Investments in Real Estate Entities

Investment in Unconsolidated Real Estate Entities

As of March 31, 2015, the Company had investments in six unconsolidated real estate entities, excluding an interest in the Residual JV (as defined in this Form 10-Q), with ownership interest percentages ranging from 15.2% to 31.3%. The Company accounts for its investments in unconsolidated real estate entities under the equity method of accounting. The significant accounting policies of the Company’s unconsolidated real estate entities are consistent with those of the Company in all material respects.

During the three months ended March 31, 2015, AvalonBay Value Added Fund II, L.P. ("Fund II") sold Eaves Plainsboro, located in Plainsboro, NJ, containing 776 apartment homes. Eaves Plainsboro was sold for $117,000,000, and the Company's share of the gain for the disposition was $9,660,000. In conjunction with the disposition, during the three months ended March 31, 2015, Fund II repaid $9,395,000 of related secured indebtedness in advance of the scheduled maturity date.

The Company received $20,680,000 from the joint venture partner associated with MVP I, LLC, the entity that owns Avalon at Mission Bay North II, upon agreement with the partner to modify the joint venture agreement to eliminate the Company's promoted interest for future return calculations and associated distributions. Prospectively, earnings and distributions will be based on the Company's 25.0% equity interest in the venture.

Through subsidiaries, the Company and Equity Residential are members in three limited liability company agreements (collectively, the “Residual JV”). The Company and Equity Residential jointly control the Residual JV and the Company holds a 40.0% economic interest in the assets and liabilities of the Residual JV. During the three months ended March 31, 2015,the Company recognized equity in income of unconsolidated real estate entities of $1,857,000 associated with the settlement of outstanding legal claims and planned and executed disposition activity.

The following is a combined summary of the financial position of the entities accounted for using the equity method as of the dates presented, excluding amounts associated with the Residual JV (dollars in thousands):



	3/31/2015		12/31/2014
	(unaudited)		(unaudited)
Assets:
Real estate, net	$	1,524,554	$	1,617,627
Other assets	76,491		72,290
Total assets	$	1,601,045	$	1,689,917

Liabilities and partners’ capital:
Mortgage notes payable and credit facility	$	968,524	$	980,128
Other liabilities	25,510		24,884
Partners’ capital	607,011		684,905
Total liabilities and partners’ capital	$	1,601,045	$	1,689,917

The following is a combined summary of the operating results of the entities accounted for using the equity method for the periods presented, excluding amounts associated with the Residual JV (dollars in thousands):



	For the three months ended
	3/31/2015			3/31/2014
	(unaudited)
Rental and other income	$	45,255		$	52,376
Operating and other expenses	(17,337		)	(21,208		)
Gain on sale of communities	32,490			—
Interest expense, net	(10,477		)	(13,890		)
Depreciation expense	(11,902		)	(14,417		)
Net income	$	38,029		$	2,861

In conjunction with the formation of Fund II, the Company incurred costs in excess of its equity in the underlying net assets of the respective investments. These costs represent $3,347,000 at March 31, 2015 and $3,880,000 at December 31, 2014 of the respective investment balances.

As part of the formation of Fund II, the Company provided a guarantee to one of the limited partners that provides if, upon final liquidation of Fund II, the total amount of all distributions to the guaranteed partner during the life of Fund II (whether from operating cash flow or property sales) does not equal the total capital contributions made by that partner, then the Company will pay the guaranteed partner an amount equal to the shortfall, but in no event more than 10% of the total capital contributions made by the guaranteed partner (maximum of approximately $8,910,000 for Fund II as of March 31, 2015). As of March 31, 2015, the expected realizable value of the real estate assets owned by Fund II is considered adequate to cover the guaranteed distribution amount under a liquidation scenario. The estimated fair value of, and the Company’s obligation under, this guarantee, both at inception and as of March 31, 2015, was not significant and therefore the Company has not recorded any obligation for this guarantee as of March 31, 2015.

Expensed Acquisition, Development and Other Pursuit Costs and Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company capitalizes pre-development costs incurred in pursuit of new development opportunities for which the Company currently believes future development is probable (“Development Rights”). Future development of these Development Rights is dependent upon various factors, including zoning and regulatory approval, rental market conditions, construction costs and the availability of capital. Initial pre-development costs incurred for pursuits for which future development is not yet considered probable are expensed as incurred. In addition, if the status of a Development Right changes, making future development by the Company no longer probable, any capitalized pre-development costs are written off with a charge to expense. The Company expensed costs related to the abandonment of Development Rights as well as costs incurred in pursuing the acquisition of assets or costs incurred pursuing the disposition of assets for which such disposition activity did not occur, in the amounts of $1,187,000 and $715,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. These costs are included in expensed acquisition, development, and other pursuit costs, net of recoveries on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. These costs can vary greatly, and the costs incurred in any given period may be significantly different in future periods.

The Company evaluates its real estate and other long-lived assets for impairment when potential indicators of impairment exist. Such assets are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization, unless the carrying amount of the asset is not recoverable. If events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable, the Company assesses its recoverability by comparing the carrying amount of the long-lived asset to its estimated undiscounted future cash flows. If the carrying amount exceeds the aggregate undiscounted future cash flows, the Company recognizes an impairment loss to the extent the carrying amount exceeds the estimated fair value of the long-lived asset. Based on periodic tests of recoverability of long-lived assets, the Company did not record any impairment losses for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, other than related to the casualty losses from property damage discussed below.

The Company assesses its portfolio of land held for both development and investment for impairment if the intent of the Company changes with respect to either the development of, or the expected holding period for, the land. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recognized an impairment charge of $800,000 relating to a parcel of land currently under contract to be sold, to reduce the Company's basis to the sales price less expected costs to sell. This charge is included in casualty and impairment loss on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. The Company did not recognize any impairment charges on its investment in land for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

The Company also evaluates its unconsolidated investments for other than temporary impairment, considering both the extent and amount by which the carrying value of the investment exceeds the fair value, and the Company’s intent and ability to hold the investment to recover its carrying value. The Company also evaluates its proportionate share of any impairment of assets held by unconsolidated investments. Excluding amounts associated with the Residual JV, there was no impairment loss recognized by any of the Company’s investments in unconsolidated entities during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.

Casualty Losses

During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recorded a casualty charge of $21,844,000 to write-off the net book value of the building destroyed by the fire at Edgewater. The write-off, coupled with additional incident response expenses, was partially offset by $22,000,000 in insurance proceeds received during the three months ended March 31, 2015, included in prepaid expenses and other assets on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The net impact to casualty loss of $793,000 is included in casualty and impairment loss on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. See discussion in Note 1, "Organization, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies, Legal and Other Contingencies," and Part II, Item 1, "Legal Proceedings," for further discussion of the Edgewater fire.

During the three months ended March 31, 2015, several of the Company's communities in its Northeast markets incurred property and casualty damages from severe winter storms experienced during this time. The Company has recorded an impairment due to a casualty loss of $4,195,000 to recognize the damages from the storms as casualty and impairment loss on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.