In the context of commercial mortgages and real estate finance, General & Administrative (G&A) expenses refer to the overhead costs required to manage and operate a property or the business entity that owns it. Unlike direct operating expenses—such as utilities or landscaping—G&A costs are typically categorized as "back-office" or indirect expenses that are necessary for the legal and professional upkeep of the investment.
For lenders, G&A is a critical component of the Profit & Loss (P&L) statement. It is subtracted from the Gross Effective Income to arrive at the Net Operating Income (NOI), which is the primary figure used to determine loan sizing and the Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR).
G&A expenses encompass a wide variety of administrative functions. While the specific line items can vary depending on the asset class (such as multifamily, retail, or industrial), they generally include:
When a commercial lender reviews a loan application, they perform a process called underwriting. During this process, the lender will analyze the borrower's reported G&A expenses to ensure they are realistic for the market. If a borrower reports G&A expenses that are unusually low, the lender may "normalize" the numbers by applying an industry-standard percentage (often between 1% and 3% of Gross Revenue) to ensure the property is adequately capitalized for long-term management.
Lenders distinguish G&A from Operating Expenses (OpEx) because G&A is often more controllable. However, because G&A directly reduces the cash flow available to pay the mortgage, it remains a focal point for determining the overall financial health and risk profile of the commercial asset.
| General & Administrative | |
|---|---|
| Definition | A line item expense that includes expenses incurred in property operation. The items in this category depend on the nature of the real estate, but usually include payroll expenses to all employees whose services are essential to property operation and management, but whose salaries are not included in other specific expense categories. Also includes fees paid for any professional services contracted for or incurred in property operation, and any other general administrative expenses incurred in property operation. The salaries of property managers, rent of offices, office and general expenses, and costs for non-custodial personnel and the services needed to operate the property are also included. For Hotels - Administrative & General (Undistributed) Includes all of the managerial and operational expenses that cannot be attributed to a particular department. Components include: salaries and wages, payroll taxes, and payroll benefits. Other administrative and general expenses include: accounting services, armored car, audit/tax preparation, bad debt, bank service charges, computer services, conference/meeting expense, corporate office expense, other commissions, consulting services, contract labor, credit card charge backs and commissions, discounts, donations and contributions, dues and subscriptions, education assistance, employee relations, entertainment and meals, equipment rent, general insurance, laundry allocation, legal, licenses, losses and damages, miscellaneous expense, office supplies, operating supplies, over/short, pager rental, partnership office expense, payroll processing fees, penalties, piped-in music, postage and shipping, postage-express delivery, printed supplies, professional services, provision for doubtful accounts, recruiting, relocation, returned checks, sales and use tax, security services, special awards, telephone administrative, training materials, travel, travel meals and lodging, and uniforms. |
| Type of Word | Noun |
| Click To Hear Pronunciation | |
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