National

TODAY’S DEALS: IPA Brokers a 274-Unit Texas Sale

IPA arranges a Texas sale; Beech Street Capital provides $9 million for an off-market purchase in Texas; and Eagle Group Finance provides $1.4 million for the acquisition of entitled land near downtown Los Angeles.

Economy Watch: Job Openings Up Since Early 2012

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ JOLTS said that there were 3.7 million job openings on the last business day of January, little changed from the last business day of December.

TODAY’S DEALS: Federal Capital Partners Buys Virginia Asset for $20M

Federal Capital Partners buys 127 units; Centerline Capital arranges $6 million for a Pennsylvania purchase; and Beech Street Capital closes $5.7 million Fannie Mae conventional loan.

Economy Watch: Bank Failures Slow Almost to Halt

The rush of U.S. bank failures that began with the financial panic more than four years ago has crawled to a trickle.

TODAY’S DEALS: Vesper Acquires Texas Student Housing Asset

Vesper Holdings buys a 450-bed asset; The Bascom Group completes a Colorado sale with help from ARA; and Alliant Capital completes a $2.1 million loan.

Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Debt Increases by Largest Amount Since 2008

The level of commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by $21.8 billion, or 0.9 percent, in the fourth quarter of 2012, as all four major investor groups increased their holdings, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Economy Watch: Employment Up Ahead of Sequester

In creating 236,000 jobs in February, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, the economy surprised on the upside, since some economists had fretted that the looming sequester might have made employers nervous.

Economy Watch: Healthy Job Creation in February

The U.S. economy created 236,000 jobs in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a considerable improvement over January, when 119,000 jobs were created, and compares favorably with the 2012 monthly average of 181,000 jobs created per month.

TODAY’S DEALS: Landmark Buys 795 Units

Landmark Apartment Trust acquires three communities; Beech Street closes a $5.7 million refi on a Chicago asset; and Johnson Capital arranges a $21.32 million loan for Seattle property.

Economy Watch: Fed Says Economic Still Expansion ‘Modest to Moderate’

The Federal Reserve released its latest Beige Book, which said that “economic activity generally expanded at a modest to moderate pace since the previous Beige Book,” but—and this is a fairly large but—”many Districts noted rising gasoline prices and fiscal policy as having a negative effect on consumer sales.”