Lender Fit Finder.
Match your CRE project to the right capital source in 30 seconds. Enter your asset class, project type, deal size, market type, and a few binary characteristics — get back a ranked list of 3 to 5 most-fit capital sources with typical LTV, DSCR, expected feasibility scope, and rationale for why each fits or doesn't.
Runs entirely client-side · No PII stored · No email required to use · Updated for 2026 underwriting parameters
Match your project to capital sources.
Six inputs. 3 to 5 ranked outputs with full rationale. No registration required.
Project parameters
The primary use of the property.
The current state of the project.
Approximate is fine.
The character of the local market.
Will the operating business occupy 51% or more of the building?
Hotel, gas station, car wash, restaurant, daycare, brewery, ASC, self-storage, RV park, wedding venue. (Auto-set; you can override.)
Runs entirely in your browser. No data sent to a server. No registration.
Your top-fit capital sources will appear here
Fill in the inputs on the left, click "Find my capital sources," and this panel will populate with 3 to 5 ranked capital sources for your specific deal.
How the Lender Fit Finder works.
The tool runs a fit-scoring algorithm against twelve capital sources — SBA 7(a), SBA 504, USDA B&I, USDA CF, conventional bank, agency multifamily, HUD/FHA, CMBS conduit, CMBS SASB, life-insurance company, debt fund and bridge, and mezzanine. For each capital source, the algorithm checks eligibility gates (deal size limits, owner-occupancy requirements, asset class restrictions) and scores fit across asset class, deal size, market type, and project type dimensions. Capital sources that pass eligibility are ranked by total fit score; the top 3 to 5 surface in the output panel.
Each output card includes typical LTV, DSCR, rate range, and expected feasibility study scope for the specific capital source. The rationale paragraph explains why the capital source fits your particular input combination — referencing your asset class, deal size, market type, and project type explicitly rather than producing generic language. Each card links to the practice's deep-dive content for that capital source so you can read the underwriting framework in detail before scoping the deal.
The tool runs entirely in your browser. Inputs are not sent to a server. No registration is required to use it. The optional email capture at the bottom of the output panel is genuinely optional — the tool produces the same ranking whether or not you provide an email. If you do provide an email, the practice sends a copy of your ranking summary as a reference document; the address is not used for marketing or shared with third parties.
What the tool asks, and why each input matters.
Six inputs, each chosen because it shifts the capital source ranking in a structural way. Most other deal characteristics produce marginal pricing differences but don't change which capital sources are eligible.
Asset class
Determines which capital sources are eligible at all. Multifamily opens agency and HUD; rural deals open USDA; owner-occupied special-use opens SBA. Asset class is the primary capital source filter.
Project type
Acquisition, ground-up construction, refinance, and value-add bridge each route to different capital source preferences. Bridge debt funds prefer transitional; life-cos prefer stabilized; bank construction lenders prefer ground-up.
Total project cost
Determines which capital sources have eligible loan size bands. SBA capped at $5M–$5.5M; CMBS conduit $5M–$75M; CMBS SASB $75M+; life-co $10M+; agency multifamily $1M–$1B+.
Market type
Urban core, suburban, secondary, and rural markets shift capital source eligibility and pricing. USDA requires rural; agency multifamily prefers top-50 MSAs; life-co concentrates in institutional markets.
Owner-occupancy
The 51-percent threshold opens or closes SBA financing. Owner-occupied at 51%+ qualifies for SBA 7(a) or SBA 504; below threshold defaults to conventional bank, CMBS, or life-co.
Special-use property
SBA SOP 50 10 8 classifies hotels, gas stations, car washes, restaurants, daycares, breweries, ASCs, self-storage, RV parks, and wedding venues as special-use. Classification triggers full feasibility scope and shifts capital source preferences.
What the tool returns.
Each capital source in the output panel includes four parameter blocks — typical LTV, typical DSCR, typical rate range, and expected feasibility scope (none / light / yes / yes-full). These are 2026 typical bands; specific deal characteristics may shift the parameters. The rate range reflects current market conditions and adjusts as market rates move.
The fit indicator badge (Strong fit / Good fit / Fair fit) reflects the underlying fit score from the algorithm. Strong-fit capital sources score 75–100 points across asset class, deal size, market, project type, and special-use modifiers. Good-fit capital sources score 55–74. Fair-fit capital sources score 35–54. Capital sources scoring below 35 are not included in the output because they don't represent realistic financing paths for the deal as inputted.
The rationale paragraph for each capital source explains why it fits your specific input combination. The reasoning references your actual inputs rather than generic capital source descriptions — if you input "industrial + life-co" the rationale explains why life-co favors industrial in 2026; if you input "rural multifamily + USDA" the rationale explains how the OneRD framework fits your project profile. The deep-dive link at the bottom of each card routes to comprehensive content for that capital source so you can validate the rationale and read underwriting parameters in depth.
Interpreting your fit ranking.
The top-ranked capital source is not necessarily the right answer for every sponsor. Fit scoring reflects which capital sources are most likely to bid aggressively for your specific deal profile. Other factors — sponsor relationship with a specific lender, recourse tolerance, hold period preference, regulatory considerations — affect the actual choice between capital sources at term-sheet stage.
Multiple capital sources at "Strong fit" or "Good fit" levels typically indicate competitive bidding opportunity. A deal that ranks SBA 504 + conventional bank + CMBS conduit as Strong fit suggests three lenders should be willing to bid; the sponsor selects based on terms. A deal that ranks one capital source as Strong fit and the next at Fair fit suggests less competitive optionality and warrants checking whether the Strong-fit lender's posture is strong enough to commit.
Capital sources that don't appear in the output failed eligibility gates. SBA 504 not in output for a $40M deal because debenture cap is $5M. USDA not in output for a suburban deal because rural designation is required. Life-co not in output for a $5M deal because life-co mandates start at $10M. The eligibility gates are structural — no amount of relationship building changes them.
The fit ranking reflects 2026 underwriting parameters. If market conditions shift materially during the year, the underlying parameters may need refresh. The practice's fit ranking algorithm updates quarterly to reflect current LTV, DSCR, rate ranges, and capital source posture. The tool ranking on the day you use it reflects the most recent parameter update.
Limitations and assumptions.
The Lender Fit Finder is a starting point, not a substitute for term-sheet shopping. The tool ranks capital sources based on structural fit; actual term-sheet pricing depends on sponsor financials, current capital source posture, market timing, lender concentration position, and dozens of other deal-specific factors that the tool does not model.
Edge cases warrant a 30-minute scoping call to walk through specifics. Deals near program boundaries (SBA 504 at $4.8M project cost, USDA at 49,000 population, owner-occupancy at 50.5 percent) may trigger eligibility gates the tool's binary logic misses. Hybrid capital stacks (SBA 504 + senior bank + mezzanine, or HUD construction with CMBS takeout) involve multiple capital sources working together rather than competing — the tool ranks them individually but doesn't model the stack interaction.
Cross-program scope considerations are not modeled in the ranking but matter for feasibility study scoping. If your deal might use SBA at close and CMBS at refinance in 24–36 months, scoping the original feasibility study to satisfy the future CMBS lender from the outset saves 30–50 percent versus commissioning fresh CMBS scope at refinance. The tool surfaces the eligible capital sources; the engagement letter handles the scoping nuances.
Assumptions used in the ranking algorithm: 2026 underwriting parameters for all capital sources, typical loan size bands as published in the practice's deep-dive content, FHFA 2026 caps, HUD MIP reduction effective October 1, 2025, USDA OneRD 7 CFR Part 5001 December 2025 amendment, SBA SOP 50 10 8 effective June 1, 2025. The rationale paragraphs reference these parameters explicitly where relevant.
Next steps once you have a fit ranking.
Read the deep-dive content for each Strong-fit and Good-fit capital source. The /loan-programs/* pages cover the underwriting framework, regulatory citations, typical scope expectations, and worked examples for each capital source. Spending 15 minutes per Strong-fit capital source before approaching lenders gives you the vocabulary to scope term-sheet conversations productively.
Confirm rural area eligibility (for USDA), owner-occupancy threshold compliance (for SBA), or specific program requirements (HUD MAP Guide, CMBS rating agency methodology) before commissioning a feasibility study. The tool's eligibility gates use the published thresholds; your specific deal may trigger nuances that warrant verification with USDA's online eligibility map, an SBA CDC, or a HUD MAP-approved lender.
Commission feasibility scope built to the most demanding lender at the table. If your top fit ranking includes both SBA 504 and conventional bank, scope to bank examiner standards from the outset — SBA scope automatically follows. If your ranking includes both HUD and agency, scope to HUD MAP Guide format — agency scope automatically follows. The cross-program premium is modest; the cost of pivoting feasibility scope mid-process is substantial.
Get a feasibility study scoped for your top-fit lenders.
Whether your fit ranking surfaces one capital source or three, the bankable framework's cross-program scope satisfies whichever lender ultimately closes. 30-minute scoping call. Fixed-fee proposal within 24 hours.
Or read the loan programs hub → /loan-programs·Bankable framework·Pricing