In October 2018, Shulman Rogers conducted a survey of bankers and financial services professionals in the Metropolitan Washington region. Respondents included lenders from national, regional and community banks, as well as non-bank lenders and other professionals.
Notable findings from the survey included:
- More than 80 percent of respondents noted a positive or neutral outlook when asked if loan demand would likely increase in 2019.
- Community bankers responded that they’re more risk tolerant, but they appear to face pricing competition from national banks.
- Government Contracting/IT, General Corporate/Business and Commercial Real Estate Construction/Development were listed as some of the hottest industry verticals from a loan demand perspective right now.
- National banks seem to be the most concerned with regulation as the area of middle market lending they would like to change.
