Financially Qualified?
Being "financially qualified" for buying commercial property simply means you
will need at least 25% to put down on the purchase! Commercial property
is not like obtaining a home loan. Simply put, it's a Risk loan for
financial institutions. Sure, you may find an aggressive bank that may
let you slide with less down. However, keep in mind they will look at
the property as a whole including you, the buyer. This means they will
assess what the property is worth today. This mainly includes land, structures
and location, which attributes to land value, and the history of profit. To most banks,
inventory is something that's hard to appraise even though it will be required and included in the
sales contract.
Another buying option you may encounter is property being sold with owner financing. Owner financing
may or may not be a good deal depending on what rate they are willing to charge and the duration of the
loan. Regardless of that, they will require a down payment as well. For
reference, most financial institutions will allow up to a 15 year amortization and usually will
balloon after 2 years and every 2 years for a maximum of 6. There are banks that will
lock you in at a fixed rate for the duration of the loan. Usually, these rates are
always higher than the common balloon. The rule of thumb used by most banks, even
though they won't admit to it, is the better YOUR credit rating, the lower your interest
rate.
There are many loan options and even more financial institutions to choose
from. Obtaining a commercial loan can be a headache, but a big leap towards quickly
closing the deal. Not to discourage you, but if you cannot attain the down payment
requirement of 20-25%, with funds left over for improvements, bills, inventory, etc., you
probably need to pass on that particular property.
You must know and realize your limitations and be sure to obtain a copy of the profit
and loss statements from the current owners. Then you will be able to determine
if you can feasibly afford that property. Unless you know the industry well and
have experience reading through profit and loss statements and balance sheets, it is highly
advised to seek the assistance of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) for professional advice.
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