SEC Approves Regulations Involving REIT Prices and Arbitration Fraud Intervention

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has approved a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority-proposed rule that would create greater transparency of Nontraded real estate investment trusts. Under the new rule, investors will have to be provided with more information about the costs involved in buying shares of nontraded REITs.

With the existing practice, brokerage firms can list nontraded REITS as having $10/share price. The new rule would obligate broker broker-dealers to include a per share estimated value for an REIT or unlisted direct participation program on customer statements and make other disclosures.

Firms would calculate an REIT or DPP per share estimated value by either using the appraised value methodology or the net investment methodology. The appraised value method involves using the liabilities and assets of the REIT or DPP to determine the valuation upon which the share value would be based. The valuations would have to be conducted at least once a year by a third-party valuation expert. The net investment method involves brokerage firms articulating in customer statements that a portion of return of capital is included in a distribution and that this return lowers the estimated per share value listed on the statement.

Firm members also will have to include certain disclosures stating that the REIT or DPP isn’t on a national securities exchange and that in general it is illiquid. They also need to note that if a client is able to sell the security, the price may be lower than the estimated value found on the statement.

Meantime, the SEC has also approved a rule that will allow securities arbitrators to immediately report a fraud that they discover while involved in a related case if they believe investors are being harmed. Currently, arbitrators have to wait until a case is over to notify Financial Industry Regulatory Authority staff members of a suspected fraud.

Attorneys for investors and broker-dealers have expressed worry about the way that arbitrators who report suspect behavior might be dealt with by FINRA. Some attorneys have expressed concern that arbitrators who stay on a case after reporting fraud concerns could become biased toward certain parties because of conclusions they might have already reached before hearing all the evidence. There is also anxiety over whether a ruling could be easier to challenge.

Please contact our REIT fraud lawyers if you suspect that you may have been the victim of securities fraud. Our securities arbitration lawyers represent investor in recouping their losses. Your case consultation with us is free.

Unfortunately, financial fraud continues to be a problem and investors are the ones that suffer. Investors who have legal representation are more likely to recoup their money. Contact us today.

U.S. SEC approves securities arbitration fraud intervention rule, Reuters, October 15, 2014
SEC approves rule change for greater transparency of nontraded REITs, InvestmentNews, October 14, 2014

More Blog Posts:
Boston Investment Firm Accused of $5 Million Real Estate Investment Fraud Targeting Senior Investors, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, June 19, 2014

California Regulators Probe Inland American Real Estate Trust REIT, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, May 15, 2014

Non-Traded REITs, Structured Products, and Private Placements Remain Under Regulator Scrutiny, Institutional Investor Securities Blog, July 7, 2014