Washington Post, Feb. 8, 2019–Robert McCartney, Jonathan O’Connell, Patricia SullivanAmazon.com is reconsidering its plan to bring 25,000 jobs to a new campus in New York City following a wave of opposition from local politicians.
Category: Top National News
BB&T-SunTrust: Three Big Questions
American Banker, Feb. 7, 2019–Paul Davis (subscription)BB&T finally scored the type of deal it has coveted for nearly two decades–a massive acquisition that puts it one step closer to becoming a top-five bank.
Bankruptcy Judge Says He Will Approve Lampert Purchase of Sears
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 7, 2019–Lillian Rizzo (subscription)A bankruptcy judge said Thursday he would approve Edward Lampert’s bid to purchase Sears Holdings Corp., a decision that will keep the doors open at more than 400 stores and see 45,000 people keep their jobs.
Q4 Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Originations Up 14 Percent
National Mortgage Professional, Feb. 11, 2019–Phil HallFourth quarter originations for commercial and multifamily mortgages were up 14 percent on a year-over-year basis, according to new data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Multifamily and CRE Mortgage Lending Projected to Match Record High
National Mortgage News, Feb. 11, 2019–Paul Centopani (subscription)Stable equity and debt availability should keep multifamily and commercial real estate originations in line with 2017’s peak, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Republicans Want Mortgage Giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be Private Companies Again
Washington Post, Feb. 1, 2019–Renae MerleA decade after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under government control, a key Senate Republican on Friday proposed allowing them to return to being private companies.
The 6 Most Expensive Rental Markets are All in California
HousingWire, Feb. 1, 2019–Kelsey RamirezWhile most of the top 10 cities remained flat, Santa Ana rejoined the ranks, giving California six of the top 10 cities, according to a monthly rental report from Zumper. It replaced Miami as the 10th most expensive city.
Strong Economy, Cheap Money Boost Commercial Property Market
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 5, 2019–Konrad Putzier (subscription)A strong economy helped lift commercial real-estate sales to near-record levels last year, and many investors are counting on low interest rates to keep sales going in 2019.
What Does a Flattening Yield Curve Mean for the Real Estate Markets?
Trepp Blog, Jan. 30, 2019–Mike Fratantoni (MBA Chief Economist) The financial markets have been speaking loudly, indicating significant concerns regarding the growing risk of a recession in the near future. In particular, bond traders are now betting that the Federal Reserve will not raise rates, as the Fed itself most recently predicted, and are increasingly looking for a rate cut.
Is China’s Debt Crackdown Hitting California’s Commercial Real Estate Bubble?
Market Express, Jan. 30, 2019–Wolf RichterThe Chinese government is cracking down on capital flows from China to other countries, particularly to fund real estate projects. It is also cracking down on the “ballooning” debt of Chinese conglomerates, after their real estate buying spree.