Saturday, September 5, 2015

Real Estate Capital Institute Reports Realty Debt Markets Battered as Treasuries Rise


Jeanne Peck
Chicago, IL - Realty debt markets pummeled with widening spreads as treasuries rates rise.  Conduit spreads reached a two-year high, as several mortgage pools crowd bond investors, creating temporary oversupply conditions.

August was a wild roller coaster ride for lenders and borrowers alike as ten-year treasuries suddenly dipped to 2% later in the month on news of Chinese economic woes.  Within days, treasuries climbed by about 20 basis
points.  Meanwhile, led by the Agencies, many lenders steadily raised spreads by five basis points increments.  Long-term mortgage spreads are now about 20 to 50 basis points higher than earlier in the spring.

Increasing spreads are likely to continue due to expected ongoing market volatility.   Borrowers and lenders are planning for a rising rate tide. Domestic job growth and a continuing economic recovery clearly portend higher rates with inflationary pressure.  However, as the Fed threatens to
raise rates, a pattern of negative global news dampens any rate hikes.  So for now, borrowers enjoy temporary relief by staying with low-cost, floating rate debt.



All in all, permanent rates for ten-year fixed rated loans range from 3.75%
to 4.75%, influenced mainly by asset quality, leverage, debt coverage and
transaction size.  Lenders favor more diverse property pools with wider
tenancy profiles, hoping to avoid credit risk, especially for larger loans.
Best rates are available for lower leveraged, stabilized deals and for
multifamily projects with some level of affordability in the rent levels

Competition is fierce and runs across nearly all spectrums of lenders.  CMBS
lenders dominate higher leverage loans; life companies offer best pricing at
leverage levels of 65% or less; Agencies still win loans with
repeat-borrowers, while banks flirt more and more with competitive
non-recourse debt.   Lastly, debt funds tackle more bridge and mezzanine
loans and other opportunistic funding in search of yield.

Ms. Jeanne Peck, Director of the Real Estate Capital Institute(r) observes,
"Rising rates are finally upon us, after several false starts throughout the
year.  That said, floating rates are still a bargain, but for how long is
anyone's guess."

The Real Estate Capital Institute(r) is a volunteer-based research
organization that tracks realty rates data for debt and equity yields.  The
Institute posts daily and historical benchmark rates including treasuries,
bank prime and LIBOR.  Furthermore, call the Real Estate Capital RateLine at
7RE-CAPITAL (773-227-4825) for daily rate updates.

The   Real Estate Capital Institute(r)
3517 West Arthington Street
Chicago, Illinois USA 60624

For a complete copy of the company’s news release, please contact:

Jeanne Peck, Executive Director

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