Transfer of Notes (a) Each Holder may Transfer up to 49% (in the aggregate) of its beneficial interest in its Note whether or not the related transferee is a Qualified Transferee without a Rating Agency Confirmation. Each Holder shall not Transfer more than 49% (in the aggregate) of its beneficial interest in its Note unless (i) prior to a Securitization of any Note, the other Holders have consented to such Transfer, in which case the related transferee shall thereafter be deemed to be a “Qualified Transferee” for all purposes under this Agreement, (ii) after a Securitization of any Note, a Rating Agency Confirmation has been received with respect to such Transfer, in which case the related transferee shall thereafter be deemed to be a “Qualified Transferee” for all purposes under this Agreement, or (iii) such Transfer is to a Qualified Transferee. Any such transferee must assume in writing the obligations of the transferring Holder hereunder and agree to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the Servicing Agreement. Such proposed transferee (except in the case of Transfers that are made in connection with a Securitization) shall also remake each of the representations and warranties contained herein for the benefit of the other Holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the non-transferring Holder’s prior consent (which will not be unreasonably withheld), and, if such non-transferring Holder’s Note is in a Securitization, without a Rating Agency Confirmation from each Rating Agency that has been engaged by the related Depositor to rate the securities issued in connection with such Securitization, no Holder shall Transfer all or any portion of its Note to any Borrower Party and any such Transfer shall be absolutely null and void and shall vest no rights in the purported transferee.
(b) Except for a Transfer made in connection with a Securitization, or a Transfer made by an Initial Note Holder to an Affiliate, at least five (5) days prior to a transfer of any Note, the transferring Holder shall provide to the other Holders and, if any Certificates are outstanding, to the Rating Agencies, a certification that such transfer will be made in accordance with this Section 12, such certification to include (1) the name and contact information of the transferee and (2) if applicable, a certification by the transferee that it is a Qualified Transferee.
(c) The Holders acknowledge that any Rating Agency Confirmation may be granted or denied by the Rating Agencies in their sole and absolute discretion and that such Rating Agencies may charge the transferring Holder customary fees in connection with providing such Rating Agency Confirmation.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, each Holder may pledge or transfer (a “Pledge”) its Note to any entity (other than any Borrower Party) that has extended a credit facility to such Holder or has entered into a repurchase agreement with such Holder and that, in each case, is either a Qualified Transferee or a financial institution whose long-term unsecured debt is rated at least “A” (or the equivalent) or better by each Rating Agency (a “Note Pledgee”), or to a Person with respect to which a Rating Agency Confirmation has been obtained, on terms and conditions set forth in this Section 12(d), it being further agreed that a financing provided by a Note Pledgee to any Holder or any Affiliate that controls such Holder that is secured by such Holder’s interest in its respective Note and is structured as a repurchase arrangement, shall qualify as a “Pledge” hereunder on the condition that all applicable terms and conditions of this Section 12(d) are complied with. A Note Pledgee that is not a Qualified Transferee may not take title to a Note without a Rating Agency Confirmation. Upon written notice, if any, by the pledging Holder to the other Holders and any Master Servicer that a Pledge has been effected (including the name and address of the applicable Note Pledgee), the other Holders agree to acknowledge receipt of such notice and thereafter agree: (i) to give such Note Pledgee written notice of any default by the pledging Holder in respect of its obligations under this Agreement of which default such Holder has actual knowledge and which notice shall be given simultaneously with the giving of such notice to the pledging Holder; (ii) to allow such Note Pledgee a period of ten (10) Business Days to cure a default by the pledging Holder in respect of its obligations to the other Holders hereunder, but such Note Pledgee shall not be obligated to cure any such default; (iii) that no amendment, modification, waiver or termination of this Agreement or the Servicing Agreement (if the pledging Holder had the right to consent to such amendment, modification, waiver or termination pursuant to the terms hereof) shall be effective against such Note Pledgee without the written consent of such Note Pledgee, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and which consent shall be deemed to be given if Note Pledgee shall fail to respond to any request for consent to any such amendment, modification, waiver or termination within 10 days after request therefor; (iv) that the other Holders shall accept any cure by such Note Pledgee of any default of the pledging Holder which such pledging Holder has the right to effect hereunder, as if such cure were made by such pledging Holder; (v) that the other Holders or any Servicer shall deliver to Note Pledgee such estoppel certificate(s) as Note Pledgee shall reasonably request, provided that any such certificate(s) shall be in a form reasonably satisfactory to the other Holders; and (vi) that, upon written notice (a “Redirection Notice”) to any Master Servicer by such Note Pledgee that the pledging Holder is in default beyond any applicable cure periods with respect to the pledging Holder’s obligations to such Note Pledgee pursuant to the applicable credit agreement or other agreements relating to the Pledge between the pledging Holder and such Note Pledgee (which notice need not be joined in or confirmed by the pledging Holder), and until such Redirection Notice is withdrawn or rescinded by such Note Pledgee, Note Pledgee (or at any time that pledging Holder otherwise directs that such payment be made to Note Pledgee pursuant to a separate notice) shall be entitled to receive any payments that any Servicer would otherwise be obligated to make to the pledging Holder from time to time pursuant to this Agreement or any Servicing Agreement. Any pledging Holder hereby unconditionally and absolutely releases the other Holders and any Servicer from any liability to the pledging Holder on account of any Holder’s or Servicer’s compliance with any Redirection Notice believed by any Servicer or other Holders in good faith to have been delivered by a Note Pledgee. Note Pledgee shall be permitted to exercise fully its rights and remedies against the pledging Holder (and accept an assignment in lieu of foreclosure as to such collateral), in accordance with applicable law, the pledge agreement, repurchase agreement or similar agreement between the pledging Holder and the Note Pledgee and this Agreement. In such event, or if the pledging holder otherwise assigns its interests to the Note Pledgee, the other Holders and any Master Servicer shall recognize such Note Pledgee (and any transferee (other than any Borrower Party) that is also a Qualified Transferee at any foreclosure or similar sale held by such Note Pledgee or any transfer in lieu of foreclosure), and such Person’s successor and assigns, as the successor to the pledging Holder’s rights, remedies and obligations under this Agreement, and any such Note Pledgee or Qualified Transferee shall assume in writing the obligations of the pledging Holder hereunder accruing from and after such Transfer (i.e., realization upon the collateral by such Note Pledgee) and agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement. The rights of a Note Pledgee under this Section 12(d) shall remain effective as to any Holder (and any Servicer) unless and until such Note Pledgee shall have notified such Holder (and any Servicer, as applicable) in writing that its interest in the pledged Note has terminated.
Declaration of Trust The Owner Trustee hereby declares that it will hold the Owner Trust Estate in trust upon and subject to the conditions set forth herein for the use and benefit of the Certificateholders, subject to the obligations of the Trust under the Transaction Documents. It is the intention of the parties hereto that (i) the Trust constitute a statutory trust under the Statutory Trust Statute and that this Trust Agreement constitute the governing instrument of such statutory trust and (ii) solely for income and franchise tax purposes, the Trust shall be treated (A) if it has one beneficial owner, as a non-entity and (B) if it has more than one beneficial owner, as a partnership, with the assets of the partnership being the Receivables and other assets held by the Trust, the partners of the partnership being the Certificateholders and the Notes constituting indebtedness of the partnership. Unless otherwise required by the appropriate tax authorities, the Trust shall file or cause to be filed annual or other necessary returns, reports and other forms consistent with the characterization of the Trust either as a nonentity or as a partnership for such tax purposes. Effective as of the date hereof, the Owner Trustee shall have all rights, powers and duties set forth herein and in the Statutory Trust Statute with respect to accomplishing the purposes of the Trust. The parties have caused the filing of the Certificate of Trust with the Secretary of State. If it is determined that, contrary to the intent of the parties hereto and the position of the Certificateholder, the Trust has “gross receipts” for purposes of the Margin Tax, it is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust be treated as a “passive entity” for purposes of the Margin Tax, formed to hold assets to facilitate securitization transactions in a manner similar to grantor trusts and real estate mortgage investment conduits as defined by Section 860D of the Code. The Depositor, and the Certificateholders by acceptance of a Certificate, agree that if it is determined that, contrary to the intent of the parties hereto and the position of the Certificateholder, the Trust has “gross receipts” for purposes of the Margin Tax, they will, unless otherwise required by law, treat the Trust as a “passive entity” for purposes of the Margin Tax and will not, unless otherwise required by law, take any action to include the Trust as part of an affiliated group engaged in a unitary business (as such terms are used in the Margin Tax). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, nothing in this Trust Agreement should be read to imply that the Trust is doing business in Texas or has sufficient nexus with Texas in order for the Margin Tax to apply to the Trust.