During 2006, the Partnership completed the second funding of its preferred equity investment in its existing Capital Automotive, or “CARS”, REIT for $7.3 million. CARS owns approximately 364 properties, which are leased to sixty automobile dealership operators throughout the United States. This investment is expected to pay to investors an annual preferred return of 7.5% for years one through five, 8.75% during years six and seven, and 12% for all subsequent years. In addition, the Partnership invested $14.8 million in June to acquire an 89,849 square-foot retail property located in Westminster, Maryland.
Dispositions for the year included the sale of a portfolio of three retail properties located in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri resulting in net proceeds of $3.6 million after the repayment of debt.
The Partnership spent approximately $3.2 million on capital improvements to various existing properties during 2006. Approximately $1.3 million was associated with leasing expenses at the office property in Lisle, Illinois, approximately $0.4 million funded the renovation of an apartment complex in Atlanta, Georgia and approximately $0.5 million was spent on budgeted capital projects and leasing expenses at the industrial property in Aurora, Colorado. The remaining $1.0 million was associated with minor capital improvements and transaction costs associated with leasing expenses of various other properties.
The Partnership’s net investment income for the year ended December 31, 2006 was approximately $11.2 million, an increase of $2.0 million from $9.2 million for the prior year. The office, retail, industrial and hotel sector investments posted increases of approximately $0.3 million, $1.7 million, $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively, from the prior year. Partially offsetting this increase was a decrease in net investment income in the apartment sector of approximately $0.9 million. In addition, the land sector posted a slight decrease in net investment income during the year ended December 31, 2006. Other net investment income (loss) decreased $0.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2006 from the prior year. The components of this net investment income are discussed below by property type sector.
The Partnership recorded an aggregate net realized gain of approximately $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to an aggregate net realized gain of $6.2 million for the prior year. The Partnership recorded an aggregate net unrealized gain of approximately $18.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to an aggregate net unrealized gain of $9.2 million for the prior year. The aggregate net realized and unrealized gain of $18.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 was attributable to valuation gains in all property type sectors. Partially offsetting these gains for the year ended December 31, 2006 was a slight realized loss recorded in the land sector. The components of these valuation gains and/or losses are discussed below by property type sector.
The apartment properties owned by the Partnership recorded an aggregate net realized and unrealized gain of $3.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to an aggregate net realized and unrealized gain of $5.0 million for the prior year. The aggregate net realized and unrealized gain for the year ended December 31, 2006 was primarily due to valuation gains resulting from investor demand and the strengthening of both market and property fundamentals, which included reduced rental concessions and increased rental rates, at the apartment properties in Atlanta, Georgia and Raleigh, North Carolina. In addition, the Jacksonville, Florida apartment property that was sold in November 2005 recognized realized gains of approximately $0.1 million due to the disbursement of reserved funds that were escrowed at closing for any post-closing operating adjustments.
Net investment income for the Partnership’s retail properties was $6.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, an increase of approximately $1.7 million from the prior year. The increase was primarily due to (a) stabilized occupancy and increased rents at the retail center in Roswell, Georgia; (b) income received from the preferred equity investments made by the Partnership on December 16, 2005 and February 14, 2006, respectively; (c) the acquisition of a retail property in Westminster, Maryland in June 2006; and (d) increased rents at the retail property in Hampton, Virginia. Partially offsetting the increase were (a) increased operating expenses at the retail property in Ocean City, Maryland; (b) the loss of income as well as higher expenses at the retail properties in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri due to the prepayment penalty of the existing mortgage on the three properties upon their respective sales in May 2006; and (c) the loss of interest income for the Mortgage Loan Receivable that was paid in full by the borrower on March 7, 2006.
The retail properties owned by the Partnership recorded an aggregate net unrealized gain of $6.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to an aggregate net unrealized gain of $3.0 million for the prior year. The unrealized gain for the year ended December 31, 2006 was primarily due to the acquisition of the retail property in Westminster, Maryland at cost, which resulted in $5.4 million in valuation gains. In addition, unrealized gains of approximately $1.1 million and $0.1 million were recorded at the retail properties in Roswell, Georgia due to continued investor demand and in Ocean City, Maryland due to strengthening market fundamentals, respectively. Partially offsetting these gains for the year ended December 31, 2006 were unrealized losses of approximately $0.2 million recorded at the retail properties in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri due to the three properties having been sold slightly below their previously appraised values and $0.1 million recorded at the retail property in Hampton, Virginia reflecting updated market conditions.
Net investment income for the Partnership’s industrial property was $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, an increase of approximately $0.2 million from the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher occupancy, increased rents and reduced operating expenses, compared to the prior year.
The industrial property owned by the Partnership recorded a net unrealized gain of approximately $2.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to a net unrealized gain of $1.4 million for the prior year. The net unrealized gain for the year ended December 31, 2006 was primarily due to continued improving market fundamentals and investor demand in the industrial sector at Aurora, Colorado.
Net investment income for the Partnership’s hotel property was $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, an increase of approximately $0.2 million from the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher average daily rates generated at the hotel compared to the prior year.
Other net investment income (loss) decreased $0.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from the prior year period. Other net investment income (loss), which is included in Net Investment Income, includes interest income from short-term investments, investment management fees, and portfolio level expenses.
The Partnership periodically enters into forward contracts to acquire, for a fixed price, real estate investments to be constructed in accordance with predetermined plans and specifications or that achieve a certain level of leasing. Where conditions precedent to funding have been met by its development partner, and the Partnership’s commitment to fund is firm, the amount of any unrealized gain or loss is recognized based upon the difference between the estimated investment’s market value as described above and the Partnership’s funding obligation. The funding obligation and related assets are recorded in the consolidated financial statements.
As described above, the estimated market value of real estate and real estate related assets is determined through an appraisal process. These estimated market values may vary significantly from the prices at which the real estate investments would sell, because market prices of real estate investments can only be determined by negotiation between a willing buyer and seller and could be material to the consolidated financial statements. Although the estimated market values represent subjective estimates, management believes that these estimated market values are reasonable approximations of market prices and that the aggregate estimated value of investments in real estate is fairly presented as of December 31, 2006, and 2005.