Start a Restaurant

Up until recently restaurant financing, was burdensome and very limiting. Not only are there only a few lenders interested in restaurant financing, refinancing for this type of business is very difficult to obtain. If you are already in the restaurant business or are planning to open a restaurant, you really do have only a handful of lenders to choose from and even they remain overly cautious with very conservative guidelines.

Thankfully, in the past few years there have been a few more lenders decide to offer restaurant financing, and a few more options. For example, no you can look at stated income loans or loans that are amortized over 30 years. The main reason for the conservative lending patterns is that the restaurant industry has almost twice as many bankruptcies as any other industry. Plus this industry has a lot of seller financing which makes it riskier and more complicated for financial institutes.

When a restaurant loan is underwritten, it focuses more on the debt coverage ratios, loan to value ratios, your credit worthiness, and other more traditional requirements. The debt coverage ratio is the most important and is usually quite conservative around 1:1.3 meaning that for every $1.30 of net income the mortgage payment can’t be over $1.00.

Stated income loans are relatively new for restaurant financing, and they’ve come to be because of the cash nature of the restaurant business. It’s an excellent option for you if your net income isn’t enough for a traditional loan.

The restrictions on most loan to value ratios usually tops out at 60% except in some high leverage loans where it might be as high as 90%. All of these numbers really are dependent on both the lender and your personal situation. Restaurant financing is one type of lending that doesn’t have a cut and dry set of requirements. Your personal credit score will almost always come into play with restaurant financing, with a credit score of 640 being about the lowest credit score that lenders will look at.

Restaurant financing may be a little more difficult than other types of business financing, but you should never let that stand in your way. Online lenders are much more flexible than traditional lending institutes like the banks, so do your research, and explore all your options.

Above all, never give up on your dreams. If owning a restaurant is your dream, then keep at it until you find restaurant financing that works for you!

Author: Gordon Petten
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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From a conventional stand point restaurant loans are taking the worst of it as the credit crisis has seemed to have worsen. Special use properties such as restaurants are always the first to feel the tightening as the process to sell the facility in case of borrower default is more difficult that your typical general use property that will have a wider pool of buyers.

Conventional financing for restaurants, meaning loan issued directly by the funding banks, without any guarantee by the SBA or other such institutions, are getting very conservative. Loan to values are hover at 55% on refinances and 60% on purchases. Debt coverage ratios have tightened as well from a 1.25 to a 1.3 and with some banks a 1.4. Meaning that for every $1 of proposed mortgage debt the borrower would still have $.40 left over after all expenses and proposed mortgage have been paid.

In addition, the cap rates have really been taking a beating with conventional sources. For example, I recently spoke to a bank loan officer that said they are putting on a minimum 10% capitalization rate on all restaurants regardless of the market.

The solution is to think non conventional for either purchase or refinance money. For example it’s still possible to get 85% financing on purchases on a 5 year fixed 25 year amortization loan, if you work through the right sources.

One loan program that deserves mention is the SBA 7a loan as it was designed for niche building types like restaurants, motels, etc. They can go as low as a 1.1 debt coverage ratio, and business projection can be used to supplement cash flow if it’s too low to meet the guidelines. Which in a cash business like restaurants, where most owners understate there income is very important.

CMBS sources are still out there though on a limited basis. For example, a 30 year fixed rate mortgage at 80% financing is still available. Primary benefit of course is that the borrower doesn’t have to worry about their rate fluctuating.

Author: Jeff Rauth
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

Owners looking for a restaurant loan have limited options and the credit crisis is giving a “beating” on all special purpose properties; such as restaurants. Although borrowers still have three main sources for financing, including conventional bank loans, CMBS lenders and SBA programs, borrowers are encourage to take a hard look at the SBA programs first due to their reliability of closing and strong benefits.

SBA 7a loan has many benefits on both purchase AND refinances, despite the notorious reputation it has with some borrowers. Most of these earlier issues have been ironed out in the last 5 years though borrowers should be careful who they work with, as bank that are inexperienced with the SBA can quickly complicate the process.

Examples of the benefits include 85% financing and low rates at prime + 1-2% for most borrowers. Right now Prime is at 5%. An effective rate of 6% from a historical stand point on a special use property such as a restaurant is exceptional. In addition, most 7a loans are amortized over 25 years helping the borrower spread out their loan and thereby increasing cash flow as compared to most traditional bank loans of 15 or 20 year amortizations. Working lines of credit, equipment, and construction/renovation loans can easily be tied into the loan.

One of the other huge benefits is the flexibility this program has for cash flow analysis aka debt coverage ratios. Most sources want to see a 1.3 on this type of building while the SBA 7a loan only needs a 1.1. In other words, the business needs to show that for every $1. of proposed mortgage payments that the restaurant has $1.30 of net income to cover the proposed loan. So after all expenses have been paid including the mortgage the restaurant should have $.30 left over. With the 7a it would only have to be $.10 left over which can be a big difference for most business that have tight cash flow.

Further, the borrower is allowed to use future business projections as well, to supplement any existing short falls in cash flow. This is not possible with 99% of the other options out there as they will only look at historical statements like your tax returns, balance sheet or profit and loss statements.

The negative with the 7a loan is that the rate typically floats and the SBA has a guarantee fee of 2.75% of 75% of the loan balance. However this is not always the case. For example, we have a source that offers this as a 5 year fixed, 25 year amortization loan. And there are banks out there that will absorb or pay for the guarantee fee themselves.

The short of it is if you’re looking for a restaurant loan keep you eye on the 7a loan.

Author: Jeff Rauth
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Creditcard Currency Conversion Fee