Mortgage Underwriter

Merchants Mortgage & Trust Merchants Mortgage & Trust Corporation ("Merchants") is a private real estate lender headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Merchants specializes in short-term residential bridge loans for investors, multi-family loans, commercial loans, construction loans, and rental property loans. Merchants was acquired by KKR, a leading global investment firm, in 2022 and is on pace to originate nearly $1 billion in 2025.Position SummaryMortgage Underwriter Location: Tampa, FL Full TimeRoles and ResponsibilitiesUnderwrite loans in accordance with Merchants' guidelines. Responsibilities will include:Review and reconcile loan applications to ensure the loan meets program requirements.Analysis of loan application, credit profile/report(s), background reports, financial statements, leverage ratios, appraisal reports, renovation budgets, entity documents, purchase agreements, borrower experience, collateral, and supporting documentation.Manage an ongoing pipeline of loans through the Merchant's loan origination process.Report on the status of loans within the pipeline on a regular basis.Communicate effectively with Loan Originators, Underwriters, and the Credit Committee.Present loans to the Credit Committee for exceptions, escalations, and approval.Condition files for missing/supporting documentation according to Merchants' guidelines.Perform a preliminary review of all underwriting documents, including third-party reports.Collect, analyze, and approve all required due diligence.Perform property and market assessments to evaluate property conditions and market/submarket dynamics.Communicate and document the reasons for approving or rejecting loans so that clients and loan officers are well-informed about the decisions made.Mentor and train junior staff.Qualifications/Job RequirementsBachelor's degree required.Minimum 5 years of mortgage underwriting experience. Strong preference for experience with underwriting commercial and business purpose loansExperience with institutional lending and secondary market loan trading preferred.Effective pipeline management skillsProven track record of taking ownership and successfully delivering results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skillsProficient in Microsoft Office, especially in Excel and WordOtherMust be authorized to work in the US.Must be available to work in the office as required by management