The speakers included Paul Heilmann, senior vice president of commercial real estate for Columbia Bank in Fair Lawn; Philip Romano, first vice president of commercial real estate development for Investors Savings Bank in Short Hills; and Ronald Shapiro, senior vice president and senior loan officer for Union Center National Bank in Union. Their common message--although Wall Street is in trouble, and funding sources have shrunk due to the current state of the economy--community banks still have money to lend.

While community banks are more selective today than in the past, these organizations are looking to build relationships with real estate developers and brokers. All agreed that terms generally involve a 75% loan-to-value ratio. On the other hand, community banks take into consideration the parameters of each individual deal combined with the potential business relationship with customers.

The speakers stressed that they are busy with direct deals and broker deals in all property types. However, in today's economy, not all projects are desirable. Medical arts buildings emerged as a current bright spot in the commercial real estate industry, while lending for land, hospitals, golf courses, restaurants and hotels is much more difficult. As always, in real estate, property and location are still key.