Dear Lenders: Slow No’s Are NOT Acceptable | Monday Morning Musing #22

We work with lenders every single day. All types. Across the spectrum. And we get it, lending is a process. It takes time. Especially when you're dealing with unregulated finance (which we do mostly), where there’s no set structure or defined pathway.

We manage expectations. We guide clients through stages that often feel longer than anyone wants. And with market forces constantly shifting, supply and demand in flux, and limited operational or experienced underwriting resource, it’s no surprise that some processes feel clunky and inefficient.

But here’s the issue: we’re trying to fix a broken housing market, and a big part of what’s slowing it down is the speed of decisions.

Too many deals die, or become unnecessarily expensive, because of inertia. Not because they were wrong. Not because they were risky. Just because the process dragged its heels.

So let me spell this out clearly:

• A quick “no”? Fine. We move on.
• A slow “yes”? Frustrating, but we’ll work with it.
• A slow “no”? Absolutely unacceptable.

I remind our team daily: Money loves speed. It hates friction.

When a client is on a bridge and needs to re-bridge, or when they’re trying to exit onto a term loan to avoid heavy penalties. When time really is money, the delay isn’t just inconvenient. It’s damaging!

And the worst part? When we’re told, mid-process “We have no obligation to lend. We reserve the right to ask more questions.” Technically true and we already know that, a quick note to those that have told us that, the posturing doesn’t help.

The real problem is how underwriting is being done. Piece by piece. Inefficiently. Reactively. That’s where we’re losing valuable time. Maybe it’s time to bring AI into the process. Perhaps not to replace final judgment (yet), but to handle the basics faster, flag issues earlier, and cut through the delays that don’t serve anyone. I appreciate lenders want to lend and the faster they can deploy capital the faster they too can earn so the fact we are on the same page pulling in the same direction hopefully is encouragement.

At the end of the day, lenders, we’re on the same side. We want good deals funded. We want clients to succeed so they can go again and support the property market. So please, remember the three golden rules:

1. Quick No’s are encouraged.
2. Slow Yes’s are bearable.
3. Slow No’s are NOT acceptable.

Follow that, and we all win, especially the clients who, after months of stress can go home with a smile.