Posts Tagged ‘Commercial Borrowers’

PostHeaderIcon Motel And Hotel Commercial Loans – Great Options

Karen Benjamin asked:


rking Capital Journal and elsewhere, there have been many reports so far indicating that only a small number of financial companies appear to be acting as if they truly understand that “We`re all in this together”. A special concern by many observers is that the largest banks (essentially those receiving federal funds recently to assist with their troubled financial operations) are not acting in this manner at all. Two major problems are becoming more obvious for business borrowers as a result: (1) Even though the funds have supposedly been provided to do just, banks receiving bailout funds have failed to resume a normal lending pattern for commercial finance funding. These same banks also seem to be unable to report to anyone how they are in fact spending billions of dollars. (2) Many banks are decreasing their commercial loans and commercial real estate loans by recalling outstanding loans or cancelling business lines of credit. There has already been much public backlash in reaction to inappropriate banking bonuses and spending. So far that has primarily taken the form of criticism and questions about how banks are allocating the financial resources largely subsidized by the taxpayers providing bailout funding. As it becomes more obvious that the action of many banks is impeding the recovery from economic chaos, it is likely that most business owners will choose to obtain their business finance funding from a lending source that has helped rather than hindered financial recovery efforts. As always, business owners cannot typically afford to wait for government and external action to resolve problems like those described above. Given the facts that many banks have exited or reduced commercial lending activities, business owners should attempt to find alternative sources for working capital loans and commercial loans. With appropriate help from a commercial financing expert, commercial borrowers will be able to identify which commercial lenders have been acting like responsible corporate citizens and business neighbors. It is unfortunately common to find that most bigger banks have eliminated new working capital financing and commercial mortgage loans. Although they are proving to somewhat difficult to identify and locate, there are commercial lenders actively making new commercial loans. In addition to the larger banks reducing most lending programs, another difficult commercial financing situation is that very few of the smaller local banks have resumed prior business loan activities. A previously familiar and reliable source for working capital loans might not continue to be a viable business funding choice. For the most part, local and regional banks simply do not have sufficient capital for new commercial loans. In addition to business owners seeking alternative commercial funding sources, many commercial borrowers will now discover new financing choices such as business cash advance programs. Under most circumstances, business cash advances are provided by business lenders other than commercial banks. Such a working capital funding source might increasingly prove to be more reliable than traditional banks of any size in providing commercial financing effectively. By looking for lenders displaying an appropriate attitude of “We`re all in this together”, business owners should hopefully find that their business financing circumstances will improve.

PostHeaderIcon Commercial Real Estate Loans – Overcoming Rejections

Stephen Bush asked:


One of the most frustrating and confusing situations for a business owner occurs when lenders disapprove commercial real estate loans. Since rejected business loans are quite common, it is advisable for commercial borrowers to have a contingency plan in place for commercial loans.

Business owners are likely to be distressed when a commercial loan application is turned down and will be unsure as to why it took place and how to avoid a similar problem again. For each of the five primary reasons that a commercial lender might decline commercial real estate loans, a practical solution is suggested for transforming the rejected commercial funding into approved business loans.

Two reasons (tax returns and business plan requirements) could impact virtually all commercial loans. Many loan officers will begin their review of potential commercial real estate loans by stating “We will need to see at least three years of tax returns” and “Can you show me your business plan?” before proceeding.

Small business mortgage requests are sometimes too unique for a traditional commercial lender. In these situations (even if a business owner has an adequate business plan and favorable tax returns), it is not unusual for commercial borrowers to be declined for business loans by a traditional commercial bank.

The reasons provided below do not represent obscure issues. It is likely that two or three of the reasons described will be important for typical commercial real estate loans.

(1) Commercial Real Estate That is Used for Special Purposes. Reason number one for business loan rejections is that the lender does not make commercial mortgage loans for the type of business involved. In a typical example, fewer commercial banks are offering financing for bar and restaurant properties. In a similar fashion, an auto service business is often given expensive and unnecessary environmental stipulations. There are many special purpose commercial properties such as campgrounds, churches, funeral homes and gas stations that most traditional lenders have eliminated from their commercial lending program.

Strategy number one for converting the disapproved business loan into an approved commercial mortgage loan is realizing that there are reasonable options beyond traditional commercial lenders. There are capable lenders that are interested in special purpose properties. The best loan might be available only from a non-traditional commercial lender when traditional banks won’t make the requested commercial loan.

(2) Tax Returns. Reason number two for commercial loan disapprovals is when loan officers find a problem on an income tax return that disqualifies a commercial borrower under the bank’s loan guidelines. This “problem” will typically be related to net income after business deductions, but when loan officers review tax returns, there are many possibilities which will result in the same outcome.

Strategy number two for converting the declined commercial mortgage into an approved commercial real estate loan is to apply for a “Stated Income” commercial loan. Very few traditional banks use Stated Income (no tax returns, no income verification, no IRS Form 4506) for business loans. Borrowers should search for commercial lenders using Stated Income commercial financing. Unfortunately, this suggested solution will not work for all loans because of a normal maximum loan amount of about $2-3 million for a Stated Income loan.

(3) Cash Out Limitations. The third reason for rejection of business loans will be seen frequently during refinancing attempts which involve a need to obtain cash by the borrower. It is common for a traditional commercial lender to limit what the funds are used for and to restrict the amount of cash to as little as $100,000. Even though the bank will provide the commercial loan, if they won’t offer the amount of cash requested by the borrower, this is equivalent to a loan disapproval.

Strategy number three for converting the declined commercial mortgage into an approved commercial real estate loan is to seek alternative business financing. An important goal for a commercial borrower is to find a lender that will not impose unfair restrictions in how refinancing cash is to be used.

(4) Collateral Required. Reason number four for commercial mortgage loan disapprovals is that the bank will not make a commercial loan without sufficient collateral such as a lien on personal assets.

Strategy number four for converting the declined commercial mortgage into an approved commercial real estate loan is for commercial borrowers to seek out lenders that do not “cross collateralize” assets as a condition for obtaining a business loan. This will provide greater flexibility for the commercial borrower and avoid unnecessary (and unwise) connections between personal and business assets.

(5) Required Business Plan. 0Reason number five for commercial mortgage disapprovals is when a bank’s loan officer determines that the business plan does not support the needed commercial loan.

The fifth strategy is to avoid lenders which require a business plan, and this approach can save both time and money. This can result in several primary advantages:

(A) Decrease commercial mortgage costs by several thousand dollars. A typical business plan (prepared to normal bank specifications) costs $5,000 to $10,000.

(B) Reduce the period needed to complete business financing. A typical time for a business plan to be prepared is one to two months.

(C) Commercial financing approvals will involve fewer requirements when a business plan is not mandatory.

Unfortunately, the circumstances described in this article are responsible for many commercial finance difficulties. However, as noted above, the five key reasons for loan officers rejecting business loans can be overcome by most business owners. Similarly, with proper advice and strategies for small business mortgages, commercial real estate loans that are disapproved for other reasons (beyond the five issues described here) can also result in successful and effective commercial loans.



PostHeaderIcon Small Business Financing and Commercial Loans – What to Avoid

Stephen Bush asked:


It is always advisable to have a detailed understanding of what can go wrong with commercial loans and working capital financing. The five factors described can have negative and long-lasting financial results for small business loans and commercial real estate loans. Business owners should be prepared for these real possibilities.

Most commercial borrowers do not want to experience a worst case for commercial real estate loans and small business loans. There are several elements that we believe will almost always produce this serious but avoidable result when they are all present simultaneously. Understanding each of the issues should enable borrowers to avoid a potentially devastating working capital financing outcome.

Here are the issues which we believe will usually result in a worst case scenario for commercial loans if all five are present: (1) Dealing with an inexperienced commercial finance advisor; (2) Using a lender which historically has an unacceptable track record for successfully completing commercial loans; (3) Obtaining business financing that includes a recall option for the lender; (4) Inappropriate and non-competitive business loan terms; and (5) Short-term financing in which a borrower is not also offered the opportunity to lengthen to a longer-term period.

Our primary advice is to totally avoid circumstances where all five factors exist at the same time. A secondary recommendation is to also seek alternative financing for commercial loans when either of the first two elements are present. There are likely to be many working capital management scenarios where it will be impractical to avoid all of the issues described in the preceding paragraph.

Business owners should make every possible effort to obtain commercial financing in which the worst case situation is not present. Business owners will subject themselves to inappropriate business financing terms for a very long time if they do not take appropriate action before they finalize commercial loans. There are two points which should be emphasized.

First, small business loans are more complex than most borrowers realize. There are a number of additional serious commercial funding obstacles beyond those noted in this brief article. Because of this, it is important for commercial borrowers not to narrowly focus on the factors included in the worst case scenario discussed here and simply avoid these specific issues.

A comprehensive approach to working capital management should incorporate a balanced analysis of both the worst case aspects and other critical business finance terms. The importance of this overall perspective is why we emphasized the critical nature of avoiding both inexperienced brokers and lenders.

Second, the worst case scenario for business loans described above is totally avoidable. But to avoid an obstacle, it is critical that you have a working understanding of what you are avoiding, what it looks like and any special techniques required to evade it. For example, if you are driving a car, it is common sense that you will not intentionally drive your vehicle over sharp pointed objects that are likely to puncture your tires.

With commercial loans and commercial real estate loans, the combination of the five factors noted previously in this article will typically produce an impact for small business funding that is equivalent to much worse than simply puncturing a tire. Unfortunately, without proper advice and knowledge, most business owners will not be prepared to recognize the appropriate warning signs for avoiding business financing hazards.

In this article we focused on problems with small business financing that will almost always have long-lasting and immediate negative results for business owners. Commercial borrowers should not overlook the multitude of other serious problems with commercial loans beyond those described. As with the circumstances noted above, most of the other potential difficulties with business loans can also be avoided.



PostHeaderIcon Commercial Mortgage and Small Business Loan Resources

Stephen Bush asked:


actical overview in this article will describe some useful small business loan resources which should be evaluated by business owners as part of a systematic process for obtaining working capital financing and commercial loans. To locate any site referred to in this article, commercial borrowers should either contact the author directly or use a leading internet search engine. All of the suggested business finance resources are free and available online.

Small business loans have always been more complicated than realized by most business owners. A prudent approach to working capital financing and commercial loans is becoming more difficult for most commercial borrowers. Recent commercial financing uncertainties involving commercial mortgages and SBA loans have added significantly to the complexity of the entire commercial lending process.

By searching for “commercial mortgages and commercial loans guide”, the first suggested resource will be identified. This site includes candid advice about avoiding problems with commercial real estate loans and small business loans. Also included are some especially relevant articles. A special report describing what a business borrower can do when a bank refuses commercial mortgage requests is one prime example.

A second resource can be located by searching online for “working capital financing special reports” or “commercial loans special reports”. This will provide links to a wide variety of recent articles addressing relevant issues such as difficulties which are likely in refinancing SBA loans. Commercial borrowers should especially benefit from reading about recent adverse developments involving business cash advances and business finance programs.

A third key commercial funding resource can be reached by searching for “business cash advance and working capital guide”. As you might expect, this particular site primarily addresses issues related to working capital strategies. Of special note at this site is a small business cash management executive summary. This summary report includes a list of ten problems to avoid with credit card factoring.

A fourth resource of general interest to small business owners will be found by searching for “working capital help” or “working capital journal”. This includes a discussion of predatory lenders which should be avoided. Also provided is a comprehensive update about the many evolving changes for business finance programs.

A fifth resource which should be helpful to anyone that currently owns or is about to buy commercial property can be found by looking for “real estate investment property loan and business finance guide”. This site will provide a useful perspective about some critical problems to avoid with SBA loans and conventional commercial mortgages. For example, a report at the site discusses how to avoid malpractice with commercial loans.

We recommend inclusion of terms such as “avoiding problems” along with other descriptions like “working capital” and “commercial mortgage loans” to obtain more helpful comments about small business loan reports available through internet sources. For example, by searching for “avoiding problems with working capital loans”, commercial borrowers should obtain useful insights about difficulties to be avoided in their own business financing efforts.

There are also some suggested precautions to observe in this approach to researching business finance issues. Highlighted below are two of the more important aspects.

First, because of the complicated nature of small business loan underwriting, there is really no substitute for individualized discussions between a commercial borrower and a knowledgeable business finance advisor. Prudent business owners should insist on detailed and personalized interactions with a working capital funding expert before finalizing their commercial loan decisions.

Second, most business finance strategies are highly likely to be more complex than expected by commercial borrowers. There will normally be specific issues requiring more detail than can be found in a generic article, even though written sources can identify important commercial loan difficulties for business owners to anticipate.

It is likely that business owners will gain helpful insights about the changes currently featured in the business finance news by devoting some time to reviewing sites through the search phrases noted above. Although it is true that there are new and substantial small business loan problems to be confronted by commercial borrowers, in most cases these will be difficulties that can be successfully overcome with prudent advance preparation.



PostHeaderIcon Anticipating Uncommon Commercial Loan and Investment Problems

Stephen Bush asked:


Most business borrowers will be unpleasantly surprised by the problems generally experienced with typical business financing. Perhaps of even more concern is that many serious commercial loan difficulties are not widely known even by loan advisors. The potential difficulties can occur with business opportunity financing, real estate investment property loans and business cash advance services, although some of the issues will be restricted to specific circumstances.

Commercial Loan Advisory Reports -

We have published separate commercial loan advisory reports which provide a comprehensive discussion of the major problems likely to be encountered in typical business financing and commercial real estate loan circumstances. For example, one report focuses on common business opportunity investment financing difficulties. In another report, we discussed the obstacles usually experienced with SBA loan refinancing.

The Black Ice Analogy: Unseen Business Financing Problems -

The focus in this article is to highlight several of the more obscure commercial loan problems. A commercial borrower should consider such obscure business financing problems to be extremely important. When ice is virtually invisible on a road surface, this is usually referred to as black ice. Drivers who have experienced this hazardous condition are likely to realize that invisible business finance problems are equally dangerous for the financial health of a business.

Online Business Finance Applications -

The first relatively unknown business financing problem involves the increasing use of internet technology by commercial lenders. Commercial borrowers will be asked to submit online applications by numerous commercial loan websites. This is not a prudent way for a business owner to proceed with their commercial financing.

It is important that business owners understand that it is not in their best interest to submit an online business financing application. For a more detailed understanding of why an online commercial loan application is inadvisable and how to proceed in a search for viable financing, borrowers should review the report entitled How and Why to Avoid the Online Business Loan Application Trap.

Recall Provisions for a Commercial Mortgage -

The next obscure but nevertheless serious business financing problem to anticipate involves the use of loan recall terms by a lender. Commercial loan recall covenants mean that the lender can force the borrower to repay early by calling the loan before it would normally expire. Many traditional commercial lenders routinely place recall clauses in their commercial mortgage conditions, but this potential concern is not applicable to all borrowers since some financing agreements will not allow a loan recall possibility.

The circumstances which can cause a recall will vary but can commonly include periodic lender review of financial statements, tax returns and credit history. If prescribed levels of income, credit scores or other benchmarks are not present, then the lender will typically notify the commercial borrower that they must pay off the loan within a 30-90 day period.

With a commercial loan recall, borrowers will need to refinance quickly. Prudent borrowers will exclude lenders that require recall agreements when evaluating business financing options. For commercial borrowers who have recall provisions in their current business loan agreement, it will be equally wise to consider refinancing their commercial mortgage before a recall occurs so that refinancing is accomplished according to the preferred timetable of the business owner.

Balloon Payments and Short-term Business Loans -

Another often overlooked commercial financing problem is the increasing emphasis on short-term financing by many commercial lenders. How long is a long-term commercial loan? Depending on individual business financing circumstances, the preferred loan period is likely to be between 10 and 30 years. Unfortunately many business lenders often consider three years as the maximum period before a balloon payment will be due for a commercial mortgage.

With a balloon payment condition, a business owner will be required to either pay the remaining loan balance or refinance. This kind of loan is a short-term commercial loan instead of long-term and should be avoided whenever feasible. Longer-term business financing will often be the critical difference that facilitates a successful business investment because new financing will not be required for many years and business loan payments will usually be reduced.

Inexperienced Commercial Real Estate Loan Lenders and Advisors -

The final example of a problem that is not obvious to most commercial borrowers involves a shortage of business loan experts providing candid advice to business owners. Business financing and business investing has become increasingly specialized in recent years. There have been some recent real estate and business investment developments that have made this process even more complicated. The current turmoil in residential real estate investment property has resulted in an increasing number of residential lenders and advisors attempting to become active in commercial loan activities.

This is an almost impossible transition for most residential lenders and advisors. There are over 25 critical differences between residential and commercial property investing. As a result, these new and inexperienced commercial financing advisors frequently provide woefully inadequate advice and potentially disastrous business financing for their clients.

How to Avoid These and Other Commercial Financing Problems -

What can commercial borrowers do to avoid a similar fate? To acquire a thorough understanding of these and other business finance complications, prudent borrowers will review other resources. The Commercial Real Estate Investment Property Loan and Business Finance Guide is one example of business financing resources that will provide strategies and solutions for many problematic commercial loan circumstances.



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