A 10-Point Plan for Investments (Without Being Overwhelmed)

Some Things You Should Know About Investment Grade Tenants

If you are an owner of several properties that are for rent, then it is a must that you hire investment grade tenants. Investment grade tenants provide landlords with several financing choices.

Investment grade tenants get to receive an investment grade rating from any rating agency, and they are usually big, reputable companies. Rather than focusing on the landlord’s credit or the value of the real estate when lenders provide financial assistance, they now make sure that it is based on the credit tenant renting the property as well as the value of his or her lease payments in the succeeding months.

So, what are the basics of investment grade rating?

Investment grade ratings are the basis of credit tenant lenders to secure loans for the tenant as well as sell them to investors. Investment grade basically implies a minimum rating of BBB-. The majority of investors only choose to invest in products and bonds that are being back up by tenants with investment grade such as Home Depot and Walgreens. States and cities are also participating in this credit tenant financing industry.

So, how do you get credit tenant loans?
If you are a landlord that has a credit tenant, then you are eligible in availing long-term loans to refinance or purchase a particular property. Such loans can follow a non-recourse structure for the sake of the landlord. In simple terms, landlords will not have to face any personal liability threats because the terms of the loan is based on the lease value.

What is the significance of sale leaseback transactions?
When credit tenants engage themselves in sale leaseback transactions, this implies that they can do direct financing. Once you have attained an investment grade rating as a property owner, you can then choose to sell your property to an investor and get to lease it back. Opposite with the typical commercial real estate kind of loan, any property owner can increase their cash by obtaining a higher loan-to-value amount in favorable terms.

What are credit tenant lease terms?

Just because institutional investors offer credit tenant financing, this does not automatically mean that they also take on the responsibilities often imposed when one is a landlord. Typically, credit tenant leases comprise three net terms. This means that credit tenants are the ones responsible in paying insurance, taxes, and maintenance costs. The loan terms will have to be parallel with the duration of the lease. All of these obligations greatly rely upon the tenant, meaning this burden is no longer a responsibility of the landlord. On the part of both the investor and the landlord, credit tenant lease terms have the same function as that of a corporate bond. Quite simply, all they have to do during the real estate project process is just collect checks and not get themselves involved actively.

Citation: Get the facts