Private Lending Underwriter/Closing

AppleOne Employment Services; Aliso Viejo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Major medical

Dental

Vision

401k

Sick pay

Job summary

AppleOne seeks an experienced Private Lending Underwriter/Closing professional in Aliso Viejo, CA. You will independently underwrite, structure, process, and close business- and investment-purpose real estate loans in a fast-paced private lending environment.

You’ll work with leadership and cross-functional teams to protect investor capital and improve closing procedures. The role requires 5–7+ years in private money lending, with a track record of underwriting and closing $2.5M+ loans, and

Qualifications

• Manage business- and investment-purpose real estate transactions from request to funding.
• Underwrite and close complex private lending, hard money, bridge or commercial loans.
• Experience handling $2.5M+ loans with strong borrower/guarantor analysis.

Responsibilities

• Underwrite borrowers, guarantors, collateral and exit strategies with credit protections.
• Structure loan amounts, pricing, terms, reserves and protections.
• Manage full closing process: commitments, appraisals, title, escrow and funding.
• Review documents to identify risks and ensure compliance.
• Maintain pipeline and CRM updates; coordinate with brokers, borrowers, vendors.
• Mentor junior team members and improve underwriting/closing procedures.

Skills

Real estate lending

Underwrite & close loans

Credit risk analysis

CRM & pipeline management

Excel & MS Office

Communication & problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Real Estate/Accounting/Business

Tools

CRM systems

Mortgage industry software

Title/ Escrow platforms

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Private Lending Underwriter/Closing professional for a direct hire opportunity in Aliso Viejo, CA. This senior-level role is ideal for a decisive and highly organized lending professional who can independently underwrite, structure, process, and close complex business-purpose and investment-purpose real estate loans. This position offers the opportunity to manage high-value transactions in a fast-paced private lending environment where sound judgment, credit discipline, and responsiveness are highly valued. The ideal candidate will work with experienced leadership and collaborative internal teams while playing a key role in protecting investor capital, improving procedures, and helping drive efficient loan closings.

Key Responsibilities

• Underwrite borrowers, guarantors, collateral, liquidity, sources and uses, repayment ability, exit strategies, LTV, LTC, DSCR, and overall credit risk.
• Conduct borrower and guarantor interviews and help structure loan amounts, pricing, terms, reserves, and appropriate credit protections.
• Manage the full closing process, including commitments, borrower packages, appraisals, title, escrow, insurance, legal documentation, and funding conditions.
• Review title, appraisals, loan documents, insurance, and entity structures to identify risks and escape issues when needed.
• Maintain accurate pipeline and CRM updates while communicating proactively with brokers, borrowers, vendors, and internal teams.
• Mentor junior team members and contribute to improvements in underwriting, processing, and closing procedures.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary range: $110,000 to $140,000 per year.
• Employment type: Direct hire.
• Location: Aliso Viejo, CA.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Manage business-purpose and investment-purpose real estate transactions from initial request through funding.
• Underwrite and close complex private lending, hard money, bridge, commercial, or business-purpose mortgage loans.
• Manage approximately $150M in annual closed loan volume, with typical loans ranging from $1.5M to $5M.
• Deliver fast turnaround expectations, including initial responses or term sheets within approximately one business hour, loan launch within one business day, and closings in approximately 10 business days when borrower and third-party cooperation allows.
• 5 to 7+ years of experience in private money, hard money, bridge, commercial, or business-purpose mortgage lending.
• Proven experience underwriting and closing real estate loans of $2.5M+.
• Strong understanding of borrower and guarantor analysis, collateral review, liquidity, LTV, exit strategies, title, and income-property analysis.
• Knowledge of LLCs, LPs, trusts, syndications, and complex ownership structures.
• Strong knowledge of loan documentation, title, escrow, appraisals, insurance, and closing procedures.
• Ability to evaluate compliance requirements related to business-purpose lending and California real estate lending transactions.
• Proficiency with CRM and pipeline systems, Microsoft Excel, Word, PDF tools, and mortgage-industry software.
• Excellent communication, organization, analytical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multimillion-dollar transactions with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Real Estate, Accounting, Business, or a related field.
• Experience improving underwriting workflows, closing procedures, pipeline tracking, or lending operations.
• Prior success mentoring junior underwriters, processors, closers, or loan operations team members.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disabled / Protected Veterans

The Know Your Rights poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf

The pay transparency policy is available here: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf

For temporary assignments lasting 13 weeks or longer, AppleOne is pleased to offer major medical, dental, vision, 401k and any statutory sick pay where required.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact your staffing representative who will reach out to our HR team.

AppleOne participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations as required by law. Learn more about the E-Verify program. https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf

We also consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements, including, if applicable, the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, including, if applicable, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.