You might have missed this interesting event earlier this week: the Justice Department sued Deutsch Bank and Mortgage IT alleging fraud in the origination of home loans (in a FHA\HUD loan program). If you really want to jump into the case, attached is a copy of the Government’s pleading in the case. Why my interest in… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Credit Crisis
Credit Crisis: Report by Bipartisan Policy Center Points To Major (Potential) Changes
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersIn the near future, our work with distressed investments could become even more challenging. Recently, two influential groups called for major (x2 major) changes in the tax code and other laws, which will significantly impact the financial markets. As the probability of these changes become a reality, they will influence our assessment of distressed investments, and… Continue Reading
Credit Crisis: How Will Bipartisan Panel’s Plan Impact Investment Markets? (and a reminder on “how” we landed in this deep ditch)
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersYesterday, the chairmen of the bipartisan commission on reducing the national debt released an outline (link to report and an example) on spending cuts and tax increases. The plan focuses on deep cuts in domestic and military spending, an increase in the federal gasoline tax, simplifying the tax code, and benefit cuts and increased retirement age… Continue Reading
Following Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Bill? Use Google Reader
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Technology (including Green Buildings)On the 4th of July. I suggested that you celebrate it by becoming more "involved" in understanding what is being called the greatest "reform" or restructure of our national economic platform since the Great Depression (remember: we’re only in a "recession"). If you’re following this important financial reform bill (the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and… Continue Reading
Federal Aid To Community Banks For Lending To Commercial Real Estate? Coming This Week?
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market TrendsRecently, I’ve addressed the importance of community banks in the economic recovery, and in furnishing credit for commercial real estate. My focus is on the draft legislation prepared by Representative Minnick (D-Idaho) extending federal aid to community banks (prior blog and refrence to an earlier blog), which will allow community banks to make… Continue Reading
Why Support Federal Aid To Community Banks? Bernanke’s Speech Says So – But Without Saying So
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market TrendsThe importance of community banks to small businesses, and consequently to the broader U.S. economy, has been largely ignored in our focus on "too big to fail" (relating to the largest banks) and now on "sovereign credit risk" (relating to the credit rating of Greece, Spain and Hungary). Aid to community banks just might be… Continue Reading
No Credit Crisis Relief From Life Insurance Companies: 2010 Allocations For Commerical Mortgage Loans Actually May Be Smaller Than Announced
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market TrendsSome people point to this as a positive point on the credit crisis trend line: Life company commitment to commercial mortgage lending remains strong Generally, life companies generally have NOT decreased their commercial mortgage origination allocations for 2010 (when compared to 2009) Question: is it correct to say that, at least for commercial mortgage credit… Continue Reading
5 Books & 4 Questions Give Perspective on the Credit Crisis
Posted in Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersOn Friday, April 9Th, I attended Commerce Street Capital’s Eighth Annual Bank Conference & Golf Tournament. The Conference focused on challenges facing regional and community banks, with a theme of “Keeping a Sharp Eye on the Road Ahead.” Commerce Street Capital is a trusted investment banking firm that focuses on the banking industry, both regionally and across the… Continue Reading
Financial Reform: Major Industry Groups Ask Senate Banking Committee to Carefully Consider Securitization Reform
Posted in Covered Bonds, Good Times for Lenders, Market TrendsOnce again [link to earlier letter], in a letter dated March 25, 2010, the 21 key industry groups band together in an attempt to focus the Senate on the importance of the securitization market, and to caution the Senate on the proposed reforms relating to the securitization market. The players in this group represent an extremely… Continue Reading
CMSA & Key Industry Groups Push Congress To Avoid “Looming Commercial Real Estate Crisis”
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market TrendsAs I noted previously [link], the mid-term elections significantly limit the time period for Congress to pass a meaningful financial reform bill. The “window” for this closes in August – five months from now – when the fall election campaigns kick into high gear. With this short-course in mind, the CMSA and other key industry groups… Continue Reading
From Across the Pond: The European View (The last day)
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersDay Five Report from Keith Mullen and Lou Strawn in Europe Our trip to the EU nears to the end as we touch down in London for a brief day and a half stay. The cultural change between the two cities is a bit of a shock (or to phrase it as an American, it… Continue Reading
From Across the Pond: The European View (Day 4)
Posted in 1 Guest Writers, Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersDay Four Report from Contributing Writer Brenda Brown (with Keith Mullen and Lou Strawn) in Europe On this fourth day of our trip, I awoke to yet more news of the ever-evolving, now global ‘credit crisis’ during our stay in Munich, where we are attending a real estate conference. It’s great to be back in… Continue Reading
From Across the Pond: The European View (Day 3)
Posted in 1 Guest Writers, Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersDay Three Report from Keith Mullen and Lou Strawn in Europe On this third day, Keith Mullen, Brenda Brown and I attended the opening session of a European-based real estate conference. The opening meeting was a Q&A session with a panel composed of the head of a major German bank, the head of the Morgan… Continue Reading
From Across the Pond: The European View (Day 2)
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersDay Two report from Keith Mullen and Lou Strawn in Europe The second day of our trip (and the first full day) is sunny, without a cloud in the Munich sky. To acclimate ourselves to the time change and for a quick immersion into German culture, we take a long walk through the Englischer Garten,… Continue Reading
From Across the Pond: The European View (Day 1)
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersDay One Report from Keith Mullen and Lou Strawn in Europe London’s Heathrow Airport certainly is a remarkable place. The entire world seems to be here in a controlled chaos that the Brits handle with great charm and even wit. After an exhausting 8-hour flight, we homestead several chairs and grab the Saturday (October 4)… Continue Reading
From Across the Pond: The European View
Posted in Good Times for Lenders, Market Trends, Tough Times for LendersKeith Mullen and Lou Strawn head to Europe Next week, we will be in Munich, Germany and then London, England visiting clients, and meeting with investors, lenders, title companies, investment bankers, mortgage bankers and fund advisors — almost the entire spectrum of the "players" in the international real estate space. We think that we know… Continue Reading