by Calculated Risk on 2/11/2009 09:30:00 AM

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the Mortgage Bankers Association Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Originations index since 2001.

From the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA): Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Originations Down 80% from Q4 2007 in MBA Survey (hat tip Robert)

Commercial and multifamily mortgage loan originations dropped in the fourth quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. Fourth quarter originations were 80 percent lower than during the same period last year. The year-over-year decrease was seen across all property types and investor groups.

"Commercial and multifamily mortgage lending slowed to a trickle in the fourth quarter," said Jamie Woodwell, Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Research at the Mortgage Bankers Association. "Origination levels in the fourth quarter were 80 percent below last year's fourth quarter, and originations for all of 2008 were down approximately 60 percent from 2007 levels. Between the worsening economy and the continued credit crunch, lenders are extremely cautious about lending and borrowers are likely to hold onto the assets and the loans they already have."

Decreases in total commercial/multifamily mortgage originations continued to be led by a drop in commercial mortgage-backed security (CMBS) conduit loans and loans for commercial bank portfolios. ...

The decrease in commercial/multifamily lending activity during the fourth quarter was driven by decreases in originations for all property types. When compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, the overall 80 percent decrease included a 99 percent decrease in loans for hotel properties, an 82 percent decrease in loans for retail properties, a 76 percent decrease in loans for industrial properties, a 72 percent decrease in loans for office properties, a 62 percent decrease in multifamily property loans, and a 47 percent decrease in health care property loans.

For more details, here is the quarterly report.