Winstead's financial services honcho Keith Mullen says loan maturities coming due in ‘10, ‘11 and ‘12 are worth about $800 billion and there’s no easy answer to “Who’s going to finance the shortfall?” Big banks are doing OK after getting TARP and paying it back, but few have CRE mortgages on the books. The regional banks, however, are left holding the bag with most of the commercial mortgages and many will fail as a result. Keith hears FDIC leadership plans to close four to eight banks each week.

Keith’s predictions & advice:

• CRE will be two separate worlds with some good, but more bad. 
  

• CRE will be an investment; not a trading tool.
  

• Investors should wait to buy until late 2010 at the soonest.
  

• Modifying & restructuring debt is the way to go.

Also at the event, the chapter (second largest in the nation) installed its 2010 officers: Joseph Garrett, Susan McClure, Alex Johnson,Roger Davis, Kate Dubroc, David Schnitzer, and past president Stephen Williamson, who inducted them into office.