4 Comments
 

Yes, what happens after the loan is made is the difference. Originations by definition just means lending out money and could apply to any loan from any lender of any type, but you're likely thinking of originations as balance sheet lending.

Normally, a loan is made by a lender and kept on their balance sheet as an asset that produces income in the form of loan payments. A CMBS lender makes loans in the exact same way, but they eventually take several of them, combine them into a "pool" of loans, and sell portions of that pool to investors that purchase a % of all the loans in the pool. 

 
Most Helpful

Balance sheet lending is typically regionally focused and more relationship driven, as the Lender will stay involved from day 1 to maturity and will know the market and sponsors well and will have an understanding of the sponsors entire portfolio and financials, not just the one loan/property. Balance sheet lenders can also do cradle to grave with construction, bridge, and stabilized lending (CMBS is almost always stabilized or light refurb capex work). Once you get a property stabilized, some find CMBS financing more attractive due to rates and leverage available.

CMBS lenders are more transactional as your clients may not come back to the well as frequently depending on size, and the day to day ‘relationship’ changes hands to a loan servicer (as the face of the lender) once they sell it into the pool. The servicer generally is unfamiliar with the sponsor, property and market and has limited involvement unless things go south or borrower needs lender’s consent, whereas balance sheet lenders are more involved, knowledgeable, and flexible (and ideally are paid accordingly).

 

Magni iure omnis aliquam saepe. Voluptate est repellat odit vitae consequatur vel qui.

Non alias explicabo aut odit nihil ut. Illo assumenda autem nobis et. Quidem laudantium reiciendis soluta consequatur quia asperiores nam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
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...”