As a multifamily owner, can I apply directly for agency loan refinance? Or do I have to hire a broker?

As a multifamily owner, can I apply directly for agency loan refinance? Or do I have to hire a broker to do that? I don't fully understand why there has to be broker for it. The underwriting process is pretty simple and straightforward. Fannie and Fredie are part of government now, aren't they supposed to serve taxpayers?

Also, is it like only certain brokerages are on the approval list of agency that are eligible to apply for those type of loans? Or any broker can do that? If only certain brokerage can, isn't it unfair and smells like rent-seeking?

Maybe I am missing something here but I don't understand

8 Comments
 
Most Helpful

You do have to go through an approved seller/servicer, and they do have to charge you a minimum origination fee (it’s spelled out in their guide book). If you work with a non-approved private broker, they can bring the loan to an approved seller/servicer but that party still has to earn their origination fee on top of your loan broker’s fee.

The agencies are not in the business of interfacing directly with clients. & despite how straightforward most underwriting can be, their guide books are 1,000 pages + of specific requirements for every conceivable scenario that they expect their lender network to distill to borrowers on their behalf.

The agencies are also not lenders per-say, they’re conduit syndicators that sell loans on the secondary market. The seller/servicer network is there to both provide fuel for their securitizations & serve as the primary loan servicer to handle the entire post-origination life cycle, including repairs, reserves, payments, transfers, defaults, etc.

 

Agencies designate some companies to arrange loans on their behalf as seller/servicers. These companies can be banks, brokerages, LifeCos, and some are just agency lenders.

Some examples are:

Brokerages - CBRE, BERKADIA, JLL, Northmarq

Banks - Chase, Wells Fargo, PNC

Agency Lenders w/ other products but not banks - Arbor, Lument

LifeCo - PGIM

Most brokerages do not have agency licenses and would have to go through one of the lenders above to deliver you an agency loan.

The confusion I think you’re running in to is that some brokerages are agency lenders as well.

Array
 

Labore voluptatem sit atque dicta voluptatum eveniet laborum. Ut nesciunt voluptatum distinctio. Sit et non ratione nemo unde. Facilis nulla rerum velit et. Voluptatem et ut amet aperiam eius ipsa beatae. Et qui cum sit necessitatibus dolore laudantium et sint.

Placeat et magnam ut nam id aspernatur. Ducimus quis nisi error earum modi debitis. Iste aperiam unde in minima aliquam tenetur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (53) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (15) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”