Search:

Home | Business | Small Business


Business Loan Strategies to Buy a Business Opportunity

By: Stephen A. Bush

Attempts to buy a business opportunity will be viewed by most commercial borrowers as complex and confusing when seeking to arrange the working capital business loan. This is usually especially difficult if there is no commercial real estate as collateral for buying a business opportunity. Commercial borrowers should anticipate that business financing choices will be substantially different in comparison to a business acquisition that can be financed with a commercial real estate loan when buying a business opportunity that does not involve commercial property.

The guidelines and comments in this article are based upon business loan terms that are typically available from respected lenders willing to provide business financing for buying a business opportunity throughout the United States. There will always be occasional situations in which the seller is willing to privately finance the purchase of a business opportunity, and it is not practical to discuss those business financing possibilities in this article.

Length of Business Loan to Expect When Buying a Business Opportunity

Business financing conditions to buy a business opportunity will frequently involve a reduced amortization period compared to commercial mortgage financing. A maximum term of ten years is typical, and the business loan is likely to require a commercial lease equal to the length of the loan.

Expected Interest Rate Costs for Buying a Business Opportunity

The likely range to buy a business opportunity is 11 to 12 percent in the present commercial loan interest rate circumstances. This is a reasonable level for business opportunity borrowing since it is not unusual for a commercial real estate loan to be in the 10-11 percent area. Because of the lack of commercial property for lender collateral in a small business opportunity transaction, the cost of a business loan to acquire a business is routinely higher than the cost of a commercial property loan.

Down Payment Expectations to Buy a Business Opportunity

Although there will be variations based on the type of business and several other factors, a common down payment requirement for a commercial loan to buy a small business opportunity is 20-25 percent. The presence of seller financing might lessen the down payment needed to acquire a small business opportunity.

Refinancing Alternatives After Buying a Business Opportunity

A related business loan issue to anticipate when buying a business is that refinancing the business opportunity loan terms will normally be even more difficult than the original business financing. There are currently some new business loan programs in the final stages of development that could dramatically improve future refinancing options. But until these new business financing options are finalized, it is important to arrange the best possible terms initially and not depend upon refinancing possibilities.

Buying a Business Opportunity - Lenders to Avoid

Perhaps the most important phase of the business loan process for buying a business opportunity is the selection of a commercial lender. In our view an even more critical stage of this process is avoiding certain lenders that are routinely unsuccessful in finalizing a business loan to buy a business.

By eliminating such problem lenders, business borrowers will also be in a better position to avoid many other business loan problems typically experienced when buying a business. The proactive approach to avoid problem lenders can have dual benefits because it will contribute to both the long-term financial condition of the business being acquired and the ultimate success of the commercial loan process.

Copyright 2005-2007 AEX Commercial Financing Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: http://www.philvault.com

Contact S.A. Bush at AEX Working Capital Financing - Church Financing Solutions for straightforward business opportunity - business financing advice
Feel free to grab a unique version of this article from the Uber business opportunity article directory

Please Rate this Article

 

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Small Business Articles Via RSS!

© 2007 PhilVault. All Rights Reserved.
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service

Powered by Article Dashboard