Articles

Government Shutdown: What Multifamily Borrowers Need to Know

Unless an 11th-hour agreement is reached, a Congressional impasse will trigger the first partial U.S. government shutdown in four years. Starting October 1, 2023, many non-essential federal government operations will be limited or suspended. Agency lending, however, will not be interrupted, and there is no cause for concern. Borrowers should anticipate some inconveniences, such as processing and closing delays.

Articles

Understanding the Impact of Wildfires on Rental Property Insurance

From California to Maui, the frequency and scope of wildfire events are rising, causing insurance markets and public agencies to reevaluate property in areas at risk for catastrophic damage. As a result, rental housing providers are seeing greater limitations to coverage, higher premium prices, and, in some cases, a total absence of viable private insurance — a trend detailed in the NMHC 2023 State of Multifamily Risk Survey and Report. This troubling new trend has placed many rental housing operators in a bind where they must simultaneously contend with the declining availability and affordability of insurance options.

Articles

Five Advantages of FHA Multifamily Construction Loans

In the last three years, multifamily construction has reached levels not seen since the 1980s, supported, in part, by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans. If you are exploring the acquisition, refinancing, rehabilitation, or new construction of conventional multifamily, affordable housing, seniors housing, or a healthcare facility, consider FHA multifamily construction loans, a stable financing option with excellent terms and many other attractive advantages.

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Where are Single-Family Rental (SFR) Rents Rising the Fastest?

While the single-family rental (SFR) sector’s rent growth averages have retreated from record highs, structural tailwinds are keeping price growth positive — both nationally and in major SFR markets. In this research brief, Chandan Economics and Arbor Realty Trust analyze DBRS Morningstar data, which covers the top 20 MSAs by SFR activity, to discover the metropolitan areas where SFR rent growth is the hottest right now.

Articles

Fannie Mae Small Loans Cap Raised to $9 Million

Fannie Mae recently announced that its Small Loan cap has increased from $6 million to $9 million for all loans committed as of August 22, 2023. Multifamily borrowers and lenders have praised the change to the Fannie Mae Small Loans program, which will encourage greater investment in a rapidly growing sector where demand remains high despite market volatility.

Articles

The Top Five Emerging Metros for Retiree Relocation

As Baby Boomers reach retirement age, their evolving geographic preferences are strengthening housing markets and local economies in new locations, which feature attractive climates, relative affordability, and ample outdoor activities. With swelling populations of senior citizens, our top five emerging metropolitan areas for retiree relocation are fertile ground for multifamily real estate investment.

GENERAL: 800.ARBOR.10

Ivan Kaufman Shares His Housing Outlook on Yahoo! Finance

Yahoo Finance

While construction starts were down in February, Arbor Realty Trust’s CEO explains why he’s optimistic about the housing market

Despite construction starts declining 10.3% in February, the housing market is in a great position for success, noted Ivan Kaufman, the founder, chairman and CEO of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR), in an interview with Yahoo! Finance’s Seana Smith and Jared Blikre.

“You have record appreciation. You have a creation of almost $4 trillion of wealth over the last 12 months. There’s not enough homes to go on the market for sale. People are hitting their asking prices. So I’m very, very bullish on the housing market,” Kaufman said. “I think there’s some temporary issues that are leading to those numbers. But I think overall, the housing market’s in a great space to win.”

Kaufman explained the biggest issue facing the housing industry is the lack of inventory available to meet surging supply.

“If you go to markets like Florida, Nashville, Phoenix, you don’t have the inventories. Homes come on the market, they’re sold. They’re selling for higher than the listing prices. So I think the abnormal demand that we saw due to COVID and due to the rapid drop in interest rates, that took a lot of the inventory.”

He added he expects in six to nine months, the market will begin to normalize and continue to grow throughout the year.

Watch the full interview here.