Press Releases

Arbor’s Servicer Ratings Affirmed and Positive Outlook Rating Assigned by Fitch

Fitch Ratings Recognizes Arbor’s Commitment to Excellence and Innovation Arbor Realty Trust (NYSE:ABR) NEW YORK, NEW YORK – November 29, 2023: Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Arbor Multifamily Lending, LLC’s (Arbor) commercial primary and special servicer ratings, further solidifying Arbor’s position as a trusted partner in the multifamily lending industry. Concurrently, they have assigned a Positive Outlook to each rating, reflecting an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Commercial primary servicer rating at ‘CPS2’; Outlook Positive; Commercial special servicer rating at ‘CSS3+’; Outlook Positive. “The assignment of the Positive Outlook reflects Fitch’s 12–24 month view on the trajectory of Arbor’s primary servicer rating, noting that as the new borrower website is fully realized and deployed and turnover within the primary servicing function continues to stabilize, positive rating movement is possible.” – Fitch Ratings Read more from Fitch about the key rating drivers behind this announcement. Direct inquiries to [email protected]. About Arbor Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ABR) is a nationwide real estate investment trust and direct lender, providing loan origination and servicing for multifamily, single-family rental (SFR) portfolios, and other diverse commercial Read the full article…

Articles

Video: Special Report Fall 2023 Key Takeaways

In this video, Dr. Sam Chandan, Founding Director of the C.H. Chen Institute for Global Real Estate Finance at the NYU Stern School of Business and non-executive chairman of Chandan Economics, details the key takeaways of Arbor’s Special Report Fall 2023, which he co-authored with Ivan Kaufman, Chairman and CEO of Arbor Realty Trust.

Articles

FHFA Loan Caps for 2024: What Multifamily Borrowers Need to Know

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced a $10 billion rollback of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s volume cap for loan purchases for 2023 to $140 billion ($70 billion for each agency). This move aligns with industry expectations, given the anticipation of continued headwinds for the multifamily in 2024. Next year’s cap for the Government-Sponsored Entities (GSEs) is a reduction of approximately 7% from the $150 billion limit set for 2023 and a return to the level it was in 2021.

Current Reports

Affordable Housing Trends Report Fall 2023

With the cost of living climbing, the need for affordable housing has become more urgent. Although demand continues to outpace available supply, multifamily investment in affordable housing is fortified by Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Project-Based Section 8, and the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs. Arbor’s Affordable Housing Trends Report Fall 2023, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, examines the supply-driven programs and policies designed to improve supply at a point in time when federal gridlock has stalled many funding increases.

Current Reports

Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q4 2023

Arbor’s Small Multifamily Investment Trends Report Q4 2023, developed in partnership with Chandan Economics, is a snapshot of a strong and resilient subsector continuing to navigate ongoing market dislocation. The report shows that distress has remained limited, even with valuations and measures of risk pricing in flux. As conditions start to stabilize, there are signs that deal activity is picking up.

GENERAL: 800.ARBOR.10

Ivan Kaufman Talks Arbor’s Success in Multifamily During COVID-19 at NYU Capital Markets Leadership Series

Kaufman Shares Why Multifamily Has Remained a Strong Asset Despite the Global Pandemic

Ivan Kaufman, the founder, chairman and CEO of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR), appeared as the first featured guest on the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate’s Capital Markets Leadership Series. Defying the negative economic pressures of COVID-19, Arbor achieved strong earnings. Kaufman shared an insider’s view of what’s behind his company’s phenomenal success and forecasts for the multifamily sector’s post-coronavirus future.

“Our earnings have never been better,” Kaufman stated to the program host, Sam Chandan, dean of the Schack Institute. “Most people are cutting their dividends or trying to figure out how to maintain them. We’ve increased our dividend in the pandemic.”

Arbor’s experienced management team anticipated the recession, following a 10-year bull run. The company structured its balance sheet and its lending, positioning itself for strong performance during the economic downturn. As suggested in other recent interviews, Ivan emphasizes how the REIT has a strategically diversified business platform. This includes serving as a top Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac small multifamily lender having a more than $5 billion balance sheet, and being active in growth areas such as single-family rentals (SFRs).

With headquarters in Uniondale, New York, Arbor has had many of its employees return to the office ahead of its peers. Kaufman advised companies to exercise common sense with phased re-openings and to consider density, transportation and the effectiveness of remote working.

Despite COVID-19, multifamily has performed exceptionally well. He credited the CARES Act with enabling people to pay rent and keeping the economy afloat. Prior to the pandemic, multifamily properties experienced consistent rent increases of 3% to 5% each year, for the last decade.

Even with the coronavirus disruptions, Kaufman opined multifamily remains a solid asset class. “When you underwrite a loan and the property is 95% occupied, there is coverage. You can go down to 87% or 86% occupied before you start seeing some pain. So, we’re in good territory,” he explained. “It’ll get a little bit softer, but I think overall, we’re in an extraordinarily great place.”

He pointed out that investors can refinance with today’s low interest rates, offsetting a decline in rents and occupancy with reduced mortgage payments.

However, the head of one of the nation’s leading multifamily lenders noted Class A urban properties will suffer as COVID-19 has accelerated the demand for reduced density and millennials are moving to the suburbs to form families.

“Absorption is going to be a lot slower. That will be the soft part of the market, no question about it,” said Kaufman. “The workforce housing, the B and C, specifically Class B properties, are holding up extraordinarily well.”

In addition, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac support the multifamily market, providing liquidity and consistency in multifamily lending. During the interview, Kaufman also discusses the growth in SFR demand, additional investment opportunities, other capital sources, the CMBS market, technology and much more.

Listen to the full NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate Capital Markets Leadership Series Interview.

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For more of Ivan Kaufman’s perspective on current multifamily trends, visit Arbor in the News. Contact Arbor to learn about our multifamily solutions to address your business goals.