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 Entertainment Law & Finance 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
Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About It Image

Why is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

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.

A Lawyer's System for Active Reading Image

Active reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.

Protecting Innovation in the Cyber World from Patent Trolls Image

With trillions of dollars to keep watch over, the last thing we need is the distraction of costly litigation brought on by patent assertion entities (PAEs or "patent trolls"), companies that don't make any products but instead seek royalties by asserting their patents against those who do make products.