costs
Transaction costs represent expenses such as professional fees associated with the acquisition of new investments. The decrease of $1.4 million is due to the volume of real estate equity investments in 2014 compared to 2015 offset by debt investment financing activities.
Property Operating Expenses
Property operating expenses increase of $15.7 million was driven by the full year impact of real estate equity investments acquired in 2014.

68



General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses are incurred at the corporate level. General and administrative expenses include auditing and professional fees, director fees and other costs associated with operating our business. General and administrative expenses increase of $2.2 million were primarily attributable to increased operating costs related to the higher level of invested assets.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense increase of $19.6 million was attributable to the completion of four purchase price allocations of real estate equity investments acquired in 2014.
Realized Gain (Loss) on Investments and Other
In the fourth quarter 2014, we realized a gain of $0.6 million on the sale of a CMBS, which was offset by a loss of $0.2 million from the sale of a mezzanine loan participation in the first quarter 2014.
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments and Other
For the year ended December 31, 2015, we recorded an unrealized loss of $12.1 million on PE Investment I and PE Investment II. For the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded an unrealized gain of $11.8 million on PE Investment I.
Equity in Earnings (Losses) of Unconsolidated Ventures
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures decrease of $5.7 million was primarily attributable to a decrease in earnings from PE Investments.
Income Tax Benefit (Expense)
For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, we recorded income tax expense of $1.1 million and $5.5 million, respectively, related to PE Investments.

69



Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2013 (Dollars in Thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
Increase (Decrease)
 
2014
 
2013
 
Amount
 
%
Net interest income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest income
$
102,697

 
$
77,553

 
$
25,144

 
32.4
 %
Interest expense
21,100

 
15,179

 
5,921

 
39.0
 %
Net interest income
81,597

 
62,374

 
19,223

 
30.8
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Property and other revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rental and other income
29,342

 
1,970

 
27,372

 
NM

Total property and other revenues
29,342

 
1,970

 
27,372

 
NM

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asset management and other fees - related party
24,676

 
17,925

 
6,751

 
37.7
 %
Mortgage notes interest expense
7,763

 
583

 
7,180

 
NM

Transaction costs
2,777

 
2,862

 
(85
)
 
(3.0
)%
Property operating expenses
15,433

 
823

 
14,610

 
NM

General and administrative expenses
13,265

 
8,659

 
4,606

 
53.2
 %
Depreciation and amortization
6,427

 
503

 
5,924

 
NM

Total expenses
70,341

 
31,355

 
38,986

 
124.3
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other income (loss)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Realized gain (loss) on investments and other
397

 

 
397

 
100.0
 %
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other
11,764

 

 
11,764

 
100.0
 %
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense)
52,759

 
32,989

 
19,770

 
59.9
 %
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
41,679

 
30,292

 
11,387

 
37.6
 %
Income tax benefit (expense)
(5,485
)
 
(2,264
)
 
(3,221
)
 
142.3
 %
Net income (loss)
$
88,953

 
$
61,017

 
$
27,936

 
45.8
 %
Net Interest Income
Net interest income is interest income generated on our interest-earning assets less interest expense on our related interest-bearing liabilities.
The following table presents the average balance of interest-earning assets less related interest-bearing liabilities, associated interest income and expense and corresponding yield earned and incurred for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. Amounts presented have been impacted by the timing of new investments and repayments during the period (dollars in thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2014
 
2013
 
Average
Carrying
Value(1)
 
Interest
Income/
Expense(2)
 
WA Yield/
Financing
Cost(3)
 
Average
Carrying
Value(1)
 
Interest
Income/
Expense(2)
 
WA Yield/
Financing
Cost(3)
Interest-earning assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CRE debt investments
$
1,209,809

 
$
96,709

 
7.99
%
 
$
850,120

 
$
72,194

 
8.49
%
CRE securities investments
53,334

 
5,988

 
11.23
%
 
48,217

 
5,359

 
11.11
%
 
$
1,263,143

 
$
102,697

 
8.13
%
 
$
898,337

 
$
77,553

 
8.63
%
Interest-bearing liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securitization bonds payable
$
470,286

 
$
15,902

 
3.38
%
 
$
277,739

 
$
9,208

 
3.32
%
Credit facilities
139,289

 
5,198

 
3.73
%
 
117,842

 
5,971

 
5.07
%
 
$
609,575

 
$
21,100

 
3.46
%
 
$
395,581

 
$
15,179

 
3.84
%
Net interest income
 
 
$
81,597

 
 
 
 
 
$
62,374

 
 
_____________________________________________
(1)
Based on amortized cost for CRE debt and securities investments and principal amount for securitization bonds payable and credit facilities. All amounts are calculated based on quarterly averages.
(2)
Includes the effect of amortization of premium or accretion of discount and deferred fees.
(3)
Calculated as interest income or expense divided by average carrying value.

70



Interest income increase of $25.1 million was primarily attributable to an increase in invested assets.
Interest expense increase of $5.9 million was primarily attributable to Securitization Financing Transactions.
Other Revenues
Rental and Other Income
Rental and other income increase of $27.4 million was attributable to real estate equity investments acquired during the third and fourth quarters of 2014.
Expenses
Asset Management and Other Fees - Related Party
Asset management and other fees - related party increase of $6.8 million was primarily due to an increase in asset management fees driven by an increase in average invested assets.
Mortgage Notes Interest Expense
Mortgage notes interest expense increase of $7.2 million was attributable to mortgage notes payable related to our real estate equity investments acquired beginning in the fourth quarter 2013.
Transaction Costs
Transaction costs in 2014 represent expenses such as professional fees associated with the acquisition of real estate equity investments. Transaction costs in 2013 represent expenses such as professional fees associated with our acquisition of PE Investments and a real estate equity investment.
Property Operating Expenses
Property operating expenses increase of $14.6 million was attributable to real estate equity investments acquired during the third and fourth quarters of 2014.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses are incurred at the corporate level. General and administrative expenses include auditing and professional fees, director fees and other costs associated with operating our business. General and administrative expenses increase of $4.6 million was primarily attributable to increased operating costs which was related to heightened investment activity subsequent to the third quarter of 2014.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense increase of $5.9 million was attributable to the completion of the two purchase price allocations of real estate equity investments acquired in the third and fourth quarters of 2014.
Realized Gain (Loss) on Investments and Other
In the fourth quarter 2014, we realized a gain of $0.6 million on the sale of a CMBS, which was offset by a loss of $0.2 million from the sale of a mezzanine loan participation in the first quarter 2014.
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments and Other
In the fourth quarter 2014, we recorded an unrealized gain of $11.8 million on PE Investment I. We did not record any unrealized gain (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2013.
Equity in Earnings (Losses) of Unconsolidated Ventures
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures increase of $11.4 million was primarily attributable to a $5.0 million decrease in earnings from PE Investments offset by an increase in earnings from a joint venture entered into in the second quarter 2014.
Income Tax Benefit (Expense)
For the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, we recorded income tax expense of $5.5 million and $2.3 million, respectively, related to PE Investments.

71



Liquidity and Capital Resources
We require capital to fund our investment activities, pay operating expenses and to make distributions. Our capital sources may include cash flow from operations, net proceeds from asset repayments and sales, securitization financing transactions, borrowings under our Credit Facilities, mortgage notes and other term borrowings and proceeds from our DRP. As of March 14, 2016, we had $131.5 million of investable cash.
Securitization Financing Transactions
We entered into two Securitization Financing Transactions in 2012 and 2013 that provide permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market financing for a portion of our CRE debt investments that were generally initially financed on our Term Loan Facilities. In the future, we expect to execute similar transactions to finance our newly-originated debt investments that might initially be financed on our Term Loan Facilities, although there is no assurance that will be the case. As of December 31, 2015, we had $335.4 million carrying value of CRE debt investments financed with $185.8 million of securitization bonds.
Securitization 2013-1
In August 2013, we closed our $531.5 million Securitization 2013-1. We, through our subsidiaries, initially contributed eight CRE debt investments with a $346.1 million aggregate principal amount and NorthStar Realty, through its subsidiaries, transferred three senior loans with an aggregate principal amount of $79.1 million at cost to Securitization 2013-1. We account for such loans transferred by NorthStar Realty, as a loan collateral receivable, related party. Subsequent to the closing of Securitization 2013-1, we contributed four additional CRE debt investments with a $105.5 million aggregate principal balance. A total of $382.7 million of permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market investment-grade securitization bonds were issued, representing an advance rate of 72.0% at a weighted average coupon of LIBOR plus 2.72%. We retained all of the below investment-grade bonds in Securitization 2013-1. The documents that govern Securitization 2013-1 require that the underlying assets meet a collateral value coverage test, or OC test, and an interest coverage test, or IC test (as defined by each applicable governing document) in order for us to receive regular cash flow distributions and defaults in our CRE debt investments, among other things, can negatively impact the OC and IC tests. Failing such tests means that cash flow that would normally be distributed to us would be used to amortize the investment-grade securitization bonds until the tests are back in compliance. In such cases, this could decrease cash available to pay our distributions and affect compliance with REIT requirements.
The following table presents the OC and IC cushion as of the closing date of the transaction and the remittance report dated closest to December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
OC
 
IC
Cushion at closing date of transaction
 
$
91,431

 
$
799

Cushion at remittance report dated closest to December 31, 2015
 
118,226

 
539

While our Advisor devotes a significant amount of resources to managing our existing investments, including assets collateralizing Securitization 2013-1, maintaining compliance with these tests is not a certainty.
Securitization 2012-1
In November 2012, we closed our Securitization 2012-1 which was collateralized by $351.4 million of directly originated CRE debt by us and NorthStar Realty. We, through our subsidiaries, contributed nine CRE debt investments with a $199.2 million aggregate principal amount to our Securitization 2012-1 and NorthStar Realty, through its subsidiaries, contributed five CRE debt investments with a $152.2 million aggregate principal amount. A total of $227.5 million of permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market investment-grade securitization bonds were issued. We and NorthStar Realty retained all of the below investment-grade securitization bonds in Securitization 2012-1. In January 2015, all of the original bonds were repaid in full.
Credit Facilities
We currently have five Credit Facilities including three Term Loan Facilities that provide up to an aggregate of $550.0 million to finance the origination of first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate and two CMBS Facilities. The interest rate and advance rate depend on asset type and characteristic. Maturity dates of our Term Loan Facilities range from March 2016 to October 2018 and all have extensions available at our option, subject to the satisfaction of certain customary conditions, with maturity dates ranging from March 2018 to October 2019. The advance rate and maturity date of our CMBS Facilities depend upon asset type. Our Credit Facilities contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. We are currently in compliance with all of our financial covenants under our Credit Facilities.

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Offering
We have raised total gross proceeds of $1.2 billion in the Offering.
We are no longer raising capital from our Primary Offering and we have invested substantially all of the net proceeds from our Primary Offering. Since the successful completion of our Primary Offering, we have only been raising new equity capital through our DRP, and as such, do not expect significant new investment activity. However, as investments are repaid or sold, we expect that those proceeds will be reinvested. Our inability to invest these proceeds could reduce our net income and limit our ability to make distributions. Further, we have certain fixed direct and indirect operating expenses, including certain expenses as a publicly-registered REIT. We expect our net income from operations will be sufficient to cover such expenses.
Our charter limits us from incurring borrowings that would exceed 300% of our net assets. We cannot exceed this limit unless any excess in borrowing over such level is approved by our stockholders. An approximation of this leverage calculation is 75% of the cost of our investments, excluding indirect leverage held through our unconsolidated venture investments. As of December 31, 2015, our leverage as a percentage of our cost of investments was 50%.
In addition to making investments in accordance with our investment objectives, we use or have used our capital resources to make certain payments to our Advisor, our Prior Advisor and NorthStar Securities, LLC, or our Dealer Manager. During our organization and offering stage, these payments included payments to our Dealer Manager for selling commissions and dealer manager fees and payments to our Prior Advisor, or its affiliates, as applicable, for reimbursement of certain organization and offering costs. Total selling commissions, dealer manager fees and reimbursable organization and offering expenses through the completion of our Total Primary Offering was 10.7% of total proceeds raised from our Total Primary Offering, below the 15.0% maximum allowed. We expect to continue to make payments to our Advisor, or its affiliates, as applicable, in connection with the selection and origination or acquisition of investments, the management of our assets and costs incurred by our Advisor in providing services to us. On June 30, 2014, we entered into a new advisory agreement with our Advisor, on terms substantially similar to those set forth in our prior advisory agreement with our Prior Advisor, which has a one-year term but may be renewed for an unlimited number of successive one-year periods upon the mutual consent of our Advisor and our board of directors, including a majority of our independent directors. On June 25, 2015, our board of directors approved the renewal of the advisory agreement for an additional one-year term, on terms identical to those previously in effect.
Cash Flows
The following presents a summary of our consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
Cash flow provided by (used in):
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Operating activities
 
$
84,995

 
$
93,392

 
$
66,600

Investing activities
 
257,731

 
(504,087
)
 
(913,785
)
Financing activities
 
(250,591
)
 
326,855

 
753,053

Net increase (decrease) in cash
 
$
92,135

 
$
(83,840
)
 
$
(94,132
)
Year Ended December 31, 2015 Compared to December 31, 2014
Net cash provided by operating activities was $85.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to $93.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2014. Net cash provided by operating activities related to net interest income and rental income generated from our investments and distributions from PE Investments, partially offset by fees paid to our Advisor for the management of our investments, interest expense on borrowings, payment of property operating expenses and general and administrative expenses.
Net cash provided by investing activities was $257.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to net cash used of $504.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2014. Net cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2015 related to repayments from CRE debt investments and distributions from PE Investments, partially offset by additional fundings on CRE debt investments and improvements of operating real estate. Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2014 related to the origination of CRE debt investments, investments in unconsolidated ventures and the acquisition of operating real estate, partially offset by repayments from CRE debt investments, distributions from PE Investments and proceeds from the sale of a CRE debt investment.
Net cash used in financing activities was $250.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $326.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2014. Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2015 primarily related to the repayment of securitization bonds, distributions paid on our common stock and

73



share repurchases, partially offset by proceeds from our DRP and proceeds from borrowings. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2014 primarily related to net borrowings from Credit Facilities and mortgage notes payable, a decrease in restricted cash at Securitization 2013-1 and proceeds from our DRP, partially offset by distributions paid on our common stock, repayment of securitization bonds, share repurchases and the payment of deferred financing costs.
Year Ended December 31, 2014 Compared to December 31, 2013
Net cash provided by operating activities was $93.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2014 compared to $66.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities related to an increase in net interest income and rental income generated from our investments due to an increase in invested assets and distributions from PE Investments, offset by fees paid to our Advisor for the management of our investments, interest expense on borrowings, payment of property operating expenses and general and administrative expenses.
Net cash used in investing activities was $504.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2014 compared to $913.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2014 related to the origination of CRE debt investments, the acquisition of real estate equity investments and investments in unconsolidated ventures, partially offset by repayments from CRE debt investments, distributions from PE Investments and proceeds from the sale of a CRE debt investment and the sale of CMBS. Net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2013 related to the origination and acquisition of CRE debt investments, the acquisition of CRE securities and PE Investments.
Net cash provided by financing activities was $326.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2014 compared to $753.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2014 related to borrowings from our Credit Facilities and mortgage notes, a decrease in restricted cash at Securitization 2013-1, contributions from non-controlling interests and proceeds from our DRP, offset by distributions paid on our common stock, repayments of securitization bonds and our Credit Facilities, share repurchases and the payment of deferred financing costs. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2013 related to the net proceeds from the issuance of common stock through our Offering, net proceeds from Securitization 2013-1 and borrowings from our Credit Facilities, partially offset by repayments on our Credit Facilities, distributions paid on our common stock, share repurchases and the payment of deferred financing costs.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
The following table presents contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
Payments Due by Period
 
 
 
2016
 
2017 - 2018
 
2019 - 2020
 
 
 
Total
 
Less than 1 year
 
1-3 years(6)
 
3-5 years(7)
 
More than 5 years
Securitization bonds payable
$
185,812

 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
185,812

Mortgage notes payable
317,865

 
16,405

 
1,700

 
19,699

 
280,061

Credit facilities(1)
318,000

 
11,055

 
198,032

 
108,913

 

Estimated interest payments(2)
163,398

 
31,667

 
57,027

 
30,409

 
44,295

Unfunded commitments(4)
56,859

 
36,185

 
11,072

 
3,967

 
5,635

PE Investments(3)
53,179

 
8,859

 
44,320

 

 

Total(5)
$
1,095,113

 
$
104,171

 
$
312,151

 
$
162,988

 
$
515,803

___________________________________
(1)
Based on the extended maturity date.
(2)
Estimated interest payments are based on the weighted average life of the borrowings. Applicable LIBOR benchmark plus the respective spread as of December 31, 2015 was used to estimate payments for our floating-rate borrowings.
(3)
Includes an estimated $1.0 million associated with future fundings and the deferred purchase price of $52.1 million for PE Investment II.
(4)
Excludes a future funding commitment related to our participation in a mezzanine loan which was originated through a joint venture with affiliates of RXR as we sold the loan in January 2016.
(5)
Subject to certain restrictions and limitations, our Advisor is responsible for managing our affairs on a day-to-day basis and for identifying, originating, acquiring and asset managing investments on our behalf. For such services, our Advisor receives management fees from us. The table above does not include amounts due under the advisory agreement as those obligations do not have fixed and determinable payments.
(6)
Total includes $52.4 million and $259.8 million for years ended December 31, 2017 and 2018, respectively.
(7)
Total includes $131.1 million and $31.9 million for years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have certain arrangements which do not meet the definition of off-balance sheet arrangements, but do have some of the characteristics of off-balance sheet arrangements. We have made investments in unconsolidated ventures. Refer to Note 5. “Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for a discussion of such

74



unconsolidated ventures in our consolidated financial statements. In each case, our exposure to loss is limited to the carrying value of our investment.
Related Party Arrangements
Advisor
In connection with the completion of NorthStar Realty’s spin-off of its asset management business into our Sponsor, on June 30, 2014, we entered into a new advisory agreement with our Advisor, an affiliate of our Sponsor, on terms substantially similar to those set forth in the prior advisory agreement, and terminated the advisory agreement with our Prior Advisor. For periods prior to June 30, 2014, the information below regarding fees and reimbursements incurred and accrued but not yet paid relates to our Prior Advisor.
Subject to certain restrictions and limitations, our Advisor is responsible for managing our affairs on a day-to-day basis and for identifying, originating, acquiring and asset managing investments on our behalf. Our Advisor may delegate certain of its obligations to affiliated entities, which may be organized under the laws of the United States or foreign jurisdictions. References to our Advisor include our Advisor and any such affiliated entities. For such services, to the extent permitted by law and regulations, our Advisor receives fees and reimbursement from us. Below is a description and table of the fees and reimbursements incurred to our Advisor.
Fees to Advisor
Asset Management Fee
Our Advisor, or its affiliates, receives a monthly asset management fee equal to one-twelfth of 1.25% of the sum of the amount funded or allocated for CRE investments, including expenses and any financing attributable to such investments, less any principal received on debt and securities investments (or our proportionate share thereof in the case of an investment made through a joint venture).
Incentive Fee
Our Advisor, or its affiliates, are entitled to receive distributions equal to 15.0% of net cash flows of us, whether from continuing operations, repayment of loans, disposition of assets or otherwise, but only after stockholders have received, in the aggregate, cumulative distributions equal to their invested capital plus a 8.0% cumulative, non-compounded annual pre-tax return on such invested capital.
Acquisition Fee
Our Advisor, or its affiliates, also receives an acquisition fee equal to 1.0% of the amount funded or allocated by us to originate or acquire investments, including acquisition costs and any financing attributable to such investments (or our proportionate share thereof in the case of an investment made through a joint venture). An acquisition fee paid to our Advisor related to the origination or acquisition of CRE debt investments is included in CRE debt investments, net on our consolidated balance sheets and is amortized to interest income over the life of the investment using the effective interest method. An acquisition fee incurred related to an equity investment will generally be expensed as incurred. An acquisition fee paid to our Advisor related to the acquisition of an equity or debt investment in an unconsolidated joint venture is included in investments in unconsolidated ventures on our consolidated balance sheets.
Disposition Fee
For substantial assistance in connection with the sale of investments and based on the services provided, our Advisor, or its affiliates, receives a disposition fee of 1.0% of the contract sales price of each CRE investment sold. We do not pay a disposition fee upon the maturity, prepayment, workout, modification or extension of a CRE debt investment unless there is a corresponding fee paid by our borrower, in which case the disposition fee is the lesser of: (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of the CRE debt investment prior to such transaction; or (ii) the amount of the fee paid by our borrower in connection with such transaction. If we take ownership of a property as a result of a workout or foreclosure of a CRE debt investment, we will pay a disposition fee upon the sale of such property. A disposition fee from the sale of an investment is generally expensed and included in asset management and other fees - related party in our consolidated statements of operations. A disposition fee for a CRE debt investment incurred in a transaction other than a sale is included in CRE debt investments, net on our consolidated balance sheets and is amortized to interest income over the life of the investment using the effective interest method.

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Reimbursements to Advisor
Operating Costs
Our Advisor, or its affiliates, is entitled to receive reimbursement for direct and indirect operating costs incurred by our Advisor in connection with administrative services provided to us. Our Advisor allocates, in good faith, indirect costs to us related to our Advisor’s and its affiliates’ employees, occupancy and other general and administrative costs and expenses in accordance with the terms of, and subject to the limitations contained in, the advisory agreement with our Advisor. The indirect costs include our allocable share of our Advisor’s compensation and benefit costs associated with dedicated or partially dedicated personnel who spend all or a portion of their time managing our affairs, based upon the percentage of time devoted by such personnel to our affairs. The indirect costs also include rental and occupancy, technology, office supplies, travel and entertainment and other general and administrative costs and expenses. However, there is no reimbursement for personnel costs related to executive officers (although there may be reimbursement for certain executive officers of our Advisor) and other personnel involved in activities for which our Advisor receives an acquisition fee or a disposition fee. Our Advisor allocates these costs to us relative to its and its affiliates’ other managed companies in good faith and has reviewed the allocation with our board of directors, including its independent directors. Our Advisor will update the board of directors on a quarterly basis of any material changes to the expense allocation and will provide a detailed review to the board of directors, at least annually, and as otherwise requested by the board of directors. We reimburse our Advisor quarterly for operating costs (including the asset management fee) based on a calculation for the four preceding fiscal quarters not to exceed the greater of: (i) 2.0% of our average invested assets; or (ii) 25.0% of our net income determined without reduction for any additions to reserves for depreciation, loan losses or other similar non-cash reserves and excluding any gain from the sale of assets for that period. Notwithstanding the above, we may reimburse our Advisor for expenses in excess of this limitation if a majority of our independent directors determines that such excess expenses are justified based on unusual and non-recurring factors. We calculate the expense reimbursement quarterly based upon the trailing twelve-month period.
Organization and Offering Costs
Our Prior Advisor, or its affiliates, was entitled to receive reimbursement for organization and offering costs paid on behalf of us in connection with our Offering. We were obligated to reimburse our Prior Advisor, or its affiliates, as applicable, for organization and offering costs to the extent the aggregate of selling commissions, dealer manager fees and other organization and offering costs did not exceed 15.0% of gross proceeds from our Primary Offering. Our Prior Advisor initially expected cumulative organization and offering costs, excluding selling commissions and dealer manager fees, would not exceed $15.0 million, or 1.5% of the proceeds expected to be raised from our Total Primary Offering. Based on gross proceeds raised of $1,072.9 million from our Total Primary Offering, we incurred reimbursable organization and offering costs, excluding selling commissions and dealer manager fees, of 1.0%, which was less than the 1.5% expected. The Company’s independent directors did not determine that any of the organization and offering costs were unfair or commercially unreasonable. Total underwriting compensation through the completion of our Total Primary Offering, including selling commissions, the dealer manager fee and amounts reimbursed to participating broker-dealers and investment advisors, did not exceed the 10.0% of gross Total Primary Offering proceeds limitation prescribed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
Dealer Manager
Selling Commissions and Dealer Manager Fees
Pursuant to the dealer manager agreement, we paid our Dealer Manager selling commissions of up to 7.0% of gross proceeds from our Total Primary Offering, all of which were reallowed to participating broker-dealers. In addition, we paid our Dealer Manager a dealer manager fee of up to 3.0% of gross proceeds from our Total Primary Offering, a portion of which was reallowed to participating broker-dealers and paid to certain employees of our Dealer Manager. No selling commissions or dealer manager fees are paid for sales pursuant to our DRP.

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Summary of Fees and Reimbursements
The following table presents the fees and reimbursements incurred to our Advisor for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and the amount due to related party as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
Due to Related Party as of December 31,
Type of Fee or Reimbursement
 
Financial Statement Location
 
2015(3)
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
Fees to Advisor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asset management
 
Asset management and other fees-related party
 
$
23,965

 
$
21,969

 
$
13,600

 
$

 
$

Acquisition(1)
 
Real estate debt investments, net / Investments in unconsolidated ventures / Asset management and other fees- related party
 
451

 
8,176

 
10,194

 

 

Disposition(1)
 
Real estate debt investments, net / Asset management and other fees- related party
 
3,317

 
2,456

 
1,178

 

 

Reimbursements to Advisor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating costs(2)
 
General and administrative expenses
 
13,116

 
11,507

 
7,786

 

 

Organization
 
General and administrative expenses
 

 

 
62

 

 

Offering
 
Cost of capital
 

 

 
2,989

 

 

Total
 
 
 
$
40,849

 
$
44,108

 
$
35,809

 
$

 
$

______________________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Acquisition/disposition fees incurred to our Advisor related to CRE debt investments are generally offset by origination/exit fees paid to us by borrowers if such fees are required from the borrower. Acquisition fees related to equity investments are included in asset management and other fees - related party in our consolidated statements of operations. Acquisition fees related to investments in unconsolidated joint ventures are included in investments in unconsolidated ventures on our consolidated balance sheets. Our Advisor may determine to defer fees or seek reimbursement. From inception through December 31, 2015, our Advisor deferred $0.6 million of acquisition fees and $0.4 million of disposition fees related to CRE securities.
(2)
As of December 31, 2015, our Advisor has incurred unreimbursed operating costs on our behalf of $7.9 million that remain eligible to allocate to us.
(3)
For the year ended December 31, 2015, the aggregate amount of fees and all other costs paid to our Advisor was $40.8 million. For the year ended December 31, 2015, total operating expenses included in the 2%/25% Guidelines represented 2.0% of average invested assets and 45.0% of net income without reduction for any additions to reserves for depreciation, loan losses or other similar non-cash reserves. We did not incur any offering costs for the year ended December 31, 2015.
NorthStar Realty Purchase of Common Stock
Pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Distribution Support Agreement, as amended, or our Distribution Support Agreement, NorthStar Realty committed to purchase up to an aggregate of $10.0 million in shares of our common stock at a price of $9.00 per share if cash distributions exceed MFFO to provide additional funds to support distributions to stockholders. From inception through the expiration of our Distribution Support Agreement in July 2013, NorthStar Realty purchased 507,980 shares of our common stock for $4.6 million under such commitment.
Securitization 2012-1
We entered into an agreement with NorthStar Realty that provided that both we and NorthStar Realty receive the economic benefit and bear the economic risk associated with the investments we and NorthStar Realty each contributed into Securitization 2012-1. In January 2015, all of the original bonds were repaid in full.
Securitization 2013-1
In August 2013, we closed Securitization 2013-1. We initially contributed eight CRE debt investments with a $346.1 million aggregate principal amount. NorthStar Realty contributed three senior loans with an aggregate principal amount of $79.1 million at cost to Securitization 2013-1. An affiliate of our Sponsor was named special servicer of Securitization 2013-1.
We reclassified $54.1 million and $77.9 million from Real estate debt investments, net to Loan collateral receivable, related party as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The reclassifications are in accordance with accounting standards for transfers of financial assets as we determined that NorthStar Realty retained an interest in the senior loans.

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PE Investments
In connection with PE Investments, we guaranteed all of our funding obligations that may be due and owed under the governing documents indirectly through an indemnification with NorthStar Realty, which in turn guaranteed the obligations directly to the PE Investment entities. We and NorthStar Realty each agreed to indemnify the other proportionately for any losses that may arise in connection with the funding and other obligations as set forth in the governing documents in the case of a joint default by us and NorthStar Realty. We and NorthStar Realty further agreed to indemnify each other for all of the losses that may arise as a result of a default that was solely caused by us or NorthStar Realty, as the case may be.
PE Investment I
In connection with PE Investment I, we assumed the rights to subscribe to 29.5% of PE Investment I from NorthStar Realty. We and NorthStar Realty contributed cash of $400.1 million, of which we and NorthStar Realty contributed $118.0 million and $282.1 million, respectively.
PE Investment IIA
Refer to “Recent Developments” for additional investment activity.
Recent Developments
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
From January 1, 2016 through March 14, 2016, we issued 1.2 million shares of common stock pursuant to our DRP raising proceeds of $11.0 million. As of March 14, 2016, 3.0 million shares were available to be issued pursuant to our DRP.
Distributions
On March 2, 2016, our board of directors approved a daily cash distribution of $0.002185792 per share of common stock for each of the three months ended June 30, 2016. Distributions are generally paid to stockholders on the first business day of the month following the month for which the distribution was accrued.
Share Repurchases
From January 1, 2016 through March 14, 2016, we repurchased 1.0 million shares for a total of $9.3 million or a weighted average price of $9.57 per share under our Share Repurchase Program, that enables stockholders to sell their shares to us in certain circumstances, including death or a qualifying disability. We fund repurchase requests received during a quarter with proceeds set aside for that purpose which are not expected to exceed proceeds received from our DRP.
New Investments
Debt Investments
In February 2016, we originated a $20.0 million first mortgage loan secured by a retail property located in Ukiah, CA. The loan bears interest at 4.65% plus a 0.25% LIBOR floor.
PE Investment IIA
In February 2016, our board of directors, including all of our independent directors, approved the purchase of an additional 14% of the PE Investment II transaction from a Company managed by our Sponsor, NorthStar Realty, or PE Investment IIA. We purchased PE Investment IIA on the same terms and conditions negotiated by another existing and purchasing co-investor in the transaction. This increased our total ownership from 15% to 29%. We acquired PE Investment IIA for $26.5 million based on a NAV of $660.6 million as of September 30, 2015, adjusted for distributions and contributions. With this add-on investment, we will be responsible for 29% of the Deferred Amount, or $100.8 million.

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Real Estate Securities
In February 2016, we approved the purchase of a CMBS with a face value of $6.7 million at a discount to par of $2.3 million. The bond was purchased with an unlevered yield of 8.1%. As of purchase date, the weighted average expected maturity of the CMBS was 9.9 years.
CMBS Facilities
In January 2016, we entered into a new master repurchase agreement with an institutional bank to finance a CMBS investment. In February 2016, one CMBS investment with a face value totaling $16.1 million was financed with $5.6 million drawn on the repo facility.
Portfolio Management Activities
In January 2016, we sold our participation in a mezzanine loan at par value of $59.8 million which was originated in a joint venture with affiliates of RXR.
Inflation
Virtually all of our assets and liabilities are interest rate sensitive in nature. As a result, interest rates and other factors influence our performance significantly more than inflation does. A change in interest rates may correlate with the inflation rate. Substantially all of the leases at our multifamily and student housing properties allow for monthly or annual rent increases which provide us with the opportunity to achieve increases, where justified by the market, as each lease matures. Such types of leases generally minimize the risks of inflation on our multifamily and student housing properties.
Refer to Item 7A. “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” for additional details.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Funds from Operations and Modified Funds from Operations
We believe that FFO and MFFO, both of which are a non-GAAP measure, are additional appropriate measures of the operating performance of a REIT and of us in particular. We compute FFO in accordance with the standards established by NAREIT as net income (loss) (computed in accordance with U.S. GAAP), excluding gains (losses) from sales of depreciable property, the cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles, real estate-related depreciation and amortization, impairment on depreciable property owned directly or indirectly and after adjustments for unconsolidated ventures.
Changes in the accounting and reporting rules under U.S. GAAP that have been put into effect since the establishment of NAREIT’s definition of FFO have prompted an increase in the non-cash and non-operating items included in FFO. For instance, the accounting treatment for acquisition fees related to business combinations has changed from being capitalized to being expensed. Additionally, publicly registered, non-traded REITs are typically different from traded REITs because they generally have a limited life followed by a liquidity event or other targeted exit strategy. Non-traded REITs typically have a significant amount of acquisition activity and are substantially more dynamic during their initial years of investment and operation as compared to later years when the proceeds from their initial public offering have been fully invested and when they may seek to implement a liquidity event or other exit strategy. However, we continue to make investments past the acquisition and development stage, albeit at a substantially lower pace.
Acquisition fees paid to our Advisor in connection with the origination and acquisition of debt investments are amortized over the life of the investment as an adjustment to interest income under U.S. GAAP and are therefore included in the computation of net income (loss) and income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense), both of which are performance measures under U.S. GAAP. We adjust MFFO for the amortization of acquisition fees in the period when such amortization is recognized under U.S. GAAP. Acquisition fees are paid in cash that would otherwise be available to distribute to our stockholders. We believe that acquisition fees incurred by us negatively impact our operating performance during the period in which such investments are originated or acquired by reducing cash flow and therefore the potential distributions to our stockholders. However, in general, we earn origination fees for debt investments from our borrowers in an amount equal to the acquisition fees paid to our Advisor, and as a result, the impact of acquisition fees to our operating performance and cash flow would be minimal.
Acquisition fees and expenses paid to our Advisor and third parties in connection with the acquisition of equity investments are considered expenses and are included in the determination of net income (loss) and income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense), both of which are performance measures under U.S. GAAP. Such fees and expenses will not be reimbursed by our Advisor or its affiliates and third parties, and therefore if there are no further

79



proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock to fund future acquisition fees and expenses, such fees and expenses will need to be paid from either additional debt, operating earnings, cash flow or net proceeds from the sale of investments or properties. All paid and accrued acquisition fees and expenses will have negative effects on future distributions to stockholders and cash flow generated by us, unless earnings from operations or net sales proceeds from the disposition of other properties are generated to cover the purchase price of the property, these fees and expenses and other costs related to such property.
The origination and acquisition of debt investments and the corresponding acquisition fees paid to our Advisor (and any offsetting origination fees received from our borrowers) associated with such activity is a key operating feature of our business plan that results in generating income and cash flow in order to make distributions to our stockholders. Therefore, the exclusion for acquisition fees may be of limited value in calculating operating performance because acquisition fees affect our overall long-term operating performance and may be recurring in nature as part of net income (loss) and income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense) over our life.
Due to certain of the unique features of publicly-registered, non-traded REITs, the IPA, an industry trade group, standardized a performance measure known as MFFO and recommends the use of MFFO for such REITs. Management believes MFFO is a useful performance measure to evaluate our business and further believes it is important to disclose MFFO in order to be consistent with the IPA recommendation and other non-traded REITs. MFFO that adjusts for items such as acquisition fees would only be comparable to non-traded REITs that have completed the majority of their acquisition activity and have other similar operating characteristics as us. Neither the SEC, nor any other regulatory body has approved the acceptability of the adjustments that we use to calculate MFFO. In the future, the SEC or another regulatory body may decide to standardize permitted adjustments across the non-listed REIT industry and we may need to adjust our calculation and characterization of MFFO.
MFFO is a metric used by management to evaluate our future operating performance once our organization and offering and acquisition and development stages are complete and is not intended to be used as a liquidity measure. Although management uses the MFFO metric to evaluate future operating performance, this metric excludes certain key operating items and other adjustments that may affect our overall operating performance. MFFO is not equivalent to net income (loss) as determined under U.S. GAAP. In addition, MFFO is not a useful measure in evaluating net asset value, since an impairment is taken into account in determining net asset value but not in determining MFFO.
We define MFFO in accordance with the concepts established by the IPA and adjust for certain items, such as accretion of a discount and amortization of a premium on borrowings and related deferred financing costs, as such adjustments are comparable to adjustments for debt investments and will be helpful in assessing our operating performance. We also adjust MFFO for deferred tax benefit or expense, as applicable, as such items are not indicative of our operating performance. Our computation of MFFO may not be comparable to other REITs that do not calculate MFFO using the same method. MFFO is calculated using FFO. FFO, as defined by NAREIT, is a computation made by analysts and investors to measure a real estate company’s cash flow generated by operations. MFFO excludes from FFO the following items:
acquisition fees and expenses;
non-cash amounts related to straight-line rent and the amortization of above or below market and in-place intangible lease assets and liabilities (which are adjusted in order to reflect such payments from an accrual basis of accounting under U.S. GAAP to a cash basis of accounting);
amortization of a premium and accretion of a discount on debt investments;
non-recurring impairment of real estate-related investments that meet the specified criteria identified in the rules and regulations of the SEC;
realized gains (losses) from the early extinguishment of debt;
realized gains (losses) on the extinguishment or sales of hedges, foreign exchange, securities and other derivative holdings except where the trading of such instruments is a fundamental attribute of our business;
unrealized gains (losses) from fair value adjustments on real estate securities, including CMBS and other securities, interest rate swaps and other derivatives not deemed hedges and foreign exchange holdings;
unrealized gains (losses) from the consolidation from, or deconsolidation to, equity accounting;
adjustments related to contingent purchase price obligations; and
adjustments for consolidated and unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures calculated to reflect MFFO on the same basis as above.

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Certain of the above adjustments are also made to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, such as for the amortization of a premium and accretion of a discount on debt and securities investments, amortization of fees, any unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives, securities or other investments, as well as other adjustments.
MFFO excludes non-recurring impairment of real estate-related investments. We assess the credit quality of our investments and adequacy of reserves/impairment on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary. Significant judgment is required in this analysis. With respect to debt investments, we consider the estimated net recoverable value of the loan as well as other factors, including but not limited to the fair value of any collateral, the amount and the status of any senior debt, the prospects for the borrower and the competitive situation of the region where the borrower does business. Fair value is typically estimated based on discounting expected future cash flow of the underlying collateral taking into consideration the discount rate, capitalization rate, occupancy, creditworthiness of major tenants and many other factors. This requires significant judgment and because it is based on projections of future economic events, which are inherently subjective, the amount ultimately realized may differ materially from the carrying value as of the balance sheet date. If the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral for the debt investment is less than its net carrying value, a loan loss reserve is recorded with a corresponding charge to provision for loan losses. With respect to a real estate investment, a property’s value is considered impaired if our estimate of the aggregate future undiscounted cash flow to be generated by the property is less than the carrying value of the property. The value of our investments may be impaired and their carrying values may not be recoverable due to our limited life. Investors should note that while impairment charges are excluded from the calculation of MFFO, investors are cautioned that due to the fact that impairments are based on estimated future undiscounted cash flow and the relatively limited term of a non-traded REIT’s anticipated operations, it could be difficult to recover any impairment charges through operational net revenues or cash flow prior to any liquidity event.
We believe that MFFO is a useful non-GAAP measure for non-traded REITs. It is helpful to management and stockholders in assessing our future operating performance once our organization and offering and acquisition and development stages are complete, because it eliminates from net income non-cash fair value adjustments on our real estate securities and acquisition fees and expenses that are incurred as part of our investment activities. However, MFFO may not be a useful measure of our operating performance or as a comparable measure to other typical non-traded REITs if we do not continue to operate in a similar manner to other non-traded REITs, including if we were to extend our acquisition and development stage or if we determined not to pursue an exit strategy.
However, MFFO does have certain limitations. For instance, the effect of any amortization or accretion on debt investments originated or acquired at a premium or discount, respectively, is not reported in MFFO. In addition, realized gains (losses) from acquisitions and dispositions and other adjustments listed above are not reported in MFFO, even though such realized gains (losses) and other adjustments could affect our operating performance and cash available for distribution. Stockholders should note that any cash gains generated from the sale of investments would generally be used to fund new investments. Any mark-to-market or fair value adjustments may be based on many factors, including current operational or individual property issues or general market or overall industry conditions.
We typically purchase CMBS at a premium or discount to par value, and in accordance with GAAP, record the amortization of premium/accretion of the discount to interest income (the “CMBS effective yield”). During the year ended December 31, 2015, we reviewed our position relating to the impact of the CMBS effective yield on MFFO and concluded that this effective yield should be reported in MFFO. We believe that by reporting CMBS effective yield in MFFO, MFFO provides better insight to the expected contractual cash flows and is more in-line with our review of operating performance.
Accordingly, for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, we reported in MFFO CMBS effective yield of $1.0 million, $1.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. Additionally, MFFO for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 presented in the table below has been adjusted to conform to current period presentation.
Neither FFO nor MFFO is equivalent to net income (loss) or cash flow provided by operating activities determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be construed to be more relevant or accurate than the U.S. GAAP methodology in evaluating our operating performance. Neither FFO nor MFFO is necessarily indicative of cash flow available to fund our cash needs including our ability to make distributions to our stockholders. FFO and MFFO do not represent amounts available for management’s discretionary use because of needed capital replacement or expansion, debt service obligations or other commitments or uncertainties. Furthermore, neither FFO nor MFFO should be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) as an indicator of our operating performance.

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The following table presents a reconciliation of FFO and MFFO attributable to common stockholders to net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders (dollars in thousands):

 
Years Ended December 31,

 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Funds from operations:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income (loss) attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. common stockholders
 
$
45,614

 
$
89,124

 
$
61,271

Adjustments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Depreciation and amortization
 
25,982

 
6,427

 
1,120

Depreciation and amortization related to non-controlling interests
 
(2,588
)
 
(864
)
 
(63
)
FFO attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. common stockholders
 
$
69,008

 
$
94,687

 
$
62,328

Modified funds from operations:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Funds from operations
 
$
69,008

 
$
94,687

 
$
62,328

Adjustments:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of premiums, discounts and fees on investments and borrowings, net
 
8,537

 
8,406

 
7,426

Amortization of capitalized above/below market leases
 
1,007

 

 

Acquisition fees and transaction costs on investments
 
1,344

 
5,309

 
6,722

Straight-line rental (income) loss
 
(1,798
)
 
(199
)
 

Realized (gain) loss on investments and other
 

 
(397
)
 

Unrealized (gain) loss on investments and other
 
12,108

 
(11,764
)
 

Adjustments related to non-controlling interests
 
190

 
(316
)
 

Deferred tax (benefit) expense
 
(1,485
)
 
4,020

 
868

MFFO attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. common stockholders
 
$
88,911

 
$
99,746

 
$
77,344

Distributions Declared and Paid
We generally pay distributions on a monthly basis based on daily record dates. From the commencement of our operations on October 18, 2010 through December 31, 2015, we paid distributions at an annualized distribution rate of $0.80 per share of our common stock. Distributions are generally paid to stockholders on the first business day of the month following the month for which the distribution has accrued.

82



The following table presents distributions declared for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
Distributions Declared(1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Cash
 
$
51,826



 
$
50,252



   DRP
 
43,842



 
42,870



Total
 
$
95,668



 
$
93,122



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sources of Distributions(1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Funds from Operations(2)
 
$
69,008

72
%
 
$
93,122

100
%
   Offering proceeds
 
26,660

28
%
 


Total
 
$
95,668

100
%
 
$
93,122

100
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash Flow Provided by (Used in) Operations
 
$
84,995

 
 
$
93,392

 
__________________________________________________
(1)
Represents distributions declared for such period, even though such distributions are actually paid to stockholders the month following such period.
(2)
From inception through December 31, 2015, we declared distributions of $302.2 million, of which 81% was paid from FFO, 17% was paid from offering proceeds and 2% was paid from distribution support proceeds. From inception through December 31, 2015, the difference between total distributions paid (including cash distributions and shares issued in connection with our DRP) and cash flow provided by operations was $34.6 million, of which $4.6 million related to shares purchased by NorthStar Realty pursuant to our Distribution Support Agreement, which terminated in July 2013, and the remainder related to shares issued pursuant to our DRP.
During 2015 and 2014, distributions in excess of our cash flow provided by operations were paid using Offering proceeds. Over the long-term, we expect that our distributions will be paid entirely from cash flow provided by operations. However, our operating performance cannot be accurately predicted and may deteriorate in the future due to numerous factors, including our ability to raise and invest capital at favorable yields, the financial performance of our investments in the current real estate and financial environment, the type and mix of our investments and accounting of our investments in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Future distributions declared and paid may exceed cash flow provided by operations.
As of March 15, 2016, our portfolio generated a 12.5% current yield on invested equity before expenses and excluding uninvested cash (our portfolio generated a current yield on invested equity of 6.0%, net of expenses and including uninvested cash of $131.5 million, as a result of the lag time in deploying capital from repayments). There is no assurance we will realize the expected returns on invested equity over the term of these investments. Our actual return on invested equity could vary significantly from our expectations.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We are primarily subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. These risks are dependent on various factors beyond our control, including monetary and fiscal policies, domestic and international economic conditions and political considerations. Our market risk sensitive assets, liabilities and related derivative positions are held for investment and not for trading purposes.
Interest Rate Risk
We may be subject to interest rate changes as a result of long-term borrowings used to acquire real estate equity investments and may also be exposed to changes in net interest income of our real estate debt investments, which is the difference between the income earned and the interest expense incurred in connection with our borrowings and derivatives.
Our interest rate risk management objectives are to limit the impact of interest rate changes on earnings, prepayment penalties and cash flows and to lower overall borrowing costs by borrowing primarily at fixed rates or variable rates with the lowest margins available and by evaluating hedging opportunities.
Our CRE debt and securities investments bear interest at either a floating or fixed-rate. The interest rate on our floating-rate assets is a fixed spread over an index such as LIBOR and typically reprices every 30 days based on LIBOR in effect at the time. Currently, most of our floating-rate CRE debt investments have a fixed minimum LIBOR rate that is in excess of current LIBOR. We will not benefit from an increase in LIBOR until it is in excess of the LIBOR floors. Given the frequent and periodic repricing of our floating-rate assets, changes in benchmark interest rates are unlikely to materially affect the value of our floating-rate portfolio. Changes in short-term rates will, however, affect income from our investments.

83



A change in interest rates could affect the value of our fixed-rate CRE debt and securities investments. For instance, an increase in interest rates would result in a higher required yield on investments, which would decrease the value on existing fixed-rate investments in order to adjust their yields to current market levels.
Our general financing strategy has focused on the use of “match-funded” structures. This means that we seek to align the maturities of our liabilities with the maturities on our assets as closely as possible in order to manage the risks of being forced to refinance our liabilities prior to the maturities of our assets. In addition, we seek to match the interest rate on our assets with like-kind borrowings, so fixed-rate investments are financed with fixed-rate borrowings and floating-rate assets are financed with floating-rate borrowings, directly or indirectly, through the use of interest rate swaps, caps and other financial instruments or through a combination of these strategies. We are subject to interest rate risk because on certain investments, we maintain a net floating-rate asset position, and, therefore, our income will increase with increases in interest rates and decrease with declines in interest rates. As of December 31, 2015, 87.5% of our debt investments were floating rate investments and 61.3% of our total borrowings were floating rate liabilities. Of the floating rate liabilities, 1.4% related to the use of our CMBS repo facilities. As of December 31, 2015, most of our floating-rate investments had LIBOR floors below the current LIBOR rate and our CRE securities were fixed rate, so a hypothetical 100 basis point increase in interest rates (including the effect of the interest rate floor) would increase income by $4.0 million annually.
Credit Spread Risk
The value of our fixed and floating-rate investments also changes with market credit spreads. This means that when market-demanded risk premium, or credit spread, increases, the value of our fixed and floating-rate assets decrease and vice versa. Fixed-rate assets are valued based on a market credit spread over the rate payable on fixed-rate U.S. Treasury of like maturity. This means that their value is dependent on the yield demanded on such assets by the market, based on their credit relative to U.S. Treasuries. The floating-rate CRE debt and securities investments are valued based on a market credit spread over the applicable LIBOR. Demand for a higher yield on investments results in higher or “wider” spread over the benchmark rate (usually the applicable U.S. Treasury yield) to value these assets. Under these conditions, the value of our portfolio should decrease. Conversely, if the spread used to value these assets were to decrease or “tighten,” the value of these assets should increase.
Credit Risk
Credit risk in our CRE debt and securities investments relates to each individual borrower’s ability to make required interest and principal payments on scheduled due dates. We seek to manage credit risk through our Advisor’s comprehensive credit analysis prior to making an investment, actively monitoring our portfolio and the underlying credit quality, including subordination and diversification of our portfolio. Our analysis is based on a broad range of real estate, financial, economic and borrower-related factors which we believe are critical to the evaluation of credit risk inherent in a transaction. For the year ended December 31, 2015, one CRE debt investment contributed more than 10% of interest income.
We are subject to the credit risk of the borrower when we make CRE debt and securities investments and the credit risk of our tenants in our real estate properties. We seek to undertake a rigorous credit evaluation of each borrower/tenant prior to making an investment. This analysis includes an extensive due diligence investigation of the borrowers/tenant’s creditworthiness and business as well as an assessment of the strategic importance of the underlying real estate to the borrowers/tenant’s core business operations.

84



Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The consolidated financial statements of NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and the notes related to the foregoing consolidated financial statements, together with the independent registered public accounting firm’s report thereon are included in this Item 8.
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements


85



REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Board of Directors and Shareholders
NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (a Maryland corporation) and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015. Our audits of the basic consolidated financial statements included the financial statement schedules listed in the index appearing under Item 15(a)(2). These financial statements and financial statement schedules are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial statement schedules based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the related financial statement schedules, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein.

/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP


New York, New York

March 16, 2016



86




NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Dollars in Thousands)
 
December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Assets
 
 
 
Cash
$
127,890

 
$
35,755

Restricted cash
75,074

 
125,459

Real estate debt investments, net
997,836

 
1,250,023

Operating real estate, net
365,327

 
403,347

Investments in unconsolidated ventures (refer to Note 5)
157,843

 
195,860

Real estate securities, available for sale
83,622

 
79,636

Receivables, net
48,545

 
12,080

Deferred costs and other assets, net
37,323

 
7,959

  Loan collateral receivable, related party (refer to Note 8)
54,056

 
77,902

Total assets
$
1,947,516

 
$
2,188,021

Liabilities
 
 
 
Securitization bonds payable
$
185,314

 
$
410,781

Mortgage notes payable
316,402

 
315,914

Credit facilities
318,000

 
269,483

Accounts payable and accrued expenses
11,238

 
13,812

Escrow deposits payable
61,881

 
104,325

Distribution payable
8,205

 
8,007

Other liabilities
14,465

 
3,002

Total liabilities
915,505

 
1,125,324

Commitments and contingencies

 

Equity
 
 
 
NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. Stockholders’ Equity
 
 
 
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and 2014

 

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 400,000,000 shares authorized, 120,757,888 and 117,846,562 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively
1,207

 
1,178

Additional paid-in capital
1,078,154

 
1,050,632

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)
(86,938
)
 
(36,884
)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
21,901

 
28,414

  Total NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. stockholders’ equity
1,014,324

 
1,043,340

Non-controlling interests
17,687

 
19,357

Total equity
1,032,011

 
1,062,697

Total liabilities and equity
$
1,947,516

 
$
2,188,021





Refer to accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

87



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data)

 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Net interest income
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest income
 
$
96,471

 
$
102,697

 
$
77,553

Interest expense
 
21,339

 
21,100

 
15,179

Net interest income
 
75,132

 
81,597

 
62,374

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Property and other revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rental and other income
 
60,394

 
29,342

 
1,970

Total property and other revenues
 
60,394

 
29,342

 
1,970

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asset management and other fees - related party
 
23,965

 
24,676

 
17,925

Mortgage notes interest expense
 
14,832

 
7,763

 
583

Transaction costs
 
1,344

 
2,777

 
2,862

Property operating expenses
 
31,135

 
15,433

 
823

General and administrative expenses (refer to Note 8)
 
15,475

 
13,265

 
8,659

Depreciation and amortization
 
25,982

 
6,427

 
503

Total expenses
 
112,733

 
70,341

 
31,355

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other income (loss)
 

 
 
 

Realized gain (loss) on investments and other
 

 
397

 

Unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other
 
(12,108
)
 
11,764

 

Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense)
 
10,685

 
52,759

 
32,989

Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
36,017

 
41,679

 
30,292

Income tax benefit (expense)
 
(1,111
)
 
(5,485
)
 
(2,264
)
Net income (loss)
 
45,591

 
88,953

 
61,017

Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests
 
23

 
171

 
254

Net income (loss) attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. common stockholders
 
$
45,614

 
$
89,124

 
$
61,271

Net income (loss) per share of common stock, basic/diluted
 
$
0.38

 
$
0.77

 
$
0.63

Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, basic/diluted
 
119,321,920

 
116,121,313

 
97,827,244







Refer to accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

88



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(Dollars in Thousands)

 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Net income (loss)
 
$
45,591

 
$
88,953

 
$
61,017

Other comprehensive income (loss):
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unrealized gain (loss) on real estate securities, available for sale
 
(6,513
)
 
15,370

 
12,586

Total other comprehensive income (loss)
 
(6,513
)
 
15,370

 
12,586

Comprehensive income (loss)
 
39,078

 
104,323

 
73,603

Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests
 
23

 
171

 
254

Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc
 
$
39,101

 
$
104,494

 
$
73,857






































Refer to accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

89



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY
(Dollars and Shares in Thousands)
 
Common Stock
 
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
 
Retained
Earnings
(Accumulated
Deficit)
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income
(Loss)
 
Total
Company’s
Stockholders’
Equity
 
Non-
controlling
Interests
 
Total
Equity
 
Shares
 
Amount
 
 
Balance as of December 31, 2012
60,205

 
$
602

 
$
532,617

 
$
(15,935
)
 
$
458

 
$
517,742

 
$
4

 
$
517,746

Net proceeds from issuance of common stock
51,475

 
515

 
459,710

 

 

 
460,225

 

 
460,225

Non-controlling interests - contributions

 

 

 

 

 

 
4,824

 
4,824

Proceeds from distribution reinvestment plan
3,438

 
34

 
32,615

 

 

 
32,649

 

 
32,649

Shares redeemed for cash
(593
)
 
(6
)
 
(5,688
)
 

 

 
(5,694
)
 

 
(5,694
)
Issuance and amortization of equity-based compensation
11

 

 
94

 

 

 
94

 

 
94

Other comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

 

 
12,586

 
12,586

 

 
12,586

Distributions declared

 

 

 
(78,222
)
 

 
(78,222
)
 

 
(78,222
)
Net income (loss)

 

 

 
61,271

 

 
61,271

 
(254
)
 
61,017

Balance as of December 31, 2013
114,536

 
$
1,145

 
$
1,019,348

 
$
(32,886
)
 
$
13,044

 
$
1,000,651

 
$
4,574

 
$
1,005,225

Non-controlling interests - contributions

 

 

 

 

 

 
15,727

 
15,727

Non-controlling interests - distributions

 

 

 

 

 

 
(773
)
 
(773
)
Proceeds from distribution reinvestment plan
4,493

 
45

 
42,614

 

 

 
42,659

 

 
42,659

Shares redeemed for cash
(1,193
)
 
(12
)
 
(11,456
)
 

 

 
(11,468
)
 

 
(11,468
)
Issuance and amortization of equity-based compensation
11

 

 
126

 

 

 
126

 

 
126

Other comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

 

 
15,370

 
15,370

 

 
15,370

Distributions declared

 

 

 
(93,122
)
 

 
(93,122
)
 

 
(93,122
)
Net income (loss)

 

 

 
89,124

 

 
89,124

 
(171
)
 
88,953

Balance as of December 31, 2014
117,847

 
$
1,178

 
$
1,050,632

 
$
(36,884
)
 
$
28,414

 
$
1,043,340

 
$
19,357

 
$
1,062,697

Non-controlling interests - contributions

 

 

 

 

 

 
268

 
268

Non-controlling interests - distributions

 

 

 

 

 

 
(1,915
)
 
(1,915
)
Proceeds from distribution reinvestment plan
4,599

 
46

 
43,737

 

 

 
43,783

 

 
43,783

Shares redeemed for cash
(1,710
)
 
(17
)
 
(16,447
)
 

 

 
(16,464
)
 

 
(16,464
)
Issuance and amortization of equity-based compensation
22

 

 
232

 

 

 
232

 

 
232

Other comprehensive income (loss)

 

 

 

 
(6,513
)
 
(6,513
)
 

 
(6,513
)
Distributions declared

 

 

 
(95,668
)
 

 
(95,668
)
 

 
(95,668
)
Net income (loss)

 

 

 
45,614

 

 
45,614

 
(23
)
 
45,591

Balance as of December 31, 2015
120,758

 
$
1,207

 
$
1,078,154

 
$
(86,938
)
 
$
21,901

 
$
1,014,324

 
$
17,687

 
$
1,032,011


Refer to accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

90



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Dollars in Thousands)
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Net income (loss)
$
45,591

 
$
88,953

 
$
61,017

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Equity in (earnings) losses of unconsolidated ventures
(36,017
)
 
(41,679
)
 
(30,292
)
Depreciation and amortization
25,982

 
6,427

 
503

Straight line rental income
(1,798
)
 
(199
)
 

Amortization of capitalized above/below market leases
1,007

 

 

Amortization of premium/accretion of discount and fees on investments and borrowings, net
3,577

 
2,894

 
3,171

Amortization of deferred financing costs
3,944

 
4,261

 
3,258

Interest accretion on investments
(6,505
)
 
(1,318
)
 
140

Distributions from unconsolidated ventures (refer to Note 5)
31,690

 
36,194

 
28,665

Realized (gain) loss on investments and other

 
(397
)
 

Unrealized (gain) loss on investments and other
12,108

 
(11,764
)
 

Amortization of equity-based compensation
232

 
126

 
94

Deferred income tax expense
(1,485
)
 
4,020

 
868

Changes in assets and liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
Restricted cash
8,165

 
(2,764
)
 
(903
)
Receivables, net
58

 
4,374

 
(3,227
)
Deferred costs and other assets
(1,894
)
 
(490
)
 
(1,047
)
Due to related party

 
(3,076
)
 
1,857

Accounts payable and accrued expenses
(47
)
 
5,630

 
1,693

Other liabilities
387

 
2,200

 
803

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
84,995

 
93,392

 
66,600

Cash flows from investing activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Origination of real estate debt investments, net
(61,639
)
 
(490,467
)
 
(615,430
)
Repayment on real estate debt investments
287,084

 
251,631

 
59,184

Proceeds from sale of real estate debt investments

 
17,325

 
41,383

Loan collateral receivable, related party

 

 
(79,095
)
Repayment on loan collateral receivable, related party
23,846

 
1,193

 

Acquisition of operating real estate

 
(247,625
)
 
(125,671
)
Improvements of operating real estate
(8,700
)
 
(7,818
)
 

Proceeds from sales of real estate securities, available for sale

 
4,008

 

Investments in unconsolidated ventures (refer to Note 5)
(10,035
)
 
(52,885
)
 
(204,192
)
Distributions from unconsolidated ventures (refer to Note 5)
38,107

 
30,344

 
41,130

Acquisition of real estate securities, available for sale
(10,818
)
 

 
(23,285
)
Repayment of real estate securities, available for sale
806

 

 

Change in restricted cash
(920
)
 
(9,793
)
 
(6,450
)
Deferred costs and other assets, net

 

 
(1,359
)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
257,731

 
(504,087
)
 
(913,785
)
Cash flows from financing activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock

 

 
460,094

Proceeds from distribution reinvestment plan
43,783

 
42,659

 
32,649

Shares redeemed for cash
(16,464
)
 
(11,468
)
 
(5,694
)
Distributions paid on common stock
(95,470
)
 
(92,896
)
 
(74,345
)
Repayment of mortgage notes
(198
)
 
(121
)
 

Borrowings from mortgage notes

 
186,550

 
102,500

Repayment of securitization bonds
(228,073
)
 
(93,475
)
 

Borrowings from credit facilities
55,148

 
257,798

 
99,550

Repayment of credit facilities
(6,630
)
 
(16,638
)
 
(197,548
)
Proceeds from securitization bonds

 

 
382,046

Change in restricted cash

 
41,801

 
(42,608
)
Payment of deferred financing costs
(1,040
)
 
(2,309
)
 
(8,415
)
Contributions from non-controlling interests
268

 
15,727

 
4,824

Distributions to non-controlling interests
(1,915
)
 
(773
)
 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
(250,591
)
 
326,855

 
753,053

Net increase (decrease) in cash
92,135

 
(83,840
)
 
(94,132
)
Cash - beginning of period
35,755

 
119,595

 
213,727

Cash - end of period
$
127,890

 
$
35,755

 
$
119,595


Refer to accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

91



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Continued)
(Dollars in Thousands)


 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
 
 
 
 
 
Cash paid for interest
$
31,755

 
$
24,148

 
$
11,751

Cash paid for income taxes
4,028

 
3,142

 
30

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
 
 
 
 
 
Escrow deposits payable related to real estate debt investments
$
42,444

 
$
68,298

 
$
100,776

Distribution payable
8,205

 
8,007

 
7,782

Non-cash related to PE Investments (refer to Note 5)
2,169

 
2,990

 
6,446

CRE debt investment payoff due from servicer
31,750

 

 
15,107

Acquisition of operating real estate / assumption of mortgage notes payable

 
29,133

 

Accrued capital expenditures
1,335

 

 

Reclassification of deferred financing costs to securitization bonds payable
389

 
2,729

 

Reclassification of deferred financing costs to mortgage notes payable
1,950

 
2,149

 




































Refer to accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

92



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.
Business and Organization
NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) was formed to originate, acquire and asset manage a diversified portfolio of commercial real estate (“CRE”) debt, select equity and securities investments, predominantly in the United States. The Company may also invest in CRE investments internationally. CRE debt investments include first mortgage loans, subordinate mortgage and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans and preferred equity interests. Real estate equity investments include the Company’s direct ownership in properties, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity, as well as indirect interests in real estate through real estate private equity funds (“PE Investments”). CRE securities primarily consist of commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) and may include unsecured real estate investment trust (“REIT”) debt, collateralized debt obligation (“CDO”) notes and other securities. In addition, the Company may own investments through joint ventures. The Company was formed in January 2009 as a Maryland corporation and commenced operations in October 2010. The Company elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), commencing with the taxable year ended December 31, 2010. The Company conducts its operations so as to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The Company is externally managed and has no employees. Prior to June 30, 2014, the Company was managed by an affiliate of NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. (NYSE: NRF) (“NorthStar Realty”). Effective June 30, 2014, NorthStar Realty spun-off its asset management business into a separate publicly traded company, NorthStar Asset Management Group Inc. (NYSE: NSAM) (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor and its affiliates provide asset management and other services to the Company, NorthStar Realty, NorthStar Realty Europe Corp. (NYSE: NRE), other sponsored public retail-focused companies and any other companies the Sponsor and its affiliates may manage in the future (collectively, the “NSAM Managed Companies”), both in the United States and internationally. Concurrent with the spin-off, affiliates of the Sponsor entered into a new advisory agreement with the Company and each of the other NSAM Managed Companies. Pursuant to the Company’s advisory agreement, NSAM J-NSI Ltd, an affiliate of the Sponsor (the “Advisor”), agreed to manage the day-to-day operations of the Company on terms substantially similar to those set forth in the Company’s prior advisory agreement with NS Real Estate Income Trust Advisor, LLC (the “Prior Advisor”). References to the “Prior Advisor” herein refer to the services performed by and fees paid and accrued to the Prior Advisor during the period prior to June 30, 2014. The spin-off of NorthStar Realty’s asset management business had no impact on the Company’s operations.
Substantially all the Company’s business is conducted through NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust Operating Partnership, LP (the “Operating Partnership”). The Company is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. The limited partners of the Operating Partnership are the Prior Advisor and NorthStar OP Holdings, LLC (the “Special Unit Holder”), each an affiliate of the Sponsor. The Prior Advisor invested $1,000 in the Operating Partnership in exchange for common units and the Special Unit Holder invested $1,000 in the Operating Partnership and was issued a separate class of limited partnership units (the “Special Units”), which are collectively recorded as non-controlling interests on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014. As the Company accepted subscriptions for shares in its continuous, public offering which closed in July 2013, it contributed substantially all of the net proceeds to the Operating Partnership as a capital contribution. As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership was 99.98%.
The Company’s charter authorizes the issuance of up to 400,000,000 shares of common stock with a par value of $0.01 per share and up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.01 per share. The board of directors of the Company is authorized to amend its charter, without the approval of the stockholders, to increase the aggregate number of authorized shares of capital stock or the number of shares of any class or series that the Company has authority to issue.
The Company initially registered to offer up to 100,000,000 shares pursuant to its primary offering to the public (the “Primary Offering”) and up to 10,526,315 shares pursuant to its distribution reinvestment plan (the “DRP”), which are herein collectively referred to as the Offering. In April 2013, the board of directors of the Company authorized the reallocation of shares available under the DRP to the Primary Offering. The Primary Offering (including 7.6 million shares reallocated from the DRP, the “Total Primary Offering”) was completed on July 1, 2013 and all of the shares initially registered for the Offering were issued. As a result of a registration statement to offer up to an additional 15.0 million shares pursuant to the DRP, the Company continues to offer DRP shares beyond the Total Primary Offering.
The Company raised total gross proceeds of $1.2 billion in the Offering.

93


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


2.
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Accounting
The accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”).
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership and their consolidated subsidiaries. The Company consolidates variable interest entities (“VIE”) where the Company is the primary beneficiary and voting interest entities which are generally majority owned or otherwise controlled by the Company. All significant intercompany balances are eliminated in consolidation.
Variable Interest Entities
A VIE is an entity that lacks one or more of the characteristics of a voting interest entity. A VIE is defined as an entity in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. The determination of whether an entity is a VIE includes both a qualitative and quantitative analysis. The Company bases its qualitative analysis on its review of the design of the entity, its organizational structure including decision-making ability and relevant financial agreements and the quantitative analysis on the forecasted cash flow of the entity. The Company reassesses its initial evaluation of an entity as a VIE upon the occurrence of certain reconsideration events.
A VIE must be consolidated only by its primary beneficiary, which is defined as the party who, along with its affiliates and agents has both the: (i) power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance; and (ii) obligation to absorb the losses of the VIE or the right to receive the benefits from the VIE, which could be significant to the VIE. The Company determines whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE by considering qualitative and quantitative factors, including, but not limited to: which activities most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and which party controls such activities; the amount and characteristics of its investment; the obligation or likelihood for the Company or other interests to provide financial support; consideration of the VIE’s purpose and design, including the risks the VIE was designed to create and pass through to its variable interest holders and the similarity with and significance to the business activities of the Company and the other interests. The Company reassesses its determination of whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE each reporting period. Significant judgments related to these determinations include estimates about the current and future fair value and performance of investments held by these VIEs and general market conditions.
The Company evaluates its investments and financings, including investments in unconsolidated ventures and securitization financing transactions to determine whether they are a VIE. The Company analyzes new investments and financings, as well as reconsideration events for existing investments and financings, which vary depending on type of investment or financing. As of December 31, 2015, the Company identified one VIE related to its securities investments. The VIE has a carrying value of $47.6 million as of December 31, 2015. The Company’s maximum exposure to loss as of December 31, 2015 would not exceed the carrying value of its investment. Based on management’s analysis, the Company determined that it is not the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, the VIE is not consolidated in the Company’s financial statements as of December 31, 2015. The Company did not provide financial support to its unconsolidated VIE during the year ended December 31, 2015. As of December 31, 2015, there were no explicit arrangements or implicit variable interests that could require the Company to provide financial support to its unconsolidated VIE. An affiliate of the Sponsor is named special servicer of the VIE.
Voting Interest Entities
A voting interest entity is an entity in which the total equity investment at risk is sufficient to enable it to finance its activities independently and the equity holders have the power to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact its economic performance, the obligation to absorb the losses of the entity and the right to receive the residual returns of the entity. The usual condition for a controlling financial interest in a voting interest entity is ownership of a majority voting interest. If the Company has a majority voting interest in a voting interest entity, the entity will generally be consolidated. The Company does not consolidate a voting interest entity if there are substantive participating rights by other parties and/or kick-out rights by a single party or a simple majority vote.
The Company performs on-going reassessments of whether entities previously evaluated under the voting interest framework have become VIEs, based on certain events, and therefore subject to the VIE consolidation framework.

94


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures
A non-controlling, unconsolidated ownership interest in an entity may be accounted for using the equity method, at fair value or the cost method.
Under the equity method, the investment is adjusted each period for capital contributions and distributions and its share of the entity’s net income (loss). Capital contributions, distributions and net income (loss) of such entities are recorded in accordance with the terms of the governing documents. An allocation of net income (loss) may differ from the stated ownership percentage interest in such entity as a result of a preferred return and allocation formula, if any, as described in such governing documents. Equity method investments are recognized using a cost accumulation model in which the investment is recognized based on the cost to the investor, which includes acquisition fees. The Company records as an expense certain acquisition costs and fees associated with consolidated investments deemed to be business combinations and capitalizes these costs for investments deemed to be acquisitions of an asset, including an equity method investment.
The Company may account for an investment in an unconsolidated entity at fair value by electing the fair value option. The Company elected the fair value option for PE Investments. The Company records the change in fair value for its share of the projected future cash flow of such investments from one period to another in equity in earnings (losses) from unconsolidated ventures in the consolidated statements of operations. Any change in fair value attributed to market related assumptions is considered unrealized gain (loss).
The Company may account for an investment that does not qualify for equity method accounting or for which the fair value option was not elected using the cost method if the Company determines the investment in the unconsolidated entity is insignificant. Under the cost method, equity in earnings is recorded as dividends are received to the extent they are not considered a return of capital, which is recorded as a reduction of cost of the investment.
Non-controlling Interests
A non-controlling interest in a consolidated subsidiary is defined as the portion of the equity (net assets) in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Company. A non-controlling interest is required to be presented as a separate component of equity on the consolidated balance sheets and presented separately as net income (loss) and other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”) attributable to controlling and non-controlling interests. An allocation to a non-controlling interest may differ from the stated ownership percentage interest in such entity as a result of a preferred return and allocation formula, if any, as described in such governing documents.
Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that could affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates and assumptions.
Reclassifications
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified in the consolidated financial statements to conform to current period presentation.
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
The Company reports consolidated comprehensive income (loss) in separate statements following the consolidated statements of operations. Comprehensive income (loss) is defined as the change in equity resulting from net income (loss) and OCI. The only component of OCI is unrealized gain (loss) on CRE securities available for sale for which the fair value option was not elected.
Cash
The Company considers all highly-liquid investments with an original maturity date of three months or less to be cash. Cash, including amounts restricted, may at times exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation deposit insurance limit of $250,000 per institution. The Company mitigates credit risk by placing cash with major financial institutions. To date, the Company has not experienced any losses on cash.

95


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Restricted Cash
Restricted cash consists of amounts related to loan originations (escrow deposits) and operating real estate (escrows for taxes, insurance, capital expenditures, tenant security deposits and payments required under certain lease agreements).
Fair Value Option
The fair value option provides an election that allows a company to irrevocably elect fair value for certain financial assets and liabilities on an instrument-by-instrument basis at initial recognition. The Company will generally not elect the fair value option for its assets and liabilities. However, the Company has elected the fair value option for PE Investments. Any change in fair value for assets and liabilities for which the election is made is recognized in earnings.
Real Estate Debt Investments
CRE debt investments are generally intended to be held to maturity and, accordingly, are carried at cost, net of unamortized loan fees, premium and discount. CRE debt investments that are deemed to be impaired are carried at amortized cost less a loan loss reserve, if deemed appropriate, which approximates fair value. CRE debt investments where the Company does not have the intent to hold the loan for the foreseeable future or until its expected payoff are classified as held for sale and recorded at the lower of cost or estimated value.
Operating Real Estate
Operating real estate is carried at historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Ordinary repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Major replacements and betterments which improve or extend the life of the asset are capitalized and depreciated over their useful life. The Company follows the purchase method for an acquisition of operating real estate, where the purchase price is allocated to tangible assets such as land, building, tenant and land improvements and other identified intangibles. Costs directly related to an acquisition deemed to be a business combination are expensed and included in transaction costs in the consolidated statements of operations.
Operating real estate is depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, summarized as follows:
Category:
 
Term:
Building
 
30 to 40 years
Building improvements
 
Lesser of the useful life or remaining life of the building
Land improvements
 
10 to 30 years
Tenant improvements
 
Lesser of the useful life or remaining term of the lease
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
 
3 to 10 years

Real Estate Securities
The Company classifies its CRE securities investments as available for sale on the acquisition date, which are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains (losses) are recorded as a component of accumulated OCI in the consolidated statements of equity. However, the Company may elect the fair value option for certain of its available for sale securities, and as a result, any unrealized gains (losses) on such securities are recorded in unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other in the consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2015, the Company did not have any CRE securities investments for which it elected the fair value option.
Deferred Costs and Other Assets, Net and Other Liabilities
Deferred Costs
Deferred costs primarily include deferred financing costs and deferred lease costs. Deferred financing costs represent commitment fees, legal and other third-party costs associated with obtaining financing. These costs are amortized to interest expense over the term of the financing using either the effective interest method or straight-line method depending on the type of financing. Unamortized deferred financing costs are expensed when the associated borrowing is repaid before maturity. Costs incurred in seeking financing transactions, which do not close, are expensed in the period such financing transaction was terminated. Deferred lease costs consist of fees incurred to initiate and renew operating leases, which are amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term and is recorded to depreciation and amortization in the consolidated statements of operations.

96


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


During the quarter ended December 31, 2015, the Company elected to early adopt ASU 2015-03. Under ASU 2015-03, capitalized deferred financing costs, previously recorded in deferred costs and other assets, net on the consolidated balance sheet, are presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability to which these costs relate in mortgage and other notes payable, and this presentation is retrospectively applied to prior periods.
For capitalized deferred financing costs that have been incurred relating to credit facility agreements, the Company continues to present these costs in deferred costs and other assets, net on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as amounts can be drawn and repaid periodically.
Identified Intangibles
The Company records acquired identified intangibles, which includes intangible assets (such as value of the above-market leases, in-place leases, goodwill and other intangibles) and intangible liabilities (such as the value of below-market leases), based on estimated fair value. The value allocated to the above or below-market leases is amortized over the remaining lease term as a net adjustment to rental income. Other intangible assets are amortized into depreciation and amortization expense on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term. As of December 31, 2015, the weighted average amortization period for above-market leases, below-market leases and in-place lease costs is 4.0 years, 6.1 years and 6.5 years, respectively.
Identified intangible assets are recorded in deferred costs and other assets and identified intangible liabilities are recorded in other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.
The following table presents identified intangibles as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
Intangible Assets
 
Intangible Liabilities
 
 
In-place Leases
 
Above-market Leases
 
Total
 
Below-market Leases
Gross amount
 
$
22,924

 
$
7,314

 
$
30,238

 
$
11,692

Accumulated amortization
 
(6,502
)
 
(2,587
)
 
(9,089
)
 
(2,068
)
Total
 
$
16,422

 
$
4,727

 
$
21,149

 
$
9,624

The Company recorded amortization of acquired above-market leases, net of acquired below-market leases of $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. There was no amortization of acquired above-market leases, net of acquired below-market leases in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. Amortization of other intangible assets was $6.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. There was no amortization of other intangible assets in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.
The following table presents annual amortization of intangible assets and liabilities (dollars in thousands):
Years Ending December 31:
 
In-place Leases, Net(1)
 
Above-market Leases, Net(1)
 
Below-market Leases, Net(1)
2016
 
$
3,678

 
$
2,205

 
$
1,858

2017
 
3,140

 
810

 
1,838

2018
 
2,520

 
713

 
1,800

2019
 
2,063

 
412

 
1,789

2020
 
1,220

 
185

 
625

Thereafter
 
3,801

 
402

 
1,714

Total
 
$
16,422

 
$
4,727

 
$
9,624

______________________________________________________
(1)
Identified intangibles will be amortized through periods ending December 2026.

97


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Deferred Costs and Other Assets, Net and Other Liabilities
The following table presents a summary of other assets and other liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
Deferred costs and other assets, net:
 
 
 
 
Intangible assets, net (1)
 
$
21,149

 
$

Deferred financing costs, net - credit facilities
 
2,585

 
2,951

Deferred commissions and leasing costs
 
10,955

 
66

Deposits
 
405

 
222

Prepaid expenses
 
1,844

 
1,942

Other
 
385

 
2,778

Total
 
$
37,323

 
$
7,959

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
Other liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Intangible liabilities, net (2)
 
$
9,624

 
$

Prepaid rent and unearned revenue
 
2,583

 
1,945

Tenant security deposits
 
676

 
629

Other
 
1,582

 
428

Total
 
$
14,465

 
$
3,002

_________________________________________
(1)
Represents in-place leases and above-market leases, net.
(2)
Represents below-market leases, net.
Acquisition Fees and Expenses
The total of all acquisition fees and expenses for an investment, including acquisition fees to the Advisor, cannot exceed, in the aggregate, 6.0% of the contract purchase price of such investment unless such excess is approved by a majority of the directors, including independent directors. An acquisition fee incurred related to an equity investment will generally be expensed as incurred. An acquisition fee paid to the Advisor related to the acquisition of an equity or debt investment in an unconsolidated joint venture is included in investments in unconsolidated ventures on the consolidated balance sheets. An acquisition fee paid to the Advisor related to the origination or acquisition of debt investments is included in debt investments, net on the consolidated balance sheets and is amortized to interest income over the life of the investment using the effective interest method. The Company records as an expense certain acquisition costs and fees associated with transactions deemed to be business combinations in which it consolidates the asset and capitalizes these costs for transactions deemed to be acquisitions of an asset, including an equity investment.
Revenue Recognition
Real Estate Debt Investments
Interest income is recognized on an accrual basis and any related premium, discount, origination costs and fees are amortized over the life of the investment using the effective interest method. The amortization is reflected as an adjustment to interest income in the consolidated statements of operations. The amortization of a premium or accretion of a discount is discontinued if such loan is reclassified to held for sale.
Operating Real Estate
Rental and other income from operating real estate is derived from leasing of space to various types of tenants. The leases are for fixed terms of varying length and generally provide for annual rentals and expense reimbursements to be paid in monthly installments. Rental income from leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the respective leases. The excess of rent recognized over the amount contractually due pursuant to the underlying leases is included in receivables on the consolidated balance sheet.

98


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Real Estate Securities
Interest income is recognized using the effective interest method with any premium or discount amortized or accreted through earnings based on expected cash flow through the expected maturity date of the security. Changes to expected cash flow may result in a change to the yield which is then applied retrospectively for high-credit quality securities that cannot be prepaid or otherwise settled in such a way that the holder would not recover substantially all of the investment or prospectively for all other securities to recognize interest income.
Credit Losses and Impairment on Investments
Real Estate Debt Investments
Loans are considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will not be able to collect principal and interest amounts due according to the contractual terms. The Company assesses the credit quality of the portfolio and adequacy of loan loss reserves on a quarterly basis or more frequently as necessary. Significant judgment of the Company is required in this analysis. The Company considers the estimated net recoverable value of the loan as well as other factors, including but not limited to the fair value of any collateral, the amount and the status of any senior debt, the quality and financial condition of the borrower and the competitive situation of the area where the underlying collateral is located. Because this determination is based on projections of future economic events, which are inherently subjective, the amount ultimately realized may differ materially from the carrying value as of the balance sheet date. If upon completion of the assessment, the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral is less than the net carrying value of the loan, a loan loss reserve is recorded with a corresponding charge to provision for loan losses. The loan loss reserve for each loan is maintained at a level that is determined to be adequate by management to absorb probable losses.
Income recognition is suspended for a loan at the earlier of the date at which payments become 90-days past due or when, in the opinion of the Company, a full recovery of income and principal becomes doubtful. When the ultimate collectability of the principal of an impaired loan is in doubt, all payments are applied to principal under the cost recovery method. When the ultimate collectability of the principal of an impaired loan is not in doubt, contractual interest is recorded as interest income when received, under the cash basis method until an accrual is resumed when the loan becomes contractually current and performance is demonstrated to be resumed. A loan is written off when it is no longer realizable and/or legally discharged.
Operating Real Estate
The Company’s real estate portfolio is reviewed on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary, to assess whether there are any indicators that the value of its operating real estate may be impaired or that its carrying value may not be recoverable. A property’s value is considered impaired if the Company’s estimate of the aggregate expected future undiscounted cash flow generated by the property is less than the carrying value. In conducting this review, the Company considers U.S. macroeconomic factors, real estate sector conditions and asset specific and other factors. To the extent an impairment has occurred, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the property over the estimated fair value and recorded in impairment on operating real estate in the consolidated statements of operations.
An allowance for a doubtful account for a tenant receivable is established based on a periodic review of aged receivables resulting from estimated losses due to the inability of tenants to make required rent and other payments contractually due. Additionally, the Company establishes, on a current basis, an allowance for future tenant credit losses on unbilled rent receivable based on an evaluation of the collectability of such amounts.
Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures
The Company reviews its investments in unconsolidated ventures for which the Company did not elect the fair value option on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as necessary, to assess whether there are any indicators that the value may be impaired or that its carrying value may not be recoverable. An investment is considered impaired if the projected net recoverable amount over the expected holding period is less than the carrying value. In conducting this review, the Company considers U.S. macroeconomic factors, including real estate sector conditions, together with investment specific and other factors. To the extent an impairment has occurred and is considered to be other than temporary, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the investment over the estimated fair value and recorded in provision for loss on equity investment in the consolidated statements of operations.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Real Estate Securities
CRE securities for which the fair value option is elected are not evaluated for other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) as any change in fair value is recorded in the consolidated statements of operations. Realized losses on such securities are reclassified to realized gain (loss) on investments and other as losses occur.
CRE securities for which the fair value option is not elected are evaluated for OTTI quarterly. Impairment of a security is considered to be other-than-temporary when: (i) the holder has the intent to sell the impaired security; (ii) it is more likely than not the holder will be required to sell the security; or (iii) the holder does not expect to recover the entire amortized cost of the security. When a CRE security has been deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired due to (i) or (ii), the security is written down to its fair value and an OTTI is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations. In the case of (iii), the security is written down to its fair value and the amount of OTTI is then bifurcated into: (a) the amount related to expected credit losses; and (b) the amount related to fair value adjustments in excess of expected credit losses. The portion of OTTI related to expected credit losses is recognized in the consolidated statements of operations. The remaining OTTI related to the valuation adjustment is recognized as a component of accumulated OCI in the consolidated statements of equity. The portion of OTTI recognized through earnings is accreted back to the amortized cost basis of the security through interest income, while amounts recognized through OCI are amortized over the life of the security with no impact on earnings. CRE securities which are not high-credit quality are considered to have an OTTI if the security has an unrealized loss and there has been an adverse change in expected cash flow. The amount of OTTI is then bifurcated as discussed above. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company did not have any OTTI recorded on its CRE securities.
Derivatives
Derivatives are used to manage exposure to interest rate risk. All cash settlements and any change in fair value are recorded in interest income in the consolidated statements of operations. Derivatives are generally valued using a third-party pricing service. These quotations are not adjusted and are based on observable inputs that can be validated, and as such, are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Refer to Note 12 for further disclosure.
Organization and Offering Costs
The Prior Advisor, or its affiliates, was entitled to receive reimbursement for costs paid on behalf of the Company in connection with the Offering. The Company was obligated to reimburse the Prior Advisor for organization and offering costs to the extent the aggregate of selling commissions, dealer manager fees and other organization and offering costs do not exceed 15.0% of gross offering proceeds from the Total Primary Offering. The Prior Advisor initially expected reimbursable organization and offering costs would not exceed $15.0 million, or 1.5% of the total proceeds available to be raised from the Total Primary Offering. Based on gross proceeds raised of $1,072.9 million from the Total Primary Offering, the Company incurred reimbursable organization and offering costs, excluding selling commissions and dealer manager fees, of 1.0%, which was less than the 1.5% expected. The Company recorded organization and offering costs each period based upon an allocation determined by the expectation of total organization and offering costs to be reimbursed. Organization costs were recorded as an expense in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and offering costs were recorded as a reduction to equity.
Equity-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for equity-based compensation awards using the fair value method, which requires an estimate of fair value of the award at the time of grant. All fixed equity-based awards to directors, which have no vesting conditions other than time of service, are amortized to compensation expense over the awards’ vesting period on a straight-line basis. Equity-based compensation is classified within general and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of operations.
Income Taxes
The Company elected to be taxed as a REIT and to comply with the related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code beginning in its taxable year ended December 31, 2010. Accordingly, the Company will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income tax to the extent of its distributions to stockholders as long as certain asset, income and share ownership tests are met. To maintain its qualification as a REIT, the Company must annually distribute at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders and meet certain other requirements. The Company may also be subject to certain state, local and franchise taxes. Under certain circumstances, federal income and excise taxes may be due on its undistributed taxable income. If the Company were to fail to meet these requirements, it would be subject to U.S. federal income tax, which could have a material adverse impact on its results of operations and amounts available for distributions to its stockholders. The Company believes that all of the criteria to maintain the Company’s REIT qualification have been met for the applicable periods, but there can be no assurance that these criteria will

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


continue to be met in subsequent periods. The Company has assessed its tax positions for all open tax years, which include 2010 to 2015, and concluded there were no material uncertainties to be recognized. The Company’s accounting policy with respect to interest and penalties is to classify these amounts as interest expense. The Company has not recognized any such amounts related to uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013.
The Company made a joint election to treat a subsidiary as a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) which may be subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes. In general, a TRS of the Company may perform non-customary services for tenants, hold assets that the REIT cannot hold directly and may engage in most real estate or non-real estate-related business.
Certain subsidiaries of the Company are subject to taxation by federal, state and foreign authorities for the periods presented. The Company and its U.S. subsidiaries will file a consolidated federal income tax return. Income taxes are accounted for by the asset/liability approach in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Deferred taxes, if any, represent the expected future tax consequences when the reported amounts of assets and liabilities are recovered or paid. Such amounts arise from differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are adjusted for changes in tax laws and tax rates in the period which such changes are enacted. A provision for income tax represents the total of income taxes paid or payable for the current period, plus the change in deferred taxes. Current and deferred taxes are recorded on the portion of earnings (losses) recognized by the Company with respect to its interest in taxable REIT subsidiaries. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are calculated based on temporary differences between the Company’s U.S. GAAP consolidated financial statements and the federal, state, local and foreign tax basis of assets and liabilities as of the consolidated balance sheet date. The Company evaluates the realizability of its deferred tax assets (e.g., net operating loss and capital loss carryforwards) and recognizes a valuation allowance if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of its deferred tax assets will not be realized. When evaluating the realizability of its deferred tax assets, the Company considers estimates of expected future taxable income, existing and projected book/tax differences, tax planning strategies available and the general and industry specific economic outlook. This realizability analysis is inherently subjective, as it requires the Company to forecast its business and general economic environment in future periods. Changes in estimate of deferred tax asset realizability, if any, are included in provision for income tax expense included in income tax benefit (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations.
The Company recorded an income tax expense of $1.1 million, $5.5 million and $2.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting update requiring a company to recognize as revenue the amount of consideration it expects to be entitled to in connection with the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The accounting standard update will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance currently promulgated by U.S. GAAP. In July 2015, the FASB decided to delay the effective date of the new revenue standard by one year. The effective date of the new revenue standard for the Company will be January 1, 2018. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact, if any, of the update on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.
In February 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance that changes the rules regarding consolidation. The pronouncement eliminates specialized guidance for limited partnerships and similar legal entities and removes the indefinite deferral for certain investment funds. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company will adopt the new standard on January 1, 2016 and it is not expected to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting update changing the presentation of financing costs in financial statements. Under the new guidance, an entity would present these costs in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related liability rather than as an asset. Amortization of the costs would continue to be reported as interest expense. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the fourth quarter 2015 and the impact of the adoption as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 was a reduction to both total assets and total liabilities of $2.3 million and $4.9 million, respectively.
In September 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance that eliminates the requirement that an acquirer in a business combination account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Under the new guidance, an acquirer will recognize a measurement-period adjustment during the period in which it determines the amount of the adjustment. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the third quarter 2015. See “Note 4. Operating Real Estate” for more information regarding adjustments to provisional amounts that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2015.

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


In January 2016, the FASB issued an accounting update that addresses certain aspects of recognition, measurement and disclosure of financial instruments. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the standard will have on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.
In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting update that requires lessees to present right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. The new guidance to be applied using a modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements and is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact that this guidance will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.
3.
Real Estate Debt Investments
The following table presents CRE debt investments as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted Average
 
Floating
Rate as
% of
Principal
Amount
Asset Type:
Count
 
Principal
Amount
(1)
 
Carrying
Value
(2)
 
Allocation by Investment Type(3)
 
Fixed
Rate
 
Spread
over
LIBOR
(4)
 
Total Unleveraged
Current
Yield
 
First mortgage loans
14
 
$
829,536

 
$
806,116

 
79.8
%
 

 
6.47
%
 
6.51
%
 
100.0
%
Mezzanine loans
5
 
91,639

 
72,948

 
8.8
%
 
10.10
%
 
11.76
%
 
11.62
%
 
86.9
%
Subordinate interests
1
 
36,206

 
36,206

 
3.5
%
 
13.11
%
 

 
13.23
%
 

Preferred equity interests(5)
1
 
82,003

 
82,566

 
7.9
%
 
10.00
%
 

 
10.00
%
 

Total/Weighted average
21
 
$
1,039,384

 
$
997,836

 
100.0
%
 
10.87
%
 
6.84
%
 
7.42
%
 
87.5
%
________________________________________________________
(1)
Includes future funding commitments of $43.6 million.
(2)
Certain CRE debt investments serve as collateral for financing transactions including carrying value of $335.4 million for Securitization 2013-1 and $435.2 million for Term Loan Facilities (refer to Note 7). The remainder is unleveraged.
(3)
Based on principal amount.
(4)
Includes a fixed minimum LIBOR rate (“LIBOR floor”), as applicable. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had $749.0 million principal amount of floating-rate loans subject to a weighted average LIBOR floor of 0.37%.
(5)
Represents a preferred equity interest originated through a joint venture with affiliates of RXR Realty LLC (“RXR”). The Company’s proportionate interest of the loan is 90%, representing $73.8 million of the carrying value. The Company consolidates the loan and records RXR’s investment as a non-controlling interest.

The following table presents CRE debt investments as of December 31, 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted Average
 
Floating
Rate as
% of
Principal
Amount
Asset Type:
Count
 
Principal
Amount
(1)
 
Carrying
Value
(2)
 
Allocation by Investment Type(3)
 
Fixed
Rate
 
Spread
over
LIBOR
(4)
 
Total Unleveraged
Current
Yield
 
First mortgage loans
20
 
$
1,067,315

 
$
1,015,056

 
80.3
%
 

 
6.61
%
 
6.18
%
 
100.0
%
Mezzanine loans
6
 
149,669

 
123,011

 
11.3
%
 
10.10
%
 
13.95
%
 
13.66
%
 
92.0
%
Subordinate interests
1
 
33,250

 
33,250

 
2.5
%
 
13.11
%
 

 
13.24
%
 

Preferred equity interests(5)
1
 
78,044

 
78,706

 
5.9
%
 
10.00
%
 

 
10.00
%
 

Total/Weighted average
28
 
$
1,328,278

 
$
1,250,023

 
100.0
%
 
10.85
%
 
6.96
%
 
7.29
%
 
90.6
%
______________________________________________________
(1)
Includes future funding commitments of $59.3 million.
(2)
Certain CRE debt investments serve as collateral for financing transactions including carrying value of $632.8 million for Securitization Financing Transactions (including $0.8 million of cash pending investment) and $385.7 million for Term Loan Facilities (refer to Note 7). The remainder is unleveraged.
(3)
Based on principal amount.
(4)
Includes a LIBOR floor, as applicable. As of December 31, 2014, the Company had $1,027.6 million principal amount of floating-rate loans subject to a weighted average LIBOR floor of 0.66%.
(5)
Represents a preferred equity interest originated through a joint venture with affiliates of RXR. The Company’s proportionate interest of the loan is 90%, representing $70.9 million of the carrying value. The Company consolidates the loan and records RXR’s investment as a non-controlling interest.


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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


The following table presents maturities of CRE debt investments based on principal amount as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
Initial
Maturity
 
Maturity
Including
Extensions
(1)
Years Ending December 31:
 
 
 
2016
318,350

 
10,000

2017
341,246

 
134,650

2018
45,050

 
318,751

2019
162,150

 
253,246

2020

 

Thereafter
172,588

 
322,737

Total
$
1,039,384

 
$
1,039,384

__________________________________________________________
(1)
Assumes that all debt with extension options will qualify for extension at such maturity according to the conditions set forth in the governing documents.
As of December 31, 2015, the weighted average maturity, including extensions, of CRE debt investments was 4.1 years.
Credit Quality Monitoring
CRE debt investments are typically loans secured by direct senior priority liens on real estate properties or by interests in entities that directly own real estate properties, which serve as the primary source of cash for the payment of principal and interest. The Company evaluates its debt investments at least quarterly and differentiates the relative credit quality principally based on: (i) whether the borrower is currently paying contractual debt service in accordance with its contractual terms; and (ii) whether the Company believes the borrower will be able to perform under its contractual terms in the future, as well as the Company’s expectations as to the ultimate recovery of principal at maturity. The Company categorizes a debt investment for which it expects to receive full payment of contractual principal and interest payments as “performing.” The Company will categorize a weaker credit quality debt investment that is currently performing, but for which it believes future collection of all or some portion of principal and interest is in doubt, into a category called “performing with a loan loss reserve.” The Company will categorize a weaker credit quality debt investment that is not performing, which the Company defines as a loan in maturity default and/or past due at least 90 days on its contractual debt service payments, as a non-performing loan (“NPL”). The Company’s definition of an NPL may differ from that of other companies that track NPLs.
As of December 31, 2015, all CRE debt investments were performing in accordance with the contractual terms of their governing documents in all material respects and were categorized as performing loans. There were no real estate debt investments with contractual payments past due as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. For the year ended December 31, 2015, one CRE debt investment contributed more than 10% of interest income.
4.
Operating Real Estate
The following table presents operating real estate, net as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
Land and improvements
 
$
56,090

 
$
43,504

Buildings and improvements
 
328,012

 
365,439

Furniture, fixtures and equipment
 
4,243

 
1,304

Subtotal
 
$
388,345

 
$
410,247

Less: Accumulated depreciation
 
(23,018
)
 
(6,900
)
Operating real estate, net
 
$
365,327

 
$
403,347

For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, depreciation expense was $16.4 million, $6.4 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


The following table presents the final allocation of the purchase price of the assets acquired and liabilities issued for two of the Company’s properties acquired in 2014 and finalized in the third quarter of 2015 (dollars in thousands):
Assets:
 
 
Land and improvements
 
$
36,525

Buildings and improvements(1)
 
165,806

Other assets acquired(2)
 
42,844

Total assets acquired
 
$
245,175

Liabilities:
 
 
Mortgage notes payable
 
$
186,550

Other liabilities assumed(3)
 
11,692

Total liabilities
 
198,242

Total NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. stockholders’ equity
 
43,473

Non-controlling interests
 
3,460

Total equity
 
46,933

Total liabilities and equity
 
$
245,175

____________________________________________________________
(1)
Includes tenant improvements.
(2)
Primarily includes in-place lease intangibles, leasing commissions and above market leases, as applicable.
(3)
Primarily includes below market leases.
In accordance with the newly adopted guidance, during the measurement-period, the Company determined that certain allocations of operating real estate acquired needed to be reclassified to deferred costs and other assets, net and other liabilities. The following table presents the effect of such purchase price reclassifications on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
As Previously Determined (1)
 
Measurement Period Adjustments
 
Revised
Operating real estate, net
 
$
233,483

 
$
(31,152
)
 
$
202,331

Deferred costs and other assets, net(2)
 

 
42,844

 
42,844

Other liabilities(3)
 

 
(11,692
)
 
(11,692
)
____________________________________________________________
(1)
Represents preliminary allocation of the purchase price of two of the Company’s properties acquired in 2014 and finalized in the third quarter of 2015.
(2)
Primarily includes in-place lease intangibles, leasing commissions and above market leases, as applicable.
(3)
Primarily includes below market leases.
During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company recorded a measurement-period adjustment to earnings of $(2.7) million related to the year ended December 31, 2014. The table below shows the details of such adjustments:
 
 
 
Decrease in Rental and other income(1)
 
$
(469
)
Increase in Depreciation and amortization(2)
 
(2,249
)
Total prior year measurement-period adjustment
 
$
(2,718
)
____________________________________________________________
(1)
Due to amortization of above and below market leases, net.
(2)
Due to depreciation of tenant improvements and amortization of in-place lease intangibles and leasing commissions.

104


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Minimum Future Rents
Minimum rental amounts due under leases are generally either subject to scheduled fixed increases or adjustments. The following table presents approximate future minimum rental income under noncancelable operating leases to be received over the next five years and thereafter as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
Years Ending December 31,
 
 
2016
 
44,450

2017
 
42,420

2018
 
37,039

2019
 
32,070

2020
 
24,757

Thereafter
 
72,686

Total
 
$
253,422

The rental properties owned at December 31, 2015 are leased under operating leases with current expirations ranging from 2016 to 2026, with certain tenant renewal rights. For certain properties, the tenants pay the Company, in addition to the contractual base rent, their pro rata share of real estate taxes and operating expenses. Certain lease agreements provide for periodic rental increases.
Leases at the Company’s multifamily properties and student housing properties are generally for a term of one year or less and are not reflected in the above table.
5.
Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures
Investments in Private Equity Funds
The following is a description of investments in private equity funds that own PE Investments indirectly through unconsolidated ventures (“PE Investment I”) and (“PE Investment II”). The Company elected the fair value option for PE Investments. As a result, the Company records equity in earnings (losses) based on the change in fair value for its share of the projected future cash flow from one period to another. Both PE Investments are considered voting interest entities and are not consolidated by the Company due to the substantive participating rights of the partners in joint ventures that own the interests in the real estate private equity funds.
The Company records equity in earnings (losses) based on the change in fair value for its share of the projected cash flow from one period to another and not based on such summarized financial data.
Summary
The following tables summarize the Company’s PE Investments as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in millions):
PE Investment
 
Initial Closing Date
 
NAV Reference Date(1)
 
Number of Funds
 
Purchase Price
 
Expected Future Contributions(2)
PE Investment I
 
February 15, 2013
 
June 30, 2012
 
49
 
$
118.0

 
$
1

PE Investment II
 
July 3, 2013
 
September 30, 2012
 
24
 
75.7

 

Total
 
 
 
 
 
73
 
$
193.7

 
$
1

____________________________________________________________
(1)
Represents the net asset value (“NAV”) date on which the Company agreed to acquire the respective PE Investment.
(2)
Represents the estimated amount of expected future contributions to funds as of December 31, 2015.

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


 
 
Carrying Value
 
Year Ended December 31, 2015
 
Year Ended December 31, 2014
PE Investment
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
 
Equity in Earnings  
 
Distributions
 
Contributions
 
Equity in Earnings (3)
 
Distributions
 
Contributions
PE Investment I(1)
 
$
65.3

 
$
91.5

 
$
19.4

 
$
36.2

 
$
0.8

 
$
25.8

 
$
40.6

 
$
0.5

PE Investment II(2)
 
33.5

 
49.6

 
10.8

 
34.3

 
9.2

 
12.5

 
24.9

 
1.3

Total
 
$
98.8

 
$
141.1

 
$
30.2

 
$
70.5

 
$
10.0

 
$
38.3

 
$
65.5

 
$
1.8

___________________________________________________________
(1)
The Company recorded an unrealized loss of $12.1 million related to PE Investment I and PE Investment II for the year ended December 31, 2015. The Company recorded an unrealized gain of $11.8 million, net of $1.9 million deferred taxes related to PE Investment I for the year ended December 31, 2014.
(2)
Contributions for the year ended December 31, 2015 represents a payment of the deferred purchase price for PE Investment II.
(3)
The year ended December 31, 2014 includes a reclassification between equity in earnings and income tax expense of $5.5 million to conform with the current period presentation.
PE Investment I
In February 2013, the Company completed the initial closing (“PE I Initial Closing”) of PE Investment I which through a preferred investment owns a portfolio of limited partnership interests in real estate private equity funds managed by institutional-quality sponsors. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, at the PE I Initial Closing, the full purchase price was funded, excluding future capital commitments. Accordingly, the Company funded $118.0 million and NorthStar Realty (together with the Company, the “NorthStar Entities”) funded $282.1 million. The NorthStar Entities have an aggregate ownership interest in PE Investment I of 51.0%, of which the Company owns 29.5% and NorthStar Realty owns 70.5%. Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (the “Class B Partner”) contributed its interests in 49 funds subject to the transaction in exchange for all of the Class B partnership interests in PE Investment I.
PE Investment I provides for all cash distributions on a priority basis to the NorthStar Entities as follows: (i) first, 85.0% to the NorthStar Entities and 15.0% to the Class B Partner until the NorthStar Entities receive a 1.5x multiple on all of their invested capital, including amounts funded in connection with future capital commitments; (ii) second, 15.0% to the NorthStar Entities and 85.0% to the Class B Partner until the Class B Partner receives a return of its then remaining June 30, 2012 capital; and (iii) third, 51.0% to the NorthStar Entities and 49.0% to the Class B Partner. All amounts paid to and received by the NorthStar Entities are based on each partner’s proportionate interest.
PE Investment II
In June 2013, the Company, NorthStar Realty and funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management (“Vintage Funds”) (each a “Partner”) formed joint ventures and entered into an agreement with Common Pension Fund E, a common trust fund created under New Jersey law (“PE II Seller”), to acquire a portfolio of limited partnership interests in 24 real estate private equity funds managed by institutional-quality sponsors. The aggregate reported NAV acquired was $910.0 million as of September 30, 2012. The Company, NorthStar Realty and the Vintage Funds each have an ownership interest in PE Investment II of 15.0%, 70.0% and 15.0%, respectively. All amounts paid and received are based on each Partner’s proportionate interest.
PE Investment II paid $504.8 million to PE II Seller for all of the fund interests, or 55.0% of the September 30, 2012 NAV (the “Initial Amount”), and will pay the remaining $411.4 million, or 45.0% of the September 30, 2012 NAV (the “Deferred Amount”), by the last day of the fiscal quarter after the four year anniversary following the closing date of each fund interest. As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s share of the Deferred Amount was $52.1 million. In April 2015, PE Investment II paid $61.3 million of the Deferred Amount to PE II Seller, of which the Company’s share was $9.2 million. The Company funded all of its proportionate share of the Initial Amount at the initial closing on July 3, 2013. The Deferred Amount is a liability of PE Investment II. Each Partner, directly or indirectly, guaranteed its proportionate interest of the Deferred Amount. The Company determined there was an immaterial amount of fair value related to the guarantee.
On March 31st of each year, commencing on March 31, 2015 and for a period of two years thereafter, PE Investment II will pay, within 10 business days of March 31st, an amount necessary to reduce the Deferred Amount by the greater of 15.0% of the then outstanding Deferred Amount or 15.0% of the aggregate distributions received by PE Investment II during the preceding 12 month period.
On the last day of the fiscal quarter after the four-year anniversary of the applicable closing date of each fund interest, PE Investment II will be required to pay to PE II Seller the then outstanding unpaid Deferred Amount. PE Investment II will receive 100% of all distributions following the payment of the Deferred Amount.

106


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Other
In June 2014, the Company entered into a joint venture with affiliates of RXR to originate a mezzanine loan. The mezzanine loan had a principal amount of $183.7 million, including future funding commitments. The joint venture owns 50% of the mezzanine loan, of which the Company’s interest in the joint venture is 78.0%. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the carrying value of the investment was $59.1 million and $54.8 million, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recognized equity in earnings of $5.8 million and $2.8 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, undistributed earnings were $6.6 million.
In April 2013, in connection with a loan on a hotel property in New York, the Company and NorthStar Realty acquired an aggregate 35.0% interest in the Row NYC (formerly the Milford) hotel and retail component, of which the Company owns 35.0% and NorthStar Realty owns 65.0%. There was no carrying value as of December 31, 2015 and 2014. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company recognized $0.6 million of equity in earnings.
Summarized Financial Information
The combined balance sheets for the unconsolidated ventures, including PE Investments, as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows (dollars in thousands):
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
Assets
 
 
 
 
Total assets
 
$
1,440,834

 
$
1,681,959

Liabilities and equity
 
 
 
 
Total liabilities
 
$
871,892

 
$
911,316

Equity
 
568,942

 
770,643

    Total liabilities and equity
 
$
1,440,834

 
$
1,681,959

The combined statements of operations for the unconsolidated ventures, including PE Investments, from acquisition date through the three years ended December 31, 2015 are as follows (dollars in thousands):
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
2015 (1)
 
2014
 
2013
Total revenues
 
$
228,258

 
$
211,846

 
$
190,223

Net income
 
71,642

 
128,962

 
116,127

___________________________________________________________
(1)
Includes summarized financial information for PE Investments for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, which is the most recent financial information available from the underlying funds.
6.
Real Estate Securities, Available for Sale
CRE securities are comprised of CMBS backed by a pool of CRE loans which are typically well-diversified by type and geography. The following table presents CMBS investments (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted Average
 
 
 
Principal
Amount
(1)
 
Amortized
Cost
 
Cumulative Unrealized
on Investments
Fair
Value
 
 
 
Unleveraged
Current
Yield
As of Date:
Count
 
Gain
 
(Loss)
 
 
Coupon(2)
 
December 31, 2015
8
 
$
115,849

 
$
61,721

 
$
22,357

 
$
(456
)
 
$
83,622

 
4.43
%
 
8.52
%
December 31, 2014
7
 
100,542

 
51,222

 
29,264

 
(850
)
 
79,636

 
4.63
%
 
9.40
%
_______________________________________________________________
(1)
Certain CRE securities serve as collateral for financing transactions including carrying value of $15.9 million for the CMBS Facilities (refer to Note 7). The remainder is unleveraged.
(2)
All CMBS are fixed rate.

107


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


The Company recorded unrealized gains (losses) in OCI for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 of $(6.5) million, $15.4 million and $12.6 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, the Company held three securities with an aggregate carrying value of $26.4 million with an unrealized loss of $0.5 million, both of which were in an unrealized loss position for a period of greater than 12 months. Based on management’s quarterly evaluation, no OTTI was identified related to these securities. The Company does not intend to sell these securities and it is more likely than not that the Company will not be required to sell these securities prior to recovery of its amortized cost basis, which may be at maturity.
As of December 31, 2015, the weighted average contractual maturity of CRE securities was 32 years with an expected maturity of 6.4 years.
7.
Borrowings
The following table presents borrowings as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
 
Capacity ($)
 
Recourse vs. Non-Recourse
 
Final
Maturity
 
Contractual
Interest Rate
(1)
 
Principal
Amount
(2)
 
Carrying
Value
(2)
 
Principal
Amount
 
Carrying
Value
Securitization bonds payable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securitization 2013-1
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Aug-29
 
LIBOR + 3.02%
 
$
185,812

 
$
185,314

 
$
367,363

 
$
364,533

Securitization 2012-1
 
 
N/A
 
N/A
 
N/A
 

 

 
46,522

 
46,248

Subtotal securitization bonds payable


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
185,812

 
185,314

 
413,885

 
410,781

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mortgage notes payable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Multifamily 1
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Dec-23
 
4.84%
 
43,500

 
42,902

 
43,500

 
42,839

Multifamily 2
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Dec-23
 
4.94%
 
43,000

 
42,370

 
43,000

 
42,305

Office 1
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Oct-24
 
4.47%
 
108,850

 
108,569

 
108,850

 
108,541

Office 2
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Jan-25
 
4.30%
 
77,700

 
77,512

 
77,700

 
77,490

Student housing 1
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Jan-24
 
5.15%
 
16,000

 
15,747

 
16,000

 
15,727

Student housing 2(3)
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Dec-20
 
5.27%
 
12,615

 
12,907

 
12,812

 
12,812

Student housing 3
 
 
Non-recourse
 
Nov-16
 
5.84%
 
16,200

 
16,395

 
16,200

 
16,200

Subtotal mortgage notes payable


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
317,865

 
316,402

 
318,062

 
315,914

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit facilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loan Facility 2
$
150,000

 
Partial Recourse(4)
 
Oct-19(5)
 
    2.94%(6)
 
108,913

 
108,913

 
85,100

 
85,100

Loan Facility 4
200,000

 
Partial Recourse(7)
 
Mar-18(8)
 
    2.93%(9)
 
166,697

 
166,697

 
172,698

 
172,698

Loan Facility 5
200,000

 
Partial Recourse (10)
 
Oct-19 (11)
 
    2.66%(12)
 
31,335

 
31,335

 

 

Subtotal credit facilities
550,000

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
306,945

 
306,945

 
257,798

 
257,798

CMBS Facilities


 
Non-recourse
 
(13)
 
1.61%
 
11,055

 
11,055

 
11,685

 
11,685

Subtotal
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
318,000

 
318,000

 
269,483

 
269,483

Total


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
821,677

 
$
819,716

 
$
1,001,430

 
$
996,178

_____________________________________________________
(1)
Represents the weighted average as of December 31, 2015, as applicable.
(2)
Difference between principal amount and carrying value of mortgage notes payable is attributable to deferred financing costs, net and premium on a mortgage note payable.
(3)
Represents two separate senior mortgage notes with a weighted average maturity of December 1, 2020 and weighted average interest rate of 5.27%.
(4)
Recourse solely with respect to 25.0% of the repurchase price for purchased assets with a lender debt yield equal to or greater than 10% at the time of financing plus 100% of the repurchase price for purchased assets with a lender debt yield less than 10% at the time of financing.
(5)
The next maturity date is October 18, 2016, with three, one-year extensions available at the option of the Company, which may be exercised upon the satisfaction of certain customary conditions set forth in the governing documents.
(6)
The contractual interest rate depends upon asset type and characteristic and ranges from one-month LIBOR plus 2.0% to 4.0%.
(7)
Recourse solely with respect to the greater of: (i) 25.0% of the financed amount of stabilized loans plus the financed amount of transitional loans; or (ii) the lesser of $25.0 million or the aggregate financed amount of all loans.
(8)
The next maturity date is March 11, 2016, with two, one-year extensions available at the option of the Company, which may be exercised upon the satisfaction of certain customary conditions set forth in the governing documents.
(9)
The contractual interest rate depends upon asset type and characteristics and ranges from one-month LIBOR plus 2.5% to 3.0%.
(10)
Recourse solely with respect to 25.0% of the financed amount.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


(11)
The initial maturity date is October 13, 2018, with one-year extensions available at the option of the Company, which may be exercised upon the satisfaction of certain customary conditions set forth in the governing documents.
(12)
The contractual interest rate depends upon asset type and characteristic and ranges from one-month LIBOR plus 2.25% to 2.75%. Represents the weighted average as of December 31, 2015.
(13)
The maturity dates on the CMBS Facilities are dependent upon asset type and will typically range from two to three months.


The following table presents scheduled principal on borrowings, based on fully extended maturity as of December 31, 2015 (dollars in thousands):
 
Total
 
Securitization
Bonds Payable
 
Mortgage Notes Payable
 
Credit
Facilities
Years Ending December 31:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2016
27,255

 

 
16,200

 
11,055

2017

 

 

 

2018
166,697

 

 

 
166,697

2019
31,335

 

 

 
31,335

Thereafter
596,390

 
185,812

 
301,665

 
108,913

Total
$
821,677

 
$
185,812

 
$
317,865

 
$
318,000

Securitization Financing Transactions
The Company entered into two securitization financing transactions collectively referred to as Securitization Financing Transactions, collateralized by CRE debt investments originated by the Company and NorthStar Realty.
In the event of breaches of certain representations and warranties or a defect in the document of any of the contributed assets to securitization financing transactions provided at the time the Company entered into such securitization financing transactions and contributed the loans that serve as collateral for the securitization, the Company may be required to repurchase certain of those loans or replace the affected contributed asset or make a loss of value payment. These obligations do not relate to the credit performance of the loans contributed to the securitizations, but only to breaches of specific representations and warranties or a defect in the document of any of the contributed assets to the securitization financing transactions. Since inception, the Company has not been required to make any repurchases or replace the affected contributed asset or make a loss of value payment nor has the Company received any notice of assertion of a potential breach of representation and warranty or a defect in the document of any of the contributed assets to the securitization financing transactions. Any payment to repurchase a loan or replace the affected contributed asset or make a loss of value payment would impact the Company’s liquidity. Dependent upon the size of any such payment, the impact to liquidity could be material.
Securitization 2013-1
In August 2013, the Company entered into a $531.5 million securitization financing transaction (“Securitization 2013-1”). The Company initially contributed eight CRE debt investments with a $346.1 million aggregate principal amount. Subsequent to the closing of Securitization 2013-1, the Company contributed four additional CRE debt investments with a $105.5 million aggregate principal amount. NorthStar Realty contributed three senior loans with an aggregate principal amount of $79.1 million at cost to Securitization 2013-1. The Company accounts for such loans transferred by NorthStar Realty, as loan collateral receivable, related party. A total of $382.7 million of permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market investment-grade securitization bonds were issued, representing an advance rate of 72.0% with a current weighted average coupon of LIBOR plus 2.97%. The Company retained all of the below investment-grade securitization bonds, which the Company refers to as the Company’s retained equity interest in Securitization 2013-1. The Company used the proceeds to repay $222.7 million of borrowings on its term loan facilities. The collateral is used to service the interest payments on the investment-grade securitization bonds and the Company receives the excess cash flow on its retained equity interest. Securitization 2013-1 is considered a voting interest entity and since the Company has all of the controlling financial interest in Securitization 2013-1, the entity is consolidated by the Company.
Securitization 2012-1
In November 2012, the Company entered into a $351.4 million securitization financing transaction (“Securitization 2012-1”) collateralized by CRE debt investments originated by the Company and NorthStar Realty. The Company contributed nine CRE debt investments with a $199.2 million aggregate principal amount and retained an equity interest of $70.0 million. A total of $227.5 million of permanent, non-recourse, non-mark-to-market investment-grade securitization bonds were issued, of which

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


$129.5 million financed the CRE debt investments contributed by the Company, representing an advance rate of 65.0%. The Company used the proceeds to repay $117.7 million of borrowings on its term loan facilities. In January 2015, all of the original bonds were repaid in full.
Term Loan Facilities
In July 2012, a subsidiary of the Company entered into a master repurchase agreement (“Loan Facility 2”) of $50.0 million to finance first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate. Loan Facility 2 was increased to $100.0 million in November 2012 and to $150.0 million in April 2013. In connection with Loan Facility 2, the Company agreed to guarantee certain obligations under Loan Facility 2 if the Company or an affiliate of the Company engages in certain customary bad acts. Loan Facility 2 and related agreements contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of this type. More specifically, the borrowing subsidiary of the Company must maintain at least $3.8 million and a maximum of $22.5 million in unrestricted cash, at all times during the term of Loan Facility 2.
In July 2012, a subsidiary of the Company entered into a credit and security agreement (“Loan Facility 3”) of $40.0 million on a non-recourse basis, subject to certain exceptions, to finance first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate. In connection with Loan Facility 3, the Operating Partnership agreed to guarantee interest payments and the customary obligations under Loan Facility 3 if either the Company or its affiliates engage in certain customary bad acts. In addition, the Operating Partnership pledged its interests in the Company’s borrowing subsidiary as collateral. Loan Facility 3 and related agreements contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. More specifically, the Operating Partnership must maintain at least $3.8 million and as much as $7.5 million in unrestricted cash or other eligible investments at all times during the term of Loan Facility 3. The Company did not elect to exercise its extension option, which had an initial maturity date of July 30, 2015, as set forth in the governing documents.
In March 2013, a subsidiary of the Company entered into a master repurchase agreement (“Loan Facility 4”) of $200.0 million to finance first mortgage loans and senior interests secured by commercial real estate. In connection with Loan Facility 4, the Company and the Operating Partnership entered into a guaranty agreement under which the Company and the Operating Partnership guaranty certain of the obligations under Loan Facility 4. Loan Facility 4 and related agreements contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. More specifically, the Company must maintain at least $20.0 million in unrestricted cash or cash equivalents at all times during the term of Loan Facility 4. In addition, the Company has agreed to guarantee certain customary obligations under Loan Facility 4 if the Company or an affiliate of the Company engages in certain customary bad acts.
In October 2015, a subsidiary of the Company entered into a credit facility agreement with a global financial institution (“Loan Facility 5”), which provides up to $200.0 million to finance first mortgage loans and senior loan participations secured by commercial real estate. The interest rate and advance rate depend upon asset type and characteristics and will range from the one-month LIBOR, plus a spread of 2.25% to 2.75%. The initial maturity date of the credit facility is October 13, 2018, with a one-year extension at the Company’s option, which may be exercised upon the satisfaction of certain conditions set forth in the governing documents. During the initial term, the credit facility acts as a revolving credit facility that can be paid down as assets payoff and re-drawn upon for new investments. The Company agreed to guarantee certain obligations of the credit facility (“Loan Facility 5”) if the Company or any of its affiliates engages in certain customary bad acts. The credit facility contains representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of these types. More specifically, the Company must maintain: (i) minimum total equity of $300.0 million; (ii) minimum liquidity of $20.0 million; (iii) a ratio of total borrowings to total equity of not greater than 250%; and (iv) a ratio of EBITDA to fixed charges not greater than 140%.
The loan facilities are collectively herein referred to as Term Loan Facilities. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had $435.2 million carrying value of CRE debt investments, financed with $306.9 million under three Term Loan Facilities.
The Term Loan Facilities act as revolving loan facilities that can be paid down as assets are repaid or sold and re-drawn upon for new investments. As of December 31, 2015, the Company was in compliance with all of its financial covenants.
CMBS Facilities
In September 2012, the Company entered into two master repurchase agreements (“CMBS Facilities”) to finance CMBS investments. The CMBS Facilities contain representations, warranties, covenants, conditions precedent to funding, events of

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


default and indemnities that are customary for agreements of this type. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had $15.9 million carrying value of CRE securities, financed with $11.1 million under its CMBS Facilities.
8.
Related Party Arrangements
Advisor
In connection with the completion of NorthStar Realty’s spin-off of its asset management business into the Sponsor, on June 30, 2014, the Company entered into a new advisory agreement with the Advisor, an affiliate of the Sponsor, on terms substantially similar to those set forth in the prior advisory agreement, and terminated the advisory agreement with the Prior Advisor. For periods prior to June 30, 2014, the information below regarding fees and reimbursements incurred and accrued but not yet paid relates to the Prior Advisor.
Subject to certain restrictions and limitations, the Advisor is responsible for managing the Company’s affairs on a day-to-day basis and for identifying, originating, acquiring and asset managing investments on behalf of the Company. The Advisor may delegate certain of its obligations to affiliated entities, which may be organized under the laws of the United States or foreign jurisdictions. References to the Advisor include the Advisor and any such affiliated entities. For such services, to the extent permitted by law and regulations, the Advisor receives fees and reimbursement from the Company. Below is a description and table of the fees and reimbursements incurred to the Advisor.
Fees to Advisor
Asset Management Fee
The Advisor, or its affiliates, receives a monthly asset management fee equal to one-twelfth of 1.25% of the sum of the amount funded or allocated for CRE investments, including expenses and any financing attributable to such investments, less any principal received on debt and securities investments (or the proportionate share thereof in the case of an investment made through a joint venture).
Incentive Fee
The Advisor, or its affiliates, is entitled to receive distributions equal to 15.0% of net cash flows of the Company, whether from continuing operations, repayment of loans, disposition of assets or otherwise, but only after stockholders have received, in the aggregate, cumulative distributions equal to their invested capital plus a 8.0% cumulative, non-compounded annual pre-tax return on such invested capital.
Acquisition Fee
The Advisor, or its affiliates, also receives an acquisition fee equal to 1.0% of the amount funded or allocated by the Company to originate or acquire investments, including acquisition costs and any financing attributable to such investments (or the proportionate share thereof in the case of an investment made through a joint venture). An acquisition fee paid to the Advisor related to the origination or acquisition of CRE debt investments is included in CRE debt investments, net on the consolidated balance sheets and is amortized to interest income over the life of the investment using the effective interest method. An acquisition fee incurred related to an equity investment will generally be expensed as incurred. An acquisition fee paid to the Advisor related to the acquisition of an equity or debt investment in an unconsolidated joint venture is included in investments in unconsolidated ventures on the consolidated balance sheets.
Disposition Fee
For substantial assistance in connection with the sale of investments and based on the services provided, the Advisor, or its affiliates, receives a disposition fee of 1.0% of the contract sales price of each CRE investment sold. The Company does not pay a disposition fee upon the maturity, prepayment, workout, modification or extension of a CRE debt investment unless there is a corresponding fee paid by the borrower, in which case the disposition fee is the lesser of: (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of the CRE debt investment prior to such transaction; or (ii) the amount of the fee paid by the borrower in connection with such transaction. If the Company takes ownership of a property as a result of a workout or foreclosure of a CRE debt investment, the Company will pay a disposition fee upon the sale of such property. A disposition fee from the sale of an investment is generally expensed and included in asset management and other fees - related party in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. A disposition fee for a CRE debt investment incurred in a transaction other than a sale is included in CRE debt investments, net on the consolidated balance sheets and is amortized to interest income over the life of the investment using the effective interest method.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Reimbursements to Advisor
Operating Costs
The Advisor, or its affiliates, is entitled to receive reimbursement for direct and indirect operating costs incurred by the Advisor in connection with administrative services provided to the Company. The Advisor allocates, in good faith, indirect costs to the Company related to the Advisor’s and its affiliates’ employees, occupancy and other general and administrative costs and expenses in accordance with the terms of, and subject to the limitations contained in, the advisory agreement with the Advisor. The indirect costs include the Company’s allocable share of the Advisor’s and its affiliates’ compensation and benefit costs associated with dedicated or partially dedicated personnel who spend all or a portion of their time managing the Company’s affairs, based upon the percentage of time devoted by such personnel to the Company’s affairs. The indirect costs also include rental and occupancy, technology, office supplies, travel and entertainment and other general and administrative costs and expenses. However, there is no reimbursement for personnel costs related to executive officers (although there may be reimbursement for certain executive officers of the Advisor) and other personnel involved in activities for which the Advisor receives an acquisition fee or a disposition fee. The Advisor allocates these costs to the Company relative to its and its affiliates’ other managed companies in good faith and has reviewed the allocation with the Company’s board of directors, including its independent directors. The Advisor will update the board of directors on a quarterly basis of any material changes to the expense allocation and will provide a detailed review to the board of directors, at least annually, and as otherwise requested by the board of directors. The Company reimburses the Advisor quarterly for operating costs (including the asset management fee) based on a calculation for the four preceding fiscal quarters not to exceed the greater of: (i) 2.0% of its average invested assets; or (ii) 25.0% of its net income determined without reduction for any additions to reserves for depreciation, loan losses or other similar non-cash reserves and excluding any gain from the sale of assets for that period. Notwithstanding the above, the Company may reimburse the Advisor for expenses in excess of this limitation if a majority of the Company’s independent directors determines that such excess expenses are justified based on unusual and non-recurring factors. The Company calculates the expense reimbursement quarterly based upon the trailing twelve-month period.
Organization and Offering Costs
The Prior Advisor, or its affiliates, was entitled to receive reimbursement for organization and offering costs paid on behalf of the Company in connection with the Offering. The Company was obligated to reimburse the Prior Advisor, or its affiliates, as applicable, for organization and offering costs to the extent the aggregate of selling commissions, dealer manager fees and other organization and offering costs did not exceed 15.0% of gross proceeds from the Primary Offering. The Prior Advisor initially expected cumulative organization and offering costs, excluding selling commissions and dealer manager fees, would not exceed $15.0 million, or 1.5% of the proceeds expected to be raised from the Total Primary Offering. Based on gross proceeds raised of $1,072.9 million from the Total Primary Offering, the Company incurred reimbursable organization and offering costs, excluding selling commissions and dealer manager fees, of 1.0%, which was less than the 1.5% expected. The Company’s independent directors did not determine that any of the organization and offering costs were unfair or commercially unreasonable. Total underwriting compensation through the completion of the Total Primary Offering, including selling commissions, the dealer manager fee and amounts reimbursed to participating broker-dealers and investment advisors, did not exceed the 10.0% of gross Total Primary Offering proceeds limitation prescribed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
Dealer Manager
Selling Commissions and Dealer Manager Fees
Pursuant to the dealer manager agreement, the Company paid NorthStar Securities, LLC (the “Dealer Manager”), an affiliate of the Sponsor, selling commissions of up to 7.0% of gross proceeds from the Total Primary Offering, all of which were reallowed to participating broker-dealers. In addition, the Company paid the Dealer Manager a dealer manager fee of up to 3.0% of gross proceeds from the Total Primary Offering, a portion of which was reallowed to participating broker-dealers and paid to certain employees of the Dealer Manager. No selling commissions or dealer manager fees are paid for sales pursuant to the DRP.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Summary of Fees and Reimbursements
The following table presents the fees and reimbursements incurred to the Advisor for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and the amount due to related party as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
Due to Related Party as of December 31,
Type of Fee or Reimbursement
 
Financial Statement Location
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2015
 
2014
Fees to Advisor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asset management
 
Asset management and other fees- related party
 
$
23,965

 
$
21,969

 
$
13,600

 
$

 
$

Acquisition(1)
 
Real estate debt investments, net / Investments in unconsolidated ventures / Asset management and other fees- related party
 
451

 
8,176

 
10,194

 

 

Disposition(1)
 
Real estate debt investments, net / Asset management and other fees - related party
 
3,317

 
2,456

 
1,178

 

 

Reimbursements to Advisor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating costs(2)
 
General and administrative expenses
 
13,116

 
11,507

 
7,786

 

 

Organization
 
General and administrative expenses
 

 

 
62

 

 

Offering
 
Cost of capital
 

 

 
2,989

 

 

Total
 
 
 
$
40,849

 
$
44,108

 
$
35,809

 
$

 
$

____________________________________________________
(1)
Acquisition/disposition fees incurred to the Advisor related to CRE debt investments are generally offset by origination/exit fees paid to the Company by borrowers if such fees are required from the borrower. Acquisition fees related to equity investments are included in asset management and other fees - related party in the consolidated statements of operations. Acquisition fees related to investments in unconsolidated joint ventures are included in investments in unconsolidated ventures on the consolidated balance sheets. The Advisor may determine to defer fees or seek reimbursement. From inception through December 31, 2015, the Advisor deferred $0.6 million of acquisition fees and $0.4 million of disposition fees related to CRE securities.
(2)
As of December 31, 2015, the Advisor has incurred unreimbursed operating costs on behalf of the Company of $7.9 million, that remain eligible to allocate to the Company.
NorthStar Realty Purchase of Common Stock
Pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Distribution Support Agreement, as amended (the “Distribution Support Agreement”), NorthStar Realty committed to purchase up to an aggregate of $10.0 million in shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $9.00 per share if cash distributions exceed modified funds from operations (as computed in accordance with the definition established by the Investment Program Association and adjusted for certain items) to provide additional funds to support distributions to stockholders. From inception through the expiration of the Distribution Support Agreement in July 2013, NorthStar Realty purchased 507,980 shares of the Company’s common stock for $4.6 million under such commitment.
Securitization 2012-1
The Company entered into an agreement with NorthStar Realty that provided that both the Company and NorthStar Realty receive the economic benefit and bear the economic risk associated with the investments the Company and NorthStar Realty each contributed into Securitization 2012-1. In January 2015, all of the original bonds were repaid in full.
Securitization 2013-1
In August 2013, the Company closed Securitization 2013-1. The Company initially contributed eight CRE debt investments with a $346.1 million aggregate principal amount. NorthStar Realty transferred three senior loans with an aggregate principal amount of $79.1 million at cost to Securitization 2013-1. An affiliate of the Sponsor was named special servicer of Securitization 2013-1.
The Company reclassified $54.1 million and $77.9 million from Real estate debt investments, net to Loan collateral receivable, related party as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The reclassifications are in accordance with accounting standards for transfers of financial assets as the Company determined that NorthStar Realty retained an interest in the senior loans.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


PE Investments
In connection with PE Investments, the Company guaranteed all of its funding obligations that may be due and owed under the governing documents indirectly through an indemnification with NorthStar Realty, which in turn guaranteed the obligations directly to the PE Investment entities. The Company and NorthStar Realty each agreed to indemnify the other proportionately for any losses that may arise in connection with the funding and other obligations as set forth in the governing documents in the case of a joint default by the Company and NorthStar Realty. The Company and NorthStar Realty further agreed to indemnify each other for all of the losses that may arise as a result of a default that was solely caused by the Company or NorthStar Realty, as the case may be.
PE Investment I
In connection with PE Investment I, the Company assumed the rights to subscribe to 29.5% of PE Investment I from NorthStar Realty. The Company and NorthStar Realty contributed cash of $400.1 million, of which the Company and NorthStar Realty contributed $118.0 million and $282.1 million, respectively.
PE Investment IIA
Refer to Note 16. “Subsequent Events” for additional investment activity.
9.
Equity-Based Compensation
The Company adopted a long-term incentive plan, as amended (the “Plan”), which it may use to attract and retain qualified officers, directors, employees and consultants, as well as an independent directors compensation plan, which is a component of the Plan. Pursuant to the Plan, as of December 31, 2015, the Company’s independent directors were granted a total of 73,455 shares of restricted common stock for an aggregate $735,000. The restricted stock granted prior to 2013 generally vests quarterly over four years and the restricted stock granted in 2013, 2014 and 2015 generally vests quarterly over two years. However, the stock will become fully vested on the earlier occurrence of: (i) the termination of the independent director’s service as a director due to his or her death or disability; or (ii) a change in control of the Company.
The Company recognized equity-based compensation expense of $232,302, $125,621 and $93,618 for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, related to the issuance of restricted stock to the independent directors, which was recorded in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Unvested shares totaled 17,687, 10,688, and 15,000 as of December 31, 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively.
10.
Stockholders’ Equity
Common Stock
The Company’s Total Primary Offering was completed on July 1, 2013. From inception through the completion of the Total Primary Offering, the Company issued 107.6 million shares of common stock generating gross proceeds from the Total Primary Offering of $1,072.9 million.
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
The Company adopted a DRP through which common stockholders may elect to reinvest an amount equal to the distributions declared on their shares in additional shares of the Company’s common stock in lieu of receiving cash distributions. The initial purchase price per share pursuant to the DRP was $9.50. On December 16, 2014, the Company announced that the board of directors, including all of its independent directors, approved and established an estimated value per share of the Company’s common stock. The estimated value per share is based upon the estimated value of the Company’s assets less the estimated value of the Company’s liabilities as of October 31, 2014 (the “Valuation Date”).
Effective January 1, 2015, shares issued pursuant to the DRP are priced at 95.0% of this estimated value per share, or $9.52. The Company expects that the next estimated value per share will be based upon assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015.
No selling commissions or dealer manager fees are paid on shares issued pursuant to the DRP. The board of directors of the Company may amend, suspend or terminate the DRP for any reason upon ten-days’ notice to participants.
In April 2013, the board of directors of the Company authorized the reallocation of shares available pursuant to the DRP to the Primary Offering. The Company continues to offer shares pursuant to the DRP beyond the Total Primary Offering. For the year

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


ended December 31, 2015, the Company issued 4.6 million shares totaling $43.8 million of proceeds pursuant to the DRP. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company issued 4.5 million shares totaling $42.7 million of proceeds pursuant to the DRP. From inception through December 31, 2015, the Company issued 13.8 million shares totaling $130.9 million of proceeds pursuant to the DRP.
Distributions
Distributions to stockholders are declared quarterly by the board of directors of the Company and are paid monthly based on a daily amount of $0.002191781 per share, which is equivalent to an annual distribution of $0.80 per share of the Company’s common stock. Distributions are generally paid to stockholders on the first business day of the month following the month for which the distribution has accrued.
The following table presents distributions declared for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands):
 
Distributions(1)
Period
Cash
 
DRP
 
Total
2015
 
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
$
12,640

 
$
10,720

 
$
23,360

Second Quarter
12,910

 
10,882

 
23,792

Third Quarter
13,107

 
11,095

 
24,202

Fourth Quarter
13,169

 
11,145

 
24,314

Total
$
51,826

 
$
43,842

 
$
95,668

 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
 
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
$
12,369

 
$
10,338

 
$
22,707

Second Quarter
12,492

 
10,650

 
23,142

Third Quarter
12,674

 
10,885

 
23,559

Fourth Quarter
12,717

 
10,997

 
23,714

Total
$
50,252

 
$
42,870

 
$
93,122

 
 
 
 
 
 
2013
 
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
$
7,728

 
$
5,736

 
$
13,464

Second Quarter
10,694

 
8,170

 
18,864

Third Quarter
12,644

 
10,213

 
22,857

Fourth Quarter
12,678

 
10,359

 
23,037

Total
$
43,744

 
$
34,478

 
$
78,222

_________________________________________________
(1)
Represents distributions declared for the period, even though such distributions are actually paid to stockholders the month following such period. For the year ended December 31, 2015, approximately 45% of distributions paid was ordinary income and 55% was a return of capital.
Share Repurchase Program
The Company adopted a share repurchase program that may enable stockholders to sell their shares to the Company in limited circumstances. On June 25, 2015, the Company’s board of directors amended and restated the share repurchase program (as amended, the “Share Repurchase Program”), which became effective ten days following written notice to participants. The Company may not repurchase shares unless a stockholder has held shares for one year. However, the Company may repurchase shares held less than one year in connection with a stockholder’s death or qualifying disability. The Company will repurchase shares within two years of such death or qualifying disability of a stockholder at the higher of the price paid for the shares, as adjusted for any stock dividends, combinations, splits, recapitalizations or any similar transaction with respect to the shares of common stock, or the Company’s estimated value per share. A qualifying disability is a disability as such term is defined in Section 72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code that arises after the purchase of the shares requested to be repurchased. The Company is not obligated to repurchase shares under the Share Repurchase Program. Except in the case of death or qualifying disability (as described above), the price paid for shares redeemed under the Share Repurchase Program for requests received after January 1, 2015 is 95% of the estimated value per share as of the Valuation Date until the Company updates its estimated value per share at which time such purchase price will be 95% of the updated estimated value per share. The Company may amend, suspend or

115


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


terminate the Share Repurchase Program at its discretion at any time, provided that any amendment that adversely affects the rights or obligations of a participant will take effect upon 10 days’ prior written notice (or 10 business days’ prior written notice if related to a change in the number of shares that can be repurchased in a calendar year). For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company repurchased 1.7 million shares of common stock for a total of $16.5 million or a weighted average price of $9.63 per share. For the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company repurchased 1.2 million shares of common stock for a total of $11.5 million or a weighted average price of $9.61 per share. The Company funds repurchase requests received during a quarter with proceeds set aside for that purpose which are not expected to exceed proceeds received from its DRP. As of December 31, 2015, there were no unfulfilled repurchase requests.
11.
Non-controlling Interests
Operating Partnership
Non-controlling interests include the aggregate limited partnership interests in the Operating Partnership held by limited partners, other than the Company. Income (loss) attributable to the non-controlling interests is based on the limited partners’ ownership percentage of the Operating Partnership. Income (loss) allocated to the Operating Partnership non-controlling interests for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was an immaterial amount.
Other
Other non-controlling interests represent third-party equity interests in ventures that are consolidated with the Company’s financial statements. Net income (loss) attributable to other non-controlling interest for the year ended December 31, 2015 was an immaterial amount. Net income (loss) attributable to other non-controlling interests for the years ended, December 31, 2014 and 2013 were $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively.
12.
Fair Value
Fair Value Measurement
The fair value of financial instruments is categorized based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique and categorized into a three-level fair value hierarchy. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). If the inputs used to measure the financial instruments fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the categorization is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets are categorized based on the inputs to the valuation techniques as follows:
Level 1.
Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active market.
Level 2.
Financial assets and liabilities whose values are based on the following:
a)
Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets.
b)
Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in non-active markets.
c)
Pricing models whose inputs are observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
d)
Pricing models whose inputs are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3.
Prices or valuation techniques based on inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
Determination of Fair Value
The following is a description of the valuation techniques used to measure fair value of assets accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis and the general classification of these instruments pursuant to the fair value hierarchy.

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Investments in Private Equity Funds
The Company accounts for PE Investments at fair value which is determined based on a valuation model using assumptions for the timing and amount of expected future cash flow for income and realization events for the underlying assets in the funds and discount rate. This fair value measurement is generally based on unobservable inputs and, as such, is classified as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. The Company is not using the NAV (practical expedient) of the underlying funds for purposes of determining fair value.
Real Estate Securities
CRE securities are generally valued using a third-party pricing service or broker quotations. These quotations are not adjusted and are based on observable inputs that can be validated, and as such, are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Certain CRE securities may be valued based on a single broker quote or an internal price which may have less observable pricing, and as such, would be classified as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Management determines the prices are representative of fair value through a review of available data, including observable inputs, recent transactions as well as its knowledge of and experience in the market.
Derivative Instruments
Derivative instruments are valued using a third-party pricing service. These quotations are not adjusted and are generally based on valuation models with observable inputs such as interest rates and contractual cash flow, and as such, are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Derivative instruments are also assessed for credit valuation adjustments due to the risk of non-performance by the Company and derivative counterparties. However, since the majority of derivatives are held in non-recourse CDO financing structures where, by design, the derivative contracts are senior to all the CDO bonds payable, there is no material impact of a credit valuation adjustment.
Fair Value Hierarchy
Financial assets recorded at fair value on a recurring basis are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following table presents financial assets that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 by level within the fair value hierarchy (dollars in thousands):
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
 
Total
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investments in private equity funds, at fair value
$

 
$

 
$
98,754

 
$
98,754

 
$

 
$

 
$
141,091

 
$
141,091

Real estate securities, available for sale

 
83,622

 

 
83,622

 

 
79,636

 

 
79,636

The following table presents additional information about PE Investments which are measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 for which the Company has used Level 3 inputs to determine fair value (dollars in thousands):
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
Beginning balance
$
141,091

 
$
156,616

Contributions
10,040

 
1,766

Distributions
(70,487
)
 
(63,714
)
Equity in earnings
30,218

 
32,773

Unrealized gain (loss)
(12,108
)
 
13,650

Ending balance
$
98,754

 
$
141,091

______________________________________________
(1)
The amount for the year ended December 31, 2014 excludes a reclassification between equity in earnings and income tax expense of $5.5 million to conform with the current period presentation.



117


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


For December 31, 2015, the Company used discounted cash flow models to quantify Level 3 fair value measurements on a recurring basis. The key unobservable inputs used in this analysis included discount rates which had a weighted average of 19.5% as of December 31, 2015 and includes timing and amount of expected future cash flow. Significant increases (decreases) in any one of the inputs described above in isolation may result in significantly different fair value of the financial assets and liabilities using such Level 3 inputs.
As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had no financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a non-recurring basis.
For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recorded an unrealized loss of $12.1 million and an unrealized gain of $11.8 million, respectively, for financial assets for which the fair value option was elected. For the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company did not recognize any unrealized gains (losses) for financial assets for which the fair value option was elected. These amounts, when incurred, are recorded as unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other in the consolidated statements of operations.
Fair Value Option
The Company has historically elected not to apply the fair value option for the financial assets and liabilities existing at the time of adoption or at the time the Company recognizes the eligible item for the purpose of consistent accounting application. The Company may elect the fair value option for certain of its financial assets or liabilities due to the nature of the instrument. In the case of PE Investments, the Company elected the fair value option because management believes it is a more useful presentation for such investments. The Company determined recording the PE Investments based on the change in fair value of projected future cash flow from one period to another better represents the underlying economics of the respective investment.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
In addition to the above disclosures regarding financial assets or liabilities which are recorded at fair value, U.S. GAAP requires disclosure of fair value about all financial instruments. The following disclosure of estimated fair value of financial instruments was determined by the Company using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret market data and develop estimated fair value. Accordingly, the estimates presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the amounts the Company could realize on disposition of the financial instruments. The use of different market assumptions and/or estimation methodologies may have a material effect on estimated fair value.
The following table presents the principal amount, carrying value and fair value of certain financial assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2014
 
Principal
Amount
 
Carrying
Value
 
Fair
Value
 
Principal
Amount
 
Carrying
Value
 
Fair
Value
Financial assets:(1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Real estate debt investments, net
$
995,769

(2) 
$
997,836

 
$
1,054,743

 
$
1,268,933

(2) 
$
1,250,023

 
$
1,310,173

Real estate securities, available for sale(3)
115,849

 
83,622

 
83,622

 
100,542

 
79,636

 
79,636

Financial liabilities:(1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Securitization bonds payable
$
185,812

 
$
185,314

 
$
185,387

 
$
413,885

 
$
410,781

 
$
415,284

Mortgage notes payable
317,865

 
316,402

 
317,138

 
318,062

 
315,914

 
319,125

Credit facilities
318,000

 
318,000

 
318,000

 
269,483

 
269,483

 
269,483

______________________________________________
(1)
The fair value of other financial instruments not included in this table is estimated to approximate their carrying value.
(2)
As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, excludes future funding commitments of $43.6 million and $59.3 million, respectively.
(3)
Refer to “Determination of Fair Value” above for disclosure of methodologies used to determine fair value.

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Disclosure about fair value of financial instruments is based on pertinent information available to management as of the reporting date. Although management is not aware of any factors that would significantly affect fair value, such amounts have not been comprehensively revalued for purposes of these consolidated financial statements since that date and current estimates of fair value may differ significantly from the amounts presented herein.
Real Estate Debt Investments
For CRE debt investments, fair value was approximated by comparing the current yield to the estimated yield for newly originated loans with similar credit risk or the market yield at which a third party might expect to purchase such investment. Fair value was determined assuming fully-extended maturities regardless of structural or economic tests required to achieve such extended maturities. These fair value measurements of CRE debt are generally based on unobservable inputs and, as such, are classified as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Securitization Bonds Payable
Securitization bonds payable are valued using quotations from nationally recognized financial institutions that generally acted as underwriter for the transactions. These quotations are not adjusted and are generally based on observable inputs that can be validated, and as such, are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Mortgage Notes Payable
For mortgage notes payable, the Company primarily uses rates currently available with similar terms and remaining maturities to estimate fair value. These measurements are determined using comparable U.S. Treasury rates as of the end of the reporting period. These fair value measurements are based on observable inputs, and as such, are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
Credit Facilities
The Company has amounts outstanding under five credit facilities. All credit facilities bear floating rates of interest. As of the reporting date, the Company believes the carrying value approximates fair value. These fair value measurements are based on observable inputs, and as such, are classified as Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.
13.
Risk Management and Derivative Activities
Derivatives
The Company uses derivative instruments primarily to manage interest rate risk and such derivatives are not considered speculative. These derivative instruments are typically in the form of interest rate swap and cap agreements and the primary objective is to minimize interest rate risks associated with investment and financing activities. The counterparties of these arrangements are major financial institutions with which the Company may also have other financial relationships. The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of non-performance by these counterparties and it monitors their financial condition; however, the Company currently does not anticipate that any of the counterparties will fail to meet their obligations.
The following table presents derivative instruments that were not designated as hedges under U.S. GAAP as of December 31, 2014 (dollars in thousands):
As of December 31, 2014
 
Count
 
Notional Amount
 
Fair Value Net Asset (Liability)
 
Fixed LIBOR / Forward Rate
 
Maturity
Interest rate caps/floor
 
1
 
$
225,000

 
$
2,800

 
1.81%
 
October 2015
Total
 
1
 
$
225,000

 
$
2,800

 
 
 
 
The Company had one derivative instrument as of December 31, 2014 which matured in October 2015, that is included in deferred costs and other assets, net on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014. The Company had no derivative financial instruments that were designated as hedges in qualifying hedging relationships as of December 31, 2015.

119


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


The following table presents the fair value of derivative instruments, as well as their classification on the consolidated balance sheets, as of December 31, 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
December 31,
 
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
2014
Interest rate caps/floor
 
Deferred costs and other assets, net
 
$
2,800

The following table presents the effect of derivative instruments in the consolidated statements of operations for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
 
Statements of Operations Location
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Adjustments to fair value interest rate caps/floors
 
Interest income
 
$
300

 
$
600

 
$
400

The Company’s counterparties held no cash margin as collateral against the Company’s derivative contracts as of December 31, 2015.

14.
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)
The following tables present selected quarterly information for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
 
 
Three Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
 
September 30,
 
June 30,
 
March 31,
 
 
2015
 
2015
 
2015
 
2015
Net interest income
 
$
16,487

 
$
19,576

 
$
19,272

 
$
19,797

Property and other revenues
 
15,731

 
14,637

 
15,027

 
14,999

Expenses
 
28,023

 
34,306

 
25,103

 
25,301

Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
8,051

 
8,133

 
9,509

 
10,324

Net income (loss)
 
8,808

 
5,365

 
14,195

 
17,223

Net income (loss) attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. common stockholders
 
8,753

 
5,773

 
13,943

 
17,145

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income (loss) per share of common stock, basic/diluted (1)
 
$
0.07

 
$
0.05

 
$
0.12

 
$
0.14

__________________
(1)
The total for the year may differ from the sum of the quarters as a result of weighting.
 
 
Three Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
 
September 30,
 
June 30,
 
March 31,
 
 
2014
 
2014
 
2014
 
2014
Net interest income
 
$
20,344

 
$
21,545

 
$
21,191

 
$
18,517

Property and other revenues
 
12,030

 
6,834

 
5,634

 
4,844

Expenses
 
22,626

 
19,560

 
15,736

 
12,419

Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
10,898

 
11,190

 
9,740

 
9,851

Net income (loss)
 
30,065

 
18,934

 
20,050

 
19,904

Net income (loss) attributable to NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. common stockholders
 
29,885

 
19,080

 
20,228

 
19,931

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income (loss) per share of common stock, basic/diluted (1)
 
$
0.25

 
$
0.16

 
$
0.17

 
$
0.17

_________________
(1)
The total for the year may differ from the sum of the quarters as a result of weighting.

120


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


15.
Segment Reporting
The Company currently conducts its business through the following four segments, which are based on how management reviews and manages its business:
Commercial Real Estate Debt - Focused on originating, acquiring and asset managing CRE debt investments including first mortgage loans, subordinate interests and mezzanine loans and participations in such loans, as well as preferred equity interests.
Select Commercial Real Estate Equity - Focused on direct ownership in real estate, which may be structurally senior to a third-party partner’s equity and indirect interests in real estate through PE Investments since the underlying collateral in the funds is primarily real estate.
Commercial Real Estate Securities - Focused on investing in CMBS, unsecured REIT debt, CDO notes and other securities.
Corporate - The corporate segment includes corporate level asset management and other fees - related party and general and administrative expenses.
The Company may also own investments indirectly through a joint venture.
The Company primarily generates revenue from net interest income on the CRE debt and securities portfolios, equity in earnings of unconsolidated ventures, including from PE Investments, and from rental and other income from its real estate equity investments. The Company’s income is primarily derived through the difference between revenue and the cost at which the Company is able to finance its investments. The Company may also acquire investments which generate attractive returns without any leverage.
The following tables present segment reporting for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, 2015
 
Real Estate
Debt
 
Real Estate
Equity
 
Real Estate
Securities
 
Corporate
 
Total
Net interest income
 
$
70,144

 
$

 
$
4,959

 
$
29

 
$
75,132

Rental and other income
 

 
60,394

 

 

 
60,394

Asset management and other fees - related party
 

 

 

 
23,965

 
23,965

Mortgage notes interest expense
 

 
14,832

 

 

 
14,832

Transaction costs
 
446

 
73

 

 
825

 
1,344

Property operating expenses
 

 
31,135

 

 

 
31,135

General and administrative expenses
 
841

 
100

 
51

 
14,483

 
15,475

Depreciation and amortization
 

 
25,982

 

 

 
25,982

Unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other
 

 
(12,108
)
 

 

 
(12,108
)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures and income tax benefit (expense)
 
68,857

 
(23,836
)
 
4,908

 
(39,244
)
 
10,685

Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
5,799

 
30,218

 

 

 
36,017

Income tax benefit (expense)
 

 
(1,111
)
 

 

 
(1,111
)
Net income (loss)
 
$
74,656

 
$
5,271

 
$
4,908

 
$
(39,244
)
 
$
45,591

 

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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


Year Ended December 31, 2014
 
Real Estate
Debt
 
Real Estate Equity
 
Real Estate
Securities
 
Corporate
 
Total
Net interest income
 
$
75,780

 
$

 
$
5,817

 
$

 
$
81,597

Rental and other income
 

 
29,342

 

 

 
29,342

Asset management and other fees - related party
 

 

 

 
24,676

 
24,676

Mortgage notes interest expense
 

 
7,763

 

 

 
7,763

Transaction costs
 

 
2,770

 

 
7

 
2,777

Property operating expenses
 

 
15,433

 

 

 
15,433

General and administrative expenses
 
991

 
146

 
28

 
12,100

 
13,265

Depreciation and amortization
 

 
6,427

 

 

 
6,427

Realized gain (loss) on investments and other
 
(175
)
 

 
572

 

 
397

Unrealized gain (loss) on investments and other
 

 
11,764

 

 

 
11,764

Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
74,614

 
8,567

 
6,361

 
(36,783
)
 
52,759

Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
3,421

 
38,258

 

 

 
41,679

Income tax benefit (expense)
 

 
(5,485
)
 

 

 
(5,485
)
Net income (loss)
 
$
78,035

 
$
41,340

 
$
6,361

 
$
(36,783
)
 
$
88,953

 

Year Ended December 31, 2013
 
Real Estate
Debt
 
Real Estate Equity
 
Real Estate
Securities
 
Corporate
 
Total
Net interest income
 
$
57,189

 
$

 
$
5,185

 
$

 
$
62,374

Rental and other income
 

 
1,970

 

 

 
1,970

Asset management and other fees - related party
 

 

 

 
17,925

 
17,925

Mortgage notes interest expense
 

 
583

 

 

 
583

Transaction costs
 

 
2,862

 

 

 
2,862

Property operating expenses
 

 
823

 

 

 
823

General and administrative expenses
 
606

 

 
12

 
8,041

 
8,659

Depreciation and amortization
 

 
503

 

 

 
503

Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 
56,583

 
(2,801
)
 
5,173

 
(25,966
)
 
32,989

Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated ventures
 

 
30,292

 

 

 
30,292

Income tax benefit (expense)
 

 
(2,264
)
 

 

 
(2,264
)
Net income (loss)
 
$
56,583

 
$
25,227

 
$
5,173

 
$
(25,966
)
 
$
61,017

The following table presents total assets by segment as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 (dollars in thousands):
Total Assets
 
Real Estate
Debt
 
Real Estate
Equity
 
Real Estate
Securities
 
Corporate(1)
 
Total
Investments in unconsolidated ventures
 
$
59,089

 
$
98,754

 
$

 
$

 
$
157,843

December 31, 2015
 
$
1,198,020

 
$
525,178

 
$
84,887

 
$
139,431

 
$
1,947,516

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investments in unconsolidated ventures
 
$
54,769

 
$
141,091

 
$

 
$

 
$
195,860

December 31, 2014
 
$
1,514,175

 
$
576,251

 
$
79,986

 
$
17,609

 
$
2,188,021

__________________________________________________
(1)
Includes cash, unallocated receivables and deferred costs and other assets, net.

122


NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)


16.
Subsequent Events
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
From January 1, 2016 through March 14, 2016, the Company issued 1.2 million shares of common stock pursuant to the DRP raising proceeds of $11.0 million. As of March 14, 2016, 3.0 million shares were available to be issued pursuant to the DRP.
Distributions
On March 2, 2016, the board of directors of the Company approved a daily cash distribution of $0.002185792 per share of common stock for each of the three months ended June 30, 2016. Distributions are generally paid to stockholders on the first business day of the month following the month for which the distribution was accrued.
Share Repurchases
From January 1, 2016 through March 14, 2016, the Company repurchased 1.0 million shares for a total of $9.3 million or a weighted average price of $9.57 per share under the Share Repurchase Program that enables stockholders to sell their shares to the Company in certain circumstances, including death or a qualifying disability. The Company funds repurchase requests received during a quarter with proceeds set aside for that purpose which are not expected to exceed proceeds received from its DRP.
New Investments
Debt Investments
In February 2016, the Company originated a $20.0 million first mortgage loan secured by a retail property located in Ukiah, CA. The loan bears interest at 4.65% plus a 0.25% LIBOR floor.
PE Investment IIA
In February 2016, the Company’s board of directors, including all of its independent directors, approved the purchase of an additional 14% of the PE Investment II transaction from a Company managed by the Sponsor, NorthStar Realty (“PE Investment IIA”). The Company purchased PE Investment IIA on the same terms and conditions negotiated by another existing and purchasing co-investor in the transaction. This increased the Company’s total ownership from 15% to 29%. The Company acquired PE Investment IIA for $26.5 million based on a NAV of $660.6 million as of September 30, 2015, adjusted for distributions and contributions. With this add-on investment, the Company will be responsible for 29% of the Deferred Amount, or $100.8 million.
Real Estate Securities
In February 2016, the Company purchased a CMBS with a face value of $6.7 million at a discount to par of $2.3 million. The bond was purchased with an unlevered yield of 8.1%. As of purchase date, the weighted average expected maturity of the CMBS was 9.9 years.
CMBS Facilities
In January 2016, the Company entered into a new master repurchase agreement with an institutional bank to finance a CMBS investment. In February 2016, one CMBS investment with a face value totaling $16.1 million was financed with $5.6 million drawn on the repo facility.
Portfolio Management Activities
In January 2016, the Company’s participation in a mezzanine loan was repurchased at par value of $59.8 million which was originated in a joint venture with affiliates of RXR.


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NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE III - REAL ESTATE AND ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION
December 31, 2015
(Dollars in Thousands)
Column A
 
Column B
 
Column C Initial Cost
 
Column D Capitalized Subsequent to Acquisition
 
Column E Gross Amount Carried at Close of Period
 
Column F
 
Column G
 
Column H
Location City, State
 
Encumbrances
 
Land
 
Building & Improvements
 
Land, Buildings & Improvements
 
Land
 
Building & Improvements
 
Total
 
Accumulated Depreciation
 
Total
 
Date Acquired
 
Life on Which Depreciation is Computed
Clemson, SC
 
$
12,615

 
$
1,946

 
$
17,668

 
$
250

 
$
1,946

 
$
17,918

 
$
19,864

 
$
1,430

 
$
18,434

 
Apr-14
 
30 years
Columbia, SC
 
16,200

 
2,532

 
20,832

 
344

 
2,532

 
21,176

 
23,708

 
1,638

 
22,070

 
May-14
 
30 years
Farmington Hills, MI
 
43,000

 
3,161

 
47,839

 
7,044

 
3,161

 
54,883

 
58,044

 
4,355

 
53,689

 
Nov-13
 
30 years
Kalamazoo, MI
 
16,000

 
1,484

 
19,516

 
1,660

 
1,484

 
21,176

 
22,660

 
1,810

 
20,850

 
Dec-13
 
30 years
New Orleans, LA
 
43,500

 
3,206

 
50,294

 
1,680

 
3,206

 
51,974

 
55,180

 
4,223

 
50,957

 
Nov-13
 
30 years
St. Louis, MO
 
108,850

 
19,505

 
92,127

 
3,585

 
19,505

 
95,712

 
115,217

 
6,248

 
108,969

 
Sep-14
 
39 years
Warrendale, PA
 
77,700

 
15,150

 
75,554

 
2,968

 
15,150

 
78,522

 
93,672

 
3,314

 
90,358

 
Dec-14
 
40 years
Total operating real estate, net
 
$
317,865

 
$
46,984

 
$
323,830

 
$
17,531

 
$
46,984

 
$
341,361

 
$
388,345

 
$
23,018

 
$
365,327

 
 
 
 
The following table presents changes in the Company’s operating real estate portfolio for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are as follows (dollars in thousands):
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Beginning balance
 
$
410,247

 
$
125,671

 
$

Property acquisitions
 

 
284,576

 
125,671

Improvements
 
10,245

 

 

Retirements and disposals
 
(280
)
 

 

Reallocation of purchase price
 
(31,867
)
 

 

Ending balance(1)
 
$
388,345

 
$
410,247

 
$
125,671

__________________________________________________
(1)
The aggregate cost of the properties is approximately $389.0 million for federal income tax purposes as of December 31, 2015.
Changes in accumulated depreciation for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are as follows:
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Beginning balance
 
$
6,900

 
$
503

 
$

Depreciation expense
 
16,398

 
6,397

 
503

Retirements and disposals
 
(280
)
 

 

Ending balance
 
$
23,018

 
$
6,900

 
$
503





124



NORTHSTAR REAL ESTATE INCOME TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
SCHEDULE IV - MORTGAGE LOANS ON REAL ESTATE
December 31, 2015
(Dollars in Thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest Rate(1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Principal Amount of Loans
Asset Type:
 
Location / Description
 
Count
 
Floating
 
Fixed
 
Maturity Date(2)
 
Periodic Payment Terms(3)
 
Prior Liens
 
Principal Amount(4)
 
Carrying Value(5)
 
Subject to Delinquent Principal or Interest
First mortgage loans:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Borrower A
 
Various / Retail
 
1
 
6.63
%
 

 
5/9/2019
 
I/O
 
$

 
$
150,150

 
$
150,150

 
$

Borrower B
 
California / Office
 
1
 
7.38
%
 

 
2/15/2016
 
I/O
 

 
91,000

 
91,072

 

Borrower C
 
New York / Hotel
 
1
 
2.03
%
 

 
5/9/2023
 
P&I
 

 
29,108

 
29,108

 

Borrower D
 
California / Retail
 
1
 
5.68
%
 

 
5/9/2017
 
I/O
 

 
91,840

 
92,387

 

Borrower E
 
Illinois / Office
 
1
 
5.68
%
 

 
11/9/2017
 
I/O
 

 
82,478

 
82,924

 

Borrower F
 
Virginia / Office
 
1
 
6.75
%
 

 
1/31/2016
 
I/O
 

 
67,493

 
67,493

 

Borrower G
 
Virginia / Office
 
1
 
7.00
%
 

 
1/31/2016
 
I/O
 

 
43,300

 
43,300

 

Borrower H
 
New Jersey / Office
 
1
 
8.68
%
 

 
1/9/2017
 
I/O
 

 
42,607

 
42,607

 

Borrower I
 
New Jersey / Office
 
1
 
5.63
%
 

 
8/9/2017
 
I/O
 

 
40,000

 
40,057

 

Borrower J
 
California / Office
 
1
 
4.15
%
 

 
10/9/2018
 
I/O
 

 
39,291

 
39,698

 

Other first mortgage loans(6)
 
Various / Various
 
4
 
7.62
%
 

 
11/27/2017
 
I/O
 

 
127,320

 
127,320

 

Total/Weighted average
 
 
 
14
 
6.47
%
 

 
10/31/2017
 
 
 

 
804,587

 
806,116

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mezzanine loans:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other mezzanine loans(6)
 
Various / Various
 
5
 
11.82
%
 
10.10
%
 
9/2/2017
 
I/O
 
334,800

 
72,973

 
72,948

 

Total/Weighted average
 
 
 
5
 
11.82
%
 
10.10
%
 
9/2/2017
 
 
 
334,800

 
72,973

 
72,948

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subordinate mortgage interests:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Borrower K
 
New York / Hotel
 
1
 
%
 
13.11
%
 
5/9/2023
 
I/O
 
160,000

 
36,206

 
36,206

 

Total/Weighted average
 
 
 
1
 
%
 
13.11
%
 
5/9/2023
 
 
 
160,000

 
36,206

 
36,206

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Preferred equity interests:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Borrower L
 
New York / Office
 
1
 
%
 
10.00
%
 
10/1/2021
 
I/O
 

 
82,003

 
82,566

 

Total/Weighted Average
 
 
 
1
 
%
 
10.00
%
 
10/1/2021
 
 
 

 
82,003

 
82,566

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total
 
 
 
21
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
494,800

 
$
995,769

 
$
997,836

 
$

______________________________________________________________________________________
(1)
The majority of the Company’s floating-rate loans are subject to a fixed minimum LIBOR floor. The interest rate shown is the coupon, including the LIBOR floor, as of December 31, 2015.
(2)
Reflects the initial maturity date of the investment and does not consider any options to extend beyond such date.
(3)
P&I = principal and interest; I/O = interest only.
(4)
Excludes future funding commitments of $43.6 million.
(5)
The aggregate cost of the properties is $997.8 million for federal tax purposes as of December 31, 2015.
(6)
Individual loans each have a carrying value of less than 3% of total carrying value of CRE debt investments.





125



Reconciliation of Carrying Value of Commercial Real Estate Debt:
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
Beginning balance
$
1,250,023

 
$
1,013,178

 
$
514,058

Additions:
 
 
 
 
 
Principal amount of new loans and additional funding on existing loans
61,189

 
488,020

 
613,575

Interest accretion
6,505

 
1,318

 
(140
)
Acquisition cost (fees) on new loans
451

 
4,952

 
6,334

Origination fees received on new loans

 
(2,505
)
 
(4,479
)
Deductions:
 
 
 
 
 
Collection of principal
318,835

 
236,499

 
74,291

Sales

 
17,349

 
41,383

Unrealized loss on sale

 
175

 

Amortization of acquisition costs, fees, premiums and discounts
1,497

 
917

 
496

Ending balance(1)
$
997,836

 
$
1,250,023

 
$
1,013,178

____________________________________________________
(1)
As of December 31, 2013, includes $17.5 million of CRE debt investments classified as held for sale.
Item 9.    Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Not applicable.
Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The management of the Company established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries required to be disclosed in the reports that are filed or submitted under the 1934 Act are recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
As of the end of the period covered by this report, our management conducted an evaluation as required under Rules 13a-15(b) and 15d-15(b) under the Exchange Act, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures are effective. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that it will detect or uncover failures to disclose material information otherwise required to be set forth in our periodic reports.
Internal Control over Financial Reporting
(a)
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. As defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f), internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the principal executive and principal financial officer and effected by the board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

126



Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, the Company carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 based on the “Internal Control-Integrated Framework” (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based upon this evaluation, management has concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2015.
(b)
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There have not been any changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
The Company’s management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. The design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs.
Item 9B. Other Information
On March 16, 2016, the board of directors (the “Board”) of the Company approved an increase in the size of the Board from four to five directors, and elected Vernon B. Schwartz to serve as an independent director on the Board in the newly created directorship, effective on March 21, 2016. The Board also appointed Mr. Schwartz to serve as a member of the Audit Committee, effective on March 21, 2016. Mr. Schwartz will serve until the Company’s next annual meeting of stockholders and until his successor, if any, is elected and duly qualifies.
Mr. Schwartz, age 65, has served as Executive Vice President at iStar since 2005. He is responsible for managing a portfolio of real estate investments, including iStar's condominium portfolio and its European assets. He served as President of AutoStar, iStar's platform focused on the auto dealership market. Mr. Schwartz has been active in real estate investment and development for almost 30 years. Previously, Mr. Schwartz was a founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of Falcon Financial, the predecessor of AutoStar before it was acquired by iStar in 2005. Prior to forming Falcon Financial, Mr. Schwartz was the Chief Executive Officer of Soros Real Estate Advisors, the advisor to Quantum Realty Partners, an offshore real estate investment fund sponsored by George Soros and Paul Reichmann. Prior to that, he was Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catellus Development Corporation, the largest private landowner in the state of California and also held executive positions at both The Hahn Company, a developer, owner and operator of regional shopping centers, and Bank of Montreal. His education includes a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Economics and an M.B.A. from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The election of Mr. Schwartz to the Board was not made pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between him and any other person. Mr. Schwartz will be eligible to participate in the Directors Compensation Plan (as described below), pursuant to which he is entitled to receive, among other benefits, the following: (i) annual cash compensation of $90,000 for his service on the Board, (ii) an initial grant of $75,000 in shares of the Company’s restricted common stock upon his appointment to the Board and (iii) a grant of $50,000 in shares of the Company’s restricted common stock in the event of his subsequent re-election to the Board. All compensation awarded pursuant to the Directors Compensation Plan is subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions stated therein.
In addition, on March 16, 2016, the Board approved and adopted the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Independent Directors Compensation Plan (the “Directors Compensation Plan”), which was amended and restated to provide for the compensation of members of the Board who are not members of management of the Company, its Sponsor or its Advisor, but who are also not “independent directors” as defined in the Company’s charter. The foregoing description of the Directors Compensation Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Directors Compensation Plan itself, a copy of which is attached as an exhibit to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and incorporated by reference into this Item 9B.


127



PART III
Item 10.    Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance*
Item 11.    Executive Compensation*
Item 12.    Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters*
Item 13.    Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence*
Item 14.    Principal Accountant Fees and Services*

____________________________________________________
*
The information that is required by Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 (other than the information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K) is incorporated herein by reference from the definitive proxy statement relating to the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, which is to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, no later than 120 days after the end of the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

128




PART IV
Item 15.    Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a)1. Consolidated Financial Statements and (a)2. Financial Statement Schedules are included in Part II,
Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data’’ of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2015 and 2014
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Schedule III - Real Estate and Accumulated Depreciation as of December 31, 2015
Schedule IV - Mortgage Loans on Real Estate as of December 31, 2015
(a)3. Exhibit Index
Exhibit
Number
 
Description of Exhibit
3.1

 
Second Articles of Amendment and Restatement of NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 26, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference)
3.2

 
Amended and Restated Bylaws of NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference)
4.1

 
Amended and Restated Distribution Reinvestment Plan (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-189769) and incorporated herein by reference)
10.1

 
Advisory Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2014, by and among NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc., NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust Operating Partnership, LP, NorthStar Asset Management Group, Inc. and NSAM J-NSI Ltd (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 1, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.2

 
Limited Partnership Agreement of NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust Operating Partnership, LP, dated March 17, 2010 (filed as Exhibit 10.3 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 5 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.3

 
NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit 10.4 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 5 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.4*

 
NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. Second Amended and Restated Independent Directors Compensation Plan
10.5

 
Form of Restricted Stock Award Certificate (filed as Exhibit 10.8 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 5 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.6

 
Form of Indemnification Agreement (filed as Exhibit 10.7 to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-157688) filed on July 16, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.7

 
Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of July 18, 2012, between NS REIT CB Loan, LLC and Citibank, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 19, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.8

 
Limited Guaranty, dated as of July 18, 2012, by NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc., for the benefit of Citibank, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 19, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.9

 
First Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2012, by and among NSREIT CB Loan, LLC, NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and Citibank, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 4, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.10

 
Second Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement and First Amendment to Limited Guaranty, dated as of April 18, 2013, by and among NSREIT CB Loan, LLC, NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and Citibank, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 23, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.11

 
Third Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2014, by and among NSREIT CB Loan, LLC, Citibank, N.A. and NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference)

129



Exhibit
Number
 
Description of Exhibit
10.12

 
Fourth Amendment to Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of October 20, 2014, by and among NSREIT CB Loan, LLC, Citibank, N.A. and NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 24, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.13

 
Master Repurchase Agreement, dated as of March 11, 2013, by and among NS Income DB Loan, LLC, and Deutsche Bank AG, Cayman Islands Branch, (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 12, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.14

 
Limited Guaranty, dated as of March 11, 2013, by NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust Operating Partnership, LP to Deutsche Bank AG, Cayman Islands Branch (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 12, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.15

 
Agreement of Purchase and Sale, dated as of June 12, 2013, by and between Project Shore JV I, LLC and Project Shore JV II, LLC, as Buyers, and Common Pension Fund E, as Seller (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.16

 
Master Repurchase and Securities Contract Agreement, dated October 13, 2015, by and between MS Loan NT-I, LLC and Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 19, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference)
10.17

 
Guaranty Agreement, made as of October 13, 2015, by NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust Operating Partnership, LP, for the benefit of Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 19, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference)
21.1*

 
Significant Subsidiaries of the Registrant
23.1*

 
Consent of Grant Thornton LLP
31.1*


Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 17 CFR 240.13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2*

 
Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 17 CFR 240.13a-14(a)/15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1*

 
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2*

 
Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101*

 
The following materials from the NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, formatted in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2015 and 2014; (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013; (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013; (iv) Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013; (v) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013; and (vi) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
____________________________________________________
*
Filed herewith

130




SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
NorthStar Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.
Date:
March 16, 2016
By:
 
/s/ DANIEL R. GILBERT
 
 
 
 
Name:
 
Daniel R. Gilbert
 
 
 
 
Title:
 
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Daniel R. Gilbert and Jenny B. Neslin and each of them severally, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact with power of substitution and re-substitution to sign in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to do any and all things and execute any and all instruments that such attorney may deem necessary or advisable under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any rules, regulations and requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this Annual Report on Form 10-K and any and all amendments hereto, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, and hereby ratifies and confirms all said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, and his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
 
Title
 
Date
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ DANIEL R. GILBERT
 
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President
 
 
Daniel R. Gilbert
 
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
March 16, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ FRANK V. SARACINO
 
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
 
 
Frank V. Saracino
 
(Principal Financial Officer and
 
March 16, 2016
 
 
Principal Accounting Officer)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ JONATHAN T. ALBRO
 
Director
 
March 16, 2016
Jonathan T. Albro
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ JACK F. SMITH, JR.
 
Director
 
March 16, 2016
Jack F. Smith, Jr.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ JAMES J. THOMAS
 
Director
 
March 16, 2016
James J. Thomas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


131