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WASHINGTON, DC-Real estate finance continues to set record trends, to no one's surprise. The latest data point? Last year, some $345 billion in commercial/multifamily loans closed--a 49.9% increase over 2004--according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's report which surveyed 125 top commercial/multifamily finance firms.

Multifamily comprised the largest share of originations among property type, accounting for accounted for $92.1 billion (26.7%) of closed loan activity in 2005. CMBS conduits represented the leading investor type, reporting total originations of $206 billion (44.8% of total) during the year.

At $19.3 billion in originations, the Washington, DC-area ranked seventh among the top 10 most active cities, followed by Orange, CA, Boston and Houston. The leading cities were New York City, which reported originations of $106.5 billion and having an average size of $22.6 million. Chicago ranked second with $33.2 billion in originations carrying an average loan size of $10.4 million. Los Angeles ($32.6 billion in total originations), Dallas ($24.6 billion), Atlanta ($22.2 billion) and San Francisco ($20.5 billion).