Following a rosy estimate in February that had last year’s commercial mortgage production up a third over 2009, the final tally came in even better. The outlook is for further improvement. The latest data indicate that the U.S. Government was associated with 36 percent of commercial mortgage fundings.
A preliminary estimate in February from the Mortgage Bankers Association indicated that the origination of commercial real estate loans during 2010 was expected to add up to $110 billion. In 2009, that number was just $82.3 billion.
But on Monday, the Washington, D.C.-based trade group upped last year’s volume.
The latest figures indicate CRE originations finished 2010 at $118.8 billion.
First liens accounted for 92 percent of 2010 business.
Last year’s activity included $42.8 billion in loans that were either insured by the government-owned Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — both which are government-controlled and government-funded. The trio collectively was the largest investor group in 2010.
Life insurers and pension funds accounted for another $30.6 billion.
Multifamily lending was $48.9 billion, while office property production came in at $22.6 billion.
“Low interest rates coupled with improving economic fundamentals have the potential to draw out even more borrowers in 2011,” MBA Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Research Jamie Woodwell explained in the report.
