The Right Capital for Your Deal.
Every Time.
Debt | Structured Finance | Equity
John Morelli and his team arrange commercial real estate financing across banks, credit unions, agency lenders, CMBS conduits, debt funds, life insurance companies, and government programs, matching each deal to the optimal capital source and structure.
Financing for Nearly Any Property Type
We arrange commercial real estate financing for a broad spectrum of asset classes across the country.
Commercial Mortgage & Debt Financing
We work with banks, credit unions, agencies, conduit lenders, debt funds, life companies, and government programs to source the best loan for your deal.
Bank Term Loans for CRE
Bank loans remain a cornerstone of commercial mortgage financing, offering competitive fixed or floating rates for stabilized income-producing properties. Ideal for borrowers with strong financial profiles seeking flexibility in recourse structure and prepayment.
Credit Union CRE Loans
Credit unions often provide strong alternatives to banks for smaller commercial real estate transactions, with competitive rates and more relationship-driven underwriting. Particularly useful for sub-$5M deals that fall below many banks' sweet spot.
Fannie Mae Multifamily Loans
Fannie Mae's Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (DUS) program is one of the most widely used multifamily financing vehicles in the country. Their Small Loans product is particularly effective for transactions up to $9 million, offering non-recourse terms, long amortization, and competitive fixed rates.
Freddie Mac Multifamily Loans
Freddie Mac's Small Balance Loan (SBL) program is designed for 5–50 unit apartment properties and competes aggressively on rate and execution. Larger deals can access Freddie's conventional and value-add programs for more complex multifamily transactions.
CMBS Conduit Loans
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMBS) loans provide non-recourse, fixed-rate financing for stabilized commercial assets. Best suited for office, retail, industrial, hospitality, and mixed-use properties where the borrower values long-term rate certainty over prepayment flexibility.
FHA / HUD Multifamily Loans
HUD-insured loans — including 223(f) for acquisition and refinance — offer some of the lowest fixed rates available for multifamily properties, with 35–40 year fully amortizing terms. The tradeoff is a longer approval timeline and extensive documentation requirements. Worth the effort for the right deal.
SBA 504 & 7(a) Loans
The SBA's 504 program provides long-term, fixed-rate financing for owner-occupied real estate at up to 90% LTV — an exceptional leverage tool for small businesses. The 7(a) program is more flexible and can be used for acquisition, refinance, and working capital needs alongside real estate.
USDA Business & Industry (B&I) Loans
USDA B&I loans are designed for businesses and real estate projects in rural areas (populations under 50,000), offering favorable rates and terms for eligible borrowers. A powerful but underutilized program for rural commercial and healthcare properties.
Bridge Loans — Debt Fund CRE Financing
Debt fund bridge loans are the go-to solution when a property is in transition — being repositioned, renovated, lease-stabilized, or acquired under tight timing. Private debt funds close faster than banks or agencies and underwrite to the business plan, not just current cash flow.
Life Insurance Company CRE Loans
Life companies are among the most coveted lenders in commercial real estate — they offer some of the lowest fixed rates available, with conservative underwriting and a preference for core, stabilized assets with experienced sponsors. Ideal for long-term holds and trophy properties.
C-PACE Financing
Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing funds energy efficiency improvements, solar, and other qualifying upgrades. It sits between senior debt and equity in the capital stack — a flexible, non-dilutive gap financing tool that can dramatically improve project economics.
Crowdfunding & Platform Lending
Online lending platforms offer flexible bridge, mezzanine, and construction financing — particularly useful for smaller deals and sponsors seeking faster execution. Terms are typically shorter and rates higher, but access is broader and approval criteria more flexible than traditional lenders.
Private Capital & Equity Solutions
Beyond debt, John Morelli connects sponsors with equity and structured capital from private investors, institutional sources, and specialized programs.
Private Equity
Private equity funds provide direct equity capital for larger transactions, often structured as joint ventures or preferred equity positions. Typical check sizes support deals in the $5M–$100M+ range where institutional-quality execution is expected.
REITs (Public & Private)
Both public and private REITs deploy equity and debt capital into commercial real estate, offering liquidity and income-oriented structures. Particularly active in multifamily, industrial, net lease, and healthcare sectors.
Family Offices & UHNW Investors
Family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individual investors prioritize wealth preservation and return quality over deployment speed. They often bring flexible deal structures and can participate as LP equity, preferred equity, or mezzanine debt partners.
Compare Loan Programs at a Glance
Use this table to quickly identify which capital source may be the right fit for your transaction.
| Program | Min. Loan | Max Term | Non-Recourse | Best For | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Loan | $500K | 10 years | Varies | Stabilized CRE, qualified borrowers | Moderate |
| Credit Union | $250K | 10 years | No | Smaller CRE deals, local relationships | Moderate |
| Fannie Mae | $750K | 30 years | Yes | Multifamily / Apartment (5+ units) | Moderate |
| Freddie Mac SBL | $1M | 10 years | Yes | Small multifamily (5–50 units) | Moderate |
| CMBS Conduit | $2M | 10 years | Yes | Stabilized office, retail, industrial, hotel | Moderate |
| FHA / HUD | $3M | 40 years | Yes | Multifamily, healthcare / 232 | Slow (6–12 mo) |
| SBA 504 / 7(a) | $350K | 25 years | No | Owner-occupied CRE, small businesses | Moderate |
| USDA B&I | $1M | 30 years | No | Rural properties & businesses | Slow |
| Bridge / Debt Fund | $1M | 3 years | Varies | Value-add, transition, fast close | Fast |
| Life Company | $2M | 15 years | Yes | Core, stabilized assets / trophy | Moderate |
| C-PACE | $1M | 30 years | Yes | Energy upgrades / gap in capital stack | Moderate |
Which Loan Program Fits Your Deal?
Common scenarios and the capital sources we'd recommend exploring first.
I'm acquiring a 40-unit apartment building in a suburban market
I need to refinance a stabilized office building and want non-recourse
I'm buying a vacant building to renovate and lease up
My business is purchasing the building we operate from
I need to finance an assisted living facility refinance
I want to fund solar panels and HVAC on my commercial building
I own a self-storage facility and want a 10-year fixed rate
I'm a builder developing a BTR single-family community
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about commercial real estate financing programs and working with John Morelli and INSIGNIA Financial Services.
INSIGNIA arranges financing across all major capital sources — bank loans, credit union loans, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac agency loans, CMBS conduit loans, FHA/HUD multifamily loans, SBA 504 and 7(a) loans, USDA B&I loans, bridge loans from debt funds, C-PACE financing, and equity from private sources including family offices, private equity, and REITs. We cover commercial, multifamily, healthcare, industrial, hospitality, self-storage, and residential investor properties.
We arrange commercial real estate loans starting at $250,000 through select credit union and bank programs. Most agency and CMBS programs begin at $750,000 to $2 million. If you have a smaller loan requirement, contact us and we'll advise on the best available path.
A CMBS (Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities) loan is a non-recourse commercial mortgage that is pooled with other loans and sold to investors on the secondary market. CMBS loans are best suited for stabilized income-producing properties — office, retail, industrial, hospitality, or multifamily — where the borrower wants a fixed rate, non-recourse structure, and doesn't require flexible prepayment options. Yield maintenance or defeasance are typical prepayment mechanisms.
Both are government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) programs offering non-recourse, long-term financing for apartment properties. Fannie Mae's DUS program includes a Small Loans product for loans up to $9 million, while Freddie Mac's Small Balance Loan (SBL) program focuses on 5–50 unit properties. The right fit depends on loan size, property characteristics, and current market pricing. In most cases we'll quote both and let the market decide.
Bridge loans are short-term financing (typically 1–3 years) used when a property is in transition — being repositioned, lease-stabilized, renovated, or acquired under tight timing. Debt funds are the primary source for bridge lending and can close faster than banks or agencies because they underwrite to the business plan and projected value, not just current cash flow. After stabilization, most bridge loans are refinanced into permanent financing.
INSIGNIA Financial Services does not currently conduct business in Alaska, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Utah, and Vermont. We operate in all other states across the continental U.S. and Hawaii.
Financing for nearly any property type and business or investment purpose.
