Commercial and apartment loan originations in 2001 totaled $73.8 billion, a 19% increase over the $62 billion posted in 2000. Multifamily properties, as industry analysts had predicted, accounted for 48% of the record loan volume. In 2000, multifamily loans were 43% of the total.

Overall originations are up sharply. In 2000, the number was $11.2 billion in Q1; $13.8 billion in Q2; $14.3 billion in Q3 and $22.8 billion in Q4. In 2001, originations totaled $15 billion in Q1; $17.7 billion in Q2; $18.7 billion in Q3; and $22.5 billion in Q4.

Health care properties were at the bottom of the loan origination list, dropping 50% or about $1 billion. Down, too, was lending for office building properties. Office loans accounted for 23% of the total lending versus 28% in 2000. Retail properties lending was up.