Archive for the ‘Loans’ Category

Small Business Loan Rate Options

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010



A good small business loan rate is found in the many options available for entrepreneurs. Should a business be minority or women owned then that improves the options available. Commercial lending rates vary but typically not by much when compared to home or private lending. Because commercial loans are reviewed heavily before approval and secured very well, the rates stay close to the prime lending rate.

The Small Business Administration has a number of loan products available to assist small business. Starting with the SBA Microloan which are loans given through SBA intermediaries with lending amounts under $35,000. The small business loan rate is around 8% and is tied to the Treasury lending rate plus 7.5% or 8.5% (depending if the loan is above or under $10,000). The SBA’s primary lending instrument is a loan guarantee product called the SBA 7(a) loan with a maximum guaranteed amount of $1.5 million. Lending is done through an approved bank, the SBA guarantees the loan and the rate is tied to the prime lending rate. 7 (a) loans over $50,000 have a rate maximum of prime plus 2.75% (2.25% if the term is under seven years).

There are community development organizations that lend to small businesses. They exist to create and grow small businesses as small business brings revenue to a community and creates jobs. Their credit standards are not as rigid as formal banking institutions and they are very open to women and minority owned businesses. Typically their small business loan rate is around 4.25%-8.75% interest. Their maximum lending amounts are relatively low being around $50,000-$100,000, but they will have lending arrangements with banks to help with larger loans. These community organizations are distributed throughout the US and serve both urban and rural areas.

Examples of community organization low interest rates include Accion in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Accion offers rates of 2% to 7% depending on risk and has a maximum loan of $150,000. In Tulsa, Oklahoma the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) utilizes SBA products and likes to tout the SBA 504 where they can offer a fixed 4.7% for a ten-year term. The SBA 504 is used for mortgage financing for acquisition and/or renovation of capital assets (land, building, equipment) and it has loan maximum of $4 million. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania the Harrisburg Regional Chamber has the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). The CREDC has a small business loan below market rate at 4.25% and a maximum amount of $200,000.

These are just a few quick examples of community organizations throughout the country lending to small businesses. As seen sometimes they can beat conventional commercial lending and even the SBA small business loan rate.

Small Business Loans – Qualification and Benefits

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010



If you’re starting a new business, a small business loan can help you get started by providing working capital to build a store, buy inventory, or promote your business. But how does a small business loan benefit you in real terms, and do you even qualify for a loan?

What is a Small Business Loan?

By definition, a small business loan is a certain amount of money that is borrowed by a person who wants to start or operate his or her own business. It is basically a type of personal loan given by lenders to small business owners.

There are several types of small business loans. Unsecured business loans are issued by a lender based on your credit alone without any sort of collateral. Usually, you will need a high credit score and a very good credit history as well as have a stable personal finance situation.

There is also business financing that can be based on collateral such as real estate collateral, a vehicle or property that is free and clear of debt, and so forth. Then, there is a commercial real estate finance loan for which money is granted for a commercial property that is to be used for business. There is also a business line of credit, which is a fixed, predetermined amount of credit that a company can borrow against as needs arise. The borrower will only be required to pay interest on the amount used.

Benefits of Small Business Loans

Obtaining a small business loan for your new business can bring relief in many ways. It can give you working capital to help build your business, promote it, and keep inventory. It can also help with the costs of hiring employees if needed at the start. A small business loan enables you to grow your new business without the financial stresses of a new business. Also, the interest on a small business loan is tax deductible.

Small Business Loan Qualifications

Once you understand how business financing works, you must consider whether or not you will qualify. It’s good to know this before you apply so that your credit history will not show various credit checks and inquiries from lenders, which can lower your credit score for the future.

First, be sure your personal credit history is in order. Find out your credit score by requesting a copy of your credit report. There are many online resources available to check your own credit history. Also, be sure your personal bill and loan payment histories have been consistent and on time over the past two years or more. Small business lenders are likely to base your approval on your personal credit history, especially if you do not offer collateral.

Next, ask the lender directly about their business loan qualifications. This can eliminate any questions in your mind before applying.

Finding a Lender

Do some research to find a small business lender that’s right for you. Check around online for interest rates, small business loan plans and qualifications, and for flexibility. Some lenders will offer creative small business loan options to work with your particular situation. Some lenders make it easy to get approved while others make it almost impossible. Look for a lender that is easy to work with from the start. Ask about early pay-offs, lines of credit, flexible financing, guaranteed interest rates, and any fees you will incur by using their services.

Keep these tips in mind as you search for small business finance solutions. You’ll be on the road to success in no time!

Using the Internet to Find a Great New Car Loan Rate

Thursday, June 17th, 2010



Savvy car buyers know that shopping for the right car isn’t the full extent
of the buying experience, but that shopping for a great new car loan rate is just as important. These buyers also know that their own banks and the car dealerships sometimes don’t have the lowest interest rates available, and this is where the internet becomes quite valuable in the search for low interest rates.

The internet will also allow a potential buyer to compare rates depending upon
factors like credit rating, length of the loan, and type of car they intend to
purchase. Armed with this knowledge, a buyer can find the very best interest
rate and in most cases accomplish the entire application process online too.

There are, however, reasons to be cautious when searching online for a new car
loan rate. A good rule of thumb is, if the offer simply looks too good to be
true, it probably is. A 2% rate offered by some obscure bank you have never
heard of is one that should likely be steered clear of. Also, be aware that with
some websites your personal information is going to be sent out to many
different lending institutions. If the thought of lenders with which you are not
familiar having all your personal information makes you nervous, then be sure to
only apply for a new car loan directly on the websites of lenders you wish to do
business with. The internet can also be used as just a research tool to find the
best rate with the actual application being accomplished by other means.

When giving out any personal information online, it is important to make sure
that you are on a secure website. It’s easy to check. The web address begins
with “https” rather than “http.”

How To Secure A Business Loan – What Collateral Will Lenders Take?

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010



It’s almost impossible to start a business of any sort without raising finance for your start-up costs. The most common way of raising capital is via a business loan – but the problem is, a business loan requires security of some sort. So it is essential for you to understand how to secure a business loan, whatever your business may be.

Some years ago, if you were starting in business, the obvious place for you to go was your own bank. The banker would grill you with all sorts of questions and you would have to wait to find out whether they would give you the loan or not.

Now it’s very different. Even in a time of credit crunch, there are hundreds of lenders out there looking for your business. You can negotiate many key issues, such as due date, interest rates, fees, etc. But there is one thing they will all insist on and that is security in one form or another. After all, they don’t know you or your business ability, so they need to have some assurance of getting their money back.

So here are some suggestions as to how to secure a business loan.

If you are looking for a loan to purchase the actual business premises, obviously the loan can be secured on the real estate itself. This is obviously the preferred type of collateral and may well ensure you get the best rates and loan-to-value. If the loan can’t be secured on the business premises, it might be possible to use the equity value in other real estate, such as your own home. Obviously you have to be very careful and ensure you have a well-thought-out business plan, or you could risk finding yourself homeless. If real estate is not an option, lenders will look at other possibilities for securing the loan, such as equipment, inventory or receivables. If equipment is used as security, the lender has to be satisfied that the useful life of the equipment will equal or exceed the term of the loan. The value of equipment as security depends on how old it is, but different lenders take different views. Some will allow up to 75 percent loan-to-value on new equipment, and a lower loan-to-value if the equipment is older. However, other lenders reverse this, on the basis that depreciation on new equipment, as with new cars, is much faster, whereas older equipment holds its value better. With inventory, the level of loan-to-value you will obtain depends on how the lender judges its “merchantability” – i.e. how quickly and for how much it could be sold. For ready-to-go retail inventory you could get 60-80 percent loan-to-value. For manufacturer’s inventory that consists of component parts and other unfinished materials, it could be as low as 30 percent. Receivables, or “accounts receivable,” refers to money which is owed to you by customers for goods or services you have already delivered. They are seen as a business asset so can be used as security. However, their value to the lender depends on how old they are. If they have been outstanding for more than 60 days, they will be regarded as having little value. Stocks and bonds can also be used as collateral. You can borrow up to 75 percent of their market value, but you can’t use the money to buy additional stock.

These are some ideas as to how to secure a business loan. In addition to collateral, some lenders may require you to secure your loan further by providing a co-signatory or guarantor for the loan. In this case you will need to set up a formal agreement with the guarantor as to how he/she will be repaid if your business fails.

Whatever you use as collateral, make sure that you obtain an assurance from the lender that once the loan is repaid, the full interest in the collateral will be released to you. And make sure you take advice from a competent and impartial financial advisor. If you can negotiate a loan successfully first time round, the next time will be a whole lot easier.

Dental Loans Available For Elective Treatments

Thursday, May 20th, 2010



These loans adapt to the applicants needs that depend on the treatment or procedure that has to be performed. Dental loans are a specimen of health or medical loans that are also available for other non dental elective treatments.

As explained above, these loan programs will adapt to the needs of the applicant without problems. Therefore the dental loan characteristics are quite flexible. Among the many benefits that dental loans provide are: fixed low rates, minimum payments, long repayment programs, free from penalty clauses, simple applications, and many other benefits that can be obtained if you carefully select the lender that best suits your needs.

Loan Characteristics

These loans usually come with fixed rates that depending on your relation with the financial institution and your credit score can range from zero interests to up to 24%. However, they tend to be always lower than the rates charged by financing dental treatments and procedures with credit cards or other types of loans like cash advances or checking account’s agreements.

This of course implies low monthly payments that are also fixed and do not change over the whole life of the loan. The loan length can vary but you can obtain up to 60 months repayment programs which can turn the monthly installments into minimum affordable payments you will not have to make sacrifices to pay off.

Most of these loans do not charge extra for prepayment and most lenders have online applications you can fill without worrying about paperwork. The approval process is fast and you should probably get a response to your loan request within a matter of minutes. The actual loan money should be available in less than a week (most lenders will deposit the money by the next business day or three days at most).

Another interesting characteristic is that you are not limited as to the specialist you have to hire. Most lenders will not have any problem as regards to this issue and the ones who have some limitations usually compensate this fact by offering thousands and thousands of providers with numerous physicians you can choose from. Therefore, you do not really need to worry about this issue.

Amounts Available For Dental Care

As regards to the amounts of the loans, it is important to note that these loans make elective dental treatments and procedures affordable for any budget. The money you can obtain ranges from a couple hundreds to up to thirty thousand dollars or even more. Moreover, you do not need to take a single loan for each one of the specialists that you have to attend to. Instead, you can combine all the needed medical fees and payments into a single loan with a low and affordable repayment schedule.

The Timing Issue Is Also Solved

As regards to the timing, you can obtain the loan approval earlier and schedule the treatment or procedure at any time. Most of these loans can provide you with a grace period of up to a month to start repaying the loan. Therefore, you can first get approval for the loan and then use the money when you need to cancel the medical bills and other fees or costs.