The amount of commercial-multifamily mortgage debt outstanding rose by $45.4 billion, 1.4 percent, in the third quarter of 2018 to an all-time high, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Total commercial-multifamily debt outstanding rose to $3.32 trillion in the third quarter, surpassing the previous high of $3.27 trillion in this year’s second quarter. Multifamily mortgage debt increased $26.1 billion, 2 percent, to $1.3 trillion over the same period.
“Favorable commercial real estate fundamentals and strong lender demand pulled commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding to a new high,” said Jamie Woodwell, MBA’s vice president of commercial real estate research. “Multifamily mortgage debt continues to lead the pack--accounting for more than half of the total increase--and Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA remain the key drivers of multifamily mortgage growth. All four of the major lender groups added to the balance of loans they hold.”
The four major investor groups are: bank and thrift; federal agency and government sponsored enterprise portfolios and mortgage backed securities; life insurance companies; and commercial mortgage backed securities, collateralized debt obligation and other asset backed securities issues.
Commercial banks continue to hold the largest share, 40 percent, of commercial-multifamily mortgages at $1.3 trillion. Agency and GSE portfolios and MBS are the second largest holders of commercial-multifamily mortgages, 20 percent, at $648 billion. Life insurance companies hold $497 billion, 15 percent and CMBS, CDO and other ABS issues hold $458 billion, 14 percent. Many life insurance companies, banks and the GSEs purchase and hold CMBS, CDO and other ABS issues.
Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding
Looking solely at multifamily mortgages, agency and GSE portfolios and MBS hold the largest share of total multifamily debt outstanding at $648 billion, 49 percent; followed by banks and thrifts with $426 billion, 32 percent; state and local governments with $88 billion, 7 percent; life insurance companies with $78 billion, 6 percent; and CMBS, CDO and other ABS issues holding $43 billion, or 3 percent. Nonfarm-noncorporate businesses hold $18 billion, or 1 percent.
Changes in Commercial-Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding
In the third quarter, Agency and GSE portfolios and MBS saw the largest gains in dollar terms in their holdings of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt – an increase of $16.7 billion, or 2.6 percent. Life insurance companies increased their holdings by $11.3 billion, or 2.3 percent; agency and GSE portfolios and MBS increased their holdings by $10.5 billion, or 0.8 percent; and CMBS, CDO and other ABS issues increased their holdings by $5.1 billion, or 1.1 percent.
In percentage terms, REITs saw the largest increase–4.0 percent–in their holdings of commercial/multifamily mortgages. Conversely, state and local government retirement funds saw their holdings decrease 43.9 percent. This figure tends to be more volatile than others.
Changes in Multifamily Mortgage Debt Outstanding
The $26.1 billion increase in multifamily mortgage debt outstanding between the second and third quarter represents a 2.0 percent increase. In dollar terms, agency and GSE portfolios and MBS saw the largest gain, $16.7 billion, 2.6 percent, in their holdings of multifamily mortgage debt. Commercial banks increased their holdings by $7.1 billion, or 1.7 percent; and CMBS, CDO and other ABS issues increased by $2.6 billion, or 6.4 percent. State and local government saw the largest decline in their holdings of multifamily mortgage debt, down $2.0 billion, or 2.3 percent. In percentage terms, REITs recorded the largest increase in holdings of multifamily mortgages, at 12.7 percent, and state and local government retirement funds saw the biggest decrease at 43.8 percent.
