BWE (Bellwether Enterprise)

BWE, formerly Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital, is a mortgage banking firm that connects borrowers with lenders and then services the loans. It arranges financing for clients buying, refinancing, developing and investing in commercial and multifamily real estate.

Its lending solutions include Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA executions, USDA RHS 538 GRRHP loans, life company loans, CMBS, bank debt, debt funds and direct bond purchase, plus structured finance and equity. Property types listed include multifamily, affordable housing, manufactured housing communities, build-to-rent, workforce housing, seniors housing, industrial, retail, office, self storage, hospitality, and medical office and life science. The firm also has an investment sales team.

Origination, risk assessment and approval, and closing teams are in-house, and BWE services most of the loans it originates, which it says keeps client relationships going for years after closing. Its site reports financing secured for over 5,000 properties totaling $55B over the last five years. On the life company platform specifically it reports $21.5B in volume and 1,333 loans closed over five years, relationships with 50+ of the most active life insurance company lenders, rates locked at application, terms from 3 to 40 years, executions in 30 to 45 days and capacity for transactions as high as $400M+.

Affordable housing is a stated focus: BWE says it commits 45% of its profits to increasing the number of affordable homes in the United States, has contributed $100m+ to creating and preserving affordable housing, has financed 618,000 affordable homes and did $4.8B+ in affordable housing loan volume over the last five years. Loan minimums, spreads and fees are not published, so ask which execution suits your deal size and whether BWE would service the loan.