Värde Closes on Five Commercial Mortgage Originations

MINNEAPOLIS – Värde Partners, the $12 billion global investment firm, announced today that it has recently closed commercial mortgage originations in five states across the U.S. The aggregate amount of the loans exceeds $93 million.

“We are pleased with the interest in the marketplace for our commercial mortgage products,” said Brian Schmidt, Partner and Head of Värde’s mortgage business. “We believe there is clear demand for our flexible capital and timely execution we provide sophisticated borrowers,” he continued. Värde’s mortgage business participates in activities across the $14 trillion U.S. commercial and residential real estate market. Värde dedicates capital and resources to both commercial and residential mortgages as well as related opportunities.

The recent originations include:

• A $44 million loan and a $21 million loan secured by multi-building office properties in West Palm Beach, Florida and Bloomington, Minnesota, respectively; and
• $19 million, $5 million and $4 million loans secured by neighborhood retail centers in Rocklin, California, Kenosha, Wisconsin and Payson, Arizona, respectively.

Värde’s entrance into the commercial real estate loan market follows the significant retraction of traditional banks from non-core markets and their divestiture of non-core businesses, leaving many credible borrowers without access to needed capital. “These originations build on our existing expertise in the U.S. mortgage markets and we are excited that we are able to provide borrowers solutions to execute on their underlying business plans,” said Jim Dunbar, Managing Director at Värde.

About Värde Partners:
Värde Partners is a $12 billion global alternative investment firm that employs a credit-oriented, value-based approach to investing across a broad array of geographies, segments and asset types, including real estate, corporate credit, mortgages, specialty finance, and transportation. The firm sponsors and manages a family of private investment funds with a global investor base that includes foundations and endowments, pension plans, insurance companies, other institutional investors and private clients. Now in its third decade, Värde employs 250 people with main offices in Minneapolis, London and Singapore and additional offices around the world.