Certain categories of specially serviced U.S. CMBS loans are likely to keep increasing through 2012, according to a recent Fitch Ratings report.
"Office properties in particular will be under increased strain and will subsequently see a higher rate of special servicing transfers at least through the end of this year," Mary MacNeill, managing director at Fitch, told this publication.
Fifteen loans over $20 million have moved to special servicing so far in 2012, according to Fitch.
Office and retail loans led new transfers of this type in 2011 with 349 and 379 loans, respectively.
The ratings agency expects office and retail to make up a larger percentage of newer transfers due to rollover in leases and consolidations by retailers.
The hotel sector had the least amount of transfers of this type last year at 104 loans. This suggests that this sector, after going through some of its worst years, could be rebounding, according to Fitch.
