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Commercial Loan Difficulties - Business Financing Options

By: Stephen A. Bush Commercial borrowers will frequently discover that lenders and business financing brokers are not adequately proactive about commercial loan obstacles. To address this, I have published a related business loan article about business lenders to circumvent. The central point of this article is about key commercial financing obstacles which business borrowers and lenders often fail to see in time.

Unexpected business financing possibilities can result in severe complications with a business loan, and business borrowers should be prepared for these commercial financing circumstances. There are many potential business loan obstacles to be evaded with commercial financing. Business financing problems with a typical commercial loan are more numerous and serious than most business borrowers would think.

Although some of these obstacles might be unavoidable, in most cases these business loan challenges can be overcome. By anticipating these recurring business financing problems, commercial borrowers and their advisors will be more able to take corrective action before it is too late.

(1) Avoidable Commercial Mortgage Scenario Number 1: Asset sourcing/seasoning and ownership seasoning. This potential business financing obstacle will not apply to all commercial borrowers. If it is applicable, borrowers need a lender without sourcing-seasoning limitations.

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) Difficult Business Financing Situation Number 2: A borrower wants to use a substantial amount of subordinated debt (a seller second or other secondary financing) to reduce the amount of cash needed to purchase a commercial property.

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.

For those of you who feel that is a short-term business loan, you should restrict your options to commercial lenders that routinely offer a period of 30 years for a commercial loan. Long-term business financing will help facilitate a profitable commercial property investment because monthly commercial mortgage payments will be reduced, monthly cash flow will improve and new commercial financing will not be an issue for many years.

(4) Avoidable Commercial Mortgage Scenario Number 4: Business loan recall provisions. Commercial loan recall covenants mean that the business lender can force the borrower to repay early by calling the loan before it would normally expire. This potential concern is not applicable to all borrowers since some business financing agreements will not allow a loan recall possibility.

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.

Business Financing Recall Contingency Plans: With a commercial loan recall, borrowers will need to refinance with a lender quickly. Prudent borrowers will exclude lenders that require recall agreements when evaluating business loan refinancing options.

Borrowers would be wise to exclude business loans with recall terms so that they will not be confronted with an unanticipated recall situation. If business borrowers have recall conditions in their current commercial mortgage, it will be equally wise to actively pursue commercial loan refinancing before a recall is initiated by the lender so that refinancing involves a timetable convenient to the borrower.

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