The Lede

Wall Street Journal, Feb. 7, 2017--Peter GrantSome prominent real-estate investors are reducing their holdings and getting more selective about new deals in a sign that the eight-year bull market for U.S. commercial property is coming to a close.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Feb. 5, 2017--Janet ChoAlthough some brick-and-mortar stores slumped this past holiday season and mall-based retailers like Macy's, Sears, and Kmart are closing more than the usual number of stores, that doesn't mean that shopping centers themselves are doomed.

Commercial Observer, Feb. 3, 2017--Cathy CunninghamA $70 million loan collateralized by the Gallivant Times Square at 234 West 48th Street is being dual-tracked in foreclosure, a source familiar with the asset said.

Scotsman Guide, Feb. 6, 2017--Victor WhitmanThe Macy's and Sears store closings will create little credit risk to the overall commercial mortgage-backed securities universe, Moody's Investors Service reported.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 7, 2017--Jacob PassyA homeowner's equity position is one of the many factors that drive property transitions between owner-occupied and rental status, according to a study from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Research Institute for Housing America.

National Mortgage Professional, Feb. 6, 2017--Phil HallNearly 6.5 percent of home build before 2000 and 10.3 percent of homes built in the 1990s were transitioned from owner-occupied into rental properties, according to a new study from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Research Institute for Housing America.

National Real Estate Investor, Feb. 6, 2017--Elaine MisonzhnikAll types of capital providers-banks, insurance companies, conduit lenders and private equity funds-are actively looking for deals, and loan terms continue to be attractive, even if loan-to-value ratios have not moved much above 65 percent.

National Real Estate Investor, Feb. 3, 2017--Patricia KirkOffice building landlords are now outfitting lobbies with amenities and creating indoor and outdoor spaces where building occupants can work, socialize and meet with each other or clients.

Philadelphia Daily News, Feb. 3, 2017--Suzette ParmleyBET Investments took a leap of faith when it acquired the ailing Granite Run Mall in 2013 for $24.2 million. The previous owner had walked away from a $128 million loan on the abandoned suburban mall, leaving the keys and mortgage to the lenders.

National Mortgage News, Feb. 3, 2017--Allison PrangA number of banks are tapping the brakes on commercial real estate lending, giving others an opportunity to make more loans at better terms.

Commercial and multifamily developments and activities relevant to your business and our industry.

The Mortgage Bankers Association released a new MBANow video on YouTube featuring MBA Chairman Rodrigo Lopez, CMB, who discusses the new MBA paper, GSE Reform Principles and Guardrails.

Steady absorption, a modest drop in multifamily starts and stable employment growth should keep multifamily oversupply risk in check, reported Freddie Mac Multifamily, McLean, Va.

As a mortgage industry employee, you know the benefits of homeownership. You know that a home is the most significant investment a person makes in their lifetime. And you know that from an investment standpoint, in most cases buying a home pays for itself over the long term.

The U.S. hotel industry will likely see "slower but steady" growth through 2018, reported STR, Hendersonville, Tenn., and Tourism Economics, Philadelphia.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage bankers expect 2017 to carry over much of the momentum from 2016, according to a new Mortgage Bankers Association survey of the top commercial and multifamily mortgage origination firms.

Commercial property market supply-demand fundamentals held steady in the third quarter, reported Moody's Investors Service, New York.

Reis, New York, doubled its coverage of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties, giving subscribers information on 256 counties in 110 U.S. metros.

Commercial property price growth slipped in December, falling 1.3 percent, reported CoStar, Washington, D.C.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage bankers expect 2017 to carry over much of the momentum from 2016, according to a new Mortgage Bankers Association survey of the top commercial and multifamily mortgage origination firms.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage bankers expect 2017 to carry over much of the momentum from 2016, according to a new Mortgage Bankers Association survey of the top commercial and multifamily mortgage origination firms.