Funding Australian development is about more than just money. Dorado prioritises understanding projects at a deeper level, assisting developers with development expertise as well as capital. With a staff armed with extensive knowledge and experience in the property industry, Dorado’s focus extends past loan-to-value exposure alone, to the viability of borrowers’ business plans and the validity of the proposed loan exit.
Dorado provides registered first mortgage funding where there are attributes to the loan that may prohibit it conforming with covenants required by traditional banks. Investments for either land settlement, construction, or residual stock projects generally range in size from $5 million to $30 million, with a short-medium term duration of 6 to 24 months.
Subordinate Finance encompasses loans that rank behind a senior lender, including mezzanine debt, preference equity, and equity. Dorado has provided subordinate finance to a diverse range of projects across various stages of development, including apartments, townhouses, commercial, house and land, industrial, medical, retirement and subdivisions.
The provision of subordinate finance requires a specialised and detailed understanding of development. Dorado’s extensive development expertise and understanding of planning, construction, marketing, leasing or sales, legal structuring, as well as finance considerations, allows it to assess opportunities in detail and mitigate risks associated with development.
Our team is proud of its collaborative, partnership approach with quality developers and deal arrangers and is committed to building enduring relationships built on trust and respect.
A developer was finalising a development application for an integrated medical facility and childcare centre. As the developer had a relatively limited track record and was yet to secure any pre-sales or re-leases for the medical facility, senior bank funding was not a viable option to assist with the settlement of the site in an outer suburb of Melbourne.
Dorado undertook a review of the project and, being located within a key growth corridor which has seen both considerable population growth and residential development in recent years, recognised its potential. Following our comprehensive due diligence process, Dorado assessed the project’s viability and drew upon our previous funding experience within the healthcare and childcare sectors to provide first mortgage funding to the developer.
A developer was underway with an over 55’s lifestyle development. The developer had commenced civil construction works on a project prior to settling on it, but required a first mortgage loan to settle the land and contribute to further construction works in the first and second stages. The nature of the project made it difficult to obtain senior lender finance.
Dorado applied its experience and expertise to assess the quality of the pre-sales together with fully understanding the feasibility and viability of the project. This enabled a first mortgage solution to be put forward, which allowed the project to proceed in a timely manner.
A developer was underway with an over 55’s lifestyle development. The developer had commenced civil construction works on a project prior to settling on it, but required a first mortgage loan to settle the land and contribute to further construction works in the first and second stages. The nature of the project made it difficult to obtain senior lender finance.
Dorado applied its experience and expertise to assess the quality of the pre-sales together with fully understanding the feasibility and viability of the project. This enabled a first mortgage solution to be put forward, which allowed the project to proceed in a timely manner.
A developer had completed the construction of 195 apartments. Prior to this approximately 150 apartments were pre-sold leaving the remaining 45 apartments unsold. The developer was able to repay the majority of their construction facility with the existing pre-sales, however several of these pre-sales were to FIRB approved buyers and would require additional time to complete settlement. Further to this the developer was wanting to release part of their equity within the unsold apartments to complete the purchase of a new project site.
Dorado provided a first mortgage funding solution secured over the unsettled and unsold apartments. Proceeds from the Dorado loan went toward repaying the remaining balance of the construction loan and to the developer to purchase a new project site. The Dorado facility remained whilst the developer marketed and sold the remaining apartments.
A leading Brisbane based developer was undertaking the construction of a townhouse project in an outer suburb of Brisbane. The project’s appointed builder had recently gone into administration and the developer was focusing upon securing a replacement. The developer required a mezzanine facility to continue the construction of the townhouse. Despite the additional risk associated with the need to engage a new head contractor, Dorado were confident that this could be achieved without any material increase in construction costs given that on-site works had yet to commence
After successfully completing our detailed due diligence process, Dorado agreed to provide a mezzanine funding solution, whereby funds were drawn contemporaneously with the financial close of the senior debt facility and the execution of a fixed-price contract with the new builder.
A developer had begun construction of 148 apartments with ground level retail. Early works to the first floor of the building were partially completed before the project’s builder was replaced following a building licence issue. Concurrently, the developer was finalising a senior construction loan and seeking to refinance the existing land facility.
Following a detailed review of the project, and confident in the developer’s track record, Dorado provided a mezzanine debt facility. This enabled the developer to refinance the existing land loan and facilitated the settlement of the senior construction loan.
A rapidly expanding developer builder had a number of medium size apartment projects at various stages of completion. This was stretching the availability of equity funds that the developer was required to contribute to any new project. Further, as the developer was also the builder, banks specified that any non-bank funding would need to be ‘equity-like’ rather than debt. This was prohibiting the commencement of their next 40 apartment and three commercial unit development.
Dorado provided a funding solution in the form of preference equity. The documentation and structure was satisfactory to the senior bank. In this instance, the Dorado equity and fixed return was in preference to the developer’s equity. This enabled the developer to undertake the project and grow its business.
Dorado was approached by a highly regarded boutique fund management firm specialising in real estate investment opportunities to provide a cornerstone preferred equity position in the development of an integrated healthcare facility in Brisbane’s middle ring.
Dorado recognised the merit in partnering with a highly experienced group with a strong track record in the delivery, lease-up, and sale of commercial property assets. We undertook extensive due diligence of the proposed project and were satisfied that existing supply constraints within the area in tandem with the area’s continuing population growth would support strong underlying demand for medical space in the centre.
Dorado’s early equity commitment enabled the developer to focus their efforts upon securing senior construction funding for the project, additional pre-leases to meet the senior funder’s pre-lease hurdle, and execution of the construction contract.
A developer wanted to release equity prior to completion of a project. The boutique apartment project was substantially complete and had secured several pre-sales, but the developer was looking to release equity to fund other project acquisitions.
Dorado Property was able to quickly conduct due diligence to determine the status of the project and work through the legal technicalities of bringing funds into a project that was underway with existing investors and financing arrangements. This allowed the developer to release the equity early and grow the business.
A developer wanted to release equity prior to completion of a project. The boutique apartment project was substantially complete and had secured several pre-sales, but the developer was looking to release equity to fund other project acquisitions.
Dorado Property was able to quickly conduct due diligence to determine the status of the project and work through the legal technicalities of bringing funds into a project that was underway with existing investors and financing arrangements. This allowed the developer to release the equity early and grow the business.
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