Real Estate
Classification and Impairment Evaluation
We classify real estate in accordance with the criteria of the “Property, Plant and Equipment” Topic of the FASB ASC (Topic 360) as follows: (i) real estate held for sale, which includes completed assets or land for sale in its present condition that meet all of Topic 360’s “held for sale” criteria, (ii) real estate under development (current), which includes real estate that we are in the process of developing that is expected to be completed and disposed of within one year of the balance sheet date; (iii) real estate under development (non-current), which includes real estate that we are in the process of developing that is expected to be completed and disposed of more than one year from the balance sheet date; or (iv) real estate held for investment, which consists of land on which development activities have not yet commenced and completed assets or land held for disposition that do not meet the “held for sale” criteria. Any asset reclassified from real estate held for sale to real estate under development (current or non-current) or real estate held for investment is recorded individually at the lower of its fair value at the date of the reclassification or its carrying amount before it was classified as “held for sale,” adjusted (in the case of real estate held for investment) for any depreciation that would have been recognized had the asset been continuously classified as real estate held for investment.
Real estate held for sale is recorded at the lower of cost or fair value less cost to sell. If an asset’s fair value less cost to sell, based on discounted future cash flows, management estimates or market comparisons, is less than its carrying amount, an allowance is recorded against the asset.
Real estate under development and real estate held for investment are carried at cost less depreciation, as applicable. Buildings and improvements included in real estate held for investment are depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives, generally up to 39 years. Tenant improvements included in real estate held for investment are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or terms of the respective leases. Land improvements included in real estate held for investment are depreciated over their estimated useful lives, up to 15 years.
Real estate under development and real estate held for investment are evaluated for impairment and losses are recorded when undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by an asset are less than the asset’s carrying amount. The amount of the impairment loss, if any, is calculated as the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value, which is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, management estimates or market comparisons.
Cost Capitalization and Allocation
When acquiring, developing and constructing real estate assets, we capitalize recoverable costs. Capitalization begins when the activities related to development have begun and ceases when activities are substantially complete and the asset is available for occupancy. Recoverable costs capitalized include pursuit costs, or pre-acquisition/pre-construction costs, taxes and insurance, interest, development and construction costs and costs of incidental operations. We do not capitalize any internal costs when acquiring, developing and constructing real estate assets. We expense transaction costs for acquisitions that qualify as a business in accordance with the “Business Combinations” Topic of the FASB ASC (Topic 805). Pursuit costs capitalized in connection with a potential development project that we have determined not to pursue are written off in the period that determination is made.
At times, we purchase bulk land that we intend to sell or develop in phases. The land basis allocated to each phase is based on the relative estimated fair value of the phases before construction. We allocate construction costs incurred relating to more than one phase between the various phases; if the costs cannot be specifically attributed to a certain phase or the improvements benefit more than one phase, we allocate the costs between the phases based on their relative estimated sales values, where practicable, or other value methods as appropriate under the circumstances. Relative allocations of the costs are revised as the sales value estimates are revised.
When acquiring real estate with existing buildings, we allocate the purchase price between land, land improvements, building and intangibles related to in-place leases, if any, based on their relative fair values. The fair values of acquired land and buildings are determined based on an estimated discounted future cash flow model with lease-up assumptions as if the building was vacant upon acquisition. The fair value of in-place leases includes the value of lease intangibles for above or below-market rents and tenant origination costs, determined on a lease by lease basis. The capitalized values for both lease intangibles and tenant origination costs are amortized over the term of the underlying leases. Amortization related to lease intangibles is recorded as either an increase to or a reduction of rental income and amortization for tenant origination costs is recorded to amortization expense.
Disposition of Real Estate
Gains on disposition of real estate are recognized upon sale of the underlying project. We evaluate each real estate sale transaction to determine if it qualifies for gain recognition under the full accrual method. If the transaction does not meet the criteria for the full accrual method of profit recognition based on our assessment, we account for a sale based on an appropriate deferral method determined by the nature and extent of the buyer’s investment and our continuing involvement.
Discontinued Operations
Topic 360 extends the reporting of a discontinued operation to a “component of an entity,” and further requires that a component be classified as a discontinued operation if the operations and cash flows of the component have been or will be eliminated from the ongoing operations of the entity in the disposal transaction and the entity will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the component after the disposal transaction. As defined in Topic 360, a “component of an entity” comprises operations and cash flows that can be clearly distinguished, operationally and for financial reporting purposes, from the rest of the entity. Because each of our consolidated real estate assets is generally accounted for in a discrete subsidiary, many constitute a component of an entity under Topic 360, increasing the likelihood that the disposition of assets that we hold for sale in the ordinary course of business must be reported as a discontinued operation unless we have significant continuing involvement in the operations of the asset after its disposition. Furthermore, operating profits and losses on such assets are required to be recognized and reported as operating profits and losses on discontinued operations in the periods in which they occur.