National
TODAY’S DEALS: CityCenter Closes Bulk Las Vegas Condo Sale
A $119 million bulk condo sale closes in Las Vegas; Ares Commercial Real Estate provides $49.6 million for a Tampa-area acquisition of two properties; and NorthMarq advances a $29.3 million Freddie Mac refinance at less than 3.5 percent interest.
Economy Watch: Existing Home Sales Spike
The National Association of Realtors said on Thursday that total existing-home sales nationwide—including completed transactions for single-family houses, townhomes, condos and co-ops—rose 5.9 percent to an annualized rate of 5.04 million units in November, compared with 4.76 million in October.
TODAY’S DEALS: Lynd, Endeavor Begin 36-Story Luxury Asset in Austin
A joint venture breaks ground on a luxury Austin asset; Oden Hughes begins a 570-unit community also in Austin; and KeyBank Real Estate provides $45.7 million in Fannie Mae and bridge loans for Atlanta properties.
Economy Watch: Housing Starts Drop in November
Private housing starts in November came in at an annualized rate of 861,000 units, according to the Census Bureau. That’s 3 percent below the revised October estimate of 888,000, and adjusted for the fact that colder weather slows down housing construction.
TODAY’S DEALS: Post Brothers Completes Largest Market-Rate Philly Buy in 2012
Post Brothers acquires a Philly asset for $51 million; Berkeley Point Capital arranges a $29.1 million first mortgage to pay off an existing bridge loan; and Lee & Associates brokers a $15.6 million sale in Burbank, Calif.
Refinance Applications Fall to Lowest Level in Over a Month in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage applications decreased 12.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 14, 2012.
Economy Watch: Homebuilders Feeling a Little More Optimistic
The National Association of Home Builders reported that builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes rose for an eighth consecutive month in December to 47 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.
Economic Activity Continues to Underperform Despite Third Quarter Spike
The accelerated pace of economic activity seen in the third quarter has ebbed, revealing a continued sluggish recovery in the fourth quarter, according to Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group.
TODAY’S DEALS: Spirit Bascom Completes $43.4M Connecticut Purchase
Spirit Bascom Ventures buys a $43.4 million property in Connecticut; Kennedy Wilson grabs a $41 million asset in Washington; and NorthMarq arranges $38 million in acquisition financing supplied by a life insurance company.
TODAY’S DEALS: JP Morgan Sells 250-Unit Texas Asset
Cortland Partners buys an asset from JP Morgan in Texas; Grandbridge arranges $21 million for a student housing community in Minnesota; and Jones Lang LaSalle brokers an Inland Empire sale by Essex Property Trust to Western National.