AMERICAN REALTY INVESTORS INC (ARL)

ITEM 2.MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis by management should be read in conjunction with the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Quarterly Report”) and in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 (the “Annual Report”).

This Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, principally, but not only, under the captions “Business”, “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”. We caution investors that any forward-looking statements in this report, or which management may make orally or in writing from time to time, are based on management’s beliefs and on assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “might”, “plan”, “estimate”, “project”, “should”, “will”, “result” and similar expressions which do not relate solely to historical matters are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance, which may be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. We caution you that, while forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs when we make them, they are not guarantees of future performance and are impacted by actual events when they occur after we make such statements. We expressly disclaim any responsibility to update our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, investors should use caution in relying on past forward-looking statements, which are based on results and trends at the time they are made, to anticipate future results or trends.

Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

•general risks affecting the real estate industry (including, without limitation, the inability to enter into or renew leases, dependence on tenants’ financial condition, and competition from other developers, owners and operators of real estate);

•risks associated with the availability and terms of construction and mortgage financing and the use of debt to fund acquisitions and developments;

•demand for multifamily and commercial properties in our markets and the effect on occupancy and rental rates;

•our ability to obtain financing, enter into joint venture arrangements in relation to or self-fund the development or acquisition of properties;

•risks associated with the timing and amount of property sales and the resulting gains/losses associated with such sales;

•failure to manage effectively our growth and expansion into new markets or to integrate acquisitions successfully;

•risks and uncertainties affecting property development and construction (including, without limitation, construction delays, cost overruns, inability to obtain necessary permits and public opposition to such activities);

•risks associated with downturns in the national and local economies, increases in interest rates, and volatility in the securities markets;

•costs of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other similar laws and regulations; and

•potential liability for uninsured losses and environmental contamination.

The risks included here are not exhaustive. Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, include among others, the factors listed and described at Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” Annual Report on Form 10-K, which investors should review.

18

Table of Contents

Management's Overview

We are an externally advised and managed real estate investment company that owns a diverse portfolio of income-producing properties and land held for development throughout the Southern United States. Our portfolio of income-producing properties includes residential apartment communities ("multifamily properties"), office buildings and retail properties ("commercial properties"). Our investment strategy includes acquiring existing income-producing properties as well as developing new properties on land already owned or acquired for specific development projects.

Our operations are managed by Pillar Income Asset Management, Inc. (“Pillar”) in accordance with an Advisory Agreement. Pillar’s duties include, but are not limited to, locating, evaluating and recommending real estate and real estate-related investment opportunities, asset management, and arranging debt and equity financing with third party lenders and investors. We have no employees; all of our services are performed by Pillar employees. Pillar is considered to be a related party due to its common ownership with May Realty Holdings, Inc. (“MRHI”), who is our controlling shareholder.

The following is a summary of our recent disposition, financing and development activities:

Disposition Activities

•On March 25, 2025, we received $3.5 million in proceeds from the condemnation settlement that provided for the conveyance of 11.2 acres from our holdings in Windmill Farms, resulting in a gain on sale of $3.1 million.

•On October 10, 2025, we sold Villas at Bon Secour, a 200 unit multifamily property in Gulf Shores, Alabama, for $28.0 million. We used the proceeds from the sale to pay off the loan on the property (See "Financing Activities") and for general corporate purposes.

•During the year ended December 31, 2025, we sold 72 lots from our holdings in Windmill Farms for $3.3 million, resulting in a gain on sale of $2.6 million.

•During the six months ended June 30, 2026, we sold 42 lots from our holdings in Windmill Farms for $2.0 million, resulting in a gain on sale of $1.6 million.

Financing Activities

•On May 30, 2025, we paid off the $10.8 million loan on 770 South Post Oak with cash on hand.

•On October 10, 2025, we paid off the $18.8 million loan on Villas at Bon Secour in connection with the sale of the underlying property (See "Disposition Activities").

•On April 30, 2026, we extended the loan on Alera to September 15, 2026. The loan contains two one-year extension options.

Development Activities

We have agreements to develop two parcels of land from our land holdings in Windmill Farms. The agreements provide for the development of 125 acres of raw land into approximately 470 land lots to be used for single family homes. During the six months ended June 30, 2026, we spent $0.4 million on reimbursable infrastructure investments.

We have entered into development agreements with Pillar to develop multifamily properties. In 2025, we completed the construction of Alera, a 240 unit multifamily property in Lake Wales, Florida; Bandera Ridge, a 216 unit multifamily property in Temple, Texas; and Merano, a 216 unit multifamily property in McKinney, Texas. All three of these properties are currently in lease-up, which are expected to stabilize in 2026. We are currently constructing Mountain Creek, a 234 unit multifamily property in Dallas, Texas, which is expected to be completed in 2027. As of June 30, 2026, we've incurred a total of $17.0 million in the construction of Mountain Creek and expect to expend an additional $33.0 million to complete the project, which will be funded in part by a construction loan that allows for borrowings of up to $27.5 million.

Critical Accounting Policies

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

19

Table of Contents

Some of these estimates and assumptions include judgments on revenue recognition, estimates for common area maintenance and real estate tax accruals, provisions for uncollectible accounts, impairment of long-lived assets, the allocation of purchase price between tangible and intangible assets, capitalization of costs and fair value measurements. Our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in our notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Annual Report. However, the following policies are deemed to be critical.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

We apply the guidance in ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures”, to the valuation of real estate assets. These provisions define fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, establish a hierarchy that prioritizes the information used in developing fair value estimates and require disclosure of fair value measurements by level within the fair value hierarchy. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable data (Level 3 measurements), such as the reporting entity’s own data.

The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date and includes three levels defined as follows:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices for identical and unrestricted assets or liabilities in active markets.

Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement.

A financial instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Related Parties

We apply ASC Topic 805, “Business Combinations”, to evaluate business relationships. Related parties are persons or entities who have one or more of the following characteristics, which include entities for which investments in their equity securities would be required, trust for the benefit of persons including principal owners of the entities and members of their immediate families, management personnel of the entity and members of their immediate families and other parties with which the entity may deal if one party controls or can significantly influence the decision making of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing our own separate interests, or affiliates of the entity.

Results of Operations

Many of the variations in the results of operations, discussed below, occurred because of the transactions affecting our properties described above, including those related to the Development Properties, the Acquisition Properties and the Disposition Properties (each as defined below).

For purposes of the discussion below, we define "Same Properties" as all of our properties with the exception of those properties that have been recently constructed or are in lease-up (“Development Properties”), properties that have recently been acquired ("Acquisition Properties") a

[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]

ITEM 7.    MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes in Part II, Item 8 of this Report. Our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2025 were affected by a acquisitions and disposition, refinancing activity, development activity as discussed below.

Management's Overview

We are an externally advised and managed real estate investment company that owns a diverse portfolio of income-producing properties and land held for development throughout the Southern United States. Our portfolio of income-producing properties generally includes multifamily residential properties, office buildings and other commercial properties. Our investment strategy includes acquiring existing income-producing properties as well as developing new properties on land already owned or acquired for a specific development project.

Our operations are managed by Pillar in accordance with an Advisory Agreement and a Cash Management Agreement. Pillar’s duties include, but are not limited to, locating, evaluating and recommending real estate and real estate-related investment opportunities. Pillar also arranges our debt and equity financing with third party lenders and investors. We rely upon the employees of Pillar to render services to us in accordance with the terms of the Advisory Agreement. Pillar is considered to be a related party due to its ownership by RAI.

15

The following is a summary of our recent disposition, financing and development activities:

Disposition Activities

•On December 13, 2024, we sold 30 single family lots from our holdings in Windmill Farms for $1.4 million, resulting in a gain on sale of $1.1 million.

•On March 25, 2025, we received $3.5 million in proceeds from the condemnation settlement that provided for the conveyance of 11.2 acres from our holdings in Windmill Farms, resulting in a gain on sale of $3.1 million.

•On October 10, 2025, we sold Villas at Bon Secour, a 200 unit multifamily property in Gulf Shores, Alabama, for $28.0 million (See "Financing Activities"), resulting in a gain on sale of $12.2 million.

•During the year ended December 31, 2025, we sold 72 lots from our holdings in Windmill Farms for $3.3 million, resulting in a gain on sale of $2.6 million.

Financing Activities

•On January 31, 2023, we paid off our $67.5 million of Series C bonds.

•On February 28, 2023, we extended the maturity of our loan on Windmill Farms until February 28, 2024 at a revised interest rate of 7.75%.

•On March 15, 2023, we entered into a $33.0 million construction loan to finance the development of Alera (See "Development Activities") that bears interest at the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") plus 3% and matures on March 15, 2026, with two one-year extension options.

•On May 4, 2023, we paid off the remaining $14.0 million of our Series A Bonds and $28.9 million of our Series B Bonds, which resulted in a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $1.7 million.

•On August 28, 2023, we paid off our $1.2 million loan on Athens.

•On November 6, 2023, we entered into a $25.4 million construction loan to finance the development of Merano (See "Development Activities") that bears interest at prime plus 0.25% and matures on November 6, 2028.

•On December 15, 2023, we entered into a $23.5 million construction loan to finance the development of Bandera Ridge (See "Development Activities") that bears interest at SOFR plus 3% and matures on December 15, 2028.

•On January 1, 2024, we amended our Cash Management agreement with Pillar. As a result, the interest rate on the related party receivable ("Pillar Receivable") changed from prime plus one to SOFR.

•On February 8, 2024, we extended the maturity of our loan on Windmill Farms to February 28, 2026 at an interest rate of 7.50%. We subsequently paid off the loan on November 24, 2025.

•On July 10, 2024, we replaced the existing loan on Forest Grove with a $6.6 million loan that bears interest at SOFR plus 2.15% and matures on August 1, 2031.

•On October 21, 2024, we entered into a $27.5 million construction loan to finance the development of Mountain Creek (See "Development Activities") that bears interest at SOFR plus 3.45% and matures on June 17, 2027.

•On May 30, 2025, we paid off the $10.8 million loan on 770 South Post Oak with cash on hand.

•On October 10, 2025, we paid off the $18.8 million loan on Villas at Bon Secour in connection with the sale of the underlying property (See "Disposition Activities"), resulting in a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $0.3 million.

Development Activities

We have agreements to develop two parcels of land from our land holdings in Windmill Farms. The agreements provide for the development of 125 acres of raw land into approximately 470 land lots to be used for single family homes. During 2025, we spent $1.8 million on reimbursable infrastructure investments.

During the year ended December 31, 2025, we expended $69.0 million in the construction of four multifamily properties ("Development Projects"), which were funded in part by $63.8 million in borrowing from our construction loans.

16

The following is a summary of the total projected and incurred costs (dollars in thousands) for the Development Projects as of December 31, 2025:

As of December 31, 2025, we have substantially completed the construction of the units from Alera, Bandera Ridge and Merano, and expect to complete construction of Mountain Creek in 2026.

Other Developments

On March 23, 2023, we received $18.0 million from our joint venture in Victory Abode Apartments, LLC ("VAA"), which represented the remaining distribution of proceeds from the sale of the 45 properties in September 2022 that had been held by VAA. We dissolved VAA in 2024.

We had been engaged in litigation with David Clapper and entities related to Mr. Clapper (collectively, “Clapper") since 1999. The matter originally involved a transaction in 1998 in which we were to acquire eight multifamily properties from the Clapper. Through the years, several rulings, both for and against us, were issued with a range of settlement from zero to $148.0 million. On October 31, 2024, we executed a settlement agreement and paid $23.4 million to resolve all claims.

On December 5, 2025, we sold our interest in Gruppa Florentino, Inc. ("Gruppa" or "Milano") for $12.7 million, which resulted in gain on sale of $2.3 million. The sales price was funded by a note receivable (See Note 9 - Notes Receivable) that is collateralize by the ownership interest in Milano. Concurrent with the sale of Milano, we invested $1.3 million for a 20% ownership interest in Aventi Bene, Inc. ("Aventi"), a newly formed joined venture that invests in various emerging restaurant concepts. We account for our investment in Aventi under the equity method of accounting.

Critical Accounting Policies

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Some of these estimates and assumptions include judgments on revenue recognition, estimates for common area maintenance and real estate tax accruals, provisions for uncollectible accounts, impairment of long-lived assets, the allocation of purchase price between tangible and intangible assets, capitalization of costs and fair value measurements. Our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in our notes to the consolidated financial statements. However, the following policies are deemed to be critical.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

We apply the guidance in ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” to the valuation of real estate assets. These provisions define fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants at the measurement date that is other than in a forced or liquidation sale, establish a hierarchy that prioritizes the information used in developing fair value estimates and require disclosure of fair value measurements by level within the fair value hierarchy. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable data (Level 3 measurements), such as the reporting entity’s own data.

17

The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date and includes three levels defined as follows:

Level 1—Unadjusted quoted prices for identical and unrestricted assets or liabilities in active markets.

Level 2—Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement.

A financial instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Related Parties

We apply ASC Topic 805, “Business Combinations”, to evaluate business relationships. Related parties are persons or entities who have one or more of the following characteristics, which include entities for which investments in their equity securities would be required, trust for the benefit of persons including principal owners of the entities and members of their immediate families, management personnel of the entity and members of their immediate families and other parties with which the entity may deal if one party controls or can significantly influence the decision making of the other to an extent that one of the transacting parties might be prevented from fully pursuing our own separate interests, or affiliates of the entity.

Environmental Matters

Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, we may be potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other potential costs, relating to hazardous or toxic substances (including governmental fines and injuries to persons and property) where property-level managers have arranged for the removal, disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances. In addition, certain environmental laws impose liability for release of asbestos-containing materials into the air, and third parties may seek recovery for personal injury associated with such materials.

We are not aware of any environmental liability relating to the above matters that would have a material adverse effect on our business, assets or results of operations.

Inflation

The effects of inflation on our operations are not quantifiable. Revenues from property operations tend to fluctuate proportionately with inflationary increases and decreases in housing costs. Fluctuations in the rate of inflation also affect sales values of properties and the ultimate gain to b

[Excerpt truncated for page length; the complete text is on the linked full-MD&A page.]