The Broker's Guide to CMBS Loans in 2025

As part of our guide on commercial loan products, let's talk about CMBS financing. Commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, loans are a unique slice of the debt market. They offer high leverage, nonrecourse structure, and fixed-rate financing — but they also come with layers of complexity that can trip up even experienced brokers.

This guide breaks down what you need to know to spot a good CMBS fit, avoid bad ones, and speak credibly with both borrowers and capital markets lenders.

What Is a CMBS Loan?

A CMBS loan is a type of commercial mortgage that gets pooled with others, securitized, and sold to investors as bonds. The loan isn’t held on any single lender’s balance sheet. Instead, it’s governed by a trust, with servicing handled by third parties.

For brokers, this means:

• You’re working with a conduit lender, not a balance sheet lender
• Once it closes, the loan is difficult —often impossible— to modify
• Loan servicing is handled by a master servicer and special servicer, not the originator

In short: It’s great until it’s not. The front end may feel like a typical lender, but once the loan is sold off, flexibility drops to zero.

When CMBS Makes Sense

CMBS can be a strong option when:

• The property is stabilized and income-producing
• The borrower wants nonrecourse financing
• High leverage (65% to 75% LTV) is important
• Fixed-rate debt for 5–10+ years is a goal
• The borrower doesn’t plan to sell or refinance early

Common use cases:

• Retail centers, office buildings, hotels, and other asset types banks might hesitate on
• Secondary and tertiary markets
• $5M to $50M+ deal sizes (though some go smaller, rarely)

Key Terms and Structures

• Loan size: Often $2M and up, but the sweet spot is usually $5M–$50M
• LTV: Up to 75%, sometimes a bit more
• Debt yield: A key underwriting metric (usually 8% to 10% minimum)
• Term: 5, 7, or 10 years typical
• Amortization: Often 30-year schedule
• Recourse: Typically nonrecourse
• Prepayment: Usually defeasance (expensive and rigid)

CMBS deals look good on paper — especially when the borrower wants high proceeds and nonrecourse — but that prepayment structure can become a real trap if they want out early.

What Brokers Often Miss

1. Ignoring defeasance penalties

Prepaying a CMBS loan is not simple. And it's definitely not cheap. Defeasance can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars at a minimum. Make sure your borrower understands this — especially if there’s any chance they’ll sell early.

2. Not prepping for servicing handoff

Once the loan is sold, your borrower may not be able to call anyone who actually makes decisions. Even basic admin requests can take weeks or months.

3. Underestimating underwriting standards

CMBS lenders can be aggressive on proceeds, but they’re strict on underwriting. The property needs strong in-place cash flow, real leases, and no surprises.

4. Pushing deals that don’t qualify

CMBS isn’t for unstabilized, story-driven, or value-add deals. That’s what bridge loans are for. Don’t try to shove a square peg into this round hole.

5. Missing timelines

These deals don’t close in two weeks. They’re paperwork-heavy and involve multiple counterparties. If your client needs fast execution, CMBS likely isn’t the answer.

Tips to Place These Deals

• Confirm net operating income (NOI) early — lenders will underwrite conservatively
• Ask about prepayment flexibility before quoting rates
• Collect full rent roll and lease abstracts up front
• Know who the actual conduit lenders are — not all are equal
• Be realistic with your borrower about timing and documentation

Final Word

CMBS loans can work well — but only when the borrower’s goals align with how these loans function. As a broker, your job is to spot when that match exists, and when it doesn’t.

When it fits, CMBS offers great pricing, strong leverage, and nonrecourse certainty. When it doesn’t, it’s a dead end.

Set expectations early, work with lenders you trust, and make sure your client knows exactly what they’re signing up for.