Commercial Underwriter

About the role

The Commercial Underwriter is responsible for evaluating, structuring, and decisioning Small Balance Commercial Real Estate (SBCRE) loan requests with a high degree of precision, consistency, and sound credit judgment.

Responsibilities

• Analyze borrower and guarantor financials, including tax returns, income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and projections, with a focus on small balance commercial transactions
• Audit borrower and guarantor creditworthiness using credit reports, third-party data, and relevant industry benchmarks
• Evaluate real estate collateral by reviewing appraisals, environmental reports, market studies, rent rolls, operating statements, and title documentation to identify and mitigate risk
• Structure and recommend loan terms and conditions, including pricing, leverage, and covenants, that appropriately balance risk and business objectives
• Exercise sound judgment in nuanced or gray-area credit decisions common in SBC lending, clearly articulating rationale and mitigating factors
• Prepare clear, well-documented underwriting narratives and credit memoranda that accurately reflect risk analysis, conclusions, and recommendations
• Maintain accurate, complete, and timely records in the loan origination system (LOS) and CRM
• Ensure underwriting decisions comply with internal credit policies, regulatory requirements, and fair lending standards
• Collaborate with sales, operations, closing, and third-party vendors to obtain required information and support an efficient end-to-end loan process
• Contribute toward quarterly production goals and participate in periodic pipeline, production, and credit review meetings
• Participate in weekly one-on-one meetings and broader underwriting and production initiatives

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience underwriting Small Balance Commercial Real Estate loans; investor residential or DSCR experience is a plus but not a substitute
• Strong ability to interpret complex financial statements and layered credit profiles typical of SBC transactions
• Solid understanding of commercial property types, borrower structures, guarantor analysis, and cash-flow-based underwriting
• High attention to detail with strong analytical, organizational, and critical-thinking skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams
• Comfort operating in a growth-oriented, entrepreneurial environment with evolving processes and priorities

Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Real Estate, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field preferred
• Experience: Minimum of 3 to 5 years of direct Small Balance Commercial Real Estate underwriting experience required
• Experience: Prior experience in a private lender, non-bank lender, or bank commercial credit environment strongly preferred
• Experience: Familiarity with loan origination systems (LOS), third-party reports, and credit memo preparation required