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Why Our Term Sheets Actually Mean Something: The Technology Behind New Century’s Upfront Underwriting

By Jennifer Cabrera | Founder, New Century Mortgages LLC | Clear to Close with Jennifer Cabrera

The dirty secret of private lending? Most hard money term sheets aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

You've seen it before. A borrower gets excited about a term sheet, only to watch the deal fall apart three weeks later when "underwriting issues" suddenly appear. The rate changes. The leverage drops. The deal dies.

At NewCentury Mortgages, we built our entire process—and our technology stack—around eliminating that problem.

We Underwrite Hard Money Loans First—Not Last

Here's what makes us different: by the time you receive a term sheet from NewCentury, the heavy lifting is already done. We're not in the business of handing out feel-good documents that evaporate under scrutiny. When we issue terms, we've already built a complete credit profile and calculated the DSCR.

Our RapidLend portal doesn't just collect basic information and spit out a quote. It runs a comprehensive submission through our underwriting engine before you ever see terms.

The Tech Stack That Powers Fast Hard Money Closings

Modern private lending isn't about who has the biggest marketing budget—it's about who has the smartest systems. Here's what powers RapidLend behind the scenes:

Instant Property Valuation for Investment Properties

The moment an address hits our system, we're pulling real-time data on property valuation, ownership history, comparable sales, and market trends. No waiting for a BPO. No guessing on ARV for fix and flip loans. Our platform aggregates property data instantly, giving underwriters—and our AI—everything needed to assess collateral before you finish filling out the application.

Real Estate Investor and Entity Verification

We verify business entities, check Secretary of State filings, and confirm beneficial ownership automatically. For real estate investors, we can verify bank accounts and analyze transaction history without manual document review. This isn't just faster—it's more accurate than someone eyeballing a PDF.

AI-Powered Document Analysis for DSCR Loans

When bank statements, rent rolls, or tax returns come in, our AI doesn't just store them—it reads them. We extract the data that matters for DSCR loan calculations, flag inconsistencies, and feed everything into underwriting automatically. No more waiting days for someone to manually calculate deposits or verify rental income.

No Hard Credit Pulls for Private Money Loan Quotes

One of the biggest pain points in private lending is the credit pull dance. Real estate investors don't want their credit dinged for a quote, and mortgage brokers don't want to burn relationships over deals that don't close.

RapidLend solves this with built-in credit range software. We collect credit information in ranges—no hard pulls required—giving us enough data to underwrite accurately without impacting your borrower's credit score. It's the kind of innovation that should be standard in the hard money lending industry but isn't.

White-Label Term Sheets for Mortgage Brokers

For our mortgage broker partners, RapidLend offers full white-label capabilities. Generate term sheets branded to your company, send them manually or directly through the system—whatever fits your workflow. Your client sees your brand. You maintain the relationship. We handle the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

Automated Loan Processing: The Moment a Term Sheet Gets Signed

Here's where it gets interesting. The second a borrower signs their term sheet, RapidLend automatically creates task lists for both the borrower and broker. No more chasing documents via email threads. No more "did you get that bank statement?" back-and-forth. Everyone knows exactly what's needed and when.

While your borrower and broker are uploading documents, our AI is already at work—parsing, analyzing, and flagging anything that needs attention. Simultaneously, the appraisal link goes out so the borrower can pay for and schedule their appraisal. No waiting. No bottlenecks.

Why Technology Matters for Hard Money Lenders

Let's be honest: most private lenders are still running on spreadsheets, email chains, and manual processes. That's why deals take 3-4 weeks and term sheets fall apart. Every handoff is a delay. Every manual review is a bottleneck.

The hard money lenders winning right now aren't the ones with the lowest rates—they're the ones who can actually deliver on their promises. Technology is the difference between:

  • Quoting in minutes vs. quoting in days
  • Verifying data automatically vs. chasing documents for weeks
  • Catching issues at submission vs. discovering problems at closing
  • Funding in 7-10 days vs. scrambling to close in 30

When brokers ask why they should partner with NewCentury over the hundred other lenders in their inbox, this is the answer. We built the infrastructure to back up what we say.

How to Close Hard Money Loans in 7-10 Days

Speed in private lending isn't about cutting corners. It's about eliminating dead time. Every hour a file sits waiting for someone to notice it's incomplete is an hour that didn't need to happen. With RapidLend:

  • Underwriting happens at submission, not after
  • Credit evaluation requires no hard pulls
  • Property data populates automatically
  • Borrower verification happens in the background
  • Document collection is automated and tracked
  • AI reviews files in real-time
  • Appraisals are ordered immediately upon signed terms

The result? Faster closings, fewer surprises, and term sheets that actually close.

For Mortgage Brokers: Stop Wasting Time on Hard Money Deals That Won't Fund

If you've been burned by private lenders who issue aggressive terms and then retrade at the last minute, you know how damaging that is to your reputation and your borrower relationships.

Partner with a hard money lender whose term sheets mean something. When NewCentury issues terms, we've already done the work—and built the technology—to make sure we can deliver.

Ready to see the difference AI-powered underwriting makes for your hard money deals?

Reach out to partners@newcenturymortgages.com for new broker consideration and get access to the RapidLend portal.

NewCentury Mortgages specializes in DSCR loans, bridge financing, fix and flip loans, and asset-based lending for real estate investors nationwide. Our AI-powered RapidLend platform delivers faster decisions, transparent terms, and closings you can count on.

Jennifer Cabrera

Founder, New Century Mortgages

Meet Jennifer Cabrera

From the energy capital of the world to the sun-soaked shores of South Florida, Jennifer Cabrera has built a career that most loan originators can only dream of. A Houston native now calling Miami home, Jennifer has spent over 30 years mastering the art and science of commercial mortgage lending.

Her journey began at Novastar Financial, where she didn’t just learn the ropes—she dominated them. Year after year, Jennifer ranked among the company’s top three loan originators, a testament to her relentless work ethic and natural ability to connect with clients.

Today, Jennifer serves as CEO of Atlantic Union Inc., where she and her team excel in providing commercial private lending solutions tailored for high-net-worth clients, both consumers and investors. With over five years at the helm, she has honed a niche in wholesale lending, offering unsecured business operating capital to empower her clientele. It’s the kind of specialized expertise that only comes from decades of navigating the complexities of commercial finance.

In tandem with her role at Atlantic Union, Jennifer has launched NewCenturyMortgages (NCM)—an AI-powered lending platform where commercial real estate and technology collide. Purpose-built for serious investors, NCM was born from a simple idea: investors shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get funded, and brokers shouldn’t have to wait months to see a commission check. Powered by AI and built for speed, NCM specializes in DSCR loans, portfolio financing, commercial real estate, and asset-based lending. Forget the paperwork. No income verification.

Armed with an MBA in Finance and Wealth Management from Purdue University and lending licenses in both California and Florida, Jennifer brings a rare combination of academic rigor and real-world expertise to every transaction. Whether structuring complex deals for seasoned investors or providing the capital that helps businesses grow, her clients know they’re in capable hands.

But Jennifer’s impact extends far beyond the closing table. As an active volunteer with the Junior League of Miami, she’s deeply committed to giving back to the community that has embraced her. And when she’s not leading Atlantic Union or serving her community, you’ll likely find her exploring a new corner of the world—because after three decades of hard work, she’s earned every stamp in that passport.

Kim Tillinghast

Principal, Partner

Kim Tillinghast began her career in the banking industry in 1985. She graduated with a degree in Finance from West Texas State University in 1990 and has continued her education by earning her Series 24 General Securities Principal Exam and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA™). Shortly thereafter she started her brokerage career at a traditional wirehouse in downtown Los Angeles, California in 1991. After relocating to Orange County, Kim became an independent financial advisor in May of 1993. She brings over 37 years in the banking and finance industry with experience ranging from designing, developing, employing and maintaining complex investment strategies, Pension Plans, Employee Stock Option Plans, Corporate Finance, Estate Planning and Transition. Outside of her career, she served as Co-Chair of the Dallas County Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 2013 and 2014 and currently serves on the Board of the Tillinghast Society, Inc. With a deep love for animals, she continues to volunteer for multiple emergency animal response teams including Red Rover, HSUS, UAN, ASPCA and volunteers weekly at the Irving Animal Shelter. Kim also loves worldwide adventure travel and has many amazing experiences visiting almost half of the world’s countries and all seven continents, twice.

Karthik Muraliraj

CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RMA®, Partner

Karthik Muraliraj was raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and developed an interest in investing and economics at a young age. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Business, he started his career as a financial professional in 2008. Throughout his career, Karthik has continued to educate himself by gaining multiple designations. Since moving to Dallas, he has been an active member in the community—volunteering with organizations such as the network of Indian Professionals, Dallas Autumn Ball and Reading Partners. Karthik is an avid sports fan and enjoys supporting his alma mater as a proud member of the Texas Exes Dallas Chapter. In his free time, Karthik enjoys cooking, travel, fitness and spending time with this wife, son, dog, and cat.

Crystal Arredondo

MBA, CDFA®, CPFA™, Partner

Crystal Arredondo was born and raised in Germany. She moved to Texas following her parents’ decision to retire after serving an overseas career in the Armed Forces. Seeing firsthand the difficult transition to civilian life after retirement, Crystal obtained her MBA in Finance at the University of North Texas and began her career as a financial advisor. In 2009, she completed the Retirement Planning Specialist Program at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, she earned her designation of Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® (CDFA®). In 2022, she earned the additional designation as a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA™). As the daughter of an immigrant mother, she especially enjoys helping women and business owners make decisions that affect their financial independence. She served as the 2015-16 Chair for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and 2016-17 Chair for the NAWBO Institute of Entrepreneurial Development.

Philip Strunk

CFP®, CPA, Partner

Philip Strunk is a native of Houston, TX. Philip earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and Masters in Professional Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business. He earned his designation as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 2004 and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) certification in 2010. Having started his career with Deloitte & Touche, LLP in 2005, Philip spent a year and a half in Deloitte’s Audit and Assurance Services group and provided a variety of financial services for a number of Fortune 500 companies. He decided in late 2006 that his talent and passion for investments were best suited for working with smaller groups and individuals. After obtaining the required securities registrations and insurance licenses, Philip became a financial advisor. The impact was plainly visible and more fulfilling. Philip serves as the Investment Director for MPACT.

John C. Farris

CAP®, CFS®, Partner

John C. Farris is a founding partner and has more than forty years in both public and private business serving in a variety of management and leadership capacities. John completed the Retirement Planning Specialist Program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania earning the Retirement Planning Specialist designation. John and his family have a history of philanthropic giving through numerous non-profit organizations. John recently completed his designation as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®). He is also a member of The International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy. His primary goal is to help people give intelligently with love and thereby experience the true joy of helping others. John lives in Park Cities and has served on the Public Works Advisory Council, as finance director of the BSA West Park District, the BSA Troop 82 Executive Board, and as a BSA Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 82, Dallas, Texas.