A complicated business finance process can occur when an investor previously familiar only with residential real estate begins investing in commercial real estate investment property and business opportunity situations. Before a borrower attempts to buy a business, it is important to develop a business loan and commercial mortgage strategy.

There are many key differences between financing for commercial property investing and residential real estate investments. Because more residential property investors are exploring commercial real estate and business finance opportunities, this business opportunity financing and business loan report is designed to help educate new commercial investors about key commercial mortgage and commercial loan issues.

Rather than specifically focusing on issues that differentiate business financing from residential financing (which we have thoroughly analyzed in separate reports), this report will offer a few key observations regarding business finance elements that are often overlooked in new business investment considerations. These factors include credit card processing, business cash advance options and working capital management.

Coordinating Credit Card Processing and Business Cash Advance Programs -

Many business investments will involve the use of credit card processing decisions. These business activities should be analyzed simultaneously with business cash advance programs for several reasons. If done properly, a business should reduce their costs and improve their cash flow.

Reducing Credit Card Processing Costs in Business Investing -

One of the biggest benefits of coordinating credit card processing with a business cash advance program is the real potential that overall costs can be reduced. Such an advantage is likely to be available in conjunction with the most progressive programs by linking a low cost credit card processor with the best merchant cash advance program. Many of the best credit card processors will not be available for businesses other than through a high-quality credit card financing arrangement.

Improve Cash Flow for Business Investments -

Credit card factoring strategies can produce a business cash advance up to several hundred thousand dollars. For most businesses, this level of financing is not routinely available via other business finance programs. The decision to choose credit card financing to secure a merchant cash advance is an increasingly practical business financing response to business lenders eliminating line of credit programs.

It is important to realize that there are certain key limitations and potential difficulties with business cash advance strategies. New business owners will occasionally eliminate using a merchant cash advance without adequately considering the overall benefits because they are confused by this business finance approach. Although credit card factoring is frequently considered to be a short-term commercial financing strategy, there are also effective longer-term variations which should not be overlooked.

Working Capital Management Strategies -

Obtaining a working capital loan is usually more effective when arranged in conjunction with buying a business. However many lenders do not adequately address this issue in the early business finance stages. Before completing a purchase offer to buy a business, all business loan issues should be discussed in order to fully understand overall commercial financing choices and limitations.

After acquiring a business, it is more likely that business or personal collateral will be a necessity in getting working capital financing. One major exception to this common collateral requirement will be the use of a business cash advance and credit card factoring as mentioned above.

Additional Key Investment Business Finance and Real Estate Mortgage Issues -

As previously noted, commercial mortgage and commercial loan requirements are very different from residential financing requirements in the United States. Additional business finance reports include a discussion of many other significant financing factors. Other reports address important subjects such as business opportunity loans, business appraisals, stated income business loan options and SBA loan programs.

Most of the additional articles will provide further detail about topics discussed in this report as well as offering business financing solutions for numerous other complex business loan situations. For example, some SBA loan processes can include working capital as part of the total initial financing. For those interested in learning more about both potential advantages and problems associated with coordinating credit card processing and business cash advance services, there are several additional resources (such as The Working Capital Journal) which will facilitate a better understanding of these complex business finance issues.

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Most business borrowers will be unpleasantly surprised by the problems generally experienced with typical business financing. Perhaps of even more concern is that many serious commercial loan difficulties are not widely known even by loan advisors. The potential difficulties can occur with business opportunity financing, real estate investment property loans and business cash advance services, although some of the issues will be restricted to specific circumstances.

Commercial Loan Advisory Reports -

We have published separate commercial loan advisory reports which provide a comprehensive discussion of the major problems likely to be encountered in typical business financing and commercial real estate loan circumstances. For example, one report focuses on common business opportunity investment financing difficulties. In another report, we discussed the obstacles usually experienced with SBA loan refinancing.

The Black Ice Analogy: Unseen Business Financing Problems -

The focus in this article is to highlight several of the more obscure commercial loan problems. A commercial borrower should consider such obscure business financing problems to be extremely important. When ice is virtually invisible on a road surface, this is usually referred to as black ice. Drivers who have experienced this hazardous condition are likely to realize that invisible business finance problems are equally dangerous for the financial health of a business.

Online Business Finance Applications -

The first relatively unknown business financing problem involves the increasing use of internet technology by commercial lenders. Commercial borrowers will be asked to submit online applications by numerous commercial loan websites. This is not a prudent way for a business owner to proceed with their commercial financing.

It is important that business owners understand that it is not in their best interest to submit an online business financing application. For a more detailed understanding of why an online commercial loan application is inadvisable and how to proceed in a search for viable financing, borrowers should review the report entitled How and Why to Avoid the Online Business Loan Application Trap.

Recall Provisions for a Commercial Mortgage -

The next obscure but nevertheless serious business financing problem to anticipate involves the use of loan recall terms by a lender. Commercial loan recall covenants mean that the lender can force the borrower to repay early by calling the loan before it would normally expire. Many traditional commercial lenders routinely place recall clauses in their commercial mortgage conditions, but this potential concern is not applicable to all borrowers since some financing agreements will not allow a loan recall possibility.

The circumstances which can cause a recall will vary but can commonly include periodic lender review of financial statements, tax returns and credit history. If prescribed levels of income, credit scores or other benchmarks are not present, then the lender will typically notify the commercial borrower that they must pay off the loan within a 30-90 day period.

With a commercial loan recall, borrowers will need to refinance quickly. Prudent borrowers will exclude lenders that require recall agreements when evaluating business financing options. For commercial borrowers who have recall provisions in their current business loan agreement, it will be equally wise to consider refinancing their commercial mortgage before a recall occurs so that refinancing is accomplished according to the preferred timetable of the business owner.

Balloon Payments and Short-term Business Loans -

Another often overlooked commercial financing problem is the increasing emphasis on short-term financing by many commercial lenders. How long is a long-term commercial loan? Depending on individual business financing circumstances, the preferred loan period is likely to be between 10 and 30 years. Unfortunately many business lenders often consider three years as the maximum period before a balloon payment will be due for a commercial mortgage.

With a balloon payment condition, a business owner will be required to either pay the remaining loan balance or refinance. This kind of loan is a short-term commercial loan instead of long-term and should be avoided whenever feasible. Longer-term business financing will often be the critical difference that facilitates a successful business investment because new financing will not be required for many years and business loan payments will usually be reduced.

Inexperienced Commercial Real Estate Loan Lenders and Advisors -

The final example of a problem that is not obvious to most commercial borrowers involves a shortage of business loan experts providing candid advice to business owners. Business financing and business investing has become increasingly specialized in recent years. There have been some recent real estate and business investment developments that have made this process even more complicated. The current turmoil in residential real estate investment property has resulted in an increasing number of residential lenders and advisors attempting to become active in commercial loan activities.

This is an almost impossible transition for most residential lenders and advisors. There are over 25 critical differences between residential and commercial property investing. As a result, these new and inexperienced commercial financing advisors frequently provide woefully inadequate advice and potentially disastrous business financing for their clients.

How to Avoid These and Other Commercial Financing Problems -

What can commercial borrowers do to avoid a similar fate? To acquire a thorough understanding of these and other business finance complications, prudent borrowers will review other resources. The Commercial Mortgages Guide is one example of business financing resources that will provide strategies and solutions for many problematic commercial loan circumstances.

Many business borrowers do not prepare adequately for the commercial mortgage business loan problems that are common in most business financing scenarios. By anticipating typical commercial loan difficulties, business owners are more likely to avoid potentially disastrous business finance consequences.

With rapidly deteriorating financing for residential investment property, overcoming business loan and commercial mortgage problems is even more important. This summary provides an introduction to four critical commercial loan factors and should assist commercial borrowers to better anticipate key business financing difficulties.

It is not unusual to find that business investment lenders and business loan brokers are not as forward-looking about business financing and investing difficulties as most borrowers would expect, and I have published another article about commercial lenders to avoid. The focus here is on four typical commercial mortgage loan and SBA business loan difficulties often overlooked by commercial lenders and borrowers.

Commercial borrowers should be prepared for commercial loan scenarios that involve unexpected business financing problems. With business financing there are several key commercial mortgage problems which should be avoided. Business loan problems are more serious and prevalent than many borrowers would imagine.

Some of these commercial mortgage business loan difficulties might be unavoidable, but in most cases these business financing and SBA loan challenges can be successfully overcome. Commercial borrowers will be poised to take proper corrective action if they are aware of common commercial loan difficulties.

Avoidable Commercial Real Estate Investment Property Financing Scenario Number One: Use of secondary business financing -

Many commercial borrowers want the flexibility to use subordinated debt (a seller second or other secondary financing) in order to acquire a commercial property or business opportunity investment with a smaller down payment. Many forms of business investing will not permit a seller second or other forms of subordinated debt. With a commercial loan via non-traditional business lenders, a commercial borrower can use subordinate business financing (including seller seconds) to reduce the amount of their down payment.

Commercial Mortgage Example Number Two: Sourcing-seasoning assets and seasoning of ownership -

Some commercial lenders will require borrowers to document the source of the down payment for a purchase (sourcing). Many business lenders require borrowers to document where down payment money is coming from, often for up to 12 months in order to provide seasoning confirmation. Ownership seasoning is determined by establishing a minimum period for ownership prior to being eligible for refinancing.

Such a problem will probably not deter all borrowers. When it does apply, business borrowers should insist on a lender without seasoning and sourcing requirements.

Business Financing Example Number Three: Commercial mortgage recall terms -

Business loan recall conditions will often allow the commercial lender to force the borrower to repay their loan before the normal loan expiration. If a commercial loan agreement does not include recall terms, such a possibility is not of immediate concern to a borrower.

Commercial lenders will routinely include recall conditions in a business loan agreement. The provisions which will prompt a recall will vary and typically include annual business lender monitoring of financial statements, tax returns and credit history. Without agreed income, tax returns and credit standards, the lender can choose to require the borrower to pay off the commercial loan within a very short period of time.

Contingency Plans for Business Finance Recalls: What to do about a commercial loan recall -

To avoid an unanticipated 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 or commercial mortgage before a recall occurs so that refinancing is accomplished when it is most appropriate for the borrower.

When borrowers receive a business financing recall, they must quickly obtain refinancing assistance. When reviewing commercial loan choices for refinancing, borrowers should attempt to exclude potential lenders that require recall terms.

Business Loan Example Number Four: Business financing that needs a long-term commercial loan -

Is long-term investing and financing really possible for a business loan? Some business investment lenders will only offer 5 years (or less) before commercial real estate financing will expire with a balloon payment due.

There are commercial mortgage programs which can provide long-term financing, even though many lenders will only offer shorter-term options for investment business financing. Longer-term commercial real estate financing will often be the critical difference that facilitates a successful business investment because a new business loan will not be required for many years and commercial loan payments will also be reduced.

Additional Commercial Loan Problems and Solutions -

Unfortunately commercial borrowers will frequently encounter commercial mortgage business loan problems similar to those described here. To better prepare for this, an advisable approach is to explore business financing resources that will facilitate a better understanding of complex commercial loan issues. The Commercial Real Estate Loan Guide and The Working Capital Management Guide are two examples of business finance resources that will provide possible solutions for many difficult commercial financing situations.

This real estate and business financing article discusses a concept which is referred to here as “Thinking Outside the Bank”. It is meant to be a variation of the well-known “thinking outside the box”. Despite the prominence of traditional banks, they are not the only viable source which should be considered for a commercial mortgage or commercial loan. There are many reasons why a commercial borrower might not go to a traditional bank for a commercial real estate loan or other business finance circumstances.

Business borrowers have more commercial mortgage and commercial loan alternatives than they realize. As noted above, I refer to these business financing alternatives as “Thinking Outside the Bank” because a typical commercial borrower probably believes that a bank is the best source for a business loan in business investing situations. Non-traditional business lenders are usually viewed as having the competitive edge for many common commercial financing and commercial real estate investment property financing scenarios.

In some cases a traditional bank will offer to provide a business loan but will attach excessively stringent terms and covenants. In other cases a traditional bank will decline the commercial mortgage outright, perhaps because they do not even provide business financing to the commercial borrower’s particular industry. In either case, the commercial borrower is likely to benefit by “Thinking Outside the Bank” for their business investing efforts.

Commercial loan borrowers might feel that a bank is their most likely source for business financing. However, since traditional banks usually focus on a few types of businesses and commercial real estate investing, non-traditional business lenders should be emphasized for any business loan situation. Therefore the recommended business finance and commercial mortgage strategy discussed in this article is to “Think Outside the Bank”.

As I reported in a previous business financing and investing report, in many commercial mortgage situations it is common for a local bank to assess stricter commercial loan conditions than would typically be seen in a competitive business loan scenario. Such banks can often take advantage if there are few business lenders in their market.

A prudent response by business borrowers is to consider non-traditional commercial mortgage options. It is not necessary for borrowers to depend upon traditional banks for business loan strategies. For typical commercial loan scenarios, a non-bank lender can often provide better business financing terms because of the competitive market situation.

There are at least three business financing situations in which business borrowers will typically experience that non-traditional lending sources can provide conditions that are best for the borrower: (1) commercial real estate investment property loan programs; (2) credit card factoring and business cash advance programs; and (3) working capital management programs for credit card processing.

Business Loan Investing Options – Commercial Real Estate Investment Property Loan Programs -

Two of the most common commercial mortgage difficulties experienced by commercial borrowers can be avoided if they “Think Outside the Bank”. The first business financing situation is the prevailing practice of traditional banks to avoid most special purpose investment properties (such as funeral homes and golf courses).

A second business loan possibility is the frequent practice of many commercial banks to add recall and balloon conditions to their commercial loans. The bank can then require early payoff of the commercial real estate loan under stipulated conditions. Both business financing situations can easily be prevented by a non-traditional lending source.

Business Financing Choices – Business Cash Advance Programs -

Most businesses that accept credit cards will qualify for a business cash advance with their credit card receivables. Traditional banks will typically be very poor candidates to consider if a business needs assistance with credit card factoring and business cash advances.

Because successful business owners typically need more working capital than they can obtain from a bank, it is important for a business to “Think Outside the Bank” with non-traditional lenders to help with this working capital management function.

Credit Card Processing Programs – Working Capital Management Choices -

The selection of a credit card processing service can be critical in improving the cash flow of a business with significant credit card activity. Credit card processing providers can be combined with the credit card financing process mentioned earlier.

In coordinating a business cash advance and working capital business loan program, it is usually possible to achieve improvements in the business owner’s credit card processing services. Traditional banks are usually not competitive in providing assistance with a business cash advance using credit card receivables. So it is likely that a non-traditional lender will be the major source of competitive help with credit card processing improvements.

A closing business financing and commercial real estate investment property financing thought: I have written an earlier business loan article about commercial lenders to avoid. It should be noted that there are in fact both traditional and non-traditional (non-bank) lenders which should be avoided.

When business owners are “Thinking Outside the Bank”, they should be ready to avoid troublesome non-traditional business lenders in their investment quest for worthy working capital management dealing with commercial real estate loans, credit card financing and credit card processing.

Studies show that businesses lose as much as $70 million per day to a combination of internal and external theft. The retail industry is extremely vulnerable to shoplifting and employee theft. Some thirty to forty percent of inventory losses are attributed to employee theft, and more is lost to employee fraud. Commercial security systems offer various services to curb such losses among retail businesses in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg.

How exactly do these commercial security systems protect your retail business in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg?

Many retail stores use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on their merchandise. If any of such merchandise is brought out of the store unpaid, it will trigger alarms and alert the guards. This is one of the most effective deterrents against shoplifters.

Retailers should train their personnel well, though, to ensure that RFID tags are always removed before merchandise that has been paid for is wrapped at the counter. If a paying customer triggers the alarm while going out the shop because of employee negligence, this will create a negative backlash on the store. The customer will be humiliated and will, understandably, be very furious. Other customers in the shop will surely sympathize with the victim. In extreme cases this could even lead to a boycott. Security should not be implemented at the expense of customer service and relationships.

For insider theft, access control is provided to identify and record everyone entering and leaving the company premises at any time. This is used for employee entrances and exits. Access control prevents employees from entering the premises beyond their work hours. It also prevents other unauthorized entry. If any theft occurs overnight, for example, records from access control will show who went in and out of the premises between certain time periods.

Digital video surveillance will provide even more protection. With multiple digital surveillance cameras positioned strategically throughout the store and backend areas, you can have full 24 hour coverage and monitoring. All footages are recorded and archived. You can also monitor all cameras any time from anywhere in the world through a laptop with an internet connection.

All footages from digital video surveillance should be saved even if there seems to be nothing interesting going on. Seemingly routine scenarios may later prove to be valuable in establishing certain facts or patterns. Video documentation is extremely valuable.

Surveillance cameras focused on points of sale will catch instances of employee cash register theft and fraud. Surveillance cameras throughout the store will catch shoplifters. In the backroom, round the clock digital video surveillance will record inventory theft and pilferage. Digital video surveillance will positively identify the persons involved in the crime, whether employees or outsiders.

Sometimes the mere knowledge of the presence of digital video surveillance in a store and its backend areas is in itself enough of a deterrent for criminals.

All the security features mentioned are designed to work together in a comprehensive structure that is also linked to a 24 hour emergency response system. It can also be made to integrate with all other systems used in the store, such as temperature control, smoke alarms and fire alarms. This further strengthens the protection for your business.

There are so many commercial security systems to choose from. In deciding which company to hire, check for references among other retail establishments and businesses in Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Establishments with high security needs like the 24-hour Anytime Fitness franchise, for example, would hire only the best commercial security system available. It might be a good idea to go with what has already been proven to be reliable and cost effective.