Commercial lenders and commercial loan brokers are not as proactive about business financing problems as they could be. Because of this tendency, I have published a separate commercial loan article about business financing lenders to avoid. The focus of this article is on the equally important business loan problems often ignored by commercial borrowers and lenders alike.
Unexpected circumstances can create chaos with business financing, and commercial borrowers should be prepared in advance for these commercial loan possibilities. There are a number of business financing problems to be avoided with a commercial loan. Difficulties with a typical business loan are probably more common than most commercial borrowers realize.
Some of these difficulties might be unavoidable, but in most cases these business financing challenges can be successfully overcome. By being aware of these common commercial loan obstacles, borrowers and their advisors will be properly positioned to take timely and appropriate corrective action.
(1) Proactive Commercial Loan Example Number 1: Seasoning of ownership and sourcing-seasoning assets. This commercial mortgage difficulty will not matter to all borrowers. When it does apply, business borrowers should insist on a lender without seasoning and sourcing requirements.
For a purchase, some commercial lenders will want documentation about where the down payment is coming from (sourcing). Many commercial lenders will also require business borrowers to document commercial loan down payment funds over several months (seasoning). Seasoning of ownership involves the minimum time someone has owned a commercial property before they can refinance.
(2) Avoidable Commercial Mortgage Scenario Number 2: A borrower wants to use subordinated debt (a seller second or other secondary financing) in order to acquire a commercial property with a smaller down payment.
Many commercial loan programs will not permit a seller second. With business financing through less restrictive commercial lenders, a borrower will be able to employ a seller second and reduce their down payment needs.
(3) Avoidable Commercial Mortgage Scenario Number 3: A business loan scenario that requires long-term business financing. How long is a long-term commercial loan? Business lenders often consider 3 years as the maximum period before a balloon payment will be due for a commercial mortgage.
If you think that describes short-term commercial loan terms rather than long-term, you will be pleased to discover the lenders that will provide 30-year business financing. A long-term business loan will frequently be the factor that creates a successful commercial investment scenario because a new commercial mortgage will not be needed for many years and monthly payments will be substantially decreased.
(4) Difficult Business Financing Situation Number 4: Commercial loan recall possibilities. Commercial mortgage recall terms frequently permit the lender to call the loan (forcing the commercial borrower to repay early) prior to the expiration of the loan. This issue is not of concern to commercial borrowers whose business loan does not contain provisions permitting the lender to recall the loan.
Traditional lenders frequently put recall clauses in their business financing provisions. The conditions which can trigger recalls differ and include regular evaluation of credit history and financials by the commercial lender. If required levels of credit standards and income cannot be confirmed, the lender will enforce the recall provisions by requiring an early and immediate payoff of the business loan.
Contingency Plans for Business Loan Recalls: When borrowers receive a business financing recall, they must quickly obtain refinancing assistance. When reviewing commercial loan choices for refinancing, borrowers should exclude potential lenders that require recall terms.
To avoid a potentially disastrous recall scenario, commercial borrowers would be wise to consider only commercial loans which do not have recall terms. For commercial borrowers who have recall provisions in their business financing agreement, it will be equally wise to consider refinancing their business loan before a recall occurs so that refinancing is accomplished according to the commercial borrower's timetable.
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