Constraints on commercial real estate lending eased during the first half of 2010, a trend that should continue as more lenders re-enter the securitization market and life insurance companies pursue a broader range of deals. Unlike a year ago, financing has become available for properties over $10 million, and some lenders have re-engaged higher-quality, lower-risk transactions in noncore markets. In addition to greater availability of financing across property types, price ranges and markets, lenders also have increased loan-to-values (LTVs) on new loans by an average of 5 percent from last year. Despite these positive developments, potential borrowers continue to face… read more.

Buying Tenant Occupied Foreclosed Property Under The San Francisco Rent Ordinance San Francisco Apartment Magazine By Jeffrey Woo Banks were not, and are not, prepared to dispose this number of properties all at one time. As a result, REOs have hit the market at rock bottom prices not seen in a generation or more. Among the REO properties on the market, many will have existing tenants. While purchasing an REO property from a bank works mechanically the same as purchasing property from any other seller, there are differences. The selling bank prob­ably knows nothing about the property it is selling. When a bank forecloses,… read more.

Supervisors say they aim to curb abuse Last month, we discussed the tenants rights measure before the San Francisco supervisors. This month, Richard Cole of the San Francisco Daily gives us another viewpoint: Renters in newly sold properties are being intimidated into giving up their rights, some supervisors say, and a measure before San Francisco supervi­sors is aimed at curbing that abuse. But apartment owners say it… read more.

The American Jobs Creation Act of 2003 (H.R. 2896) contains a provision that would reduce the depreciable life for leasehold and tenant improvements from 39 years to 15 years for property placed in service in 2004 and 2005. The bill was approved by the Ways and Means Committee and could come up for a vote in… read more.

Case-Shiller Index — Comparing May 2009 levels to April 2009 levels For the 4th consecutive month, the Case-Shiller Index showed a softening in year-over-year home price declines. As a standalone story, this is news. Even more relevant to homeowners than the annual Case-Shiller numbers, though, are the monthly ones. According to the data, 18 of the 20 tracked markets improved between April and May 2009. It’s the Case-Shiller Index’s strongest showing in nearly 3 years and yet another sign that housing is on the mend. That said, the Case-Shiller Index is far from perfect: 1. Case-Shiller measure… read more.