Wall Street Journal, Nov. 19, 2020–Carol Ryan (subscription)Finance companies have slowed their takeup of new space more than other sectors since the pandemic began.https://www.wsj.com/articles/banks-may-be-office-landlords-new-problem-tenants-11605782386?mod=lead_feature_below_a_pos1
Category: Top National News
Is GSE Reform Dead on Arrival Under Biden?
American Banker, Nov. 18, 2020–Hannah Lang (subscription)The Trump administration has moved forward on a plan to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but Joe Biden appointees could take steps to …
Forborne Mortgages Have Similar Traits to Those Likely to Default
National Mortgage News, Nov. 18, 2020–Brad Finkelstein (subscription)A Freddie Mac study of loans in forbearance from 2017 and 2020 found that, over both periods, borrowers had low credit scores and …
How a Vaccine Could Upend Real Estate Markets — Again
CNN, Nov. 18, 2020–Anna BahneyIn just a matter of months the coronavirus pandemic dramatically changed the landscape of the housing market, especially in big cities. But now news of a …
Demystifying the Secondary Mortgage Market
Bankrate.com, Nov. 18, 2020–James RoyalThe secondary mortgage market is a massive marketplace of banks, investors and financial institutions that trades mortgages, servicing rights and mortgage-backed securities. While many homebuyers aren’t …
Subprime Mortgages Are Less Risky Than They Used to Be. But Avoid Them If You Can
NextAdvisor, Nov. 17, 2020–Samantha RosenSubprime mortgages, now more commonly known as nonprime, have a controversial history. While they’re certainly more regulated today than they were before the financial crisis they …
Americans’ Mortgage Debt Soars to a Record $10 Trillion
CNN Business, Nov. 17, 2020–Anneken TappeLow interest rates have helped fuel a boom in the US housing market: Last quarter Americans’ mortgage debt climbed to a record high of nearly …
Forbearance Rates are Going Down, But for How Much Longer?
Mortgage Professional America, Nov. 17, 2020–David KitaiWhile a declining forbearance rate is good news for the US economy, that doesn’t mean these remaining borrowers are all in the clear. Marina …
Apartment Investors Mull Opportunities in Distressed Malls
National Real Estate Investor, Nov. 16, 2020–Bendix AndersonApartment dealmakers may find an opportunity to build new apartments around the shells of under-performing or empty regional malls. Hundreds of troubled shopping …
What the Surge in COVID Cases Means for the Housing Market This Winter
HousingWire, Nov. 16, 2020–Logan MohtashamiWith COVID infection rates exploding and hospitalization rates rising as we go into the cold winter months, the risk this poses to our recovering housing market …