(Getty images)
About a decade ago, the Israeli bond market emerged as an attractive source of capital for U.S. real estate companies at a time when traditional sources of financing proved somewhat scarce.
For U.S. firms, a corporate bond issuance in Israel provided the ability to raise debt without saddling a building with a mortgage, and at favorable interest rates compared to those available closer to home. For Israeli institutions with limited domestic investment opportunities, the bonds provided attractive returns.
But the easy access to financing at low rates has also had a downside, as firms like Starwood Capital Group, Brookland Capital and Canada-based Urbancorp took on more than they could handle and defaulted on their debt.