Commercial Loan Financing Options

Credit Lines -Credit line agreements are funding from lenders to give a quick influx of ready cash to a fledgling, struggling or cash poor business. Inventory, large projects, receivables and contract work would all benefit form a credit line account.

Short Term Loans - Short term here would indicate a year or less in most cases, and they are offered on a secured basis. Short term loans are good for restocking inventories before a holiday rush or large project were to get underway. Most of the time, because of the short term aspects, and the expected revenues generated from the use of the loan money, a one time payment at maturity time would be used to satisfy the loan agreement.

Asset Based Loans - This type of loan is also typically secured, this time by a percentage of your assets, which are being used to collateralize funds needed for working capital.

Contract Financing - If you have a contract for work and payment, you can get advance funding based on those contracts. As the work is completed, the contracting party will make the payments directly to the lender.

Factoring - Factors, or someone that lends money to you, as a producer or dealer of a product. Factors actually purchase the receivables and use their own credit and collection methods for repayment. This is a method commonly employed by businesses that can not get direct funding from traditional lenders. This usually results in higher rates and costs for the business in need.

Term Loans - Term loans are used to finance your permanent working capital, new equipment, buildings, expansion, refinancing, and acquisitions. Commercial banks are the major source of this type of funding. The term of the loan is based on the useful life of the assets being financed or collateralized. Your projected profit and cash flow are two key factors lenders consider when making term loans.

Equipment Or Real Estate Loans - If your business is in need of equipment, banks are a good source for securing eighty percent of the funding needed. These types of loans are amortized over the useful life of the equipment, and secured by the equipment itself. If a businesses is in need of additional land, a LTV of seventy-five percent has been established for this type of long-term (ten to twenty years) financing. Some business seek second mortgages as well, that are based on the accumulative value of the appraised market value of the business, and the amount of the first mortgage that is still in affect.

Leasing - Leasing what a business may require is also a common option. Banks, leasing and financing firms will supply funding, under the same criteria and credit check and review as if lending. Usually for a term of three to five years with an option to either, purchase, renew or return the leased assets when the lease agreement reaches maturity. Remember, the viability of your business will be reviewed exactly in the same manner as if you were seeking a loan or mortgage.

3 To 15-Year Balloon Loans - Be careful with this one! With rates that are typically pegged to a treasury index, balloons are for a fixed number of years. Terms are for three, five, seven, ten or fifteen years. At the end of this term, whatever it may have been set at, the remaining balance of the principle will be due. At this point the business must decide whether or not to sell the property or refinance it. Owing to the fact that this is an investment property, selling it is often the way the funds are raised to satisfy the typically large balloon payment and realize the intended profit.

Adjustable Rate Loans - Typically, Adjustable Rate Loans fully amortize and come to term, without a balloon payment at the time of maturity. Sometimes this type of loan will have an adjustment cap, but not always, and the rate is determined by both an index and a margin. Rates will be adjusted incrementally and using the current index, generally set by US Treasury Bonds, or an average of the previous year's indices, and correspond to the adjustment term. Similar to a Residential ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgage) loan agreement Adjustable Rate Commercial Loans will have an initial fixed rate period, followed by a period of fluctuating rates. These terms vary and can be set at the time of application and negotiation with the lender.

Note Of Caution: Businesses that take out mortgages must be very careful. Due diligence must be performed and maintained before being granted a loan and during the amortization period. The company’s assets and property are being used as collateral to secure this funding, and the premiums for such funding are high. Make certain that the intended use of these funds is crucial to your company's ongoing business and that all present and future contingencies have been planned and accounted for.