Articles

FHFA Loan Caps for 2025: What Multifamily Borrowers Need to Know

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced a $3 billion boost to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s volume cap for loan purchases in 2025 to $146 billion ($73 billion for each agency). This increase in FHFA loan caps for 2025 aligns with industry expectations, given the anticipation of improving market conditions and lending activity expected in a lower interest rate environment. Next year’s cap for the Government-Sponsored Entities (GSEs) is an increase of approximately 4% from the $140 billion limit set for 2024.

Analysis

U.S. Multifamily Market Snapshot — November 2024

The U.S. multifamily market held steady in a more normalized cycle through the first three quarters of 2024, following its skyrocketing recovery from the pandemic-related contraction. Rental demand remained strong, driven by the continued nationwide housing shortage and strong wage growth, while the high levels of new construction seen over the last two years appears to have peaked.

Current Reports

Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q4 2024

Small multifamily’s normalization pushed forward last quarter as the Federal Reserve made a long-awaited reduction to the target federal funds rate. Arbor’s Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q4 2024, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, shows signs of stability have multiplied. Robust rental demand, a limited supply of quality affordable housing, and several other promising developments should support the subsector’s strength heading into 2025.

Analysis

Top U.S. Multifamily Rent Growth Markets — Q3 2024

The U.S. multifamily market held steady in a more normalized cycle during the third quarter of 2024. Rental demand remained strong, while new leaders emerged among the top markets for rent growth.

Articles

Top Markets for Wage Growth in 2024

One of the most essential factors multifamily investors need to consider before executing a transaction is the health of the local labor market. Wage growth and other trends are driven by a delicate, constantly adjusting balance of labor supply and demand. In some markets, an inflow of employers can cause wages to spike. In others, population outflows can create the same effect. In this deep dive, we expand on the data findings from the 2024 Top Markets for Multifamily Investment Report, exploring the unique conditions driving metro wage growth trends.

Press Contact

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Current Reports

Top Markets for Multifamily Investment Report 2024

With interest rate pressure easing, quality multifamily investment opportunities have emerged from coast to coast, making identifying the optimal location essential. A roadmap for investors, Top Markets for Multifamily Investment Report 2024, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, ranks the top 50 metropolitan markets found through an analysis of 10 key factors, including affordability, population growth, and climate risk.

Articles

The Value of a Top Freddie Mac Small Balance Loans Lender

Small multifamily properties play a crucial role in providing affordable and market-rate rental housing across the country. But Arbor and Freddie Mac understood that financing in this sector had historically been fragmented when we partnered to create the Small Balance Loan (SBL) program in 2014. As the program celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024, Arbor is proud to have helped pioneer the product to meet a critical need for our borrowers. A six-time Top Small Balance Loans Lender, Arbor has the right experience to expertly customize loan products and align your asset’s long-term goals with your community’s needs.

General: 800.ARBOR.10

FREDDIE MAC®

Value-Add Loan

• Offers short-term, cost-effective financing for modest property upgrades ($10,000 to $25,000 per unit)
• Enhanced to improve property financing for rehabilitation work
• Competitive pricing; lower execution costs
• Interest-only and uncapped floating-rate loan
• Non-recourse and “one-stop shopping” for upgrades and permanent financing

Terms
  • Three years with one 12-month extension based on the borrower’s request and one optional 12-month extension based on Freddie Mac’s discretion
  • Floating-rate loan with full-term interest-only; no cap required
  • Standard 12-month lock-out with option for longer or shorter lock out based on borrower’s preference; borrower may pay off the loan at any time after the expiration of the lock-out period but must remit an exit fee of 1%; the exit fee will be waived if the loan is refinanced with Freddie Mac
  • Acquisitions and refinances; not assumable
  • Loan documentation at origination will include the Value-Add Rider, which will detail the terms/requirements of the rehabilitation
  • Escrows will include real estate taxes, insurance, and replacement reserves
  • 15% cash equity generally required
  • For longer-term ownership, cash-out is available provided a Completion Guaranty on budgeted improvements in an amount at least equal to the cash-out in place
Upfront Fee Standard 0.5% of loan amount nonrefundable upfront fee subject to adjustment depending on loan terms
Eligible Borrowers
  • Developers/operators with experience in multifamily property rehabilitation and in the local market with sufficient financial capacity
  • 1.5x the standard minimum net worth and liquidity requirements for guarantors
Eligible Property Types
  • Properties with no more than 500 total units in good locations
  • Well-constructed properties requiring modest repairs
  • Market laggards that require capital infusion and new/improved management
  • Real-estate owned properties in receivership that are capable of improved performance
  • Seniors housing, student housing and manufactured housing communities are not eligible
Amount
  • Maximum loan-to-purchase / loan-to-value (LTV) ratio: 85%
  • Minimum amortizing debt service coverage ratio (DSCR): 1.10x – 1.15x depending on market
  • Sizing based on a 7-year sizing note rate
  • Appraisal must include as-is and as-stabilized values; underwriting must support a 1.30x DSCR and 75% LTV based on as-stabilized value supported by the appraisal
  • Standard Freddie Mac underwriting based on as-is income and expense
  • Refinance Test not required
  • No pro-forma underwriting of future performance
Rehabilitation
  • Rehabilitation must commence within 90 days of loan origination and be completed within 33 months
  • Acceptable budget of $10,000 per unit to $25,000 per unit
  • Budget can be adjusted by as much as 20% without additional approval; 50% of the budget should be spent on unit interiors
  • Completion Guaranty or rehabilitation escrow required
  • Borrower/Servicer reporting required
At Loan Maturity/Refinance
  • Final engineer review of work completion and quality is required
  • Refinance with Freddie Mac with no exit fee; otherwise 1% applies
  • Freddie Mac will re-underwrite the loan according to then-current credit policy parameters
  • One-year borrower extension option is available for a 0.5% extension fee, assuming no event of default
  • Additional Freddie Mac extension option is available thereafter with a 1% extension fee
Fees Standard fees apply, including application fee and good faith deposit.

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