Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Distressed Real Estate Bankruptcies Continue, Despite Interest Rate Peak

By Andrew C. Kassner and Joseph N. Argentina Jr.
January 01, 2024

Although interest rates may have peaked, we continue to expect a large volume of distressed real estate debtors to utilize the bankruptcy system over the next couple of years. This article analyzes two recent decisions regarding distressed real estate bankruptcies, both of which involve rights of real estate lenders against proceeds of collateral other than the real estate itself. One involves the right of a lender to assert a deficiency claim against proceeds of the bankrupt debtor's insurance policy, and the other concerns whether a debtor can use the rents derived from the property that were pledged as additional collateral for the loan.

Lender Permitted to Assert Deficiency Claim Against Insurance Policy

In the first case, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York issued an opinion on Sept. 21 in In re Savva's Restaurant, Case No.: 22-70382-reg. According to the opinion, a mortgage lender sought to recover under the debtor's insurance policy following destruction of the property in a fire. The borrower filed a bankruptcy case and sold the property in a sale pursuant to a Chapter 11 plan. The lender entered into a stipulation consenting to the sale and agreeing its secured claim would be reduced by the amount of the net proceeds of the sale. The lender then asserted the deficiency amount against the insurance policy.

This premium content is locked for The Bankruptcy Strategist subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

CLE Shouldn't Be the Only Mandatory Training for Attorneys Image

Each stage of an attorney's career offers opportunities for a curriculum that addresses both the individual's and the firm's need to drive success.

A defendant in a patent infringement suit may, during discovery and prior to a <i>Markman</i> hearing, compel the plaintiff to produce claim charts, claim constructions, and element-by-element infringement analyses.