PROPERTY EQUITY RELEASE

Basic requirements

Adequate security for the loan to be provided such as, permission from first bond holder to take a first bond over the property.

Loan settlement plan needs to be achievable. For example, proceeds due from other activities, policy payout, investment maturing, contract proceeds being paid out etc.

Property bridging facilities are granted to juristic persons i.e. companies / legal entities.  Company details and financials, FICA, property and repayment motivation documents to be presented.

Equity to be approximately double the value of the bridging loan required.

Minimum loan to be R2 Million Maximum almost unlimited !

Longest term of loan is 24 months but ideally 3 to 9 months.

Equity Release / Property Secured Bridging / Term Loans using Property

Up to 60 % of the residual or “free equity” in a building and up to 30 % in vacant land, can be released to the owner of the property by the registration of a first bond or covering mortgage bond over the property.  Equity is, the value of the property less the outstanding bond and if no bond, then the properties value as determined by the lender.

In current market conditions lenders are however only granting up to 50% of the equity where no other security can be offered and ideally the property should be bond free or not have a bond of more than 10 % of the market value. Eg. Value R2 million, less bond say R200 000, Equity R1 800 000.  Maximum grant would be R900 000 UNLESS the exit plan (repayment of the loan) is very secure.

An Approval in Principle (the first step in this process) takes up to 5 working days to secure. This is very dependent on the availability of supporting documentation.

Conditions :

–  Minimum loan size is

R 1 million.
–  Interest rate 2% to 4.5% per month (subject to change without notice)
–  Once off professional fee of between 2% and 5% .
–  Loans can be settled earlier with no penalties (subject to negotiation)
–  Ideal loan duration is 3 to 9 months. Loans of up to 24 months can be arranged.

Two very important elements:

1. Security
2. Loan Repayment

A. Security

A first bond needs to be registered over the property offered as security. Second bonds are not acceptable so the current bond will have to be settled and this amount will be added to the bridging loan applied for and should be settled by the proposed transactions, profits.

To determine the value of the property offered as security, the credit provider arranges to have the clients property valued. If you have a valuation, please submit for initial desktop assessment.

The client can then use the funds as they feel fit but with the understanding that the loan needs to be settled at a negotiated and agreed to time in the future ( 3 months to 9 months ideally) and interest hs to be serviced monthly.

In addition, the credit providers may  also require additional security in that they will ask that directors:
1. Resign as directors of the entity (in blank) and
2. Subordinate any loan accounts in the company to the lenders
3. Pledge the shares in the company across to the credit provider for the duration of the facility.

It is necessary to keep these documents in the credit providers possession in the event of non-performance on transactions. However, to date, the credit providers have very seldom had to resort to
harsh action to enforce deal conditions, as a result of careful due diligence investigations being conducted.

In order to give comfort to the client  credit providers are willing to sign letters addressed to the client confirming that changes to the company structure will only be effected should the deal run into extreme difficulties and / or only after all means to resolve the situation have been explored and that no other course is possible.

Credit providers are not in the business of taking over businesses or properties as they are pure money lenders and so these measures can be viewed as a last resort.

B. Loan Repayment

The loan repayment proposal is more important than the security. Security is easy to confirm.  Both you and the bridging company need to feel 100 % comfortable that the loan can be settled in the time negotiated. The focus of all equity release applications needs to be the loan settlement proposal. The Security is only used in the event of a default on the loan settlement and no lender ( or client) wants to call in the security to settle the loan, so please focus on providing a clear and concise explanation and proof, of the ability to settle the loan in the future.

Step 1

Signed Mandate to Proceed / Professional fee agreement (Third Party Payment instruction)

Step 2

• Name of entity requiring funds
• Company registration documents
• Proof of registered, head office and business addresses
• Income tax clearance certificate
• VAT Registration number
• Latest Financial statements
• Directors/Shareholders copy of ID and FICA requirements
• Suretyships details i.e. Name, ID, FICA requirements
• 3 months of latest bank statements
• An audit certificate of solvency
• Copy of title deed of property offered as security
• An independent valuation of the property
• Copy of the latest rates account
• Exit strategy  –  a detailed description of how the loan will be paid back
• Documents/undertakings/business plans/future property sales etc.

Once this has been assessed by the credit committee, a decline or AIP (Approval In Principle)  is issued. The AIP will indicate the “subject to” conditions relating to the loan.

Once all suspensive conditions have been fulfilled and accepted by the credit committee, funds are released to the client. This process should not take more than 10 days ( from when ALL the supporting documents have been presented). It is essential to have all documentation as required, in order for the process to take place quickly and effectively.