How to best employ SBA lending as a tool that will benefit your business

Tom Doherty, Managing Director, head of Business Banking, The PrivateBank
Tom Doherty, Managing Director, head of Business Banking, The PrivateBank

Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs can fill needs that traditional bank lending does not.
“The key is going to a bank that is a preferred lender and has dedicated resources or an SBA specialist who really understands the eligibility requirements and programs,” says Tom Doherty, managing director and head of Business Banking at The PrivateBank.
Smart Business spoke with Doherty about how SBA loans can give your business access to vital capital.
How does SBA lending benefit businesses?
What the SBA offers fits into three categories:
•  Collateral shortfall — Banks have certain advance rates on the collateral they lend against. If there’s a collateral shortfall, the SBA can provide a guarantee to enhance the financing.
•  Lack of equity — Banks have down payment requirements, but the SBA will guarantee loans to allow for a smaller equity injection by the business owner.
•  Need for extended terms — If the borrower needs to extend the amortization term of a loan beyond traditional bank financing, the SBA will step in. If, for example, you need financing for a piece of equipment, the bank might offer five years on the loan term. The SBA has a program where you could go seven to 10 years on that deal.
What are some misunderstandings about SBA lending?
What the SBA considers a small business differs by industry, and although there is no minimum, it goes larger than most would think. Visit www.sba.gov/content/small-business-size-standards to find qualifying cutoffs. The standards are expressed in either millions of dollars or number of employees. In some instances, a company can still qualify with 1,500 employees.
Then, there’s a perception that SBA is a lender of last resort. However, the SBA, like a bank, looks at cash flow. Recently, businesses have been returning to profit on their financial statements, so more are eligible for SBA programs.
Many borrowers also think SBA lending is a tedious process with a lot of paperwork. In part, this misconception may come when borrowers deal with an inexperienced lender. But the SBA has listened, too, and streamlined its processes, such as the small loan advantage program, which lends up to $350,000 on a very quick turnaround.
Are certain SBA loans not as well known?
The SBA’s 7(a) loan is the general flagship program with which most banks and borrowers are familiar. The SBA 504 loan program is a little lesser known. It applies when, for example, you want to buy a piece of real estate and put 10 percent down. The bank then takes 50 percent of the loan, and a local certified development company sells the remaining 40 percent as a debenture on the secondary market. Bottom line, it can give the borrower a 20-year fixed rate deal that’s not available conventionally.
What should a borrower know about the SBA loan process?
The SBA website, www.sba.gov, is a great place to find background on the different programs. But the best option is to go to a bank that is a preferred lender with a dedicated SBA specialist. As part of the application, there are SBA requirements to be met and documents to be completed. Many times, lenders don’t do enough of these on a regular basis to have expertise in putting the package together.
Once the application is complete, the loan goes through the normal course of underwriting because the SBA, in essence, has delegated the approval authority to that preferred lender.
What would allow more SBA lending?
Under 504, as part of the stimulus package, the government allowed banks to refinance existing real estate debt where businesses could improve their terms or lock in a longer fixed rate. However, this ended in September 2012 and the level of 504 lending has dropped significantly.
The new congressional budget proposal has suggested this refinancing provision be extended out to September 2014. This provision is something small business owners should push for and keep an eye on.
Tom Doherty is Managing Director and head of Business Banking at The PrivateBank. Reach him at (847) 920-3180 or [email protected].
Website: Learn more about financing opportunities for small businesses through our small business banking page at http://www.theprivatebank.com.
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