Why you need a broker

It's a terrific example of the psychology of the marketplace. Commercial lending standards are tightening, even as default rates are microscopic.

If you're a lender having to foreclose on a gas station or an office park, one foreclosure is probably too many. But given that default rates are .4% of commercial loans, and that those default rates haven't increased much, it's a pretty sound investment.

Yet instead of turning to this as a revenue stream, many lenders are running away from the market. That's why having a broker is a good move for anyone trying to do something unusual or a little out of the box -- you need someone who knows who's running away from business and who's running towards it with a checkbook.