As non-bank lending activity in commercial real estate continues to heat up, participants and analysts say that private lenders are providing lifelines to developers and landlords turned away by the big banks.

Risk levels for borrowers and the economy at large are within acceptable limits, advocates say, despite the stresses in the commercial property and construction sectors.

“Commercial real estate has been the flavour of the month, the soup du jour, for investors recently,” Nick Goh told The Urban Developer.