WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the first quarter of 2021, originations for commercial and multifamily loans totaled $3.9 trillion, according to the latest report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Compared to the Washington, D.C.-based organization’s findings from fourth-quarter 2020, the first-quarter originations increased by $44.6 billion, a 1.1 percent hike quarter-over-quarter.
According to the MBA report, commercial banks held the largest share (roughly 38 percent) of commercial and multifamily mortgages at $1.5 trillion. The second largest holders of commercial and multifamily mortgages were Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD and other mortgage-backed security lenders at $861 billion, or 22 percent. Additionally, life insurance companies provided $588 billion (15 percent) in the first quarter and issuers of commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), collateralized debt obligations (CDO) and other asset-based securities (ABS) generated $540 billion in debt (14 percent).
In the first quarter, agency lenders saw an increase of $23 billion in loans, a 2.8 percent jump. CMBS, CDO and other ABS issuers increased their holdings by $7 billion, or 1.3 percent. Banks increased their holdings by $6.8 billion (0.5 percent), and REITs increased their holdings by $4.9 billion (5.2 percent). Finance companies, however, saw their holdings decrease 1.2 percent.