# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001465740
**File Stem:** 0001104659-25-091684
**Filing Date:** 2025-9
**Character Count:** 274522
**Document Hash:** 722062e23dccea4a7a86e5b2e57924bc
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001104659-25-091684.hdr.sgml**: 20250919

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001104659-25-091684

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 17

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20250919

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20250919

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20250919

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001465740
- **STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:** REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
- **ORGANIZATION NAME:** 05 Real Estate & Construction
- **EIN:** 270312904
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** MD
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 001-34506
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251327184

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 1601 UTICA AVENUE SOUTH
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 900
- **CITY:** ST. LOUIS PARK
- **STATE:** MN
- **ZIP:** 55416
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 612.453.4100

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 1601 UTICA AVENUE SOUTH
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 900
- **CITY:** ST. LOUIS PARK
- **STATE:** MN
- **ZIP:** 55416

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** Two Harbors Investment Corp.
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20090605

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'?

**UNITED STATES**

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

Washington, D.C. 20549

**FORM 8-K**

**Current Report**

**Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934**

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 19, 2025

**Two Harbors Investment Corp.**

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Maryland** | **001-34506** | **27-0312904** |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or <br> organization) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **1601 Utica Avenue South, Suite 900** | **St. Louis Park, MN** | **55416** |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) |  | (Zip Code) |

---

**(612) 453-4100**

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

**Not Applicable**

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

---

| |
|:---|
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |

---

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Title of Each Class:** | **Trading <br> Symbol(s)** | **Name of Exchange on Which <br> Registered:** |
| Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | TWO | New York Stock Exchange |
| 8.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | TWO PRA | New York Stock Exchange |
| 7.625% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | TWO PRB | New York Stock Exchange |
| 7.25% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | TWO PRC | New York Stock Exchange |
| 9.375% Senior Notes Due 2030 | TWOD | New York Stock Exchange |

---

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging Growth Company ◻

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ◻

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 1.01** | **Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.** |

---

On September 19, 2025, Two Harbors Investment Corp. ("Two Harbors," "we," "our" or "us") filed a new prospectus supplement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") relating to the offer and sale of shares of Two Harbors common stock ("Shares") under the Company's existing at-the-market equity offering program (the "ATM Program"). The new prospectus supplement was filed as a result of Two Harbors amending and restating the Equity Distribution Agreement with Citizens JMP Securities, LLC ("Citizens") and entering into a separate Equity Distribution Agreement with BTIG, LLC ("BTIG" and together with Citizens, the "Sales Agents") (collectively, the "Equity Distribution Agreements"). Pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreements, Two Harbors may offer and sell up to 15,000,000 Shares from time to time through the Sales Agents.

Sales of the Shares, if any, may be made in negotiated transactions or transactions that are deemed to be "at the market" offerings as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on the NYSE or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The Sales Agents will make all sales using commercially reasonable efforts consistent with their normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed upon terms between the Sales Agents and Two Harbors. The Sales Agents will be entitled to total compensation of up to 2% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Shares sold under the Equity Distribution Agreements.

Two Harbors has agreed to indemnify the Sales Agents against certain specified types of liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments that the Sales Agents may be required to make because of those liabilities. The Sales Agents or their respective affiliates have engaged and may in the future engage in various financing, commercial banking and investment banking services with, and have provided and may in the future provide financial advisory services to, Two Harbors and its affiliates for which they have received or may receive customary fees and expenses.

The foregoing description of the Equity Distribution Agreements is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the entire Equity Distribution Agreements, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and Exhibit 1.2, and incorporated herein by reference.

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there have been any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Item 9.01** | **Financial Statements and Exhibits.** |

---

(d) Exhibits.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit** |  |
| **No.** | **Description** |
| [1.1](tm2526278d2_ex1-1.htm) | [Amended and Restated Equity Distribution Agreement, dated September 19, 2025, by and between Two Harbors and Citizens JMP Securities, LLC](tm2526278d2_ex1-1.htm) |
| [1.2](tm2526278d2_ex1-2.htm) | [Equity Distribution Agreement, dated September 19, 2025, by and between Two Harbors and BTIG, LLC](tm2526278d2_ex1-2.htm) |
| [5.1](tm2526278d2_ex5-1.htm) | [Opinion of Ballard Spahr LLP with respect to the legality of the Shares.](tm2526278d2_ex5-1.htm) |
| [23.1](tm2526278d2_ex5-1.htm) | [Consent of Ballard Spahr LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto).](tm2526278d2_ex5-1.htm) |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File, formatted in Inline XBRL. |

---

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP. | TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP. |
|  | By: | /s/ Rebecca B. Sandberg |
|  |  | Rebecca B. Sandberg |
|  |  | Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |
| Date: September 19, 2025 |  |  |

---

## Exhibit 1.1

**Exhibit 1.1**

------

TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.

15,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

<u>Amended and Restated</u>

<u>EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT</u>

Dated: September 19, 2025

------

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| SECTION 1. | Description of Securities | 1 |
| SECTION 2. | Placements | 2 |
| SECTION 3. | Sale of Placement Securities by the Placement Agent | 2 |
| SECTION 4. | Suspension of Sales | 4 |
| SECTION 5. | Representations and Warranties | 4 |
| SECTION 6. | Sale and Delivery to the Placement Agent; Settlement | 14 |
| SECTION 7. | Covenants of the Company | 16 |
| SECTION 8. | Payment of Expenses | 22 |
| SECTION 9. | Conditions of the Placement Agent's Obligations | 22 |
| SECTION 10. | Indemnity and Contribution by the Company and the Placement Agent | 25 |
| SECTION 11. | Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery | 27 |
| SECTION 12. | Termination of Agreement | 27 |
| SECTION 13. | Notices | 28 |
| SECTION 14. | Parties | 28 |
| SECTION 15. | Adjustments for Stock Splits | 29 |
| SECTION 16. | Governing Law and Time | 29 |
| SECTION 17. | Effect of Headings | 29 |
| SECTION 18. | Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses | 29 |
| SECTION 19. | Absence of Fiduciary Relationship | 29 |

---

ii

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

 <u>EXHIBITS</u>

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Exhibit A | Form of Placement Notice |
| Exhibit B | Authorized Individuals for Placement Notices and Acceptances |
| Exhibit C | Compensation |
| Exhibit D | Officer Certificate |
| Exhibit E | Issuer Pricing Free Writing Prospectus |

---

iii

**TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.**

15,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

<u>Amended and Restated</u>

<u>EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT</u>

September 19, 2025

Citizens JMP Securities, LLC

101 California Street, Suite 1700

San Francisco, California 94111

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Two Harbors Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation (the "<u>Company</u>") confirms its agreement (this "<u>Agreement</u>") with Citizens JMP Securities, LLC (the "<u>Placement Agent</u>") as follows:

SECTION 1. <u>Description of Securities</u>.

The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through the Placement Agent, acting as agent and/or principal, up to 15,000,000 shares (the "<u>Securities</u>") of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "<u>Common Stock</u>"). The Company has also entered into separate equity distribution agreements with each of the entities listed on <u>Schedule A</u> hereto, as sales agent and/or principal (each, an "<u>Alternative Placement Agent</u>"). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, except as set forth in a Placement Notice (as defined below) the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number of the Securities issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and the Placement Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of the Securities through the Placement Agent will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "<u>Commission</u>"), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to offer, sell or issue the Securities.

The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "<u>Securities Act</u>"), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277271), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Securities to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "<u>Exchange Act</u>"). The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities (the "<u>Prospectus Supplement</u>") to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement. The Company will furnish to the Placement Agent, for use by the Placement Agent, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Securities. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, as amended when it became effective, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act and also including any registration statement to be filed to register the offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, is herein called the "<u>Registration Statement</u>." The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is herein called the "<u>Prospectus</u>." Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms "amend," "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Any reference herein to financial statements and schedules and other information that is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("<u>EDGAR</u>"); all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR.

SECTION 2. <u>Placements</u>.

Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell the Securities hereunder (each, a "<u>Placement</u>"), it will notify the Placement Agent by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the Securities to be sold, which shall at a minimum include the number of Securities to be issued (the "<u>Placement Securities</u>"), the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Securities that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a "<u>Placement Notice</u>"), a form of which containing such minimum sales parameters necessary is attached hereto as <u>Exhibit A</u>. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u> (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Placement Agent set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>, as such <u>Exhibit B</u> may be amended from time to time. If the Placement Agent wishes to accept such proposed terms included in the Placement Notice (which it may decline to do so for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussion with the Company, wishes to accept amended terms, the Placement Agent will, prior to 4:30 p.m. (eastern time) on the Business Day (as defined below) following the Business Day on which such Placement Notice is delivered to the Placement Agent, issue to the Company a notice by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) addressed to all of the individuals from the Company and the Placement Agent set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>) setting forth the terms that the Placement Agent is willing to accept. Where the terms provided in the Placement Notice are amended as provided for in the immediately preceding sentence, such terms will not be binding on the Company or the Placement Agent until the Company delivers to the Placement Agent an acceptance by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of all of the terms of such Placement Notice, as amended (the "<u>Acceptance</u>"), which email shall be addressed to all of the individuals from the Company and the Placement Agent set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>. The Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) shall be effective upon receipt by the Company of the Placement Agent's acceptance of the terms of the Placement Notice or upon receipt by the Placement Agent of the Company's Acceptance, as the case may be, unless and until (a) the entire amount of the Placement Securities have been sold, (b) in accordance with the Placement Notice requirements set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph, the Company terminates the Placement Notice, (c) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice, (d) the Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 9 or Section 12 or (e) either party shall have suspended the sale of the Placement Securities in accordance with Section 4 below. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Placement Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Securities shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in <u>Exhibit C</u>. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Placement Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Securities unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Placement Agent and either (y) the Placement Agent accepts the terms of such Placement Notice or (z) where the terms of such Placement Notice are amended, the Company accepts such amended terms by means of an Acceptance pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable), the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) will control. The term "Business Day" means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

SECTION 3. <u>Sale of Placement Securities by the Placement Agent.</u>

Subject to the provisions of Section 6(a), the Placement Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell the Placement Securities up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable). The Placement Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Securities hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Securities sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Placement Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Placement Agent (as set forth in Section 6(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable), the Placement Agent may sell Placement Securities by any method permitted by law deemed to be an "at the market" offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker. If specified in a Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable), the Placement Agent may also sell Placement Securities by any other method permitted by law, including but not limited to in privately negotiated transactions. For the purposes hereof, "<u>Trading Day</u>" means any day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and during which there has been no market disruption of, unscheduled closing of or suspension of trading on such principal market.

SECTION 4. <u>Suspension of Sales</u>. The Company or the Placement Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>), suspend any sale of Placement Securities; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party's obligations with respect to any Placement Securities sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other unless it is made to one of the individuals named on <u>Exhibit B</u> hereto, as such <u>Exhibit B</u> may be amended from time to time.

SECTION 5. <u>Representations and Warranties</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Representations and Warranties by the Company*. The Company represents and warrants to the Placement Agent as of the date hereof and as of each Representation Date (as defined herein) on which a certificate is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(o) of this Agreement and as of the time of each sale of any Securities or any securities pursuant to this Agreement (the "Applicable Time"), and agrees with the Placement Agent, as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) <u>Compliance with Registration Requirements</u>. The Securities have been duly registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act, and no stop order preventing or suspending the use of any base prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), or the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.

At the respective times each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became or becomes effective and as of the date hereof, the Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The conditions for the use of Form S-3, as set forth in the General Instructions thereto, have been complied with and the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Securities as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities Act (including without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5)). The Registration Statement, as of the date hereof and each effective date with respect thereto, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, as of their respective dates, and at each Applicable Time and Settlement Date (as defined below), as the case may be, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by the Placement Agent expressly for use therein.

The copies of the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, any other preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) that is required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto delivered and to be delivered to the Placement Agent (electronically or otherwise) in connection with the offering of the Securities were and will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. "Issuer Free Writing Prospectus" means any "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Securities that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (B) is a "road show" that is a "written communication" within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) under the Securities Act whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (C) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) under the Securities Act because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, and all free writing prospectuses that are listed in <u>Exhibit E</u> hereto, in each case in the form furnished (electronically or otherwise) to the Placement Agent for use in connection with the offering of the Securities.

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus relating to the Securities, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time and Settlement Date (as defined below), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified; each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time and Settlement Date (as defined below), will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances, prevailing at that time, not misleading. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any issuer free writing prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent specifically for use therein.

Each document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus heretofore filed, when it was filed (or, if any amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and any further documents so filed and incorporated after the date of this Agreement will, when they are filed, conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; no such document when it was filed (or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and no such document, when it is filed, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

The Company was and is a "well-known seasoned issuer" as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (i) at the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and (iv) as of the time of execution of this Agreement. The Registration Statement is an "automatic shelf registration statement," as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, that automatically became effective not more than three years prior to the time of execution of this Agreement; the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration form.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) <u>Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses</u>. Except for the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses identified in <u>Exhibit E</u> hereto, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior consent of the Placement Agent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) <u>Company Not an Ineligible Issuer</u>. (A) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) of the Securities and (B) as of the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) <u>Filing of Registration Statement</u>. The Company filed the Registration Statement with the Commission before using any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) <u>No Other Offering Documents or Prospectuses</u>. The Company has not distributed, and prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities, will not distribute, any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities to be sold hereunder by the Placement Agent, other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to the Placement Agent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6) <u>Good Standing of the Company</u>. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "<u>Material Adverse Effect</u>").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7) <u>Subsidiaries</u>. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or organized and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or organization in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or membership interests of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock or membership interests of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(8) <u>Securities</u>. The Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Securities have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Settlement Date, such Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will conform to the information in the Prospectus and to the description of such Securities contained in the Final Prospectus; the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding (A) securities or obligations of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock of the Company, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company any such capital stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or (C) obligations of the Company to issue or sell any shares of capital stock, partnership interests or membership interests, as applicable, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligation, or any such warrants, rights or options.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(9) <u>No Finder's Fee</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its affiliates and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Placement Agent for a brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(10) <u>Registration Rights</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act (collectively, "<u>registration rights</u>").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(11) <u>Listing</u>. The Securities have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(12) <u>Absence of Further Requirements</u>. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(13) <u>Title to Property</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(14) <u>Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction</u>. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Securities will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (A) the Organizational Documents (as defined below) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (C) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except in the cases of clauses (B) and (C) only, for such defaults, violations, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and as would not materially adversely affect the Company's ability to perform its obligations hereunder; a "<u>Debt Repayment Triggering Event</u>" means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; the term "Organizational Documents" as used herein means (W) in the case of a corporation, its charter and by-laws; (X) in the case of a limited or general partnership, its partnership certificate, certificate of formation or similar organizational documents and its partnership agreement; (Y) in the case of a limited liability company, its articles of organization, certificate of formation or similar organizational documents and its operating agreement, limited liability company agreement, membership agreement or other similar agreement; and (Z) in the case of any other entity, the organizational and governing documents of such entity.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(15) <u>Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts</u>. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its Organizational Documents or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect and as would not materially adversely affect the Company's ability to perform its obligations hereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(16) <u>Authorization of Agreement</u>. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(17) <u>Independent Public Accountants</u>. Ernst & Young LLP (the "Accountants"), whose report on the financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are and, during the periods covered by their reports, were independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(18) <u>Possession of Licenses and Permits</u>. The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits ("<u>Licenses</u>") necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Prospectus to be conducted by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(19) <u>Absence of Labor Dispute</u>. No labor dispute exists between any officers or other key persons of the Company named in the Prospectus (each, a "Company Key Person") and the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, is such a labor dispute imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect. No labor dispute exists between any other employee of the Company and the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, is such a labor dispute imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(20) <u>Employment; Noncompetition; Nondisclosure</u>. The Company has not been notified that any Company Key Person plans to terminate his or her employment with the Company. Neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any Company Key Person is subject to any noncompete, nondisclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by the present or proposed business activities of the Company as described in the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(21) <u>Accurate Disclosure</u>. The disclosure set forth in (A) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the heading "Business—Operating and Regulatory Structure", (B) the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on April 2, 2025, under the heading "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions", and (C) in the Prospectus under the headings "Description of Capital Stock", "Certain Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Two Harbors' Charter and Bylaws", "U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" and "Plan of Distribution", insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(22) <u>Possession of Intellectual Property</u>. The Company does not have any trademark, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property that is material to the present or proposed business activities of the Company as described in the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(23) <u>Absence of Manipulation</u>. None of the Company or its respective subsidiaries or affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(24) <u>Statistical and Market-Related Data</u>. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(25) <u>Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act</u>. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company's Board of Directors (the "<u>Board</u>") are in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ("<u>Sarbanes- Oxley</u>") and all applicable rules of the NYSE ("<u>Exchange Rules</u>"). The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, "<u>Internal Controls</u>") that comply with Sarbanes-Oxley, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission (the "<u>Rules and Regulations</u>"), the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of "issuers" (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Exchange Rules (collectively, "<u>Securities Laws</u>") and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("<u>U.S. GAAP</u>") and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (D) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (E) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Internal Controls are, or upon consummation of the offering of the Securities will be, overseen by the Audit Committee (the "<u>Audit Committee</u>") of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls (each, an "<u>Internal Control Event</u>"), any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(26) <u>Litigation</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are threatened or, to the Company's knowledge, contemplated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(27) <u>Financial Statements</u>. The financial statements included in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis and the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The summary and selected financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus presents fairly the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company. There are no financial statements that are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not included as required.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(28) <u>Non-GAAP Financial Measures</u>. All "non-GAAP financial measures" (as defined in the Rules and Regulations) included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with the requirements of Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Rules and Regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(29) <u>No Material Adverse Change in Business</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus: (A) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole that is material and adverse; (B) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock; (C) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and subsidiaries; (D) there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and (E) there has not been any obligation, direct or contingent, which is material to the Company taken as a whole, incurred by the Company, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(30) <u>Investment Company Act</u>. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "<u>Investment Company Act</u>") or an entity controlled by an investment company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(31) <u>Insurance</u>. The Company and each of its subsidiaries is insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has obtained directors' and officer's insurance in such amounts as is customary for companies engaged in the type of business conducted by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(32) <u>Tax Law Compliance</u>. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and all other material tax returns required to be filed on or prior to the date hereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid taxes shown as due thereon (or that are otherwise due and payable including any interest, penalties and additions to tax that are due and payable) (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or except as are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had (nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which would reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries and which would reasonably be expected to have) a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company and each of its subsidiaries, there are no tax returns of the Company or any subsidiary that are currently being audited by federal, state or local taxing authorities or agencies which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(33) <u>Real Estate Investment Trust</u>. The Company has made a timely election to be subject to tax as a real estate investment trust ("<u>REIT</u>") pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") for its taxable year ended December 31, 2009. Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2009, the Company has been organized and operating in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and the Company's actual and proposed method of operation as set forth in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus does and will enable it to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. All statements regarding the Company's qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Company's organization and proposed method of operation set forth in the Prospectus are true, complete and correct in all material respects.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(34) <u>Description of Organization and Method of Operation</u>. The description of the Company's organization and actual and proposed method of operation and its qualification and taxation as a REIT set forth in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus is accurate and presents fairly the matters referred to therein in all material respects; the Company's operating policies and investment guidelines described in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately reflect in all material respects the current intentions of the Company with respect to the operation of its business, and no material deviation from such guidelines or policies is currently contemplated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(35) <u>Anti-Bribery Laws</u>. None of the Company or its subsidiaries (collectively and individually, an "<u>Entity</u>"), and to the knowledge of the Entity, any director of the Company, any Company Key Person, or to the Company's knowledge any other agent or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries, or any affiliate of the Company, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any "government official" (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws, including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(36) <u>Anti-Money Laundering Laws</u>. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti- money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the "Anti- Money Laundering Laws"), and no action, suit or proceeding (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or to the best knowledge of the Company threatened or contemplated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(37) <u>OFAC Sanctions</u>. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the "<u>Entity</u>") or any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is an individual or entity ("<u>Person</u>") that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is (A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty's Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, the "<u>Sanctions</u>"), nor (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and so-called Luhansk People's Republic regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Sudan); the Entity will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: (Y) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or (Z) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise); and the Entity has not engaged in, is not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(38) <u>Prior Sales of Shares</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(39) <u>Proprietary Trading by the Placement Agent</u>. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent has informed the Company that the Placement Agent may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell shares of Common Stock for its own account while this Agreement is in effect, and shall be under no obligation to purchase Securities on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Placement Agent in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable); provided, that no such purchase or sales shall take place while a Placement Notice is in effect (except (A) as agreed by the Placement Agent in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) or (B) to the extent the Placement Agent may engage in sales of Placement Securities purchased or deemed purchased from the Company as a "riskless principal" or in a similar capacity).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(40) <u>Actively Traded Security</u>. The Common Stock is an "actively traded security" excepted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Certificates*. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company delivered to the Placement Agent or to counsel for the Placement Agent pursuant to the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agent as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 6. <u>Sale and Delivery to the Placement Agent; Settlement</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Sale of Placement Securities*. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Placement Agent's acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice or upon receipt by the Placement Agent of an Acceptance, as the case may be, and unless the sale of the Placement Securities described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Placement Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Securities up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (1) there can be no assurance that the Placement Agent will be successful in selling Placement Securities, (2) the Placement Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Securities for any reason other than a failure by the Placement Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Securities as required under this Section 6, and (3) the Placement Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Securities on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Placement Agent in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Settlement of Placement Securities*. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Securities will occur on the first (1st) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a "<u>Settlement Date</u>"). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Securities sold (the "<u>Net Proceeds</u>") will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Placement Agent at which such Placement Securities were sold, after deduction for (1) the Placement Agent's commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof and (2) any other amounts due and payable by the Company to the Placement Agent hereunder pursuant to Section 8(a) hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Delivery of Placement Securities*. On or before each Settlement Date, concurrently with the receipt by the Company of the Net Proceeds due to the Company in respect of such Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Securities being sold by crediting the Placement Agent's or its designee's account (provided the Placement Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Placement Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Securities on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that, in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 10(a) hereto, it will (1) hold the Placement Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (2) pay to the Placement Agent any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Additional Placement Agents.* The Company agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, any offer to sell, any solicitation of an offer to buy, or any sales of Securities or sales of Common Stock pursuant to any "at the market" offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act shall only be effected by or through the Placement Agent or an Alternative Placement Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else herein to the contrary, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to limit the Company's ability to engage additional placement agents subsequent to the date hereof. The Company will notify the Placement Agent and the Alternative Placements Agents in the event that it engages one or more additional placement agents subsequent to the date hereof and <u>Schedule A</u> hereto shall be deemed to incorporate by reference the names of each of the placement agents (other than the Placement Agent) listed on <u>Schedule A</u> of the equity distribution agreements subsequently entered into by the Company and such additional placement agents.

SECTION 7. <u>Covenants of the Company</u>. The Company covenants with the Placement Agent as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Registration Statement Amendment*. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Securities is required to be delivered by the Placement Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), (1) the Company will notify the Placement Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any comment letter from the Commission or any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (2) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Placement Agent's request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Placement Agent's reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Securities by the Placement Agent (*provided, however*, that the failure of the Placement Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Placement Agent's right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement); (3) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Placement Securities or a security convertible into the Placement Securities unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Placement Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Placement Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (*provided, however*, that the failure of the Placement Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Placement Agent's right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Placement Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (4) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) of the Securities Act).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Notice of Commission Stop Orders*. The Company will advise the Placement Agent, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any other order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the loss or suspension of any exemption from any such qualification, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement or if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, the suspension of any qualification of the Securities for offering or sale and any loss or suspension of any exemption from any such qualification, and if any such stop order is issued or any such suspension or loss occurs, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus.* Except to the extent such documents have been publicly filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, the Company will furnish to the Placement Agent and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities and at such locations as the Placement Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.* If at any time when a Prospectus is required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to be delivered in connection with a pending sale of the Placement Securities (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement together with the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary at any such time to amend the Registration Statement together with the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Placement Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Securities during such period and the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Placement Agent such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Placement Agent may reasonably request. If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted, conflicts or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or included, includes or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or together with the Prospectus omitted, omits or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Placement Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Securities during such period and the Company will, subject to Section 7(a) hereof, promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Blue Sky and Other Qualifications*. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Placement Agent, to qualify the Placement Securities for offering and sale, or to obtain an exemption for the Securities to be offered and sold, under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Placement Agent may designate and to maintain such qualifications and exemptions in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Securities (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement); *provided*, *however*, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Placement Securities have been so qualified or exempt, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification or exemption, as the case may be, in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Securities (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Rule 158*. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Placement Agent the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Use of Proceeds*. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) *Listing*. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities is required to be delivered by the Placement Agent under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Securities (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Securities to be listed on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) *Filings with the Exchange*. The Company will timely seek to file with the NYSE all material documents and notices required by the NYSE of companies that have securities traded on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) *Reporting Requirements*. The Company, during any period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) *Notice of Other Sales*. During the pendency of any Placement Notice given hereunder, the Company shall provide the Placement Agent notice as promptly as reasonably possible before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any option to sell or otherwise disposes of any shares of Common Stock (other than Placement Securities offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock; *provided*, that such notice shall not be required in connection with (i) the issuance, grant or sale of restricted stock, Common Stock, LTIP units, options to purchase Common Stock, or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock or compensatory plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or sale or purchase of assets described in the Prospectus, or (iii) the issuance or sale of Common Stock pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan that the Company has in effect or may adopt from time to time, *provided* the implementation of such new plan is disclosed to the Placement Agent in advance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) *Change of Circumstances*. The Company will, at any time during a fiscal quarter in which the Company intends to tender a Placement Notice or sell Placement Securities, advise the Placement Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to the Placement Agent pursuant to this Agreement during such fiscal quarter.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) *Due Diligence Cooperation*. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Placement Agent or its agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior officers, during regular business hours and at the Company's principal offices, as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) *Disclosure of Sales*. The Company will, if applicable, disclose in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in its annual report on Form 10-K the number of Placement Securities sold through the Placement Agent during the most recent fiscal quarter, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid or payable by the Company to the Placement Agent with respect to such Placement Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(o) *Representation Dates; Certificate*. On or prior to the date that the Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) each time the Company files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities or amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities (other than amendments or supplements that are filed solely to report sales of the Placement Securities pursuant to this Agreement) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K shall be a "<u>10-K Representation Date</u>");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) each time the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) each time the Company files a report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than an earnings release, to "furnish" information pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassifications of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a "Representation Date");

the Company shall furnish the Placement Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u>, within three (3) Trading Days of any Representation Date. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(o) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; *provided, however*, that such waiver shall not apply for any 10-K Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Securities following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Placement Agent with a certificate under this Section 7(o), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or the Placement Agent sells any Placement Securities, the Company shall provide the Placement Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u>, dated the date of the Placement Notice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(p) *Legal Opinions*. On or prior to the date that the Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and within three (3) Trading Days after each Representation Date (excluding Representation Dates with regard to the time the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q) with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u> for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Placement Agent (1) a written opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, corporate counsel to the Company ("<u>Company Corporate Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (2) a written opinion of Greenberg Traurig LLP, 1940 Act counsel to the Company ("<u>Company 1940 Act Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (3) a written opinion of Ballard Spahr LLP, Maryland counsel to the Company ("<u>Company Maryland Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; and (4) a written opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, tax counsel to the Company ("<u>Company Tax Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; *provided, however*, that in lieu of such opinions for subsequent 10-K Representation Dates, counsel may furnish the Placement Agent with a letter (a "<u>Reliance Letter</u>") to the effect that the Placement Agent may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this Section 7(p) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such 10-K Representation Date).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(q) *Comfort Letter*. On or prior to the date that the Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and within three (3) Trading Days after each Representation Date (excluding Representation Dates with regard to the time the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q) with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u> for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent accountants (and any other independent accountants whose report is included in the Prospectus) to furnish the Placement Agent letters (the "<u>Comfort Letters</u>"), dated the date of the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and substance satisfactory to the Placement Agent, (1) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the PCAOB, (2) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(r) *Market Activities*. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (1) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or (2) sell, bid for, or purchase the Securities to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Securities to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement other than the Placement Agent; *provided, however*, that the Company may bid for and purchase its Common Stock in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(s) *Investment Company Act*. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an "investment company," as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act, assuming no change in the Commission's current interpretation as to entities that are not considered an investment company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(t) *Securities Act and Exchange Act*. The Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Placement Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(u) *No Offer to Sell*. Other than a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) approved in advance in writing by the Company and the Placement Agent in its capacity as principal or agent hereunder, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Placement Agent in its capacity as such) will not, directly or indirectly, make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any free writing prospectus relating to the Securities to be sold by the Placement Agent as principal or agent hereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) *Sarbanes-Oxley Act*. The Company and its subsidiaries will use their best efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(w) *Regulation M*. If the Company has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied with respect to the Company or the Common Stock, it shall promptly notify the Placement Agent and sales of the Placement Securities under this Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(x) *REIT Qualification*. The Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify as a REIT for its taxable year unless the Board of Directors of the Company determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to be so qualified.

SECTION 8. <u>Payment of Expenses</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Expenses*. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (1) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto, (2) the word processing, printing and delivery to the Placement Agent of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Securities, (3) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Placement Securities to the Placement Agent, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Securities to the Placement Agent, (4) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (5) the qualification or exemption of the Placement Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Placement Agent in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplements thereto, (6) the printing and delivery to the Placement Agent of copies of any permitted Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Placement Agent to investors, (7) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Securities, (8) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Placement Agent in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities and (9) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Securities on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Termination of Agreement*. If this Agreement is terminated by the Placement Agent in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 or Section 12(a)(i) hereof or by the Company pursuant to Section 12(b) hereof, and the Company has sold less than 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement prior to the date of termination, the Company shall reimburse the Placement Agent for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with negotiating this Agreement, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Placement Agent up to $75,000.

SECTION 9. <u>Conditions of the Placement Agent's Obligations</u>. The obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Opinions of Company Corporate Counsel, Company 1940 Act Counsel, Company Maryland Counsel, Company Tax Counsel and Counsel to the Placement Agent*. On or prior to the date that Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (A) the Company shall furnish to the Placement Agent the opinions, each addressed to the Placement Agent, of (1) Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, corporate counsel for the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (2) Greenberg Traurig LLP, 1940 Act counsel for the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (3) Ballard Spahr LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; and (4) Sidley Austin LLP, tax counsel for the Company and the Subsidiaries, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; and (B) the Placement Agent shall have received, unless waived by the Placement Agent, a written opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP, counsel to the Placement Agent, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Effectiveness of Registration Statement*. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for (1) all sales of Placement Securities issued pursuant to all prior Placement Notices and (2) the sale of all Placement Securities contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *No Material Notices*. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (1) receipt by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (2) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (3) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; (4) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *No Misstatement or Material Omission*. The Placement Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Placement Agent's reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Placement Agent's opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Material Changes*. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Representation Certificate*. The Placement Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(o).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Accountant's Comfort Letter*. The Placement Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(q) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(q).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) *Approval for Listing*. The Placement Securities shall either have been (i) approved for listing on the NYSE, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Securities on the NYSE at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) *No Suspension*. Trading in the Securities shall not have been suspended on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) *Additional Documents*. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(o), counsel for the Placement Agent shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, contained in this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) *Securities Act Filings Made*. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424 under the Securities Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) *Termination of Agreement*. If any condition specified in this Section 9 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Placement Agent by notice to the Company, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 7 hereof and except that, in the case of any termination of this Agreement, Sections 5, 10, 11 and 19 hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. <u>Indemnity and Contribution by the Company and the Placement Agent.</u>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Indemnification by the Company*. The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Placement Agent and any person who controls the Placement Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Placement Agent or any controlling person may incur under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereof), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed or was required to file with the Commission or the Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 10 being deemed to include the Prospectus as of its date and as amended or supplemented by the Company), (2) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in any such Registration Statement, or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading, or (3) any omission or alleged omission from any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus of a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; *except*, in the case of each of clauses (1), (2) and (3), insofar as any such loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, in each such case, to the extent contained in and in conformity with information furnished in writing by the Placement Agent to the Company expressly for use therein (that information being limited to that described in Section 10(b) hereof). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 10(a) shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have. If any action is brought against the Placement Agent or any controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to this Section 10(a), the Placement Agent shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action, and the Company shall if it so elects assume the defense of such action, including the employment of counsel and payment of expenses; *provided*, *however*, that any failure or delay to so notify the Company will not relieve the Company of any obligation hereunder, except to the extent that its ability to defend is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay. The Placement Agent or such controlling person shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Placement Agent or such controlling person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or the Company shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent or such controlling person, as the case maybe, to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded (based on the advice of counsel) that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for the Placement Agent or such controlling persons in any one action or series of related actions in the same jurisdiction (other than local counsel in any such jurisdiction) representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action effected without its written consent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Indemnification by the Placement Agent.* The Placement Agent agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, the Company's directors, the Company's officers that signed the Registration Statement, and any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person may incur under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereof), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed or was required to file with the Commission, the Prospectus, (2) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in any such Registration Statement, or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading, or (3) any omission or alleged omission from any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus of a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only insofar as such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in such Registration Statement, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing by the Placement Agent to the Company expressly for use therein. The name of the Placement Agent set forth in the first paragraph on the cover of the Prospectus Supplement constitutes the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Placement Agent to the Company for the purposes of Section 5(a)(1) and this Section 10. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 10(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Placement Agent may otherwise have.

If any action is brought against the Company or any such person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Placement Agent pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, the Company or such person shall promptly notify the Placement Agent in writing of the institution of such action and the Placement Agent shall if its so elects assume the defense of such action, including the employment of counsel and payment of expenses; *provided*, *however*, that any failure or delay to so notify the Placement Agent will not relieve the Placement Agent of any obligation hereunder, except to the extent that their ability to defend is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay. The Company or such person shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company or such person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Placement Agent in connection with the defense of such action or the Placement Agent shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company or such person, as the case may be, to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded (based on the advice of counsel) that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to (in which case the Placement Agent shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Placement Agent and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Placement Agent shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys in any one action or series of related actions in the same jurisdiction (other than local counsel in any such jurisdiction) representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, the Placement Agent shall not be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action effected without its written consent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Contribution*. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 10 in respect of any losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims (1) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and by the Placement Agent, each from the offering of the Securities, or (2) if (but only if) the allocation provided by clause (1) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (1) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Placement Agent in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the gross proceeds from the offering of Securities (before deducting discounts and expenses) received by each of them and benefits received by the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be equal to the underwriting discounts and commissions received the Placement Agent. The relative fault of the Company and of the Placement Agent shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Placement Agent and the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any claim or action.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Company and the Placement Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by *pro rata* allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in clause (1) and, if applicable, clause (2) of subsection (c) above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, the Placement Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities purchased by the Placement Agent and the liability of the Company pursuant to this Section 10 shall not exceed the gross proceeds received by the Company in the offering. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

SECTION 11. <u>Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery</u>. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Placement Agent or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the Placement Agent.

SECTION 12. <u>Termination of Agreement</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Termination; General*. The Placement Agent may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (3) if trading in the Placement Securities has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange, the NYSE or the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, the FINRA or any other governmental authority, or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or in Europe, or (4) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Termination by the Company*. The Company shall have the right, by giving one (1) day notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12(b), any outstanding Placement Notices shall also be terminated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Termination by the Placement Agent.* The Placement Agent shall have the right, by giving one (1) day notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Automatic Termination*. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 12, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Securities through the Placement Agent on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Continued Force and Effect*. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 12(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Effectiveness of Termination*. Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; *provided*, *however*, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Placement Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Securities, such Placement Securities shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Liabilities*. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section 12, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 8 hereof, and except that, in the case of any termination of this Agreement, Section 5, Section 10, Section 11 and Section 19 hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 13. <u>Notices</u>. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Placement Agent shall be directed to the Placement Agent at Citizens JMP Securities, LLC, 101 California Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, California 94111, Facsimile: (415) 835-8920, Attention: Equity Securities, and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at the offices of the Company at 1601 Utica Avenue South, Suite 900, St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55416, Attention of General Counsel.

SECTION 14. <u>Parties</u>. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Placement Agent, the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Placement Agent, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Section 10 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Placement Agent, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 15. <u>Adjustments for Stock Splits</u>. The parties acknowledge and agree that all stock-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any stock split, stock dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Securities.

SECTION 16. <u>Governing Law and Time</u>. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 17. <u>Effect of Headings</u>. The Section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 18. <u>Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses</u>. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Placement Agent, and the Placement Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a "free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Placement Agent or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a "Permitted Free Writing Prospectus." The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in <u>Exhibit E</u> hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.

SECTION 19. <u>Absence of Fiduciary Relationship</u>. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Placement Agent is acting solely as agent and/or principal in connection with the public offering of the Securities and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Placement Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not the Placement Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and the Placement Agent has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) the public offering price of the Securities was not established by the Placement Agent; it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) the Placement Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) it is aware that the Placement Agent and its respective affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Placement Agent has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Placement Agent for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Placement Agent shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company.

[*Signature Page Follows*]

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement by and among the Placement Agent and the Company in accordance with its terms.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Very truly yours, | Very truly yours, |
| **TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.** | **TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.** |
| By: | /s/ William Greenberg |
|  | Name: William Greenberg |
|  | Title: Chief Executive Officer and President |

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CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:

**Citizens JMP Securities, LLC**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| By | /s/ Mark Timperman |
|  | Authorized Signatory |

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## Exhibit 1.2

**Exhibit 1.2**

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TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.

15,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

<u>EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT</u>

Dated: September 19, 2025

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**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| SECTION 1. | Description of Securities | 1 |
| SECTION 2. | Placements | 2 |
| SECTION 3. | Sale of Placement Securities by the Placement Agent | 3 |
| SECTION 4. | Suspension of Sales | 4 |
| SECTION 5. | Representations and Warranties | 4 |
| SECTION 6. | Sale and Delivery to the Placement Agent; Settlement | 14 |
| SECTION 7. | Covenants of the Company | 16 |
| SECTION 8. | Payment of Expenses | 22 |
| SECTION 9. | Conditions of the Placement Agent's Obligations | 22 |
| SECTION 10. | Indemnity and Contribution by the Company and the Placement Agent | 25 |
| SECTION 11. | Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery | 27 |
| SECTION 12. | Termination of Agreement | 27 |
| SECTION 13. | Notices | 28 |
| SECTION 14. | Parties | 28 |
| SECTION 15. | Adjustments for Stock Splits | 29 |
| SECTION 16. | Governing Law and Time | 29 |
| SECTION 17. | Effect of Headings | 29 |
| SECTION 18. | Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses | 29 |
| SECTION 19. | Absence of Fiduciary Relationship | 29 |

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ii

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

 <u>EXHIBITS</u>

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Exhibit A | Form of Placement Notice |
| Exhibit B | Authorized Individuals for Placement Notices and Acceptances |
| Exhibit C | Compensation |
| Exhibit D | Officer Certificate |
| Exhibit E | Issuer Pricing Free Writing Prospectus |

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iii

**TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.**

15,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

<u>EQUITY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT</u>

September 19, 2025

BTIG, LLC

65 East 55th Street

New York, New York, 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Two Harbors Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation (the "<u>Company</u>") confirms its agreement (this "<u>Agreement</u>") with BTIG, LLC (the "<u>Placement Agent</u>") as follows:

SECTION 1. <u>Description of Securities</u>.

The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through the Placement Agent, acting as agent and/or principal, up to 15,000,000 shares (the "<u>Securities</u>") of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "<u>Common Stock</u>"). The Company has also entered into separate equity distribution agreements with each of the entities listed on <u>Schedule A</u> hereto, as sales agent and/or principal (each, an "<u>Alternative Placement Agent</u>"). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, except as set forth in a Placement Notice (as defined below) the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the number of the Securities issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and the Placement Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance. The issuance and sale of the Securities through the Placement Agent will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "<u>Commission</u>"), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to offer, sell or issue the Securities.

The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "<u>Securities Act</u>"), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277271), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Securities to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the "<u>Exchange Act</u>"). The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Securities (the "<u>Prospectus Supplement</u>") to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement. The Company will furnish to the Placement Agent, for use by the Placement Agent, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Securities. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, as amended when it became effective, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act and also including any registration statement to be filed to register the offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, is herein called the "<u>Registration Statement</u>." The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act is herein called the "<u>Prospectus</u>." Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms "amend," "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Any reference herein to financial statements and schedules and other information that is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("<u>EDGAR</u>"); all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR.

SECTION 2. <u>Placements</u>.

Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell the Securities hereunder (each, a "<u>Placement</u>"), it will notify the Placement Agent by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the Securities to be sold, which shall at a minimum include the number of Securities to be issued (the "<u>Placement Securities</u>"), the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Securities that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made (a "<u>Placement Notice</u>"), a form of which containing such minimum sales parameters necessary is attached hereto as <u>Exhibit A</u>. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u> (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Placement Agent set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>, as such <u>Exhibit B</u> may be amended from time to time. If the Placement Agent wishes to accept such proposed terms included in the Placement Notice (which it may decline to do so for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussion with the Company, wishes to accept amended terms, the Placement Agent will, prior to 4:30 p.m. (eastern time) on the Business Day (as defined below) following the Business Day on which such Placement Notice is delivered to the Placement Agent, issue to the Company a notice by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) addressed to all of the individuals from the Company and the Placement Agent set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>) setting forth the terms that the Placement Agent is willing to accept. Where the terms provided in the Placement Notice are amended as provided for in the immediately preceding sentence, such terms will not be binding on the Company or the Placement Agent until the Company delivers to the Placement Agent an acceptance by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) of all of the terms of such Placement Notice, as amended (the "<u>Acceptance</u>"), which email shall be addressed to all of the individuals from the Company and the Placement Agent set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>. The Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) shall be effective upon receipt by the Company of the Placement Agent's acceptance of the terms of the Placement Notice or upon receipt by the Placement Agent of the Company's Acceptance, as the case may be, unless and until (a) the entire amount of the Placement Securities have been sold, (b) in accordance with the Placement Notice requirements set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph, the Company terminates the Placement Notice, (c) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice, (d) the Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 9 or Section 12 or (e) either party shall have suspended the sale of the Placement Securities in accordance with Section 4 below. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Placement Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Securities shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in <u>Exhibit C</u>. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Placement Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Securities unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Placement Agent and either (y) the Placement Agent accepts the terms of such Placement Notice or (z) where the terms of such Placement Notice are amended, the Company accepts such amended terms by means of an Acceptance pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable), the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) will control. The term "Business Day" means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

SECTION 3. <u>Sale of Placement Securities by the Placement Agent.</u>

Subject to the provisions of Section 6(a), the Placement Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell the Placement Securities up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable). The Placement Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Securities hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Securities sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Placement Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Placement Agent (as set forth in Section 6(b)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable), the Placement Agent may sell Placement Securities by any method permitted by law deemed to be an "at the market" offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker. If specified in a Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable), the Placement Agent may also sell Placement Securities by any other method permitted by law, including but not limited to in privately negotiated transactions. For the purposes hereof, "<u>Trading Day</u>" means any day on which shares of Common Stock are purchased and sold on the principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and during which there has been no market disruption of, unscheduled closing of or suspension of trading on such principal market.

SECTION 4. <u>Suspension of Sales</u>. The Company or the Placement Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on <u>Exhibit B</u>), suspend any sale of Placement Securities; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party's obligations with respect to any Placement Securities sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other unless it is made to one of the individuals named on <u>Exhibit B</u> hereto, as such <u>Exhibit B</u> may be amended from time to time.

SECTION 5. <u>Representations and Warranties</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Representations and Warranties by the Company*. The Company represents and warrants to the Placement Agent as of the date hereof and as of each Representation Date (as defined herein) on which a certificate is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(o) of this Agreement and as of the time of each sale of any Securities or any securities pursuant to this Agreement (the "Applicable Time"), and agrees with the Placement Agent, as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) <u>Compliance with Registration Requirements</u>. The Securities have been duly registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act, and no stop order preventing or suspending the use of any base prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), or the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.

At the respective times each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became or becomes effective and as of the date hereof, the Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. The conditions for the use of Form S-3, as set forth in the General Instructions thereto, have been complied with and the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Securities as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities Act (including without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5)). The Registration Statement, as of the date hereof and each effective date with respect thereto, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, as of their respective dates, and at each Applicable Time and Settlement Date (as defined below), as the case may be, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by the Placement Agent expressly for use therein.

The copies of the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto, any other preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) that is required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto delivered and to be delivered to the Placement Agent (electronically or otherwise) in connection with the offering of the Securities were and will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. "Issuer Free Writing Prospectus" means any "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, relating to the Securities that (A) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (B) is a "road show" that is a "written communication" within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) under the Securities Act whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (C) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) under the Securities Act because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, and all free writing prospectuses that are listed in <u>Exhibit E</u> hereto, in each case in the form furnished (electronically or otherwise) to the Placement Agent for use in connection with the offering of the Securities.

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus relating to the Securities, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time and Settlement Date (as defined below), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified; each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time and Settlement Date (as defined below), will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances, prevailing at that time, not misleading. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any issuer free writing prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent specifically for use therein.

Each document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus heretofore filed, when it was filed (or, if any amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and any further documents so filed and incorporated after the date of this Agreement will, when they are filed, conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act; no such document when it was filed (or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and no such document, when it is filed, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.

The Company was and is a "well-known seasoned issuer" as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act (i) at the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and (iv) as of the time of execution of this Agreement. The Registration Statement is an "automatic shelf registration statement," as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, that automatically became effective not more than three years prior to the time of execution of this Agreement; the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration form.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) <u>Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses</u>. Except for the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses identified in <u>Exhibit E</u> hereto, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior consent of the Placement Agent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) <u>Company Not an Ineligible Issuer</u>. (A) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act) of the Securities and (B) as of the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) <u>Filing of Registration Statement</u>. The Company filed the Registration Statement with the Commission before using any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5) <u>No Other Offering Documents or Prospectuses</u>. The Company has not distributed, and prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities, will not distribute, any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities to be sold hereunder by the Placement Agent, other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to the Placement Agent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6) <u>Good Standing of the Company</u>. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "<u>Material Adverse Effect</u>").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7) <u>Subsidiaries</u>. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or organized and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or organization in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or membership interests of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock or membership interests of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(8) <u>Securities</u>. The Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Securities have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Settlement Date, such Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will conform to the information in the Prospectus and to the description of such Securities contained in the Final Prospectus; the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Securities; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding (A) securities or obligations of the Company convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock of the Company, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company any such capital stock or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations or (C) obligations of the Company to issue or sell any shares of capital stock, partnership interests or membership interests, as applicable, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligation, or any such warrants, rights or options.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(9) <u>No Finder's Fee</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any of its affiliates and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Placement Agent for a brokerage commission, finder's fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(10) <u>Registration Rights</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act (collectively, "<u>registration rights</u>").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(11) <u>Listing</u>. The Securities have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to notice of issuance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(12) <u>Absence of Further Requirements</u>. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(13) <u>Title to Property</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charges, encumbrances and defects that would materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries hold any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(14) <u>Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction</u>. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Securities will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (A) the Organizational Documents (as defined below) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (C) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except in the cases of clauses (B) and (C) only, for such defaults, violations, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and as would not materially adversely affect the Company's ability to perform its obligations hereunder; a "<u>Debt Repayment Triggering Event</u>" means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; the term "Organizational Documents" as used herein means (W) in the case of a corporation, its charter and by-laws; (X) in the case of a limited or general partnership, its partnership certificate, certificate of formation or similar organizational documents and its partnership agreement; (Y) in the case of a limited liability company, its articles of organization, certificate of formation or similar organizational documents and its operating agreement, limited liability company agreement, membership agreement or other similar agreement; and (Z) in the case of any other entity, the organizational and governing documents of such entity.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(15) <u>Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts</u>. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its Organizational Documents or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect and as would not materially adversely affect the Company's ability to perform its obligations hereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(16) <u>Authorization of Agreement</u>. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(17) <u>Independent Public Accountants</u>. Ernst & Young LLP (the "Accountants"), whose report on the financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are and, during the periods covered by their reports, were independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(18) <u>Possession of Licenses and Permits</u>. The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all adequate certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits ("<u>Licenses</u>") necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the Prospectus to be conducted by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(19) <u>Absence of Labor Dispute</u>. No labor dispute exists between any officers or other key persons of the Company named in the Prospectus (each, a "Company Key Person") and the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, is such a labor dispute imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect. No labor dispute exists between any other employee of the Company and the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, is such a labor dispute imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(20) <u>Employment; Noncompetition; Nondisclosure</u>. The Company has not been notified that any Company Key Person plans to terminate his or her employment with the Company. Neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any Company Key Person is subject to any noncompete, nondisclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by the present or proposed business activities of the Company as described in the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(21) <u>Accurate Disclosure</u>. The disclosure set forth in (A) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the heading "Business—Operating and Regulatory Structure", (B) the Company's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on April 2, 2025, under the heading "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions", and (C) in the Prospectus under the headings "Description of Capital Stock", "Certain Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Two Harbors' Charter and Bylaws", "U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" and "Plan of Distribution", insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings and present the information required to be shown.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(22) <u>Possession of Intellectual Property</u>. The Company does not have any trademark, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property that is material to the present or proposed business activities of the Company as described in the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(23) <u>Absence of Manipulation</u>. None of the Company or its respective subsidiaries or affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(24) <u>Statistical and Market-Related Data</u>. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(25) <u>Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act</u>. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company's Board of Directors (the "<u>Board</u>") are in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 ("<u>Sarbanes- Oxley</u>") and all applicable rules of the NYSE ("<u>Exchange Rules</u>"). The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting, an internal audit function and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, "<u>Internal Controls</u>") that comply with Sarbanes-Oxley, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission (the "<u>Rules and Regulations</u>"), the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of "issuers" (as defined in Sarbanes-Oxley) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Exchange Rules (collectively, "<u>Securities Laws</u>") and are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("<u>U.S. GAAP</u>") and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (D) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (E) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Internal Controls are, or upon consummation of the offering of the Securities will be, overseen by the Audit Committee (the "<u>Audit Committee</u>") of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules. The Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 135 days the Company does not reasonably expect to publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls (each, an "<u>Internal Control Event</u>"), any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(26) <u>Litigation</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Securities; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are threatened or, to the Company's knowledge, contemplated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(27) <u>Financial Statements</u>. The financial statements included in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis and the schedules included in each Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The summary and selected financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus presents fairly the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company. There are no financial statements that are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not included as required.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(28) <u>Non-GAAP Financial Measures</u>. All "non-GAAP financial measures" (as defined in the Rules and Regulations) included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with the requirements of Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Rules and Regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(29) <u>No Material Adverse Change in Business</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus: (A) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole that is material and adverse; (B) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock; (C) there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and subsidiaries; (D) there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and (E) there has not been any obligation, direct or contingent, which is material to the Company taken as a whole, incurred by the Company, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(30) <u>Investment Company Act</u>. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "<u>Investment Company Act</u>") or an entity controlled by an investment company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(31) <u>Insurance</u>. The Company and each of its subsidiaries is insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has obtained directors' and officer's insurance in such amounts as is customary for companies engaged in the type of business conducted by the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(32) <u>Tax Law Compliance</u>. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and all other material tax returns required to be filed on or prior to the date hereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid taxes shown as due thereon (or that are otherwise due and payable including any interest, penalties and additions to tax that are due and payable) (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or except as are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had (nor does the Company or any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which would reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries and which would reasonably be expected to have) a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company and each of its subsidiaries, there are no tax returns of the Company or any subsidiary that are currently being audited by federal, state or local taxing authorities or agencies which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(33) <u>Real Estate Investment Trust</u>. The Company has made a timely election to be subject to tax as a real estate investment trust ("<u>REIT</u>") pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") for its taxable year ended December 31, 2009. Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2009, the Company has been organized and operating in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and the Company's actual and proposed method of operation as set forth in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus does and will enable it to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. All statements regarding the Company's qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Company's organization and proposed method of operation set forth in the Prospectus are true, complete and correct in all material respects.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(34) <u>Description of Organization and Method of Operation</u>. The description of the Company's organization and actual and proposed method of operation and its qualification and taxation as a REIT set forth in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus is accurate and presents fairly the matters referred to therein in all material respects; the Company's operating policies and investment guidelines described in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately reflect in all material respects the current intentions of the Company with respect to the operation of its business, and no material deviation from such guidelines or policies is currently contemplated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(35) <u>Anti-Bribery Laws</u>. None of the Company or its subsidiaries (collectively and individually, an "<u>Entity</u>"), and to the knowledge of the Entity, any director of the Company, any Company Key Person, or to the Company's knowledge any other agent or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries, or any affiliate of the Company, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any "government official" (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws, including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(36) <u>Anti-Money Laundering Laws</u>. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti- money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the "Anti- Money Laundering Laws"), and no action, suit or proceeding (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or to the best knowledge of the Company threatened or contemplated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(37) <u>OFAC Sanctions</u>. None of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the "<u>Entity</u>") or any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is an individual or entity ("<u>Person</u>") that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is (A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty's Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, the "<u>Sanctions</u>"), nor (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and so-called Luhansk People's Republic regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Sudan); the Entity will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: (Y) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or (Z) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise); and the Entity has not engaged in, is not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(38) <u>Prior Sales of Shares</u>. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(39) <u>Proprietary Trading by the Placement Agent</u>. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Placement Agent has informed the Company that the Placement Agent may, to the extent permitted under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell shares of Common Stock for its own account while this Agreement is in effect, and shall be under no obligation to purchase Securities on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Placement Agent in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable); provided, that no such purchase or sales shall take place while a Placement Notice is in effect (except (A) as agreed by the Placement Agent in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable) or (B) to the extent the Placement Agent may engage in sales of Placement Securities purchased or deemed purchased from the Company as a "riskless principal" or in a similar capacity).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(40) <u>Actively Traded Security</u>. The Common Stock is an "actively traded security" excepted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Certificates*. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company delivered to the Placement Agent or to counsel for the Placement Agent pursuant to the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agent as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 6. <u>Sale and Delivery to the Placement Agent; Settlement</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Sale of Placement Securities*. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Placement Agent's acceptance of the terms of a Placement Notice or upon receipt by the Placement Agent of an Acceptance, as the case may be, and unless the sale of the Placement Securities described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Placement Agent, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Securities up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (1) there can be no assurance that the Placement Agent will be successful in selling Placement Securities, (2) the Placement Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Securities for any reason other than a failure by the Placement Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement Securities as required under this Section 6, and (3) the Placement Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Securities on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Placement Agent in the Placement Notice (as amended by the corresponding Acceptance, if applicable).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Settlement of Placement Securities*. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Securities will occur on the first (1st) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a "<u>Settlement Date</u>"). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Securities sold (the "<u>Net Proceeds</u>") will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Placement Agent at which such Placement Securities were sold, after deduction for (1) the Placement Agent's commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof and (2) any other amounts due and payable by the Company to the Placement Agent hereunder pursuant to Section 8(a) hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Delivery of Placement Securities*. On or before each Settlement Date, concurrently with the receipt by the Company of the Net Proceeds due to the Company in respect of such Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Securities being sold by crediting the Placement Agent's or its designee's account (provided the Placement Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Placement Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Securities on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that, in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 10(a) hereto, it will (1) hold the Placement Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (2) pay to the Placement Agent any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Additional Placement Agents.* The Company agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, any offer to sell, any solicitation of an offer to buy, or any sales of Securities or sales of Common Stock pursuant to any "at the market" offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act shall only be effected by or through the Placement Agent or an Alternative Placement Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else herein to the contrary, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to limit the Company's ability to engage additional placement agents subsequent to the date hereof. The Company will notify the Placement Agent and the Alternative Placements Agents in the event that it engages one or more additional placement agents subsequent to the date hereof and <u>Schedule A</u> hereto shall be deemed to incorporate by reference the names of each of the placement agents (other than the Placement Agent) listed on <u>Schedule A</u> of the equity distribution agreements subsequently entered into by the Company and such additional placement agents.

SECTION 7. <u>Covenants of the Company</u>. The Company covenants with the Placement Agent as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Registration Statement Amendment*. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Securities is required to be delivered by the Placement Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), (1) the Company will notify the Placement Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any comment letter from the Commission or any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (2) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Placement Agent's request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Placement Agent's reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Securities by the Placement Agent (*provided, however*, that the failure of the Placement Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Placement Agent's right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement); (3) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Placement Securities or a security convertible into the Placement Securities unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Placement Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Placement Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (*provided, however*, that the failure of the Placement Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Placement Agent's right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to the Placement Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (4) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) of the Securities Act).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Notice of Commission Stop Orders*. The Company will advise the Placement Agent, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any other order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the loss or suspension of any exemption from any such qualification, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement or if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, the suspension of any qualification of the Securities for offering or sale and any loss or suspension of any exemption from any such qualification, and if any such stop order is issued or any such suspension or loss occurs, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus.* Except to the extent such documents have been publicly filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, the Company will furnish to the Placement Agent and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities and at such locations as the Placement Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.* If at any time when a Prospectus is required by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to be delivered in connection with a pending sale of the Placement Securities (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement together with the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary at any such time to amend the Registration Statement together with the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Placement Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Securities during such period and the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Placement Agent such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Placement Agent may reasonably request. If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted, conflicts or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or included, includes or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or together with the Prospectus omitted, omits or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Placement Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Securities during such period and the Company will, subject to Section 7(a) hereof, promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Blue Sky and Other Qualifications*. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Placement Agent, to qualify the Placement Securities for offering and sale, or to obtain an exemption for the Securities to be offered and sold, under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Placement Agent may designate and to maintain such qualifications and exemptions in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Securities (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement); *provided*, *however*, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Placement Securities have been so qualified or exempt, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification or exemption, as the case may be, in effect for so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Securities (but in no event for less than one year from the date of this Agreement).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Rule 158*. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Placement Agent the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Use of Proceeds*. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) *Listing*. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities is required to be delivered by the Placement Agent under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Securities (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Securities to be listed on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) *Filings with the Exchange*. The Company will timely seek to file with the NYSE all material documents and notices required by the NYSE of companies that have securities traded on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) *Reporting Requirements*. The Company, during any period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) *Notice of Other Sales*. During the pendency of any Placement Notice given hereunder, the Company shall provide the Placement Agent notice as promptly as reasonably possible before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any option to sell or otherwise disposes of any shares of Common Stock (other than Placement Securities offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock; *provided*, that such notice shall not be required in connection with (i) the issuance, grant or sale of restricted stock, Common Stock, LTIP units, options to purchase Common Stock, or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock or compensatory plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, (ii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or sale or purchase of assets described in the Prospectus, or (iii) the issuance or sale of Common Stock pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan that the Company has in effect or may adopt from time to time, *provided* the implementation of such new plan is disclosed to the Placement Agent in advance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) *Change of Circumstances*. The Company will, at any time during a fiscal quarter in which the Company intends to tender a Placement Notice or sell Placement Securities, advise the Placement Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to the Placement Agent pursuant to this Agreement during such fiscal quarter.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) *Due Diligence Cooperation*. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Placement Agent or its agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior officers, during regular business hours and at the Company's principal offices, as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) *Disclosure of Sales*. The Company will, if applicable, disclose in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in its annual report on Form 10-K the number of Placement Securities sold through the Placement Agent during the most recent fiscal quarter, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid or payable by the Company to the Placement Agent with respect to such Placement Securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(o) *Representation Dates; Certificate*. On or prior to the date that the Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) each time the Company files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities or amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities (other than amendments or supplements that are filed solely to report sales of the Placement Securities pursuant to this Agreement) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K shall be a "<u>10-K Representation Date</u>");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) each time the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) each time the Company files a report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than an earnings release, to "furnish" information pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassifications of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a "Representation Date");

the Company shall furnish the Placement Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u>, within three (3) Trading Days of any Representation Date. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(o) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; *provided, however*, that such waiver shall not apply for any 10-K Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Securities following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Placement Agent with a certificate under this Section 7(o), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or the Placement Agent sells any Placement Securities, the Company shall provide the Placement Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u>, dated the date of the Placement Notice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(p) *Legal Opinions*. On or prior to the date that the Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and within three (3) Trading Days after each Representation Date (excluding Representation Dates with regard to the time the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q) with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u> for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Placement Agent (1) a written opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, corporate counsel to the Company ("<u>Company Corporate Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (2) a written opinion of Greenberg Traurig LLP, 1940 Act counsel to the Company ("<u>Company 1940 Act Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (3) a written opinion of Ballard Spahr LLP, Maryland counsel to the Company ("<u>Company Maryland Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; and (4) a written opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, tax counsel to the Company ("<u>Company Tax Counsel</u>"), or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; *provided, however*, that in lieu of such opinions for subsequent 10-K Representation Dates, counsel may furnish the Placement Agent with a letter (a "<u>Reliance Letter</u>") to the effect that the Placement Agent may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this Section 7(p) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such 10-K Representation Date).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(q) *Comfort Letter*. On or prior to the date that the Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and within three (3) Trading Days after each Representation Date (excluding Representation Dates with regard to the time the Company files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q) with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as <u>Exhibit D</u> for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent accountants (and any other independent accountants whose report is included in the Prospectus) to furnish the Placement Agent letters (the "<u>Comfort Letters</u>"), dated the date of the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and substance satisfactory to the Placement Agent, (1) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the PCAOB, (2) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(r) *Market Activities*. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (1) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or (2) sell, bid for, or purchase the Securities to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Securities to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement other than the Placement Agent; *provided, however*, that the Company may bid for and purchase its Common Stock in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(s) *Investment Company Act*. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its subsidiaries will be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an "investment company," as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act, assuming no change in the Commission's current interpretation as to entities that are not considered an investment company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(t) *Securities Act and Exchange Act*. The Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Placement Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(u) *No Offer to Sell*. Other than a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) approved in advance in writing by the Company and the Placement Agent in its capacity as principal or agent hereunder, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Placement Agent in its capacity as such) will not, directly or indirectly, make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any free writing prospectus relating to the Securities to be sold by the Placement Agent as principal or agent hereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) *Sarbanes-Oxley Act*. The Company and its subsidiaries will use their best efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(w) *Regulation M*. If the Company has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied with respect to the Company or the Common Stock, it shall promptly notify the Placement Agent and sales of the Placement Securities under this Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(x) *REIT Qualification*. The Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify as a REIT for its taxable year unless the Board of Directors of the Company determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to be so qualified.

SECTION 8. <u>Payment of Expenses</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Expenses*. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (1) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto, (2) the word processing, printing and delivery to the Placement Agent of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Securities, (3) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Placement Securities to the Placement Agent, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Securities to the Placement Agent, (4) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (5) the qualification or exemption of the Placement Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Placement Agent in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplements thereto, (6) the printing and delivery to the Placement Agent of copies of any permitted Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Placement Agent to investors, (7) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Securities, (8) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Placement Agent in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities and (9) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Securities on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Termination of Agreement*. If this Agreement is terminated by the Placement Agent in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 or Section 12(a)(i) hereof or by the Company pursuant to Section 12(b) hereof, and the Company has sold less than 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement prior to the date of termination, the Company shall reimburse the Placement Agent for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with negotiating this Agreement, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Placement Agent up to $75,000.

SECTION 9. <u>Conditions of the Placement Agent's Obligations</u>. The obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Opinions of Company Corporate Counsel, Company 1940 Act Counsel, Company Maryland Counsel, Company Tax Counsel and Counsel to the Placement Agent*. On or prior to the date that Securities are first sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (A) the Company shall furnish to the Placement Agent the opinions, each addressed to the Placement Agent, of (1) Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, corporate counsel for the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (2) Greenberg Traurig LLP, 1940 Act counsel for the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; (3) Ballard Spahr LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; and (4) Sidley Austin LLP, tax counsel for the Company and the Subsidiaries, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered; and (B) the Placement Agent shall have received, unless waived by the Placement Agent, a written opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP, counsel to the Placement Agent, or other counsel satisfactory to the Placement Agent, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Effectiveness of Registration Statement*. The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for (1) all sales of Placement Securities issued pursuant to all prior Placement Notices and (2) the sale of all Placement Securities contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *No Material Notices*. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (1) receipt by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (2) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (3) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; (4) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *No Misstatement or Material Omission*. The Placement Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Placement Agent's reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Placement Agent's opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Material Changes*. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Representation Certificate*. The Placement Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(o).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Accountant's Comfort Letter*. The Placement Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(q) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(q).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) *Approval for Listing*. The Placement Securities shall either have been (i) approved for listing on the NYSE, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Securities on the NYSE at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) *No Suspension*. Trading in the Securities shall not have been suspended on the NYSE.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) *Additional Documents*. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(o), counsel for the Placement Agent shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, contained in this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) *Securities Act Filings Made*. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424 under the Securities Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) *Termination of Agreement*. If any condition specified in this Section 9 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Placement Agent by notice to the Company, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 7 hereof and except that, in the case of any termination of this Agreement, Sections 5, 10, 11 and 19 hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. <u>Indemnity and Contribution by the Company and the Placement Agent.</u>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Indemnification by the Company*. The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Placement Agent and any person who controls the Placement Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Placement Agent or any controlling person may incur under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereof), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed or was required to file with the Commission or the Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 10 being deemed to include the Prospectus as of its date and as amended or supplemented by the Company), (2) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in any such Registration Statement, or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading, or (3) any omission or alleged omission from any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus of a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; *except*, in the case of each of clauses (1), (2) and (3), insofar as any such loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, in each such case, to the extent contained in and in conformity with information furnished in writing by the Placement Agent to the Company expressly for use therein (that information being limited to that described in Section 10(b) hereof). The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 10(a) shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have. If any action is brought against the Placement Agent or any controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to this Section 10(a), the Placement Agent shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action, and the Company shall if it so elects assume the defense of such action, including the employment of counsel and payment of expenses; *provided*, *however*, that any failure or delay to so notify the Company will not relieve the Company of any obligation hereunder, except to the extent that its ability to defend is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay. The Placement Agent or such controlling person shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Placement Agent or such controlling person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or the Company shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent or such controlling person, as the case maybe, to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded (based on the advice of counsel) that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys for the Placement Agent or such controlling persons in any one action or series of related actions in the same jurisdiction (other than local counsel in any such jurisdiction) representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action effected without its written consent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Indemnification by the Placement Agent.* The Placement Agent agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, the Company's directors, the Company's officers that signed the Registration Statement, and any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, expense, liability, damage or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person may incur under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, expense, liability, damage or claim arises out of or is based upon (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereof), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed or was required to file with the Commission, the Prospectus, (2) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in any such Registration Statement, or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading, or (3) any omission or alleged omission from any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus of a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, but in each case only insofar as such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in such Registration Statement, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing by the Placement Agent to the Company expressly for use therein. The name of the Placement Agent set forth in the first paragraph on the cover of the Prospectus Supplement constitutes the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Placement Agent to the Company for the purposes of Section 5(a)(1) and this Section 10. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 10(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Placement Agent may otherwise have.

If any action is brought against the Company or any such person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Placement Agent pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, the Company or such person shall promptly notify the Placement Agent in writing of the institution of such action and the Placement Agent shall if its so elects assume the defense of such action, including the employment of counsel and payment of expenses; *provided*, *however*, that any failure or delay to so notify the Placement Agent will not relieve the Placement Agent of any obligation hereunder, except to the extent that their ability to defend is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay. The Company or such person shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company or such person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Placement Agent in connection with the defense of such action or the Placement Agent shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company or such person, as the case may be, to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded (based on the advice of counsel) that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to (in which case the Placement Agent shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Placement Agent and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Placement Agent shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys in any one action or series of related actions in the same jurisdiction (other than local counsel in any such jurisdiction) representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary notwithstanding, the Placement Agent shall not be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action effected without its written consent.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Contribution*. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 10 in respect of any losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims (1) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and by the Placement Agent, each from the offering of the Securities, or (2) if (but only if) the allocation provided by clause (1) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (1) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Placement Agent in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, expenses, liabilities, damages or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the gross proceeds from the offering of Securities (before deducting discounts and expenses) received by each of them and benefits received by the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be equal to the underwriting discounts and commissions received the Placement Agent. The relative fault of the Company and of the Placement Agent shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Placement Agent and the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any claim or action.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Company and the Placement Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by *pro rata* allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in clause (1) and, if applicable, clause (2) of subsection (c) above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, the Placement Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities purchased by the Placement Agent and the liability of the Company pursuant to this Section 10 shall not exceed the gross proceeds received by the Company in the offering. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

SECTION 11. <u>Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery</u>. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Placement Agent or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the Placement Agent.

SECTION 12. <u>Termination of Agreement</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) *Termination; General*. The Placement Agent may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (2) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (3) if trading in the Placement Securities has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange, the NYSE or the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, the FINRA or any other governmental authority, or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or in Europe, or (4) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) *Termination by the Company*. The Company shall have the right, by giving one (1) day notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12(b), any outstanding Placement Notices shall also be terminated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) *Termination by the Placement Agent.* The Placement Agent shall have the right, by giving one (1) day notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) *Automatic Termination*. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 12, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Securities through the Placement Agent on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) *Continued Force and Effect*. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 12(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) *Effectiveness of Termination*. Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; *provided*, *however*, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Placement Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Securities, such Placement Securities shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) *Liabilities*. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section 12, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 8 hereof, and except that, in the case of any termination of this Agreement, Section 5, Section 10, Section 11 and Section 19 hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 13. <u>Notices</u>. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, all notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Placement Agent shall be directed to the Placement Agent at BTIG, LLC, 65 East 55th Street, New York, New York 10022, Attn: General Counsel (email: BTIGUSATMTrading@btig.com), with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to emails: iblegal@btig.com and BTIGcompliance@btig.com, and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at the offices of the Company at 1601 Utica Avenue South, Suite 900, St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55416, Attention of General Counsel.

SECTION 14. <u>Parties</u>. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Placement Agent, the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Placement Agent, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Section 10 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Placement Agent, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 15. <u>Adjustments for Stock Splits</u>. The parties acknowledge and agree that all stock-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any stock split, stock dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Securities.

SECTION 16. <u>Governing Law and Time</u>. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 17. <u>Effect of Headings</u>. The Section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

SECTION 18. <u>Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses</u>. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Placement Agent, and the Placement Agent represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a "free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Placement Agent or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a "Permitted Free Writing Prospectus." The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in <u>Exhibit E</u> hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.

SECTION 19. <u>Absence of Fiduciary Relationship</u>. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Placement Agent is acting solely as agent and/or principal in connection with the public offering of the Securities and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Placement Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not the Placement Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and the Placement Agent has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) the public offering price of the Securities was not established by the Placement Agent; it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) the Placement Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) it is aware that the Placement Agent and its respective affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and the Placement Agent has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Placement Agent for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Placement Agent shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company.

[*Signature Page Follows*]

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement by and among the Placement Agent and the Company in accordance with its terms.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Very truly yours, | Very truly yours, |
| **TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.** | **TWO HARBORS INVESTMENT CORP.** |
| By: | /s/ William Greenberg |
|  | Name: William Greenberg |
|  | Title: Chief Executive Officer and President |

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CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:

**BTIG, LLC**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| By | /s/ Tosh Chandra |
|  | Authorized Signatory |

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## Exhibit 5.1

**Exhibit 5.1**

![](tm2526278d2_ex5-1img001.jpg)

September 19, 2025

Two Harbors Investment Corp.

1601 Utica Avenue South

Suite 900

St. Louis Park, MN 55416

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| Re: | Two Harbors Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation (the "Company") -- Issuance and sale of up to 15,000,000 shares (the "Shares") of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of the Company pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreements (as defined herein) and pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-277271) filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on February 22, 2024 (the "Registration Statement") |

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Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as Maryland corporate counsel to the Company in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement. You have requested our opinion with respect to the matters set forth below.

In our capacity as Maryland corporate counsel to the Company and for the purposes of this opinion, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the "Documents"):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) the corporate charter of the Company (the "Charter") represented by Articles of Amendment and Restatement filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the "Department") on October 7, 2009, together with all amendments and supplements thereto filed with the Department through the date hereof;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended on September 21, 2020 (the "Bylaws");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) certain resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company relating to, among other things, the authorization of the issuance and sale of the Shares (the "Directors' Resolutions");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) the Registration Statement and the related base prospectus, dated February 22, 2024, and the related prospectus supplement dated September 19, 2025, each in the form filed or to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Act;

**BALLARD SPAHR LLP**

Two Harbors Investment Corp.

September 19, 2025

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) the Amended and Restated Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2025 (the "Citizens Equity Distribution Agreement"), by and between the Company and Citizens JMP Securities, LLC, as sales agent;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi) the Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of September 19, 2025 (the "BTIG Equity Distribution Agreement" and together with the Citizens Equity Distribution Agreement, each an "Equity Distribution Agreement" and, collectively, the "Equity Distribution Agreements"), by and between the Company and BTIG, LLC, as sales agent;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vii) a certificate of one or more officers of the Company, dated as of a recent date (the "Officers' Certificate"), to the effect that, among other things, the Charter, the Bylaws and the Directors' Resolutions are true, correct and complete, have not been rescinded or modified and are in full force and effect on the date of the Officers' Certificate, and as to the manner of adoption of the Directors' Resolutions and the form, approval, execution and delivery of the Equity Distribution Agreements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(viii) a status certificate of the Department, dated as of a recent date, to the effect that the Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the State of Maryland and is duly authorized to transact business in the State of Maryland; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ix) such other laws, records, documents, certificates, opinions and instruments as we have deemed necessary to render this opinion, subject to the limitations, assumptions and qualifications noted below.

In reaching the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) each person executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) each natural person executing any of the Documents is legally competent to do so;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) any of the Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic; any of the Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents; all signatures on all of the Documents are genuine; all public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete; all statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete; there has been no modification of, or amendment to, any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents by action or omission of the parties or otherwise;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) the Officers' Certificate and all other certificates submitted to us are true and correct both when made and as of the date hereof;

**BALLARD SPAHR LLP**

Two Harbors Investment Corp.

September 19, 2025

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) the Company has not, and is not required to be, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) none of the Shares will be issued or transferred in violation of the provisions of Article VII of the Charter relating to restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of stock of the Company;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) none of the Shares will be issued or sold to an Interested Stockholder of the Company or an Affiliate thereof, all as defined in Subtitle 6 of Title 3 of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the "MGCL"), in violation of Section 3-602 of the MGCL;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) the consideration per share to be received by the Company for each of the Shares issued and sold pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreements will be determined in accordance with, and will not be less than the minimum consideration per share set forth in, the Directors' Resolutions; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) upon each issuance of any of the Shares subsequent to the date hereof, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date subsequent to the date hereof on which such Shares are issued, after giving effect to the issuance of such Shares, will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is authorized to issue under the Charter.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date of this letter:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. The Company is a corporation validly existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the Department.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale by the Company pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreements, and when Shares are issued and delivered in exchange for payment of the consideration therefor, as provided in, and in accordance with the terms of, the applicable Equity Distribution Agreement and the Directors' Resolutions, such Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

The foregoing opinions are limited to the substantive laws of the State of Maryland, and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinions are expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter.

**BALLARD SPAHR LLP**

Two Harbors Investment Corp.

September 19, 2025

This opinion letter is issued as of the date hereof and is necessarily limited to laws now in effect and facts and circumstances presently existing and brought to our attention. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable laws change after the date hereof, or if we become aware of any facts or circumstances that now exist or that occur or arise in the future and may change the opinions expressed herein after the date hereof.

We consent to the incorporation by reference of this opinion in the Registration Statement and further consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the applications to securities commissioners for the various states of the United States for registration of the Shares. We also consent to the identification of our firm as Maryland counsel to the Company in the section of the Registration Statement entitled "Legal Matters". In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act.

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| |
|:---|
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Ballard Spahr LLP |

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