Commercial Servicing Volume Grows.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

Nearly 78% of third-party commercial mortgage servicers reported increases in commercial/multifamily mortgage servicing volume in 2000, according to an annual survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA).

The survey, released at the MBA's Commercial Real Estate Finance/Multifamily Housing Convention, assessed the "relative positions" of 125 servicers and ranked companies based on the dollar volume of commercial/multifamily mortgages of $100 million or more serviced for third-party investors - life insurance firms, banks, thrifts, pension funds, federal agencies, and CMBS investors - as of December 31, 2000, the MBA said.

Of the 122 firms that responded to a similar 1999 survey as well as the current survey (repeat reporters), 95 firms reported increases, according to the MBA.

The median increase in servicing for 2000 tapered off to 9.2%, however, compared to 14% for 1999, and 19.5% for 1998.

Jeanette Rice, principal, Lend Lease Real Estate Investments and chairman of MBA's CREF Research Committee, said, "While last year's servicing portfolio growth did not match that of 1999 or 1998, both of which were outstanding years, a median increase of 9.2% is above average. In general, CMBS master servicers and firms servicing federal agency loans posted gains in 2000."

GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corp., Horsham, Penn., remained the top commercial/multifamily servicer for 2000, with a portfolio of $90.5 billion, the MBA reports (the company has ranked number one in five consecutive MBA servicing surveys).

Midland Loan Services, Kansas City, Mo., came in second with a portfolio of $54.3 billion.