Washington Post, May 16, 2016–Mui, Ylan
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker said has led the Richmond Fed since 2004 and has been a vocal critic of the central bank’s easy-money stance. Now, he says the Fed might be falling behind the curve as the economy strengthens.
Barron’s May 14, 2016–Stone, Amey
Mortgage real estate investment trusts have enjoyed a stunning three-month run for an obscure, underfollowed corner of finance. They are up 22 percent since mid-February, buoyed by stronger credit markets, a Federal Reserve that seems likely to keep rates lower for longer and a nod from bond king Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Capital at a recent hedge fund conference.
National Real Estate Investor, May 13, 2016-Carr, Robert
Though demand for office space continues to improve, industry experts say it’s still too early to expect a surge in speculative construction in the sector. Office developers are watching constructions costs rise and sensing some lingering caution from corporate executive teams, leaving them reluctant to build on a speculative basis.
Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2016–Morath, Eric; Kapner, Suzanne
Consumers boosted spending in April to the highest levels in more than a year, accelerating their turn toward online shopping and widening the divide between in-store retailers and Internet outlets pitching lower prices and convenience.
Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2016–Josephs, Leslie
Real-estate stocks are getting their own home in the S&P 500 later this year, a move that could spell trouble in their old neighborhood.
National Mortgage Profesional, May 17, 2016
The Mortgage Bankers Association Opens Doors Foundation announced that it is accepting “Text-to-Give” donations.
MarketWatch, May 17, 2016–Riquier, Andrea
Rent price growth matched the highest since the financial crisis, another indication of the imbalance in the nation’s housing market. In early May, a report called “Diverted Homeowners, the Rental Crisis and Foregone Household Formation” was released by the Mortgage Bankers Association.
National Real Estate Investor, May 17, 2016–Bell, Diana
Off to a wobbly start in 2016, the lending landscape for commercial real estate is expected to bolster as the year progresses. Yet investors and lenders remain uncertain about the extent of improvement, as the industry faces looming loan maturities and regulatory measures. Insurance lenders accounted for 13.0 percent of all lending across commercial property types in 2015, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
National Real Estate Investor, May 18, 2016–Mattson-Teig, Beth
Higher caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will deliver some welcome liquidity to a still booming multifamily investment market.
Forbes, May 18, 2016–Moreno, Hugo
Commercial real estate executives appear relatively optimistic about the general state of
 the market in 2016, with many predicting higher than average deal volumes for their firms.
