A lot of this issue of the Business Report is dedicated to 2013, with predictions from industry experts about what may be in store for Northern Colorado business, now that we've eaten our holiday dinners and even sidestepped an apocalypse.

Before we jump ahead, though, there are some things worth mentioning about 2012.

At the beginning of this year, someone with the city of Fort Collins staff told me that 2012 would likely be the last year of recovery, and that 2013 and 2014 would be years of growth.

The prediction of recovery has held true for most industries in Northern Colorado, with nearly every sector of the economy posting better numbers than they were able to a year ago. Banks are no exception.

Of our eight locally-based banks, five posted higher total lending amounts in the third quarter of 2012 than they did in the same period of 2011. The increases have been relatively slight, 7.5 percent or less, but considering the last five years, these bumps in lending amounts are encouraging, and not just for bankers.

Six of these eight banks have increased their real estate lending in the last year, a nod to the improving strength of Northern Colorado's real estate market.

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