National + Finance | May 10, 2023

Fed Increases Monitoring of CRE Loan Performance

The Federal Reserve is watching commercial real estate borrowing more closely as a potential risk to financial stability, according to a new report from the nation’s central bank. Among other factors, the report cites “dramatically reduced” demand for office space, which could mean a correction in the values of office buildings and downtown retail properties.

“Moreover, the rise in interest rates over the past year increases the risk that CRE mortgage borrowers will not be able to refinance their loans when the loans reach the end of their term,” according to the report. “With CRE valuations remaining elevated … the magnitude of a correction in property values could be sizable and therefore could lead to credit losses by holders of CRE debt.”

The report notes that losses on CRE loans “will depend on their leverage because owners of buildings with substantial equity cushions are less likely to default. Also, loans with high loan-to-value ratios are typically harder to refinance or modify.”

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About Paul Bubny

Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 13-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism. In this capacity, he oversees daily operations while also reporting on both local/regional markets and national trends, covering individual transactions across all property types, as well as delving into broader subject matter. He produces 15-20 daily news stories per day and works with the Connect team and clients to develop longer-form content, ranging from Q&As to thought-leadership pieces. Prior to joining Connect, Paul was Managing Editor for both Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com at American Lawyer Media, where he oversaw operations at both publications while also producing daily news and feature-length articles. His tenure in B2B publishing stretches back into the print era, and he has served as Editor in Chief on four national trade publications. Since 1999, Paul has volunteered as the newsletter editor of passenger rail advocacy groups (one national, one local).

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