The Lede

Wall Street Journal, March 4, 2019 --Jessica Menton (subsription)The Federal Reserve's dovish tilt this year has been a boon for real-estate shares that were pressured by a threat of higher interest rates. Investors are scooping up REIT shares because of their large dividends and strong earnings growth.

National Real Estate Investor, Feb 28, 2019--Beth Mattson-Teig Demand for net lease appears strong across the board from all types of investors.

Commercial Property Executive, Mar. 4, 2019--Paul Fiorilla (MBA mention)The number of debt funds and non-traditional lending sources has grown throughout this cycle. Is that a reflection of temporary market forces or have they become a permanently larger part of the commercial mortgage landscape?

Mortgage Media, Mar. 6, 2019--S.A. IbrahimMarcia Davies read "Women in the Workplace," a comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America, with some concern. Davies, chief operating officer of the Mortgage Bankers Association, knows gender and race inequality is not specific to the mortgage industry and is found across corporate America. Changing it is going to take a mindful, focused and purposeful approach at all levels, but especially from leadership.

The Mortgage Bankers Association, joined by 27 other organizations representing a cross-section of consumer and industry organizations, sent a letter Friday to Federal Housing Finance Agency Acting Director Joseph Otting on priorities for preserving access and affordability when undertaking administrative reforms to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The industrial real estate market's vacancy rate closed 2018 at a near record low 4.9 percent, and e-commerce could further improve its performance going forward, analysts said.

Strong economic growth, abundant capital and a favorable supply and demand environment led to broadly stable capitalization rates for U.S. commercial real estate assets in second-half 2018, said CBRE, Los Angeles.

Nuveen Real Estate launched its U.S. Cities Multifamily Fund, an open-end perpetual life real estate investment vehicle that will acquire and manage institutional-quality multifamily rental properties across the United States.

Last year yielded steady growth for the construction industry despite increasing headwinds, said JLL, Chicago.

Growth in U.S. commercial property prices slowed to the weakest annual pace in eight years in January, reported Real Capital Analytics, New York.

The Mortgage Bankers Association and nearly a dozen industry trade groups asked federal agencies to delay the January 2020 implementation of controversial accounting standard, saying more analysis of potential consequences to lenders and consumers is needed.

The most significant barrier new multifamily development faces is the rising cost of construction, reported Colliers International, Toronto.