JLL Debuts Loan Tracking Database

OneView SM works to arrange financial institutions' performing, non-performing and real-estate-owned portfolios into geographic and asset type sub-categories with an indexed electronic data room. This creates a standardized transaction platform to further create value, according to a JLL release on the service.

"It's a familiar and reoccurring scene when we meet with financial institutions that are trying to get a handle on their special assets. The typical approach is to move some loan officers over to special assets, who now are handling 50 to 100 assets each using basic excel spreadsheets and a bunch of boxes full of hard files," says Wes Boatwright, managing director of JLL's Real Estate Investment Banking team.

The database further aides bank executives as many of them have not been through a downturn of this kind and can benefit from the additional support. "Most of these loan officers haven't lived through a real estate down cycle and the problem has grown so quickly that there hasn't been enough time to create an effective and efficient system to streamline the process, leverage down costs and ensure maximum value recovery," Boatwright says. "Many of these assets are small balance loans, which add to the processing inefficiency."

Before launching this publicly, JLL tested the program on smaller regional banks. The technology has been around for the past five years, being utilized in different ways until now when it will be available across the country.

"During this critical time, financial institutions can leave no stone unturned in their quest to maximize assets and recover value. Unproductive capital on an owner's balance sheet is a huge liability and those firms that are able to access these hidden assets will emerge as leaders in the recovery," says John Vick, JLL managing director of Development and Asset Strategy team. "We've tested and proven this on a regional bank portfolio for the disposition of a wide range of distressed assets─ partially completed subdivisions, commercial properties warehouses, and retail stores. OneViewSM simplifies the process of locating, managing and standardizing multiple assets and provides complete transparency for both the owner, as well as potential buyers and the federal government."

JLL executives say the technology will also help company transparency. "With more public/private partnerships being formed between banks and the federal government, clear and total transparency will gain even more importance in the coming months," says Tom Kirschbraun, JLL managing director of Development and Asset Strategy team. "OneViewSM allows clients to establish a clearly understandable audit trail. The benefit of this technology becomes immediately clear from both a federal regulatory standpoint and a business standpoint."