Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v2.4.0.6
Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
Commitments and Contingencies
The following represent the material commitments and contingencies of the Company as of December 31, 2012:
Management agreement - The Company pays PRCM Advisers a management fee equal to 1.5% per annum, calculated and payable quarterly in arrears, of the Company's stockholders' equity. For purposes of calculating the management fee, the Company's stockholders' equity means the sum of the net proceeds from all issuances of the Company's equity securities since inception (allocated on a pro rata daily basis for such issuances during the fiscal quarter of any such issuance), plus the Company's retained earnings at the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter (without taking into account any non-cash equity compensation expense incurred in current or prior periods), less any amount that the Company pays for repurchases of the Company's common stock since inception, and excluding any unrealized gains, losses or other items that do not affect realized net income (regardless of whether such items are included in other comprehensive income or loss, or in net income). This amount will be adjusted to exclude one-time events pursuant to changes in GAAP, and certain non-cash items after discussions between PRCM Advisers and the Company's independent directors and approval by a majority of the Company's independent directors. To the extent asset impairment reduces the Company's retained earnings at the end of any completed calendar quarter; it will reduce the management fee for such quarter. The Company's stockholders' equity for the purposes of calculating the management fee could be greater than the amount of stockholders' equity shown on the consolidated financial statements. The initial term of the management agreement expires on October 28, 2013, with automatic, one-year renewals at the end of the initial term and each year thereafter.
The Company reimburses PRCM Advisers for (i) the Company's allocable share of the compensation paid by PRCM Advisers to its personnel serving as the Company's principal financial officer and general counsel and personnel employed by PRCM Advisers as in-house legal, tax, accounting, consulting, auditing, administrative, information technology, valuation, computer programming and development and back-office resources to the Company, and (ii) any amounts for personnel of PRCM Adviser's affiliates arising under a shared facilities and services agreement.
Upon termination of the management agreement by the Company without cause or by PRCM Advisers due to the Company's material breach of the management agreement, the Company is required to pay a termination fee equal to three times the sum of the average annual base management fee earned by PRCM Advisers during the 24-month period immediately preceding the date of termination, calculated as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter prior to the date of termination.
Employment contracts - The Company does not directly employ any personnel. Instead, the Company relies on the resources of PRCM Advisers to conduct the Company's operations. Expense reimbursements to PRCM Advisers are made in cash on a quarterly basis following the end of each quarter.
Operating leases - As of December 31, 2012, the Company was obligated under non-cancelable operating leases for office space. Future minimum rental payments, including escalation clauses, under leases with terms of one year or more at December 31, 2012 were as follows:
(in thousands)
Year
 
Minimum Payment
2013
 
$
1,085

2014
 
1,092

2015
 
1,099

2016
 
1,106

2017
 
709

Thereafter
 
1,442

 
 
$
6,533

Expenses under the lease agreements were $573,732 and $90,695 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The Company did not maintain an operating lease for the year ended December 31, 2010.
Legal and regulatory - From time to time, the Company is subject to potential liability under laws and government regulations and various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. Liabilities are established for legal claims when payments associated with the claims become probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. The actual costs of resolving legal claims may be substantially higher or lower than the amounts established for those claims. Based on information currently available, management is not aware of any legal or regulatory claims that would have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements and therefore no accrual is required as of December 31, 2012.
Commitments to purchase mortgage loans  - In 2012, the Company entered into forward purchase commitments with counterparties whereby the Company committed to purchasing loans at a particular interest rate, provided the borrower elects to close the loan. All of these commitments were accounted for as derivatives at December 31, 2012.