Marie Fleming: Creative Financing Solutions for Today’s Commercial Real Estate Market

When traditional banks say no, there may still be a path forward.

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce talks with Marie Fleming about alternative lending and how creative financing can help commercial real estate investors, business owners, and developers get deals done in a difficult lending market.

Marie began her career in residential finance before moving into commercial lending. Over time, she and her team developed a specialty in difficult loans—transactions that may not fit neatly inside a traditional bank’s lending guidelines.

Marie explains why alternative lending remains important today as banks continue to maintain tight underwriting standards. Alternative financing can provide borrowers with time to solve a problem, improve their financial position, or complete a project before moving back into conventional bank financing.

Bruce and Marie also discuss construction lending, multifamily projects, and SBA financing. Marie shares an example of a school looking to acquire a second location. By comparing a traditional SBA option with a more alternative approach, her team found a structure that allowed the borrower to keep more money available for the acquisition.

They also discuss why borrowers should shop around. Even within SBA lending, rates, terms, and deal structures can vary between lenders.

Marie also shares how her team is using AI. From creating marketing materials to helping analyze complicated transactions, AI is allowing the team to complete some tasks much faster and use their time more effectively.

The conversation also covers lending outside California, the challenges of working in certain states, and why relationships and referrals remain an important part of Marie’s business.

For commercial real estate investors and business owners struggling to make conventional financing work, this conversation offers a useful look at other options that may be available.

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