"The low interest rates that prevailed for most of the year helped us and the rest of the industry tremendously, but right now we are not seeing a pent-up demand" for new financing in 2003, Twitty/Orlando president Mark L. Findura tells GlobeSt.com. "The screen is a little blurry" for 2003.

Findura projects that his company--and possibly the rest of the industry--will be down 10% to 20% in loan production next year. "There aren't many (investment) players sitting on the sidelines" with loan applications for new projects, Findura says. "The (commercial real estate development) market has really slowed down."

"There is ample money available in the lending community but lenders are becoming more strenuous" in qualifying borrowers and their projects, the mortgage banker tells GlobeSt.com.