Commercial Real Estate Lending

Anyone have insight into a commercial real estate analyst position at a smaller shop, looking at the properties, cash flow analysis, FHA Fannie lending etc? Pros Cons Exit opps, etc…? This would count as CFAI experience correct? Thanks in advance.

Anyone have anything on this? I did a search and could not really find anything on this topic. It would really help me out. Appreciate it.

look at local community banks etc

I am trying to get a sense of the pros, cons, exit opps for a position like this. Would it count as CFAI exp? Long term career in this, i imagine an originator? Would it be an ok step to private equity, I know it’s not the best step but would it be any good? The position would consist of cash flow analysis of large commercial properties, site inspections, financials and rent roll analysis, and putting together the material and working with the borrowers and credit committee. I know where I can find positions like this. I meant I searched this site to see if anyone discussed the pro/cons, exit opps on this type of position and did not find anything.

If the work includes full valuations, and you learn all types of properties, there are good exit opps, but they will be focused on real estate. The BB all have trading desks that underwrite commercial loans, then securitize or sell them off. P/E is possible sure, but real estate focused, so it’s a narrower field. The problem is the narrow focus. It’s not an investment analyst generalist position where you can learn a lot of valuations, different sectors and markets. Real estate is a specialization, and the longer you go down it, the more people see it as the only reason to really hire you. If your goal was to be a CRE master, it’s fine. Yes it would count as CFAI experience.

Thanks iteracom. The CRE career path is def better then my current one so I am def interested. Getting into a BB to underwrite loans for securitization would be good but I need some exp before they will give me a chance. It seems like you get pigeon-holed in most finance jobs but agreed that CRE would be very pigeon holed. Anyone else?

I would think about your mid/long term goals before making the move. If you can see yourself in CRE for the long haul then go for it. Although, I couldn’t tell you how easy it would be to make the move to public markets from this position. If the company you’re looking at does all of them, then it may be easier to make the move internally. I don’t think it would be too difficult to move from debt to the equity side. My company just hired a VP of acquisitions who had moved back & forth between debt & equity in previous jobs. And the guys who started my company did both for the shop they came from. If you can demonstrate that you understand the equity perspective in a deal, then you should be able to make a move from debt. could be tough to convey on a resume though, perhaps that’s what makes it easier to move internally.