Berlin Hyp said improved conditions in the real estate market led to a 36% rise in new lending in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period last year. The German property lender, which works it partnership with its parent company Landesbank Berlin (LBB), contracted EUR 732 mln of new business, without extensions, from January to end-March this year, far in excess of the EUR 468 mln of new business in Q1 2010.