Demand for commercial and multifamily mortgage lending is expected to increase in 2014 as lenders grow their appetite for new business, a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday.
The report covered a survey of top commercial and multifamily mortgage origination firms.
According to the results, 91% of the top firms expect originations to increase in 2014, with 48% expecting an increase of 5% or more.
In addition, almost two-thirds of those surveyed expect their own firm’s originations to increase by 5% or more.
"Commercial and multifamily lenders anticipate a market in which lending continues to grow and their firm gets a bigger piece of the pie," said Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s vice president for commercial real estate research.
"Borrowers’ appetites to take out new loans are expected to remain strong, but perhaps drop a bit from 2013 levels. The resulting competition to lend leads originators to expect loan risk to increase marginally in the face of moderating returns," Woodwell added.