Have the broker come to you

By visiting your place of business, your mortgage broker will get a better feel for your enterprise and your real estate goals.

I recommend: BizJournals offers helpful advice on dealing with brokers.

Discuss down payment

Commercial loans typically require a down payment of 20 to 25 percent. However, a variety of loan programs allow for loan-to-value ratios of as much as 100 percent.

I recommend: Inland Mortgage Capital is among the mortgage bankers that offer 100 percent loans.

Shop online

Referrals and face-to-face contact are the tried-and-true methods of dealing with a broker, but you can shop for loans on the Internet, too.

I recommend: Visit LendingTree Commercial or iBank to solicit bids.

Understand the wide variety of choices

Commercial mortgages come in as many flavors as home loans.

I recommend: Read Crown Commercial Finance's guide and see Column Financial's list of loan programs.

Get a handle on fees

Brokers are paid by lenders, but they'll often give referral fees to the real estate brokers who steer borrowers to them. Ask your broker to cut you in on the referral fee.

I recommend: Crown Commercial Finance offers this eye-opening overview of referral fees.

Consider an SBA loan

If you run a small business and need to borrow less than $2 million, ask your broker about a Small Business Administration loan. These loans typically require a down payment of 10 percent. SBA lending is its own niche in the commercial mortgage market.

I recommend: Study the SBA's 7(a) and 504 programs.