CRE

U.S. commercial real estate prices dropped in January for the first time since 2010, a sign of weakening demand by investors after a six-year rally that pushed values to records.

Market volatility and new regulatory burdens are thinning the ranks of commercial mortgage lenders that underwrite loans for securitizations. Activity is slowing down as a result, and it is unclear if banks and insurers will fill the void, especially outside the largest cities.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage delinquency rates dropped in the fourth quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The delinquency rate on commercial mortgage-backed securities continued to fall significantly for the month of February, according to Trepp.

Prices of loans underlying commercial mortgage-backed securities were on the rise in January, according to DebtX.

Markets in the Sun Belt and California are expected to have the best conditions for the sale of multifamily properties this year, according to Ten-X.

There is concern that a decline in condo pricing could create loan problems similar to those that cropped up before the financial crisis. Bankers in the area, however, believe foreign investors would take the biggest hit.

American International Group is expanding bets on property lending and safe fixed-income securities after hedge funds investments soured.

Atlantic City, N.J., has the fifth worst vacancy rate in the U.S, according to RealtyTrac.

Strong demand for rentals will keep pace with new construction over the next few years, the government-sponsored enterprise says.

The price of the loans underlying commercial mortgage-backed securities declined 210 basis points during 2015, amid a broad rise in interest rates, according to DebtX.

Hotel property owners will discover that interest rates have climbed, if they try to refinance loans this year, Fitch Ratings said.

A number of bankers used quarterly earnings calls to assure investors that they are carefully monitoring their exposure to commercial real estate at a time when regulators are expressed concern about eroding underwriting standards.

The House approved a bill 427-0 that would revamp the Federal Housing Administration’s condominium loan program and expedite the approval process for Rural Housing Service guaranteed loans.

The delinquency rate on commercial mortgage-backed securities dropped sharply in January, thanks to the resolution of New York's Stuyvesant Town loan, according to Trepp.

Loan originations for commercial and multifamily properties climbed in the fourth quarter compared to last year, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

New-home construction in the U.S. unexpectedly fell in December, indicating the industry lost some momentum entering 2016.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts in Arlington, Va., has formed a partnership with Hospitality Funding to provide financing for hotel development projects.

Life insurance companies posted a higher return on their private commercial mortgage investments in the third quarter of 2015, compared to the second quarter, according to LifeComps.

The availability of debt and equity financing declined during the most recent quarter, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council.