Q: A
business associate told me about a new government-guaranteed loan
program available with a fixed rate, and that it was separate from
the SBA. Are you aware of a such a program?
A: I
wasn't aware of any new government-guaranteed lending programs,
but to make sure, I made a few phone calls and checked the SBA Web
site (www.sba.gov). As I
suspected, I found nothing; however, I think your friend is
referring to the lesser-known SBA 504 program.
To learn more about this program, I met with Diane Roehrig,
president of Birmingham, Alabama-based Alacom Finance. Diane runs
one of the most active 504 Certified Development Companies (CDCs)
in the country. The program has been around since the early
'80s and is primarily designed to facilitate the growth of
small businesses by pro-viding government-guaranteed long-term,
fixed-rate financing on assets like land and buildings. With the
government involved, there is, of course, a dual goal here. The 504
program helps small businesses, which in turn generate revenue for
their communities in the form of new jobs.
Content Continues Below
CDCs are regional economic development organizations licensed by
the SBA to make loans to small businesses through the issuance of
bonds. In other words, the government does not actually make the
loan but guarantees bonds issued by the CDC to fund the loan. Each
CDC has a territory covering one or more counties within a given
state.
Here's an example of how it works. Let's say you want to
buy a building for $500,000. Your bank will consider a loan of
$250,000, or 50 percent. CDCs can issue government- guaranteed
bonds and offer subordinate financing of $200,000, or 40 percent.
Some rates from mortgage lenders are fixed but most are floating.
The advantages of 504 loans are that the rates and terms are fixed
for 10 to 20 years, and you're only required to make a nominal
upfront capital injection of 10 percent of the total loan
amount.
For more information or to find the CDCs in your area, click on
the local CDC portion of the SBA's Web page. The 504 program
will be new to some borrowers simply because it's not as
well-known as its big sister, the SBA 7(a) program. However, it is
an excellent opportunity for long-term, fixed-rate financing, and
Congress recently passed a bill (H.R. 2614) increasing the limit on
504 loans to between $1 million and $1.3 million, depending on
qualifications. I have found most CDC loan officers both
knowledgeable and creative lenders, and they can put you on the
path to helping both yourself and your community.
Doug Hood is a co-founder of Rainmaker Capital Corp., a
capital acquisition consulting firm in Cartersville, Georgia.
Co-founder Marilea S. Hood contributes to this column. Send
questions or anecdotes via e-mail to doughood@mindspring.com.