Investors are asking brokers to help them with financing issues that regular loan structures can't address. As single-family mortgage originations are expected to reach $2.2 trillion in 2026, brokers have a clear change to make money in one of fastest-growing areas: private lending.
Portfolio loans used to be available only to institutional investors, but they are now becoming more useful for mid-sized borrowers looking to grow. In this setting, knowing how to leverage portfolio loans can give you a big edge over your competitors.
With portfolio loan financing, you can finance multiple properties under one structure. Instead of looking at each asset separately, underwriting take into account the whole portfolio. Investors get a single framework that fosters growth, efficiency, and long-term planning instead of having to deal with multiple payments, staggered maturities, and uneven underwriting criteria.
Portfolio loans let brokers have more valuable conversations that are less about rate shopping and more about capital planning.
Portfolio lenders look at the borrower’s assets as a whole, taking into account aspects beyond standardized metrics. This is unlike traditional mortgages that follow stringent GSE standards such as minimum credit scores, maximum debt-to-income ratios, and property compliance requirements. This flexibility is good for self-employed investors, people with complicated income streams, and people who are borrowing money to buy more a larger or more expensive property.
Portfolio loan rates are usually 0.5 to 2 percentage points higher than regular loans. This is often due to the nature of these loans, with many offering shorter terms and interest-only options.
Investors who manage large rental portfolio run into the following issues:
Portfolio loans let brokers combine these assets into one structure, making servicing easier and freeing up cross-collateralized equity.
Many investors have a lot of unrealized wealth spread out over several properties. Refinancing each asset one at a time is costly and takes a lot of effort.
Portfolio loans allow equity to be evaluated at the portfolio level, enabling:
This gives brokers the chance to present portfolio loans as a way to fund large acquisitions.
Managing several loan maturities across a large portfolio is a common problem for mid-scale investors. Every maturity brings with it rate risk, underwriting uncertainty, and operational distraction.
Portfolio loans allow brokers to:
Many investors are putting certainty ahead of small rate savings as rates stabilize in 2026. Portfolio structures are a direct way to help with that goal.
Once investors start working with property managers, contractors, accounting systems, and tax professionals, their financing also reflect that they are more experienced.
Portfolio loans align capital with operations by:
Brokers need to change how they see themselves, going from transaction facilitators to strategic consultants.
Individual loans are still useful, especially for inexperienced investors or one-time purchases. But when expansion, efficiency, and access to financing are more important than optimizing each property, portfolio loans are a better option.
Key signals that indicate readiness for portfolio financing:
Brokers who actively look for these signs keep clients longer and do more deals during their lifetimes.
Before recommending portfolio loans, brokers should understand several structural elements:
RCN Capital's portfolio loan programs take these offer flexibility and leverage while maintaining sensible underwriting rules.
The key advantages include of our portfolio loans include:
Are you ready to help clients with full financing options for both individual properties and portfolio strategies? Check out RCN Capital's broker program to find out how working with a knowledgeable direct lender can help you compete better, no matter what stage your clients are at.