In the latest Inside the PRO Studio webcast, CU Times Editor-in-Chief Michael Ogden sat down with Chief Capital Markets Officer and Head of Commercial Lending at Alliant Credit Union Charles Krawitz to explore Alliant’s commercial real estate (CRE) strategy and lending outlook.
Krawitz highlighted Alliant’s strong first half of 2025, closing $258 million in CRE loans, driven by a national scope and selective partnerships with major mortgage brokers and private debt funds. Since joining Alliant in 2017, Krawitz has overseen portfolio growth from $350 million to $2.1 billion, emphasizing lending to professional real estate investors rather than “hobbyists.”
He explained Alliant’s note-on-note financing approach, leveraging the expertise of specialized debt funds while maintaining rigorous scorecard evaluations of counterparties. The conversation touched on emerging niches, with Krawitz noting opportunities in self-storage and manufactured housing, while warning against overbuilt multifamily markets and risky ventures like “glamping.” He also stressed conservative underwriting, creative loan structuring and the importance of reputation in the competitive CRE landscape.
Looking ahead, Krawitz projected another $300 million in loan volume by year-end and advised credit unions considering CRE to weigh the high costs of building internal teams against buying participations. He closed by praising the cooperative spirit of the credit union industry and Alliant’s focus on delivering member value.
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