The Lede

Wall Street Journal, Dec. 11, 2015--Grant, Peter Hudson Yards, a sprawling complex of office buildings, apartments and retail space that skeptics doubted would ever be completed, passed another milestone as its developers Friday finalized $5 billion in debt and equity financing and cut a deal with another major business to buy office space.

New York Times, Dec. 11, 2015--Prevost, Lisa For buyers willing to take on the role of landlord, multifamily properties can be one of the more affordable ways into pricey housing markets.

National Mortgage News, Dec. 11, 2015--Peters, Andy Securitizations that involve commercial mortgages are increasingly dropping loans from their pools before the final transactions close, according to Fitch Ratings.

Creators Syndicate, Dec. 12, 2015--Woodard, Jim An increasing supply of rental units is slowing the rise in rents. The annual rent appreciation has slowed for the past three consecutive months as more apartments become available.

Wall Street Journal, Dec. 11, 2015--Hilsenrath, Jon; Harrison, David Five Federal Reserve officials-gathered at a conference table in Charlotte, N. C.-had to determine if hypothetical booms in commercial real estate and corporate borrowing risked collapse and damaging fallout for the broader economy.

The Street, Dec. 14, 2015--Schaffler, Rhonda The commercial real estate boom that's sent rent prices soaring won't end even if the Federal Reserve raises rates this week, said Brian Ward, president of capital markets at Colliers International.

Wall Street Journal, Dec. 15, 2015--Hudgins, Matt Philadelphia has an apartment shortage-and big developers are starting to fill the void.

Scotsman Guide, Dec. 15, 2015--Whitman, Victor Commericial and multifamily debt rose in the third quarter with three out of the four investor classes increasing holdings, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported.

U.S. hotel occupancy should remain at record levels into 2017, predicted PKF Hospitality Research, Atlanta.

Good portfolio management, lower-risk growth strategies and more conservative financial policies lead to a continuing positive outlook for real estate investment trusts from Fitch Ratings, New York.

Property prices increased again in October, extending their streak of double-digit year-over-year gains to 33 months, reported Moody's Investors Service and Real Capital Analytics.

Sperry Van Ness International Corp. changed its brand name to SVN. The SVN brand name and new logo will roll out globally over the next 18 months.

Though apartment construction now stands at its fastest pace in nearly 30 years, those deliveries will not meet the surging demand for rental housing, the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reported.

Commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by $38.0 billion in the third quarter, as three of the four major investor groups increased their holdings, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported this morning.