Maybe Commercial RE Isn't in Such Bad Shape Afterall

Who says the commercial real estate market is in the tank? All the doomsayers were saying CRE would be the next shoe to drop in the economy. Don't get me wrong -- there's plenty of bad news out there. Apartment loan delinquencies are on the rise but are still low compared to the residential late numbers. Keep in mind this one central thought on CRE: this market niche never got carried away with the loose underwriting that went on in the residential subprime and alt-A sectors. Can you imagine an apartment owner getting a 'Liar Loan'? Also, at least there's 'cash flow' on a 75% rented office building as opposed to an empty home in the Inland Empire of California. Meanwhile, Bank Financial of Burr Ridge, Ill., is expanding its wholesale presence in CRE, offering funding for apartment projects in selected markets including parts of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic. This FDIC insured bank has been around since 1924 and boasts $1.4 billion in assets...