Important changes to the SBA program
With the new Small Business Jobs Act these are the primary changes specific to the two most popular SBA loan programs for car washes:
7(a) loans. SBA 7(a) loans are general-purpose loans for small businesses for the purchase, construction, or renovation of commercial real estate, including car washes, for equipment purchases, and for working capital.
- Permanently increases the SBA 7(a) loan limit from $2 million to $5 million.
This is also the new maximum total of multiple 7(a) loans to a single car wash business.
- Increases the SBA 7(a) guarantee from the present 75% to 90% for all 7(a) loans approved through December 31st, or until the appropriation is exhausted, whichever comes first. This larger 90% guarantee encourages banks to make loans where they might not with a 75% guarantee.
- Eliminates the customary Guarantee Fee for all 7(a) loans approved through December 31st, or until the appropriation for this fee waiver is exhausted, whichever comes first. For example, through December 31st this fee waiver saves $53,750 on a $2 million loan and $138,125 on a $5 million loan.
504 loans. SBA 504 loans are long-term fixed rate loans designed for small businesses to finance the purchase, construction or renovation of commercial real estate and the purchase of long-term (capital) equipment.
- Permanently increases the maximum 504 2nd lien loan size from $1.5 million to $5 million. For experienced car wash operators, this means that the total (1st and 2nd lien) 504 loan can be more than $14 million. This is also the combined maximum of multiple 504 loans to a single car wash business.
- Similar to the 7(a) loan, greatly reduces the fees for the 504 second lien portion of the 504 loan for all 504 loans approved through December 31st, or until the appropriation is exhausted, whichever comes first.
- For the very first time since inception of the 504 program, allows refinancing of conventional loans into long-term fixed-rate 504 loans.
Alan Bussey