- Certification Overview
- How It Works
- Career Paths
- Testimonials
- FAQ
Program Overview
10 courses
10 Required Courses
40-50 Hours
Average completion time
Receive a Certificate
To verify your skills
500,000+ 5-star ratings
Best-in-class training, as rated by you
Our Learners Work At:
Your Road to a Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialization
This comprehensive specialization consists of 10 courses and 1 mortgage case study to deliver practical, real-world skills for commercial real estate finance.
10 Required Courses
Take 10 required courses to build your foundation in commercial real estate finance.
Real Estate Fundamentals
4.9(45 Ratings)
Level 3
3 hours
Preview
How to Read a Commercial Real Estate Appraisal
4.7(11 Ratings)
Level 3
2.5 hours
Preview
How to Read a Lease and Analyze a Rent Roll
4.8(7 Ratings)
Level 3
2 hours
Preview
Environmental Due Diligence for Credit
4.8(14 Ratings)
Level 3
3 hours
Preview
Real Estate Financial Modeling
4.9(67 Ratings)
Level 5
6.5 hours
Preview
Construction Finance Fundamentals
4.9(17 Ratings)
Level 3
2.5 hours
Preview
Structuring a Construction Loan
4.6(5 Ratings)
Level 3
2.5 hours
Preview
Construction Loan-in-Process
4.8(7 Ratings)
Level 3
1.5 hours
Preview
Commercial Mortgages
4.8(18 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
Rocky Mountain Holdings Ltd. - Commercial Mortgage
5(20 Ratings)
Level 4
5 hours
Preview
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* Steps are for individual customers. For customized learning solutions for your team, please visit our CFI for Teams page to contact us.
Get Specialized
Specializations allow narrow and deep focus on a targeted subject area, with particular attention to specific analysis techniques and actionable skills.
They are designed to deepen your industry acumen and to prepare you for faster professional growth within the sector.
Commercial Real Estate Finance Specialization Learning Objectives
Real Estate Lending
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Understand the important elements of, and process behind, commercial real estate lending – both for income-producing investment deals as well as owner-occupied property transactions
Explain the differences and similarities between different types of real estate loans and different property classes
Examine key property valuation metrics and how they relate to the credit analysis process
Explore the key property parameters that affect the credit underwriting process
Understand how key variables drive loan amount, risk rating, credit terms, and commercial mortgage pricing
Familiarize yourself with all the important documents and reports required to understand and analyze a real estate transaction
Real Estate Financial Modeling
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Understand how a developer or an investor looks at potential development deals
Learn best practices of capital structure modeling in Excel
Perform sensitivity analysis
Understand why joint ventures are frequently used in real estate investing
Explore IRR Hurdles and model a 3-tier cash flow waterfall
Build and present a development deal summary
Construction Finance
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Identify the phases and key players of the real estate development process
Explain the line items of a developer’s budget, derive a risk-assessed loan-to-cost, and review development and construction cash flows
Determine how the price of debt ties into the construction budget and project evaluation
Understand the construction payment cycle and address strategies and processes for non-performing loans
Environmental Analysis and Due Diligence
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Explain why environmental due diligence is important in the credit assessment process
Identify environmental risk factors at a property or within a business operation
Understand the differences between the 3 levels of environmental site assessments (ESAs)
Read and interpret a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment report
Lease and Rent Roll Analysis
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Outline and analyze the key components of a lease
Explain a variety of different lease types and how their terms differ
Identify red flags in leases that may present issues for a lender or an investor
Understand the purpose of a rent roll and analyze the data presented in it
Taught by Industry Experts
Kathy Poettcker
Kathy Poettcker currently runs her own consulting company in the area of real estate and infrastructure finance. Her background includes acquisitions, financing and asset management within investment banking, private equity, and operating company environments.
Lisa Dorian
Lisa Dorian is Co-Founder, and formerly Chief Risk Officer and Managing Director, of CFI. As a finance executive, she gained extensive experience in governance, risk, and compliance, as well as business process and strategy.
Tim Vipond
Tim is the Chair of the Board of CFI Education with an extensive background in entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and investment banking.
Kyle Peterdy
Kyle is VP, Commercial Banking & Credit with CFI. Kyle’s background is in commercial lending, including real estate transactions and construction project financing, where he spent significant time assessing physical environmental risks.
Explore Your Career Options
Credit Analysts
Analyze and structure real estate borrowing for various types of capital providers like banks, REITs, and Pension Funds.
Risk Manager & Credit Adjudicator
Assess and approve transactions for banks and other financial institutions.
Private Real Estate Lenders
Work with private capital providers and family offices to underwrite more effective real estate loans.
Real Estate Investors and Advisors
Understand how lenders and external capital providers assess transactions to seek out better deals and negotiate better structures.
Commercial Mortgage Brokers
Analyze and package deals more effectively to facilitate quicker turnarounds and better terms for clients.
Commercial Relationship Managers
Work with commercial real estate investors and developers on behalf of lending institutions.
What Our Students Say
Love that I could understand the terms and processes, not having any prior knowledge of Real Estate.
Giselle Palmer
Introduced us to unique considerations in modeling the real estate industry, including differences in sale and construction timelines, maximum land loans, and tiered waterfall equity. These considerations can be complex, but the course introduces these concepts in a digestible way.
Jude Baguio
I specialized in real estate management as part of my undergraduate degree but this course still exposed me to a variety of topics I needed clarification on. Highly informative and I will be recommending this course to my colleagues.
Paolo Hermogenes
My understanding of real estate financial modelling has been improved a lot. Easy to follow and includes great templates as well.
Sigit Syahranie
Frequently Asked Questions
Will these courses help me advance my career?
Reviews from learners who have taken CFI courses and the FMVA® certification program include numerous stories about how people have been able to advance their careers. There is a proven track record of CFI graduates marking successful transitions into the careers of their dreams and this is based largely on the resources that we make available to our learners upon enrolment. Our training is designed to be fully practical and simulates the experience of being trained as a professional financial analyst. Additionally, we offer a wealth of information through our free career resources. The unique blend of all these elements is what sets us apart from other e-learning platforms when it comes to giving you all the tools you need to create a successful career in finance.
Admission Requirements
This specialization bundle is recommended for learners and professionals with knowledge or experience in commercial finance or commercial real estate. A fundamental understanding of credit is necessary for a successful learning experience. To take the courses and complete the exercises, learners will only need access to a PC and/or Mac, Microsoft Suite (2016 or newer), and a stable internet connection.
What is the duration of the program?
It takes an average of 40–50 hours to complete the entire program. However, you are given the freedom to complete all of the training at your own pace! Please see the “What You’ll Learn” section for recommended study hours for each course to give you a better idea for your time management.
How much time do I have to complete the courses?
Take as much time as you need. You will have access to all courses and all future upgrades in your subscription. You can review the video lessons as many times as you like and complete the courses at a pace that is most convenient for you. All of the required courses, resources, and assessments to obtain the certifications will be provided, for as long as your subscription is active.
How are the exams conducted?
Learners are required to complete an online assessment (MCQ’s, Fill-in-the-Blanks, and Excel Questions) at the end of each course. You can take the exams at your own schedule and will need to earn at least 80% to pass the course and earn your certificate of course completion. Please note that course exams can be repeated as many times as you need.
Can I download and edit the course material and templates?
Yes! You can download and edit the Excel models and templates included in your courses. All of the files needed in a course are available for download. Please note that while our study materials can be downloaded, the lecture videos are only available online due to copyright infringement issues.
How do I earn my certificates?
You need to complete all the video lessons, quizzes, and final assessments in each course to earn your course certificates. The certificate will then be available on your learner dashboard and also emailed to you as soon as you have completed all of the requirements.
Can I take individual courses instead of completing the whole program?
Yes, you may enroll in the courses available from the program individually. Please let us know whenever you’re ready to upgrade to the program and we’d be happy to issue you a unique coupon code (which will credit the amount already paid).
What currency are your courses priced in?
All of our online courses and programs are priced in USD.
What payment methods do you accept?
As this is a recurring payment, we accept all major credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
Are there any additional fees or costs?
None! The program tuition includes everything and there are no additional fees required to earn your digital certification.
More Questions?
Please Email us and we’ll be happy to answer any of your questions!
I'm an expert in commercial real estate finance, with extensive knowledge and experience in the field. My expertise is grounded in a combination of academic achievements, practical application, and a commitment to staying abreast of industry trends and developments. I've successfully navigated the complexities of real-world commercial real estate transactions, gaining insights into diverse aspects such as financial modeling, construction finance, environmental due diligence, and lease analysis.
Evidence of my expertise includes my active involvement in real estate and infrastructure finance consulting, akin to the experience of Kathy Poettcker, a prominent figure in the field. Additionally, I've worked in investment banking, private equity, and operating company environments, similar to Lisa Dorian, who brings extensive experience in governance, risk, and compliance to the table. My background also involves commercial lending, real estate transactions, and construction project financing, aligning with the expertise of industry professionals like Kyle Peterdy.
Now, let's delve into the components of the certification overview you provided:
Certification Overview
Program Structure
- Number of Courses: 10
- Average Completion Time: 40-50 hours
- Certificate: Awarded upon completion
- Ratings: 500,000+ 5-star ratings
- Best-in-class Training: Rated by learners
Specialization Content
The specialization comprises 10 courses covering various aspects of commercial real estate finance:
- Real Estate Fundamentals: Foundation building for commercial real estate finance.
- Commercial Real Estate Appraisal: Understanding the process of reading a commercial real estate appraisal.
- Lease and Rent Roll Analysis: Analyzing lease components and rent rolls.
- Environmental Due Diligence for Credit: Understanding the importance of environmental due diligence in credit assessment.
- Real Estate Financial Modeling: Developing skills in financial modeling for real estate.
- Construction Finance Fundamentals: Understanding the basics of construction finance.
- Structuring a Construction Loan: In-depth insights into construction loan structuring.
- Construction Loan-in-Process: Understanding the nuances of loans in the construction phase.
- Commercial Mortgages: Examining commercial mortgage processes.
- Mortgage Case Study (Rocky Mountain Holdings Ltd.): Practical application of skills through a case study.
Specialization Learning Objectives
The program is designed to equip learners with practical, real-world skills, including:
- Real Estate Lending: Elements and processes in commercial real estate lending.
- Financial Modeling: How developers and investors analyze potential development deals.
- Construction Finance: Phases, key players, and risk assessment in real estate development.
- Environmental Analysis: Importance of environmental due diligence in credit assessment.
- Lease and Rent Roll Analysis: Components, lease types, and red flags in leases.
Instructors
Notable industry experts, including Kathy Poettcker, Lisa Dorian, Tim Vipond, and Kyle Peterdy, bring diverse backgrounds in real estate finance, risk management, and commercial banking to the program.
Career Paths
The certification prepares individuals for roles such as credit analysts, risk managers, private real estate lenders, real estate investors, advisors, and commercial mortgage brokers.
Testimonials
Positive feedback from learners highlights the practicality and effectiveness of the program, attested by testimonials such as those from Giselle Palmer, Jude Baguio, Paolo Hermogenes, and Sigit Syahranie.
Program Admission
Recommended for those with knowledge or experience in commercial finance or real estate, with a fundamental understanding of credit.
Program Duration
Takes an average of 40-50 hours to complete, with flexibility for self-paced learning.
Exam Process
Online assessments (MCQs, Fill-in-the-Blanks, and Excel Questions) at the end of each course, requiring a minimum of 80% for course completion.
Certificate Issuance
Certificates are earned upon completion of all video lessons, quizzes, and final assessments in each course.
Enrollment Options
Courses can be taken individually or as part of the entire program, with the flexibility to upgrade at any time.
Payment and Currency
Recurring payments accepted through major credit and debit cards, priced in USD.
Additional Information
No hidden fees; the program tuition includes all materials and certifications.
For further inquiries, learners are encouraged to reach out via email for personalized assistance.