Yearly Archives: 2018

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data for January 2018 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 18.4 percent compared to January 2017. Compared to December 2017, applications increased by 34 percent. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.

The Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the state of the nation’s water and power infrastructure. The Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans held an oversight hearing on the state of the nation’s water and power infrastructure. “Water infrastructure is perhaps the most important, yet overlooked, form of infrastructure in our nation,” District Manager of Kennewick Irrigation District Charles Freeman stated.

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes remained unchanged at a healthy 72 level in February on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). “Builders are excited about the pro-business political climate that will strengthen the housing market and support overall economic growth

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today awarded JLL the 2018 Commercial/Multifamily Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award for its efforts in organizational diversity and inclusion. "JLL's submission detailed a comprehensive, multi-faceted, program that embraces the core concept that diversity and inclusion must be deliberate and intentional," said MBA Chairman-Elect Christopher M. George, founder

WSSC has calculated the total volume of the two sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) caused by excessive rain in Prince George’s County. The first SSO occurred at WSSC’s Broad Creek Wastewater Pumping Station at 10315 Livingston Road, Ft. Washington, Md., and began at 7:48 a.m. Sunday and ended at 1:20 p.m. Sunday.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today awarded Thomas S. Dennard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, with the 2018 Commercial Real Estate Finance (CREF) Distinguished Service Award at the Association's 28th annual CREF/Multifamily Housing Convention & Expo held in San Diego, CA

International award-winning firm KTGY Architecture + Planning is pleased to announce the addition of Kamran Charmsaz, CSI, CCCA, LEED AP, as a shareholder. Charmsaz, formerly an associate principal with KTGY, was also named a principal. Charmsaz is based in the firm’s Tysons, Virginia office and joins other KTGY Tysons shareholders: Rohit Anand, AIA, NCARB, principal; and Smita Anand, AIA, principal

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's 2017 Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Survey of Loan Maturity Volumes, 6 percent, or $102.2 billion, of the $1.8 trillion outstanding commercial and multifamily mortgages held by non-bank lenders and investors will mature in 2018, a 42 percent decrease from the $175.9 billion that matured in 2017.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage originations were up 15 percent for the full year 2017 over 2016, according to preliminary estimates from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. Data for the fourth quarter of 2017 shows a 9 percent increase in originations over the third quarter, and a 10 percent increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2016.

International award-winning firm KTGY Architecture + Planning is pleased to announce the addition of Jessica Musick as a shareholder. Musick, formerly an associate principal with KTGY, was also named a principal. Based in the firm’s Oakland, California office, Musick joins other KTGY Oakland shareholders: Jill D. Williams, AIA, principal and chairman of the board; and Bill Ramsey, AIA, NCARB, principal.

International award-winning firm KTGY Architecture + Planning is pleased to announce the addition of Wil Wong, AIA, to its board of directors. Wong is a principal based in the firm’s Irvine, California office. “KTGY’s board of directors is elected by the firm’s shareholders and sets the big-picture vision for direction

Broker Public Portal (BPP) announced today that joint venture partner Homesnap, the public-facing brand of the BPP, has raised a $14 million Series B investment round led by Updata Partners, with participation from Moderne Ventures and individual investors. Homesnap is the highest-rated and most-installed home search and mobile productivity app for real estate brokers, agents, and clients.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its year-end ranking of commercial and multifamily mortgage servicers' volumes as of December 31, 2017.  At the top of the list of firms is Wells Fargo Bank NA with $633.0 billion in master and primary servicing, followed by PNC Real Estate/Midland Loan Services with $566.9 billion, KeyBank National Association with $214.8 billion, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC with $205.9 billion, and CBRE Loan Services with $164.5 billion

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) projects commercial and multifamily mortgage originations will decline slightly in 2018, ending the year at $549 billion, down three percent from the 2017 volumes. MBA expects volumes to remain at roughly that level in 2019 as well. MBA forecasts mortgage banker originations of just multifamily mortgages at $248 billion in 2018, with total multifamily lending at $271 billion.

An uptick in existing-home sales in the final three months of 2017 pulled down housing inventory to an all-time low and kept home-price growth at its recent robust pace, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of REALTORS

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) responded to the Administration’s infrastructure principles released today. Importantly, the principles address energy and rural infrastructure along with roads, bridges, airports and other projects.

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) is pleased that drinking water and clean water systems were specifically mentioned in the White House’s infrastructure proposal released earlier today. President Trump’s commitment of $1.5 trillion and reaffirmation of $200 billion in federal dollars, in addition to working with local governments, is a necessary first step to fixing our nation’s critically underfunded water infrastructure.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt participated in the White House Infrastructure Initiative Roundtable alongside President Donald Trump, other members of the Cabinet and state and local officials from around the country.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) today issued the following statement regarding the release of the Trump administration’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2019: “This budget lays out a thoughtful, detailed, and responsible blueprint for achieving our shared agenda.