5 Critical Components for Construction Lending Success

The tough reality is that bankers are experiencing margin compression due to the current state of the yield curve and rising interest rates.

Without refinances to process, and new mortgages growing rarer, they must rely on other types of loan products. Enter construction loans.

Construction lending was once a vital part of a healthy loan product mix. Of course, many bankers will point directly at TRID, or the Know Before You Owe mortgage disclosure rules, as their roadblock to originating construction loans. Support for TRID, like many other regulatory rules, hasn’t been prevalent in the industry, and some bankers don’t have the information they need to mitigate risk.

So what now? Who is offering support for these regulations? And how can lenders begin construction lending again?

Instead of giving up on construction lending, most community banks have all the resources they need to start and maintain a successful construction lending program; it’s all at their fingertips.

To become successful in construction lending, you need these five components to all work together:

1. Support in the C-suite and boardroom
Before looking at solutions, your board must have a consensus on whether or not to even launch the program. Construction lending programs require effort from several C-level executives and the board. Everyone in the C-suite and boardroom need to be on the same page. Having this consensus helps assemble and maintain a successful program.

2. Your Loan Origination System (LOS)
Sometimes lenders don’t know where to begin with a construction loan program, particularly with respect to staying compliant with TRID. It can surprise lenders that the fields and forms required to support construction loans may be available through their LOS. Work with your LOS provider to diagnose how other lenders have utilized the LOS platform when offering construction loan products, particularly the production of the lender’s estimate (LE) and closing document (CD). If your LOS solution does not support construction loans, there are other workarounds in order to still reach the end goal, such as using a document service provider.

3. Specialized document service provider
Mitigating risk and pleasing all who are involved in a construction loan isn’t easy given how many moving parts are involved. It can be done with the proper resources. Document service providers are one of the most important elements to have. The provider gives lenders the specific form needed for each step of the project, no matter if the project is down the street or across state lines.

Before you sign on with any document service provider, make sure of three things:

• They are able to produce both the LE and CD, particularly if your LOS doesn’t provide them. 
• They are able to provide the state-specific documents that are going to be needed in the closing package.
• They are able to guarantee that their documents will protect your first lien priority in each state.

4. In-house subject matter expert
Before the financial crash 10 years ago, construction loan expertise was abundant. But a decade after the recession, experts on construction lending can be difficult to find inside the bank. Finding or recruiting somebody like this on your team can be an amazing resource. They can be helpful in educating other lenders and assist in problem-solving loan structuring to benefit the entire company.

5. Post-close draw management and servicing
How do you manage the cost and process involved after you close that construction loan? Loan servicing is an integral piece of construction lending, and it is very hands-on and specific. Once the loan is closed, someone must be servicing this loan to ensure success for the duration of the construction loan: managing first lien priority, draw administration, inspections, and communication with key stakeholders such as the borrower and contractors. At the end of the day, you need someone to manage the lenders’ holdback, while simultaneously protecting the physical, financial, and legal interests of your bank.