The Lede

National Mortgage News, Apr. 29, 2016--Passy, Jacob Commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations barely budged overall during the first quarter when compared to the same period last year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 29, 2016--Zumbrun, Josh By the middle of 2015, the baby boom was finally eclipsed in size by the generation known as millennials-the people born in most of the 1980s and 1990s. But within the next few years, the baby boomers are likely to also be overtaken by the generation of people born after the millennials in the early years of the 21st century. In a brief span, the baby boomers will fall from America's largest generation to No. 3.

National Mortgage Professional, Apr. 28, 2016--Hall, Phil The first quarter of this year was something of a dud for commercial and multifamily originations, according to new data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Forbes, Apr. 28, 2016, McGraw, Tanner Startup business may be a bit of an enigma to many CRE brokers, but there's a lot of upside potential: repeat business as companies grow, a community for referrals and the competitive edge that comes from gaining expertise in an underserved sector.

Commercial Observer, Apr. 27, 2016--Knakal, Robert The dynamics in the broader New York City investment sales market for the last six months have looked like the quintessential beginning of a market correction. What has been surprising this time around is the relative strength of the office sector.

Reuters, Apr. 27, 2016--Dunsmuir, Lindsay; Lange, Jason The Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged on Wednesday and while it left the door open to a hike in June, its statement implied that it was in no hurry to follow on from its December rate rise.

National Mortgage Professional, May 3, 2016--Hall, Phil The challenges facing renters remained considerable, according to a pair of new data reports.

National Mortgage News, May 3, 2016--Reosti, John At least one banker has gone public with expectations that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will force his institution to hold more capital. More could soon follow.

New York Times, May 3, 2016--Hurdle, Jon Seeking to do more than provide basic homes for its residents, Philadelphia's public housing agency is taking a new approach to neighborhood revitalization. In its latest project, it is adding commercial and educational development to its main role of home building, aiming to address the underlying causes of urban distress.

Scotsman Guide, May 3, 2016--Whitman, Victor Freddie Mac reported a loss in the first quarter driven by lower interest rates and widening spreads on mortgage securities. Mortgage Bankers Association President David Stevens said Freddie's loss underscored the need for Congress to embark on GSE reform.

Consumer Affairs, May 4, 2016--Huffman, Mark Home buyers aren't the only consumers paying more to put roofs over their heads. Rents have been rising just as fast, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association--faster in some cases.

Seaborne cargo delivery shifted further east in the past year as East Coast seaports gained against West Coast ports, reported CBRE, Los Angeles.

First quarter global investment volumes fell 14 percent year-over-year to $133 billion, reported JLL, Chicago.

Commercial real estate borrowing and lending started 2016 similarly to 2015. First-quarter commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations overall were essentially flat compared to the same period last year and--in line with the seasonality of the market--38 percent lower than fourth-quarter 2015, MBA's Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations said.

Commercial valuations increased 0.6 percent month-over-month in April, bringing them back above their year-end 2015 levels, reported Ten-X, Irvine, Calif.

After delivering a "dynamic" year in 2015, Boston's office market slowed in early 2016, though its industrial sector continued to thrive, Transwestern reported.

Institutional-quality real estate returned 2.21 percent in the first quarter, down from 2.91 percent in the fourth quarter, the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries said.

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.