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A Prepackaged Bankruptcy Could Be the Answer to a Mortgage Default

By Timothy Little, Scott Vetri, Julie Lee and Peter Siddiqui
July 01, 2024

Chapter 11 bankruptcy has long been thought of as anathema to commercial real estate (CRE) lenders. This is due to the debtor-friendly bankruptcy forum, particularly with respect to (i) the up to 18 month exclusivity period during which only the debtor could propose a plan of reorganization and (ii) threats of a "cram-down" plan used to lever concessions from lenders. These provisions can be, and often were, abused by debtors with no real rehabilitative intent using bankruptcy only as a leverage tool. These abuses led to changes in the bankruptcy code (for example, reducing modifying deadlines in single-asset real estate bankruptcies) and also to widespread use of non-recourse carve-out guaranties that would make the sponsor guarantor fully liable for the loan if any party acting on behalf of the special purpose borrower entity files or acquiesces to a bankruptcy proceeding. These events also established a principle in CRE lending that is seldom questioned almost 30 years later: bankruptcy is to be avoided.

But for single-asset commercial properties in jurisdictions with high real estate transfer taxes, prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy may offer an attractive option compared to those typically available to lenders, such as foreclosure, a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, or a short sale.

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