The news regarding business loans has been anything clear over the last several months. We have been hearing that Government backed business loans would be readily available since the passing of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. So what is really going on, and what can small business owners expect to find in the marketplace.
The truth seems to be that while SBA restrictions have eased regarding the cost to apply for business loans and the percentage of amounts of the loans they will guarantee has increased, little has been done to help borrowers understand whether or not they will qualify for loans. Easing restrictions and lessening the risks for lenders to encourage them to lend is just one part of the equation.
The part that really matters is that these same lenders who have easier access to funds are now being held to higher standards with regards to how they distribute the money. Before 2008, banks would do just about anything to push loans through with little concern for a borrower’s ability to pay back money or if their businesses were credit worthy to begin with. We have already seen the consequences of such lending practices and the banking industry has recovered nicely due to the bailouts.
But things have changed and banks are now being held responsible for vetting their applicants and pushing through every applicant is simply not happening anymore. You may not infer this from the headline news stories we see about small business owners being eligible for all types of loan programs designed to jump start the economy, but there is no reason to believe that Government backed money is out there for everyone. SBA Loans are only for those who are attractive applicants, and while this is exactly how it should be, it does not really help those who have been treading water since 2008 and sacrificing their good business credit in order to do so.
The good news for the economy is that more and more people are looking to borrow money. This is a key indicator on the state of economic conditions and shows that things are looking up. On a larger scale, commercial mortgage lenders are reporting an increase in demand for capital and community banks are reporting a rise in requests for small business finacings. So the overall picture is definitely positive, but for the little guy looking for a break, nontraditional lenders are going to be the best option.
Small business owners have been turning to unsecured business loans from companies like Seed Capital for years. The availability of such business loans has remained constant through good economic times and bad ones. Unlike SBA Loans, these particular loans do not come with restrictions regarding the way proceeds are allocating and the fact that they can be used to pay down current debt is particularly appealing to borrowers in the current economic atmosphere. The application process is much quicker and in the majority of circumstances will be absolutely free. So for anyone struggling with decisions about borrowing, they should consider these type of business loans as a very viable option.
No comments:
Post a Comment