NOTE 18. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Accounting standards require that the Company adopt fair value measurement for financial assets and financial liabilities. This enhanced guidance for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities applies whenever other standards require or permit assets or liabilities to be measured at fair value. This guidance does not expand the use of fair value in any new circumstances.

Accounting standards establish a hierarchal disclosure framework associated with the level of pricing observability utilized in measuring assets and liabilities at fair value. The three broad levels defined by these standards are as follows:

Level I: Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reported date.

Level II: Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reported date. The nature of these assets and liabilities include items for which quoted prices are available but traded less frequently, and items that are fair valued using other financial instruments, the parameters of which can be directly observed.

Level III: Assets and liabilities that have little to no pricing observability as of the reported date. These items do not have two-way markets and are measured using management’s best estimate of fair value, where the inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation.

Assets Measured on a Recurring Basis

As required by accounting standards, financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company classified investments in government securities as Level 2 instruments and valued them using the market approach. The following measurements are made on a recurring basis.

Available-for-sale investment securities - Available-for-sale investment securities are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Fair value measurement is based upon quoted prices, if available. If quoted prices are not available, fair values are measured using independent pricing models or other model-based valuation techniques such as the present value of future cash flows, adjusted for the security's credit rating, prepayment assumptions and other factors such as credit loss assumptions. Level 1 securities include those traded on an active exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange, U.S. Treasury securities that are traded by dealers or brokers in active over-the-counter markets and money market funds. Level 2 securities include mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored entities and private label entities, municipal bonds and corporate debt securities. There have been no changes in valuation techniques for the year ended December 31, 2014. Valuation techniques are consistent with techniques used in prior periods.

Loans held for sale — Loans held for sale are carried at fair value. These loans currently consist of one-to-four-family residential loans originated for sale in the secondary market. Fair value is based on the committed market rates or the price secondary markets are currently offering for similar loans using observable market data.

Interest rate lock commitment - For mortgage interest rate locks, the fair value is based on either (i) the price of the underlying loans obtained from an investor for loans that will be delivered on a best efforts basis or (ii) the observable price for individual loans traded in the secondary market for loans that will be delivered on a mandatory basis or (iii) less expected costs to deliver the interest rate locks, any expected “pull through rate” is applied to this calculation to estimate the derivative value.

Interest rate cap - The fair value of the interest rate cap is determined at the end of each quarter by determining through Bloomberg Finance the current price of the same cap for each quarter end.

Forward sales commitments – Forward sales commitments are considered derivatives and are recorded at fair value, based on (i) committed sales prices from investors for commitments to sell mortgage loans or (ii) observable market data inputs for commitments to sell mortgage backed securities. For mortgage interest rate locks, the fair value is based on either (i) the price of the underlying loans obtained from an investor for loans that will be delivered on a best efforts basis or (ii) the observable price for individual loans traded in the secondary market for loans that will be delivered on a mandatory basis or (iii) less the cost to originate loans and applied pull through rate.

The following tables present the assets reported on the consolidated statements of financial condition at their fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 by level within the fair value hierarchy. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.


	December 31, 2014
(in thousands)	Level I			Level II		Level III	Total

U.S. Agency Securities	$	—	$	37,534	$	—	$	37,534
U.S. Sponsored Mortgage backed Securities		—		29,932		—		29,932
Equity and Other Securities		77		670		—		747
Loans held for sale		—		69,527		—		69,527
Interest rate lock commitment		—		—		1,020		1,020
Interest rate cap		—		1,423		—		1,423
Forward sales commitments		—		(431)		—		(431)


		December 31, 2013
(in thousands)		Level I		Level II		Level III		Total

U.S. Agency Securities	$	—	$	58,822	$	—	$	58,822
U.S. Sponsored Mortgage backed Securities		—		46,592		—		46,592
Equity and Other Securities		187		810		—		997
Loans held for sale		—		90,061		—		90,061
Interest rate lock commitment		—		—		1,081		1,081
Forward sales commitments		—		316		—		316

Assets Measured on a Nonrecurring Basis

The Company may be required, from time to time, to measure certain financial assets, financial liabilities, non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These include assets that are measured at the lower of cost or market value that were recognized at fair value below cost at the end of the period. Certain non-financial assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis include foreclosed assets (upon initial recognition or subsequent impairment), non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities measured at fair value in the second step of a goodwill impairment test, and intangible assets and other non-financial long-lived assets measured at fair value for impairment assessment. Non-financial assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis during 2014 and 2013 include certain foreclosed assets which, upon initial recognition, were remeasured and reported at fair value through a charge-off to the allowance for possible loan losses and certain foreclosed assets which, subsequent to their initial recognition, were remeasured at fair value through a write-down included in other non-interest expense.

Impaired Loans - Loans for which it is probable that payment of interest and principal will not be made in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan agreement are considered impaired. Once a loan is identified as individually impaired, management measures impairment using one of several methods, including collateral value, liquidation value and discounted cash flows. Those impaired loans not requiring an allowance represent loans for which the fair value of the expected repayments or collateral exceed the recorded investments in such loans. Collateral values are estimated using Level 2 inputs based on observable market data or Level 3 inputs based on customized discounting criteria. For a majority of impaired real estate related loans, the Company obtains a current external appraisal. Other valuation techniques are used as well, including internal valuations, comparable property analysis and contractual sales information.

Other Real Estate owned — Other real estate owned, which is obtained through the Bank’s foreclosure process is valued utilizing the appraised collateral value. Collateral values are estimated using Level 2 inputs based on observable market data or Level 3 inputs based on customized discounting criteria. At the time, the foreclosure is completed, the Company obtains a current external appraisal.

Mortgage Servicing Rights – Mortgage servicing rights (“MSRs”) do not trade in an active, open market with readily observable prices. While sales of MSRs do occur, the precise terms and conditions typically are not readily available.

Assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 are included in the table below (in thousands):


	December 31, 2014
	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total

Impaired loans	$	—	$	—	$	14,091	$	14,091
Other real estate owned		—		—		575		575
Mortgage servicing rights		—		—		1,423		1,423


	December 31, 2013
	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total

Impaired loans	$	—	$	—	$	5,178	$	5,178
Other real estate owned		—		—		375		375
Mortgage servicing rights		—		—		1,417		1,417

The following tables presents quantitative information about the Level 3 significant unobservable inputs for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis at December 31, 2014 and 2013.


	Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements
(Dollars in thousands)			Valuation	Unobservable
December 31, 2014	Fair Value		Technique	Input	Range

Impaired loans	$	14,091	Appraisal of collateral (1)	Appraisal adjustments (2)	20% - 30%
				Liquidation expense (2)	5% - 10%

Other real estate owned	$	575	Appraisal of collateral (1)	Appraisal adjustments (2)	20% - 30%
				Liquidation expense (2)	5% - 10%

Mortgage servicing rights	$	1,423	Discounted cash flows	Constant prepayment rate	12%
				Cost of service	0.25%
				Discount rate	12%


	Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements
(Dollars in thousands)			Valuation	Unobservable
December 31, 2013	Fair Value		Technique	Input	Range

Impaired loans	$	5,178	Appraisal of collateral (1)	Appraisal adjustments (2)	20% - 30%
				Liquidation expense (2)	5% - 10%

Other real estate owned	$	375	Appraisal of collateral (1)	Appraisal adjustments (2)	20% - 30%
				Liquidation expense (2)	5% - 10%

Mortgage servicing rights	$	1,417	Discounted cash flows	Constant prepayment rate	12%
				Cost of service	0.25%
				Discount rate	12%

(1)

Fair value is generally determined through independent appraisals of the underlying collateral, which generally include various level 3 inputs which are not identifiable.

(2)

Appraisals may be adjusted by management for qualitative factors such as economic conditions and estimated liquidation expenses. The range and weighted average of liquidation expenses and other appraisal adjustments are presented as a percent of the appraisal.