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Loan maturity

Solving a loan maturity with a ground lease.

A 2019–2022 vintage loan hits a maturity wall and the refinance comes up short. Land proceeds retire the gap or pay the maturing senior down to a refinanceable level — without new preferred equity or a dilutive partner. Non-recourse, non-amortizing, and the smaller basis clears an agency or conventional takeout.

Close the gap with permanent capital — not pref, not a forced sale.
~30–40%
of basis, freed to retire the gap
·
~6–6.75%
non-amortizing · non-recourse
The refi gap is the difference between the maturing balance and what a new loan will size to today. A ground lease fills it with the cheapest, most patient capital in the stack — no balloon and no maturity wall — so you pay the senior down to a number a lender will refinance, and keep the building and the upside.
Ways to close the gap

The maturity fixes, side by side.

Ground lease Pref / mezzanine / rescue equity
The gap Retired with land proceeds — pay the senior down to a refinanceable level. Plugged with new debt or equity layered on top of the existing stack.
Cost ~6–6.75% ground rent, non-amortizing — the cheapest layer in the stack. 9–15% pref or mezz, or expensive rescue equity priced to the distress.
Your equity No dilution — no new partner, no promote given away. Dilution, a hardened pref, or loss of control to the new money.
Recourse Non-recourse — it is a sale of the land, not a guaranteed loan. Often carries a guaranty, springing recourse, or completion backstop.
Takeout blocks Cleared — proceeds shrink the basis so an agency or conventional takeout fits. Leaves the size problem in place and layers on more debt — the block remains.
Maturity risk Gone on the land — permanent, no balloon, no next wall. Adds another short-dated maturity to refinance again in a few years.

Best fit: 2019–2022 vintage, land-heavy or stabilized assets with a real refi gap · deals where the senior would refinance at a lower basis · situations that fall short of an agency or conventional takeout test — one principal counterparty for the land and the leasehold financing.

Questions, answered

Ground lease for a loan maturity — FAQ.

How does a ground lease solve a loan maturity?

When a maturing loan can't fully refinance, the gap is the shortfall between the old balance and what a new loan will size to today. A ground lease monetizes the land — typically 30 to 40% of basis — and those proceeds retire the gap or pay the maturing senior down to a refinanceable level, so the takeout closes without new pref or a forced sale.

Why is this better than preferred equity or a mezzanine loan?

Pref and mezzanine usually price at 9 to 15%, add another short-dated maturity, and often dilute you or take promote and control. Ground-lease proceeds carry at roughly 6 to 6.75%, are non-amortizing and non-recourse, add no new maturity wall, and cost you no equity. You keep the building and 100% of the upside.

Does it help an agency or conventional takeout fit?

Yes. Because the land is no longer your collateral, the new loan sizes off a smaller basis that an agency or conventional lender can clear — so a takeout that fell short on the old basis can fit where it didn't before.

My loan matures soon — what should I send?

The address or parcel, the as-complete stabilized NOI, total project cost, the maturing balance, and the asset type. We return an indicative land value, the implied ground rent and coverage, and how the proceeds close your gap — in about 48 hours, as principal or arranged capital, and non-binding.

Send us the deal

We move on real numbers.

Maturing 2019–2022 vintage loan with a refi gap — especially where you'd rather not raise pref, or the takeout falls short of an agency or conventional test. Send the address, the as-complete stabilized NOI, total project cost, and the maturing balance — we return an indicative land value in 48 hours, as principal or arranged capital.

Email us the deal