Category: News and Trends

The Mortgage Bankers launched the first in its series of online programs this week, featuring MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, discussing housing affordability issues and the upcoming elections. 

The Federal Housing Finance Agency yesterday increased 2016 multifamily lending caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from $31 billion to $35 billion, effective immediately.

The hotel sector outperformed most asset classes through the current expansion, but its first quarter performance raises concern, analysts say.

Tenant demand for office space slowed in the first quarter, dragged down primarily by continued oil sector weakness and a tech sector pullback, reported Cushman & Wakefield, New York.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities’ credit quality as measured by loan-to-value ratios improved during the first three months of this year, reported Moody’s Investors Service, New York.

U.S. institutional investors such as pension funds, endowments and foundations plan to reduce their new capital commitments to real estate by 19 percent in 2016, a survey found.

Real estate activity generally expanded in late February and March, the Federal Reserve reported yesterday in its Beige Book.

WASHINGTON, D.C.–Housing finance reform remains stalled in Congress, but next year could prove pivotal in the effort to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two senators said this week.

Small-balance loan originations grew 10 percent year-over-year in 2015 to eclipse 2013’s previous peak of $176.2 billion, reported Boxwood Means, Stamford, Conn.

Global retail space under development increased 7.4 percent last year to 451 million square feet, reported CBRE Group, Los Angeles.