Non Bank Lending For Commercial Real Estate
Non-bank lenders fund Commercial Real Estate when banks move too slowly, require a box-perfect profile, or cap exposure.
Debt funds, private credit shops, mortgage REITs, specialty finance firms, and family offices can provide bridge loans, transitional capital,
mezzanine debt, and structured solutions for acquisitions, refinances, and repositioning plans.
The trade-off is straightforward. You gain speed, flexibility, and underwriting that can handle transitional assets.
You pay for it through pricing, fees, and tighter controls. The winners are sponsors who show up with clean documents, credible assumptions,
and a realistic plan to stabilize or exit.
Financely is an advisory firm. We do not lend, and we do not make credit decisions. We underwrite and package your deal, then introduce you to third-party lenders.
All outcomes are subject to lender diligence, borrower eligibility, KYC and AML review, sanctions screening, third-party reports, and definitive documentation.
Any regulated activities are conducted by appropriately licensed third-party partners where required, under separate engagement and applicable law.
What Non-Bank Lenders Do Differently
They Underwrite The Business Plan
Banks focus on in-place cashflow and conservative metrics. Non-bank lenders will underwrite lease-up, capex, and repositioning,
provided the plan is documented and the sponsor can execute.
They Price For Risk And Time
Expect floating-rate structures, lender fees, and extension economics.
The real negotiation is all-in cost plus flexibility to exit early without penalty warfare.
They Use Tighter Controls
Cash management, reserves, reporting cadence, and capex holdbacks are normal.
If the file is loose, the lender will tighten it. If the file is clean, you keep control.
They Care About Liquidity And Recoveries
Asset liquidity, jurisdictional enforceability, and downside recovery matter as much as upside.
Sponsors who ignore this get term sheets that die in legal.
Common Non-Bank Capital Options
| Capital Type |
Used For |
What You Must Prove |
| Bridge Loans
|
Acquisition deadlines, refinance gaps, transitional occupancy, bridge-to-perm exits. |
Clean PSA or payoff, credible stabilization plan, sponsor liquidity, and a clear exit. |
| Transitional Loans With Capex
|
Value-add programs with tenant improvements, renovations, or deferred maintenance fixes. |
Budget, bids, GC plan, contingency, and a disbursement protocol that can be audited. |
| Mezzanine Debt
|
Filling leverage gaps behind senior debt while keeping ownership intact. |
Senior lender consent, intercreditor terms, and sponsor capacity to service the stack. |
| Preferred Equity
|
Equity gap capital with structured returns and protective rights. |
Waterfall clarity, governance, remedies, and a stabilization or sale timeline. |
| Structured Refininance
|
Maturity payoffs, forced paydowns, or assets needing time to season NOI. |
Defensible cashflow bridge, reserves, and realistic extension mechanics. |
What Lenders Require Before They Take You Seriously
Deal Inputs
- Signed PSA or refinance request, plus a complete sources and uses.
- Rent roll, trailing 12-month operating statement, and current debt schedule.
- Business plan with timeline, stabilization targets, and leasing strategy.
- Borrower structure, beneficial ownership, and sponsor liquidity evidence.
Third-Party Reports
- Appraisal aligned to the execution and the “as-is” versus “as-stabilized” logic.
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and follow-on work if flagged.
- Property Condition Assessment to quantify repairs and reserves.
- Title, survey, insurance, and estoppels where applicable.
Controls And Covenants
- Cash management and reporting cadence that match lender policy.
- Capex holdbacks and construction draw controls for value-add plans.
- Reserves for taxes, insurance, interest carry, and leasing where needed.
- Clear extension tests that you can actually meet.
What Kills Deals
- Unreconcilable financials or unsupported pro forma assumptions.
- Capex plans with no bids, no contingency, or no execution team.
- Unsourced equity, unclear ownership, or weak sponsor liquidity.
- Late-discovered environmental, title, or tenant issues.
How Financely Matches You To Non-Bank Lenders
1) Underwriting First
We pressure-test the file, tighten the assumptions, and identify issues that will surface in committee.
If the deal does not pencil, you find out early, not after weeks of lender theater.
2) Lender Fit
We match asset type, geography, sponsor profile, and business plan to lenders that actively lend in that box,
so you are not collecting soft quotes that collapse.
3) Comparable Indications
We run a controlled process so indications can be compared on the same basis: leverage, covenants, reserves,
extension tests, third-party costs, and timeline.
4) Execution Support
We coordinate diligence and closing steps so conditions are satisfied without last-minute chaos.
If the stack requires a gap solution, we can introduce mezzanine or preferred equity providers.
FAQ
What property types are a good fit for non-bank lenders?
Transitional assets with a clear plan: multifamily, industrial, self-storage, hospitality, retail, mixed-use, and select office and medical assets,
subject to location quality, tenant profile, and exit plausibility.
How fast can non-bank Commercial Real Estate loans close?
Speed depends on readiness and third-party reports. Clean files can move quickly. Missing documents, unclear ownership, or sloppy sources and uses slow down.
Are non-bank loans always more expensive than banks?
Often yes, because the lender is taking transitional risk and moving faster. The right comparison is not coupon versus coupon.
Compare all-in cost plus certainty of close and the ability to execute your business plan.
Do non-bank lenders require recourse?
Many bridge executions are non-recourse with standard carve-outs. That said, lenders still underwrite sponsor liquidity, experience, and governance.
Do you guarantee approval or funding?
No. Financely is not the lender and does not control credit committees. We improve execution certainty by underwriting the deal, packaging it to lender standards,
and introducing it to aligned lenders.
Request A Quote
If you have a signed PSA, a refinance need, or a time-sensitive stabilization plan, submit your file for underwriting.
We will revert with lender fit and next steps based on the asset, business plan, and sponsor profile.
Request A Quote
Disclaimer: This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, regulatory, investment, or credit advice, and it is not an offer or commitment
by Financely or any third party to provide financing. Financely is not a bank or lender. Any loan is made solely by third-party lenders under their own policies,
approvals, and definitive documentation. All matters are subject to underwriting, borrower eligibility, KYC and AML review, sanctions screening, third-party reports,
and closing conditions. Any regulated activities are conducted by appropriately licensed third-party partners where required, under separate engagement and applicable law.