For investment commercial real estate, most programs qualify based on the property's rental income rather than your personal income or tax returns. If the building's rent comfortably covers the loan payment, you typically qualify without W-2s or personal tax documentation. This is a major advantage for self-employed investors, business owners with complex returns, and anyone who has maximized their deductions. For owner-occupied properties where your business uses the space, SBA loan programs do require business financials, but the property's income is still the primary factor.

 Most commercial real estate lenders will finance between 65% and 80% of the property's appraised value. So on a $2 million building, you are typically looking at borrowing $1.3 to $1.5 million. Two things cap your loan amount: the appraised value of the building and whether the rental income is strong enough to cover the payment with a comfortable cushion. Hawk runs both calculations on your specific deal before we go to market so you know your real number before anyone pulls your credit or orders an appraisal.

A commercial real estate bridge loan is a short-term loan, typically 12 to 18 months, used to buy or refinance a property that is not yet ready for long-term permanent financing. Common situations: a building that is partially vacant and needs to be leased up, a property you need to close on quickly before long-term financing can be arranged, or a value-add deal where you are in the middle of renovations. Bridge loans close fast, carry interest-only payments while you stabilize the property, and then Hawk transitions the deal to permanent financing once the property is ready for it.

Yes, and this is one of the smartest financial moves a business owner can make. If your business will occupy at least 51% of the property, you qualify for owner-occupied commercial real estate financing including SBA 504 and SBA 7(a) loans. These programs let you buy a commercial building with as little as 10% down, with rates and terms that investment property loans simply cannot match. Instead of paying rent to someone else every month, you are building equity in a property your business owns. We help business owners finance office buildings, warehouses, medical offices, retail storefronts, and any other building type. See SBA loan details.

Absolutely. Refinancing an existing commercial property is one of the most common things we handle. You might want to lower your rate if current commercial real estate mortgage rates are more favorable than what you locked in. You might want to pull cash out to invest in another property or fund renovations. You might have a bridge loan that needs to roll into permanent financing now that your building is fully leased. Whatever the reason, Hawk analyzes the refinance across 50+ lenders to get you the best terms available. Cash-out refinances on commercial properties are available up to 70% to 75% of current appraised value.

Most commercial real estate loans close in 21 to 45 days from the time you accept a term sheet. The commercial property appraisal is usually the longest single piece — it typically takes a licensed MAI appraiser 10 to 14 business days to complete. Bridge loans on simpler properties can close in 14 to 21 days, and hard money commercial loans can sometimes close even faster for urgent situations. Hawk manages every step of the process — appraisal, title, environmental, and lender review — in parallel rather than one at a time, in order to help streamline the closing of the loan.

Most permanent commercial real estate lenders prefer a personal credit score of 660 or above. Bridge and hard money commercial loans are more flexible and can work with scores in the 600 to 620 range depending on the property and deal strength. The single biggest factor in any commercial loan decision is the property's rental income — if the building's cash flow is strong, lenders can often work around credit scores that would disqualify you on a residential mortgage. We will provide feedback of qualification promptly after reviewing your scenario.

For most investment commercial properties, the core documents are: the property address and basic details, a current list of tenants and their leases, 12 months of income and expense statements for the property, a purchase contract if you are buying, your entity documents if you are taking title through an LLC, and a personal financial statement for the main borrower. You do not typically need personal tax returns for investment CRE programs. For owner-occupied properties using SBA financing, we will need 3 years of business tax returns as well. Your Hawk specialist gives you a deal-specific checklist from day one so nothing gets missed.

✓ You are buying a commercial property as an investment and want the rental income to qualify the loan instead of your personal income
✓ You own a business and want to buy the building your company operates from — potentially with as little as 10% down through an SBA program
✓ You have a value-add commercial property that needs a bridge loan while you renovate or lease it up
✓ You want to refinance a commercial property you already own — either to pull out equity or lower your rate
✓ You are developing a commercial project from the ground up and need construction financing
✓ Your personal tax returns show less income than your actual financial situation and you want a lender that looks at the property, not your 1040
✓ You need to close fast and your local bank has a 60-day turnaround you cannot wait for

When you submit your deal to Hawk, we take it to the lenders in our network who are the best fit for your specific property, market, and loan size. You do not have to apply one place at a time, wait for answers, and start over when someone says no. We know which lenders are actively interested in deals like yours right now, and we present your deal the way they want to see it. One conversation with us replaces weeks of back-and-forth with individual banks. Submit your deal for your free analysis.