CMF Newslinks Archive

“I have worked closely with Brian extensively for many years at MBA and can’t think of a better leader for our industry. He has been active within MBA for more than twenty years as a thought leader in the commercial/multifamily space and as a member of the MBA Board of Directors. He brings technical knowledge, leadership and vision to the role and will clearly be an asset to MBA and the industry as a whole.”–MBA Chairman Rodrigo Lopez, CMB, discussing Brian Stoffers, CMB, Global President of Debt & Structured Finance with CBRE. Stoffers will be Vice Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association for the 2018 membership year.

“It’s important to listen to your borrowers; sometimes they just need to vent. They know it might not change anything, but they feel like someone cared and it becomes a better experience going forward.”–Crystal Kalinowski, CCMS, Vice President with Bernard Financial Group, Southfield, Mich.

“But the hoopla about [big-box store closures] nearly ignores that many retailers in the big-box category continue to open additional stores. Some–perhaps a lot–of the big-box space now being vacated won’t be empty for long.”–CBRE Head of Retail Research in the Americas Melina Cordero.

“Anecdotes about regulators watching CRE growth with a careful eye have emerged. These market factors are important for banks to monitor, as regulators advise banks to avoid carrying more than 300 percent of risk-based capital in CRE.”–Trepp Senior Managing Director Manus Clancy.

“The competitive market conditions faced by U.S. hotels in 2016 have been well documented. Clearly, U.S. hotel operators saw the threat of stagnant or declining occupancy and slow average daily room rate growth and reacted by controlling expenses.”–CBRE Hotels Senior Managing Director R. Mark Woodworth.

“Commercial real estate borrowing and lending started 2017 on much the same footing it ended 2016. Multifamily properties remain the key force behind overall originations trends and the GSEs continue to drive multifamily originations. Matching broader investment themes, financing backed by industrial properties also picked up while retail declined.”–MBA Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Research Jamie Woodwell

“While greater job and income growth will be positive for U.S. real estate markets, forecasters were reluctant to upgrade real estate fundamentals or returns. New supply in the pipeline along with higher interest rates are likely keeping real estate economists cautious, but more likely realistic as uncertainty about future growth remains a concern.”–William Maher, Director of North American Strategy and Research with LaSalle Investment Management, Chicago.

“MBA believes the original congressional intent was appropriate and should be incorporated into law so the Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocating agencies, individually or in partnership with other Housing Finance Agencys, do not provide both the tax credits and debt financing on the same multifamily affordable rental property transaction. Similarly, should there be a workforce housing tax credit program (a.k.a. middle-income housing tax credit) for multifamily rental properties approved by Congress, we urge that distribution of such credits include a prohibition against a HFA providing both tax credits and debt financing on the same property.”–MBA Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs Bill Killmer, in a letter to Senate Banking Committee leadership.

“We believe some aspects of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and other statutes have made the mortgage market safer; however, in many other respects the Dodd-Frank rules have reduced the availability and affordability of mortgage credit for many American families. While we believe some of these new regulations were needed, the pendulum has swung too far and certain aspects of the current regulatory regime warrant review and adjustment.” –MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, in a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

“The High-Volatility Commercial Real Estate rules are disproportionally affecting acquisition, development [and] construction lending by driving up borrowing costs and reducing credit availability. The rules also appear to be contributing to the slowdown in bank commercial real estate lending.”–A joint trade association letter signed by the Mortgage Bankers Association supporting proposed House legislation that would clarify HVCRE provisions under the Basel III rule.