The Real Deal (N.Y.), Feb. 14, 2018–Konrad PutzierThe mortgage real estate investment trust issued $1.2 billion in new loans in the fourth quarter and $4.8 billion over the entire year–up 37 percent from 2016.
Category: Top National News
MBA Boosts Commercial/Multifamily Team with Pair of Hires
HousingWire, Feb. 19, 2018–Ben LaneSharon Walker joined the MBA in late January as the associate vice president of multifamily. Also joining the MBA is Andrew Foster, who will serve as director, commercial/multifamily.
S.F. Company’s New Idea: Lease Homes to Potential Atlanta Buyers
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Feb. 16, 2018–Michael E. KanellIt’s not a unique idea: leasing a home as a stepping stone to buying it. Still, for some people–who don’t have a lot of savings yet–the idea might make sense, said economist Lynn Fisher of the Mortgage Bankers Association.
JPMorgan Chase to Build Giant New Midtown NYC Headquarters
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 21, 2018–Keiko Morris, Cara Lombardo (subscription)JPMorgan Chase & Co. plans to build a new 2.5 million square-foot headquarters at 270 Park Ave. in New York City, the first major project under a city rezoning plan designed to rejuvenate the building stock in one of its biggest job centers.
GSE Reform Isn’t Dead, But it Isn’t Going Anywhere, Either
National Mortgage News, Feb. 15, 2018–Ian McKendry (subscription)Despite a legislative push by some senators and other stakeholders to jump-start housing finance reform, efforts to form consensus over a bill once again are stuck in neutral.
Wall Street Snaps Up Cheap Single-Family Rentals
Bloomberg, Feb. 16, 2018–Patrick ClarkAs Wall Street’s rental-home industry matures from its early days of frenzied homebuying after the foreclosure crisis, upstarts such as Promise are turning to cheaper houses that have largely been cast aside by big, established landlords.
Commercial Mortgage Originations Ended 2017 on a High Note
National Mortgage Professional, Feb. 12, 2018–Phil HallCommercial and multifamily mortgage originations during 2017 was up 15 percent from the previous year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations.
Fed Is ‘A Long Way Away’ From Having to Raise Interest Rates Due to Wage Pressure: Kashkari
MarketWatch, Feb. 8, 2018–Greg RobbThe U.S. central bank is “a long way away” from having to raise interest rates due to higher inflation caused by higher labor costs, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said Thursday.
Optimizing Environmental Due Diligence in CRE Transactions
Commercial Property Executive, Feb. 13, 2018–Sanyu KyeyuneEnvironmental and engineering expert Dan Spinogatti outlines considerations to improve assessment of environmental risk to keep real estate deals on time and on budget, during the Mortgage Bankers Association CREF/Multifamily Finance conference in San Diego.
After Tax Overhaul, Manhattan Real-Estate Sales Seize Up
Wall Street Journal, Feb. 7, 2018–Josh Barbanel (subscription)The tax overhaul and its elimination of some tax advantages of owning property have settled like a cloud over the Manhattan real-estate market.