| Q: Why is Pathfinder interested
in purchasing my Palm Harbor One, LLC Loan Share? How does Pathfinder
make money?
A: Pathfinder will purchase your Loan Share
at a discount in anticipation of receiving a favorable return
on investment following (i) USA Commercial Mortgage’s (“USACM”)
emergence from bankruptcy or (ii) foreclosure of the Palm Harbor
One property. In the event of purchase of the property following
foreclosure or receipt of deed in lieu of foreclosure, Pathfinder
is prepared to operate the property as an apartment complex and
eventually market the units as condominiums. Pathfinder’s
principals have substantial real estate investment and operating
experience. As such, Pathfinder is prepared to maintain its investment
in the Palm Harbor One project for several years, if necessary,
in order to generate an appropriate return on its investment.
Q: Why should we sell our
Loan Share?
A: Pathfinder will provide you with a way
to immediately turn an otherwise illiquid investment into cash.
Furthermore, by selling, you would no longer have to contend with
the risk, expense and uncertainty of the USACM bankruptcy process
nor continue to expend valuable time or money to follow and monitor
the bankruptcy proceeding in order to protect your rights. According
to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, $550,800 is spent each
week on attorneys, interim managers and other professionals associated
with the USA Capital bankruptcy case.
Q: Why should we sell our Loan Share to Pathfinder?
A: Pathfinder operates in a straightforward
fashion and provides prompt payment for Loan Shares. Other companies
that may be seeking to purchase Loan Shares may not operate in
a transparent fashion and may not pay creditors in what we consider
to be a timely manner. If you receive other offers, Pathfinder
recommends that you read all letters and assignment agreements
carefully to ensure that you will be paid in a timely fashion.
Q: Is Pathfinder affiliated with or hired
by USA Commercial Mortgage Company, Compass Partners, LLC or the
developer, Palm Harbor One, LLC?
A: No. Pathfinder is an independent investment
company that is NOT affiliated with or hired by either
USACM or its affiliates or the bankruptcy trustee, Compass Partners,
LLC or Palm Harbor One, LLC, the developer.
Q: How much of my original investment
could I recover by selling my Loan Share to Pathfinder?
A: We believe that by selling your remaining
Palm Harbor One, LLC Loan Share to Pathfinder, you could potentially
recover as much as 57.26% of your initial investment through a
combination of amounts paid to you to date (approximately 14.36%
as of August 1, 2007) and the amount Pathfinder will pay. By our
calculations, Direct Lenders to Palm Harbor One, LLC have remaining
principal balances equal to about 85.64% of their original loan
amounts.
Q: How can we be assured that Pathfinder will
pay us?
A: Pathfinder is a reputable company whose
principals have been engaged in corporate finance and real estate
investment since the mid-1980s. Pathfinder has teamed up with
Contrarian Capital Management, LLC, an investment company with
over $5.0 billion under management and extensive experience evaluating
and investing in distressed debt and real estate. If you have
further questions, do not hesitate to contact
us.
Pathfinder processes all transactions through Chicago
Title Insurance Company, the leading U.S. title company and one
of the largest national escrow agencies. Chicago Title, founded
in 1847, has a solid reputation for integrity. More information
on Chicago Title can be found at www.ctic.com.
Q: How much will I have to pay for escrow expenses?
A: Nothing. Pathfinder pays all escrow expenses
connected with the Palm Harbor One, LLC transaction.
Q: How does Pathfinder determine its offer
price?
A: Our offer price is based on several factors,
including the face value of the loans, the financial condition
of USACM, our estimate of the current value of the Palm Harbor
One property, our assessment of the financial condition of Palm
Harbor One, LLC, the Palm Harbor One borrower, and its principal,
Joe Lilly, our estimate of the term of the USACM and the Palm
Harbor One bankruptcies, the estimated costs of disputing matters
concerning the Palm Harbor One, LLC loan with Compass Partners,
LLC, our perception of the risks inherent in the transaction and
our anticipated return requirements. We have also considered the
cost of deferred maintenance and other necessary improvements
to prepare the property for future sale, legal costs related to
USACM and enforcing the Mortgage, operating expenses and vacancy
costs due to the challenges of managing a mixed owner/renter complex,
and our potential liability for any previously unpaid Home Owner
Association fees.
Q: Why has Pathfinder’s offer price been
reduced?
A: Our offer price has been reduced because of
the considerable deterioration in the Florida real estate market,
the severe dislocation in the equity and debt markets –
particularly the mortgage markets – and the recent Palm
Harbor bankruptcy. Pathfinder also believes that it is unlikely
that the borrower will be able to secure new financing with which
to repay the loan, given the borrower’s history, the fractured
nature of the project (part condo/part rental) and the fact that
the project is in bankruptcy.
Q: How long will it take for Pathfinder
to pay us?
A: Pathfinder will make all payments through the
escrow division of Chicago Title Insurance Company. Pathfinder
pays all escrow expenses. Standard payment method will be by check
issued by Chicago Title within five business days of our receipt
and review of your documents. Alternatively, we can send your
payment by wire transfer or overnight mail for a nominal fee.
Since you are concurrently transferring an interest in the Mortgage
encumbering real property, it is important that we coordinate
that process through an escrow account to insure that legal ownership
to that interest is properly documented and transferred.
Q: What else will we have to do to transfer
our loans to Pathfinder?
A: Once Pathfinder receives your properly
completed and signed acceptance of our offer and Assignment, no
further action will be required. Pathfinder files all Notices
of Transfer of Claim with Pinellas County, Florida and the U.S.
Bankruptcy Court.
Q: Do you have any requirements for the
sale of our loans?
A: Pathfinder requires that you have a valid
economic interest in the loan that has not been previously sold,
transferred, assigned, pledged, objected to or satisfied. Pathfinder
recommends that you check your records carefully prior to accepting
our offer. Pathfinder reserves the right to review the validity
of any Loan Share presented and may refuse to purchase it for
any reason.
Q: If I keep my Loan Shares, won’t I be
repaid soon?
A: The Borrower did not repay the Palm Harbor
One, LLC loans when they came due in December, 2006. Consequently,
the Palm Harbor One, LLC loans are currently classified by USACM
as “Maturity Default”. Since that time, Compass has
rejected the Borrower’s request to modify the loan by extending
the term to August, 2007 and further reducing the permitted release
prices. This creates significant hardship for the Borrower, who
will have difficulty closing sales, even if he is able to attract
prospective buyers and put units under contract.
Furthermore, each month, approximately $100,000
of default interest accrues on the loan. Compass Partners, LLC
has taken the position that this default interest accrues to the
benefit of Compass, NOT to the direct lenders. Furthermore, Compass’
position is that Compass is entitled to recover such default interest,
late fees and other expenses associated with collection before
payments – including principal or regular interest –
are made to direct lenders. We believe this puts Compass’
interest at odds with the interests of the direct lenders and
creates a situation where a payoff by the Borrower is unlikely.
Pathfinder believes it highly likely that a foreclosure action
will be required to enforce the lenders’ rights under the
loans and that the Borrower will shortly file bankruptcy.
Pathfinder has conducted extensive due diligence
on the USACM bankruptcy, the Palm Harbor One, LLC loans, Palm
Harbor One, LLC, the developer of the Palm Harbor One, LLC project
and its principals and believes there is a substantial risk of
continuing default on the Palm Harbor One, LLC loan. We also believe
that the recent decline in the Tampa area condominium market is
continuing to reduce the value of the property. In August, 2007,
the borrower filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The bankruptcy filing
only adds to the risk and uncertainty surrounding this project.
Q: Can’t we simply foreclose on Palm Harbor
One?
A: The foreclosure process and its timing
are highly uncertain, particularly in light of USACM’s bankruptcy
proceedings and the recent transfer of the servicing rights to
Compass Partners, LLC. Since Compass stands to collect default
interest, they have little incentive to foreclose. In the event
Compass is able to foreclose on Palm Harbor One in a reasonable
period of time (which is extremely uncertain, given their lack
of action to date on commencing the foreclosure process, Pathfinder
has further concerns about the underlying real estate asset and
what are likely to be significant expenses associated with a foreclosure
and subsequent ownership of the property.
In particular, under Florida law, foreclosure must
occur through a litigation process. Notwithstanding the current
default maturity status of the loan, it is highly likely that
the borrower will object to the foreclosure and attempt to exert
significant delays on the process, including possibly the filing
of its own bankruptcy proceeding. The foreclosure process itself
is likely to result in the incurrence of over $200,000 in additional
fees (including legal expenses, documentary transfer taxes to
the State of Florida and title insurance premiums, among others).
Moreover, we have been advised that successor ownership of the
project following a foreclosure action could result in significant
additional costs and individual liability exposure. Pathfinder
is prepared to undertake that risk. These additional costs include
up to six months of Homeowner’s Association dues for each
of the approximately 368 unsold units, expenses associated with
refurbishing and leasing up the large number of vacant units in
the project, and most importantly, the individual liability exposure
for construction defects and related claims arising from the sale
of the condominium units (both prior sales as well as any new
sales) as successor in interest to the developer (Borrower).
Pathfinder evaluated the multi-family apartment
and condominium markets in Palm Harbor and Pinellas County and
observes a significant increase in the number of available condominiums
being offered for sale as of February, 2007. Consultations with
experts in multi-family sales in western Florida indicate that
the market has experienced a price decline of up to 40% over the
last 9-12 months. Based on the competitive environment, Pathfinder
believes there is substantial uncertainty as to whether the Palm
Harbor One, LLC units can be sold as condominiums in a reasonable
period of time, even at substantial discounts to the already reduced
prices currently sought by the developer. Based on its analysis,
Pathfinder believes many of the units now being marketed as condominiums
in western Florida, including many of the currently unsold Palm
Harbor One, LLC units, will instead return to the rental market,
further depressing rental rates and increasing vacancy rates.
Q: What is happening to the rental income on
the unsold Palm Harbor One, LLC units?
A: Approximately 85% of the Palm Harbor One
units remained unsold. We are aware of only one partial lien release
(e.g. one sale) in the past seven months. Less than half of the
unsold units were being rented by the Borrower (developer) with
the rest remaining vacant. The Borrower has been collecting rents
but has not been making principal or interest payments on the
Palm Harbor One, LLC loans since December, 2006.
Q: Why is the developer in default on the Palm
Harbor loan?
A: The developer purchased Palm Harbor One at the
very peak of the market. In addition to the decline in the western
Florida condominium market, the developer was restricted by the
terms of the loan to certain “release prices” for
the sale of condominium units at the project. These prices, while
perhaps reflective of market conditions in 2005, are not reflective
of current market conditions. Most recently, Compass Partners,
LLC refused to permit a modification to the loan.
Q: Does Pathfinder have account or invoice
numbers to help me reconcile the claim to my books and records?
A: Pathfinder is an independent investment
company that is not affiliated with or hired by USACM,
Compass or their affiliates. Therefore, we do not have full access
to the books and records of USACM or Compass. No account information,
invoice numbers or other details are available from Pathfinder.
Q: If I sell my Loan Share, can I take a tax
loss deduction on my income tax returns?
A: Losses sustained on investments are typically
deductible on federal and state income tax returns in the year
the loss is realized. Since we are not able to provide legal or
accounting advice, we strongly urge you to consult with your accountant
or tax advisor for specific tax guidance.
Q: What happens if the Bankruptcy Court trustee
tries to recover monies that were previously paid to me?
A: Pathfinder believes that Palm Harbor One,
LLC Direct Lenders were not overpaid on their Palm Harbor One
loans and should not be subject to recovery of overpayments. Certain
Palm Harbor One investors who also have loans in other USACM properties
where overpayments were made may be subject to recovery by the
Bankruptcy Court trustee. We suggest you consult with your attorneys
for specific legal guidance in this area.
Q: Are payments received from Pathfinder subject
to recovery in the event the Bankruptcy Court trustee seeks to
recover monies that were previously paid to Palm Harbor One lenders?
A: Pathfinder is purchasing Palm Harbor One,
LLC loans on a non-recourse basis, meaning we can not look to
you for a return of our purchase price unless you have previously
sold, encumbered, assigned or otherwise had your loan share satisfied.
Furthermore, we would be responsible for the repayment of any
interest that USA Commercial Mortgage prepaid to you on account
of this note.
Q: What if we do not have documents to support
our Loan Share?
A: Please contact
Pathfinder for further instructions.
Q: What if we disagree with the amount
Pathfinder lists as our Loan Share?
A: Pathfinder will review any documentation
you may have to support a revision of your claim amount. After
such documentation is approved, Pathfinder may forward a revised
offer to you.
Q: What if we receive additional payments
on Palm Harbor One, LLC between now and the date we conclude a
purchase and sale transaction with Pathfinder?
A: Pathfinder has based its offer on your
Palm Harbor One, LLC loan balance as of January 31, 2007. In the
event USACM makes payments for Palm Harbor One, LLC prior to the
closing of a transaction, your loan balance and the amount of
our payment would be adjusted accordingly.
Q: Pathfinder’s offer has expired. Will
Pathfinder still purchase my claim?
A: Pathfinder’s tender offer for Palm
Harbor expired May 4, 2007. Pathfinder has no plans to extend
the tender offer period. If we do extend the tender offering period,
we will attempt to notify all of the persons holding Loan Shares.
Pathfinder is continuing to purchase loan shares from lenders
who contact Pathfinder.
Q: Are you interested in purchasing other
USA Commercial Mortgage loans?
A: At the present time, we are only purchasing Palm
Harbor One, LLC Loan Shares and the Loan Shares in Bay Pompano,
LLC and Gramercy Court, LLC, but may be interested in purchasing
other USACM loans in the future. If you would like to email a
listing of your other USACM loans to info@pathfinderpartnersllc.com,
we will review it and contact you if we are interested in purchasing
your interest any such Loan Shares. |