A successful restaurateur wanted to buy a building that looked nothing like a restaurant — and it was only a few blocks from one of his newest locations. Deal Snapshot Property Type: Commercial buildingBorrower: Restaurant ownerLoan Type: SBA financingChallenge: Building near an existing restaurant and not obviously suited for restaurant useKey Insight: Property repositioned as…

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Every Tuesday in San Francisco, real estate agents tour new listings together. It’s called the Tuesday Tour. Most people pop in, grab a flyer, and move on. I stop and ask one question: “Can this actually be financed?” One Tuesday, I walked into a building almost no lender wants: Upstairs: SRO housing (shared kitchens, shared…

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A San Francisco Mixed-Use Commercial Loan Case Study. Since 1992, I’ve been attending weekday broker tours—what San Francisco agents call the Tuesday Tour. In other markets it’s known as a realtor caravan or an internal office tour. Regardless of the name, the purpose is the same: agents learn the inventory, investors spot opportunity, and seasoned…

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A San Francisco Four-Plex Story About Strategy, Expectations, and Relationships In San Francisco real estate, every property has a story — but so does every loan. This one began inside a beautiful Victorian home in San Francisco that doubled as a real estate office. Frank and Katerina, two independent Realtors, ran their boutique brokerage there.…

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From Declined to Closed — Why a “No” from a Bank Isn’t the End of the Story Before I dive in, a quick reminder: just like the classic Dragnet episodes, the names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.The results, however — are real. A Popular Bar. A Frustrated Owner. A Bank That…

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Thanks for checking into the first episode of this series. After decades of helping homeowners, business owners, and investors get financing, I’ve learned one universal truth: every loan has a wrinkle. One of my mentors taught me the classic framework: Problem → Agitate → Solve.And in most transactions, all three show up whether you plan…

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Real financing tales from San Francisco and beyond. While banks seem to sit on every corner of San Francisco — and our city has become one of the world’s biggest tech hubs — not every real estate loan fits neatly into a banker’s checklist. Some transactions need a creative touch. A different perspective. A willingness…

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