Who we are
Wert-Berater, Inc. has prepared independent feasibility studies for lenders, certified development companies, and federal agencies since 1998 — more than four thousand engagements representing $40.2 billion in evaluated project value across all fifty states and international assignments. Our fiduciary duty runs to the lender and the agency, never to the sponsor’s optimism: fees are fixed, quoted up front, never contingent on findings, and a determination is never changed under pressure.
What we do
Fuel and convenience feasibility is traffic arithmetic disciplined by margin reality. The study converts AADT into gallons through capture-rate modeling calibrated to access, signalization, and competitive position; tests fuel margin assumptions against the local pricing survey; and builds inside-store sales from the industry's gallons-to-merchandise ratios adjusted for store size and foodservice program. Where QSR, car wash, or EV charging components are proposed, each is modeled on its own economics. The competitive analysis names every fueling position in the trade area, because a study that does not count the competition cannot be trusted on capture.
How we do it
The methodology uses state DOT traffic counts including short-term count adjustment, a physical fuel-pricing survey of the competitive set, NACS and OPIS industry benchmarks, and RSMeans location-adjusted development budgets. The model presents fuel, merchandise, foodservice, and ancillary components separately before consolidation, with DSCR tested under the program minimum across volume and margin stress cases.
How we can help you
The category spans SBA 504 owner-operator projects, conventional lending at negotiated coverage minimums, and tribal component-financing structures; mid-engagement program conversions — such as restating an SBA-framed study to conventional underwriting language — are handled without re-deriving the analytical base. The firm's fuel-retail record includes a $14,568,092 SBA 504 travel center in Castle Rock, Washington, paired $7,200,000 and $6,550,000 conventional projects in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and tribal travel-center work in Nevada.
How to engage us
Standard delivery is 10 to 15 business days from complete project data. Rush delivery for deals already in underwriting is accepted case by case for an additional fixed fee, quoted up front and committed in writing. Engagements are typically initiated by the borrower, with lender or CDC confirmation obtained before work begins — institutions differ, so confirm the procedure with your lending contact.