NOTE 8. FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES
The fair value for certain financial instruments is derived using valuation techniques that involve significant management judgment. The price transparency of financial instruments is a key determinant of the degree of judgment involved in determining the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments. Financial instruments for which actively quoted prices or pricing parameters are available and for which markets contain orderly transactions will generally have a higher degree of price transparency than financial instruments for which markets are inactive or consist of non-orderly trades. The Company evaluates several factors when determining if a market is inactive or when market transactions are not orderly. The following is a summary of the methods and assumptions used by management in estimating the fair value of each class of financial instrument for which it is practicable to estimate the fair value:
Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, tenant receivables, purchase and other deposits, prepaid expenses and other assets, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities, due to affiliates, investor deposits and share purchases payable: These balances approximate their fair values due to the short maturities of these items.
Unsecured credit facility: The fair value of the Company’s unsecured credit facility approximates its carrying value as the interest rates are variable and the balances approximate their fair values due to the short maturities of this facility.
Mortgage note payable: The fair value of the Company’s mortgage note payable is estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on management’s estimates of current market interest rates for instruments with similar characteristics, including remaining loan term, loan-to-value ratio, type of collateral and other credit enhancements. Additionally, when determining the fair value of liabilities in circumstances in which a quoted price in an active market for an identical liability is not available, the Company measures fair value using (i) a valuation technique that uses the quoted price of the identical liability when traded as an asset or quoted prices for similar liabilities or similar liabilities when traded as assets or (ii) another valuation technique that is consistent with the principles of fair value measurement, such as the income approach or the market approach. The Company classifies these inputs as Level 3 inputs.
The following were the face value, carrying amount and fair value of the Company’s mortgage notes payable as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:
| | | 2017 | | 2016 | |
| | | Face value | | Carrying
value | | Fair value | | Face value | | Carrying
value | | Fair value | |
| Mortgage notes payable | | $ | 62,228,408 | | $ | 60,487,303 | | $ | 62,363,284 | | $ | 7,266,145 | | $ | 7,113,701 | | $ | 7,226,145 | |
Disclosures of the fair values of financial instruments is based on pertinent information available to the Company as of the period end and requires a significant amount of judgment. The actual value could be materially different from the Company’s estimate of value.
About Fair Value Disclosures
Fair value disclosures classify all assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy: Level 1 (quoted market prices), Level 2 (observable inputs like yield curves), and Level 3 (unobservable inputs requiring management estimates). The proportion of Level 3 assets directly reflects how much of the balance sheet depends on internal models rather than market evidence.
Key signals: a growing Level 3 balance relative to total fair-value assets increases valuation uncertainty and earnings volatility risk. Watch for transfers between levels — assets moving from Level 2 to Level 3 often signal deteriorating market liquidity. Unrealized gains and losses on Level 3 positions flow through earnings or other comprehensive income, so large swings deserve scrutiny. For financial institutions, examine the sensitivity disclosures that show how Level 3 valuations change under alternative assumptions. Compare the fair value of debt against its carrying amount to gauge hidden leverage.