Costs Documented

Definition of Costs Documented

In the context of commercial mortgages, Costs Documented refers to the formal verification and itemized proof of all capital expenditures associated with a commercial real estate project. This includes every dollar spent on the acquisition, development, renovation, or construction of a property. Lenders require these documents to establish the actual cost basis of a project, rather than relying solely on estimated values or projected budgets.

Detailed Description and Importance

When a borrower applies for a commercial loan—particularly a bridge loan or a construction loan—the lender evaluates the Loan-to-Cost (LTC) ratio. To accurately calculate this ratio, the lender must confirm the "cost" component. Costs Documented serves as the audit trail that proves the borrower has actually injected the claimed amount of equity into the deal. Without proper documentation, a lender may discount certain expenses, potentially leading to a lower loan amount or a requirement for more cash from the borrower.

This process is crucial because it protects the lender from "equity stripping" or over-leveraging. By requiring documented costs, the lender ensures that the borrower’s "skin in the game" is tangible and verifiable through third-party records.

Categories of Documented Costs

Documenting costs typically involves organizing expenditures into several specific categories:

• Hard Costs: These are the tangible assets and physical construction expenses, such as the purchase price of the building, raw materials, labor, landscaping, and roofing.
• Soft Costs: These are non-physical expenses necessary for the project, including architectural fees, engineering reports, legal fees, permits, and insurance.
• Financing Costs: This includes interest carry during construction, loan origination fees, and appraisal costs.
• Land Value: If the land was purchased previously, the documented cost is usually the original purchase price plus any documented improvements made since the acquisition.

The Documentation Process

To satisfy a lender’s requirement for Costs Documented, a borrower must typically provide a comprehensive "Cost Track" or a Settlement Statement (HUD-1). The following items are generally required for a cost to be considered "documented":

• Paid Invoices: Detailed bills from contractors, vendors, and service providers.
• Proof of Payment: Canceled checks, wire transfer confirmations, or bank statements showing the funds leaving the borrower's account.
• Lien Waivers: Documents signed by contractors confirming they have been paid in full for specific stages of work, ensuring no legal claims can be made against the property.
• Purchase Sale Agreements: Executed contracts showing the final agreed-upon price for the real estate or significant equipment.

In many commercial mortgage scenarios, a lender will hire a third-party inspector or a construction consultant to review the documented costs. This professional verifies that the work claimed in the documentation has actually been completed on-site and that the costs align with current market averages for similar projects.