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Understanding 504 SBA Loans

When a business is looking for a long-term, fixed rate loan for major asset purchases, a good financing vehicle for that is the SBA 504 loan program. Proceeds from these loans must be used to purchase fixed assets such as land and improvements to buildings, streets, utilities, parking lots and landscaping. The loan can also be used to construct a new building and purchase machinery and equipment. If new equipment is bought, it has to have a useful life and for at least ten years.

The 504 SBA Loan operates as a partnership between a third party lender, a certified development company and the borrower. These types of loans offer many benefits to business owners, including low down payments, below market fixed interest rates and long-term financing.

There are several criteria for qualifying for a loan, including the fact that the business must be a for-profit company with a net worth of less than $7 million. The SBA also sets caps on the net income of the business. The business applicant has to be the primary user of a facility, with a minimum percentage of 51 percent for an existing building, and 60 percent for a new building. A new job has to be created for every $35,000 provided by a Certified Development Company. Passive investment companies, non-profit companies, lending institutions and real estate development companies are not eligible for the 504 SBA Loan.

There are three parts to an SBA 504 Loan. The first part is a mortgage provided by a commercial lender, which can take up to 50 percent of the cost. This carries its own interest rate, terms and conditions. The second part is a loan through a certified development company, which can take up to forty percent with a maximum debenture amount of $1,500,000 for most businesses, $2,000,000 when meeting defined public policy goals, and $4,000,000 for eligible small manufacturers. This term can be as long as twenty years, with ten years for equipment. The interest rate for this is fixed and usually below market. The third part of the payment comes from the borrower, at around ten percent of the total cost. If the business is new, or a new facility is being built with the loan, the borrower may have to contribute as much as twenty percent. The down payment can be cash, equity in land, a building or existing equipment.

As the SBA 504 program can only be utilized to finance fixed assets, it is not the most ideal program if a prospective buyer wants to finance the purchase of an existing business. Goodwill, working capital, and other intangible assets are typically not eligible under the 504 program. This is also a program for “new money” and it cannot be used for refinance. If someone needs to refinance or needs to do a highly leveraged loan that is short on collateral, the SBA 7a program may be a viable alternative. Get more information

Facts About the Benefits of SBA 504 Loans for American Small Businesses

• The National Association of Development Companies (NADCO) is the trade association for the nation’s 270 Certified Development Companies (CDCs). CDCs are certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide financing to small businesses through what is called the SBA 504 loan program. Members are non-profit organizations that serve every state, as well as Puerto Rico and U. S. territories in the South Pacific.
• Chris Crawford is the president of NADCO. The organization is based in McLean, Virginia.
• NADCO is actively supporting the SBA 504 refinance program, a time-limited opportunity that is due to expire 9/27/12. This powerful program offers businesses the opportunity to refinance their small business loans and withdraw equity for working capital. The program offers lenders the opportunity to bring owner-occupied commercial real-estate portfolio back into regulatory compliance and reduce overall CRE portfolio concentrations.

FINANCING

• The 504 industry is responsible for financing more than $45 billion to about 130,000 of America’s small businesses over the past 25 years. The total project amount funded has been over $112 billion in small business financing projects. With NADCO’s support, the 504 program’s loan authority is up from $400 million in 1991 to $7.5 billion in FY 2011.

REFINANCING

• Many small business owners are not aware that if they have a commercial business loan (non-SBA loan) they can refinance that loan at very low rates using the 504. For many small businesses, this has meant the difference between success and failure. However, this program is scheduled to end on September 27, 2012.

• Small businesses can SAVE money and time using the 504 refinance program. The 504 Refinance program allows small businesses to use excess equity to obtain working capital for eligible business expenses.

• The 504 refinance loan program is designed for small businesses that have outstanding commercial real estate and/or commercial real estate loans. Businesses can refinance up to 90% of the appraised value of available collateral.

• SBA estimates that as many as 8,000 businesses may participate in this 504 refinancing program during the current fiscal year, which will provide up to $7.5 billion in SBA-guaranteed financing leading to total project financing of almost $17 billion.

• The 504 refinance loan program enables small businesses to:
• Use excess equity to obtain working capital for eligible business expenses
• Lock in long-term, fixed-rate, low-interest commercial financing
• Help expand those businesses, create jobs and benefit consumers too
• Consolidate existing debt
• Finance eligible business expenses, saving working capital

Other benefits include:
• consolidate existing debt (balloon and/or high interest rate loans)
• lock in long-term, stable financing, reduce fluctuating expenses
• finance eligible business expenses, save needed cash-flow
• protect jobs and hire additional staff, supporting the local community
• include closing costs in the transaction, eliminating cash-flow drain