In-house underwriting

Direct Lender vs. Loan Broker: Which Is Better for Your Commercial Loan?

Cressida Direct is a direct lender: it underwrites, approves, and funds its own commercial and investment-property loans in-house, from $200,000 to $20 million in 44 states (all except DE, HI, ND, SD, WV, WY), with $600M+ funded and a loan that typically closes in 30–45 days. A broker, by contrast, shops your loan to other lenders and does not make the credit decision. Neither is always better. Go direct when your deal fits a lender's published program and you want one decision-maker. Use a broker when the deal is unusual and needs several lenders bidding. Many borrowers do both. Cressida Direct works with a network of 500+ brokers.

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What in-house underwriting changes for you

  • One decision-maker: the people who quote your terms are the ones who approve them, so fewer surprises between term sheet and closing.
  • Published terms: program pages list loan size, loan-to-value, DSCR, and credit minimums, so you can check fit before applying.
  • Direct communication on conditions, the appraisal, and closing.
  • No bank deposit relationship required. Cressida Direct is a non-bank lender.

When a broker makes sense

A broker is the right call for a complex, transitional, or specialty deal, when you want more than one lender bidding, or when no single published program fits. Cressida Direct accepts brokered loans. Brokers can find program details and how to register on the broker program page.

Cressida Direct vs. Cressida Capital

Cressida Direct is the direct lending platform. Cressida Capital is the brokerage / loan advisor platform. Requests outside our programs may be referred to Cressida Capital.

What to compare either way

Compare the rate and points, all fees (origination, documentation, and underwriting), the prepayment penalty, reserves and holdbacks, recourse, loan-to-value, and closing certainty. The headline rate is only one of those numbers.

Direct vs. broker at a glance

Who decides

Direct lender (Cressida Direct)
The lender's own underwriting
Broker
The lender the broker places you with

Programs

Direct lender (Cressida Direct)
The lender's own published programs
Broker
Many lenders' programs

Best for

Direct lender (Cressida Direct)
Deals that fit a published program, with a single point of contact
Broker
Unusual deals, and shopping several bids

Compensation

Direct lender (Cressida Direct)
Set by the lender's program terms
Broker
Agreed between the borrower and the broker; ask for all fees in writing

Questions people ask

Is Cressida Direct a direct lender or a broker?
A direct lender. Cressida Direct underwrites and funds its loans in-house. Its affiliate Cressida Capital is a separate brokerage and advisor platform.
Is it better to use a direct lender or a broker for a commercial loan?
Go direct when your deal fits a lender's published program and you want one decision-maker. Use a broker for complex deals that need multiple lenders competing.
What does in-house underwriting mean?
The lender's own team reviews, approves, and sets the conditions on your loan rather than passing the credit decision to another institution.
Can I use a broker with Cressida Direct?
Yes. Cressida Direct works with a network of 500+ brokers.
What loan sizes and states does Cressida Direct cover?
$200,000 to $20 million in 44 states (all except DE, HI, ND, SD, WV, WY). Individual programs may have narrower limits.
How long does a direct commercial loan take?
Cressida Direct loans typically close in 30–45 days. Fix-and-flip loans can close in 5–7 days, and SBA loans take 60–90 days.
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