State Real Estate Lending Retreats 2.4% From July

California real estate lending totaled $16.4 billion last month, down 2.4% from July’s $16.8 billion and down 9.2% from $18.1 billion in August a year ago, according to The Dataquick Report.

Year-to-date dollar volume was $124.8 billion statewide, down 16.7% from $149.8 billion during the January-to-August period last year.

Dollar volume totals include all real estate-secured lending; commercial and residential, purchase financing and refinancing.

“While financial activity is down, is certainly isn’t down by as much as some economists predicted,” said Donald L. Cohn, president of San Diego-based Dataquick Information Systems, publisher of The Dataquick Report.

“Last year’s fourth quarter was particularly grim because of the war, and dollar volume totals for 1991 could actually come close to 1990’s,” he said.

Real estate lending totaled $210.4 billion statewide in 1990, according to the report.

The Central Valley and Inland Empire have seen the steepest declines in year-to-date real estate financing activity with dollar volume off by 25% and more. With a 9% decline, the Bay Area is experiencing the most moderate slowdown.