Hotel Financing Direct offers SBA 7a hotel loans. Please note that the House and Senate are making some adjustments to the SBA loan programs as part of the new economic stimulus package. We will post these changes in this section as they become available.
Hotel 7-a loans are the most basic and most used type loan of SBA's business loan programs. Its name comes from section 7(a) of the Small Business Administration Act, which authorizes the Agency to provide business loans to American small businesses.
Learn about the new Hotel SBA 7a loan changes as part of the new economic stimulus package.
Hotel SBA 7(a) loans are only available on a guaranty basis. This means they are provided by lenders who choose to structure their own loans by SBA's requirements and who apply and receive a guaranty from SBA on a portion of this loan. The SBA does not fully guaranty 7(a) loans. The lender and SBA share the risk that a borrower will not be able to repay the loan in full. The guaranty is a guaranty against payment default. It does not cover imprudent decisions by the lender or misrepresentation by the borrower.
Under the guaranty concept, commercial lenders make and administer the loans.
The business applies to a lender for their financing. The lender decides if they will make the loan internally or if the application has some weaknesses which, in their opinion, will require an SBA guaranty if the loan is to be made. The guaranty which SBA provides is only available to the lender. It assures the lender that in the event the borrower does not repay their obligation and a payment default occurs, the Government will reimburse the lender for its loss, up to the percentage of SBA's guaranty. Under this program, the borrower remains obligated for the full amount due.
All 7(a) loans which SBA guaranty must meet 7(a) criteria. The business gets a loan from its lender with a 7(a) structure and the lender gets an SBA guaranty on a portion or percentage of this loan. Hence the primary business loan assistance program available to small business from the SBA is called the 7(a) guaranty loan program.
A key concept of the 7(a) guaranty loan program is that the loan actually comes from a commercial lender, not the Government. If the lender is not willing to provide the loan, even if they may be able to get an SBA guaranty, the Agency can not force the lender to change their mind. Neither can SBA make the loan by itself because the Agency does not have any money to lend. Therefore it is paramount that all applicants positively approach the lender for a loan, and that they know the lenders criteria and requirements as well as those of the SBA. In order to obtain positive consideration for an SBA supported loan, the applicant must be both eligible and creditworthy.
What SBA Seeks In A Loan Application:
In order to get a 7(a) loan, the applicant must first be eligible. Repayment ability from the cash flow of the business is a primary consideration in the SBA loan decision process but good character, management capability, collateral, and owner's equity contribution are also important considerations. All owners of 20 percent or more are required to personally guarantee SBA loans.
Eligibility Criteria:
All applicants must be eligible to be considered for a 7(a) loan. The eligibility requirements are designed to be as broad as possible in order that this lending program can accommodate the most diverse variety of small business financing needs. All businesses that are considered for financing under SBA’s 7(a) loan program must: meet SBA size standards, be for-profit, not already have the internal resources (business or personal) to provide the financing, and be able to demonstrate repayment. Certain variations of SBA’s 7(a) loan program may also require additional eligibility criteria. Special purpose programs will identify those additional criteria.
Eligibility factors for all 7(a) loans include: size, type of business, use of proceeds, and the availability of funds from other sources. The following links will provide more detailed information on these eligibility issues.
Size
Eligible And Ineligible Types Of Business
Use Of Proceeds
Availability Of Funds From Other Sources
Character Considerations:
SBA must determine if the principals of each applicant firm have historically shown the willingness and ability to pay their debts and whether they abided by the laws of their community. The Agency must know if there are any factors which impact on these issues. Therefore, a "Statement of Personal History" is obtained from each principal.
Other Aspects Of The Basic 7(a) Loan Program
In addition to credit and eligibility criteria, an applicant should be aware of the general types of terms and conditions they can expect if SBA is involved in the financial assistance. The specific terms of SBA loans are negotiated between an applicant and the participating financial institution, subject to the requirements of SBA. In general, the following provisions apply to all SBA 7(a) loans. However, certain Loan Programs or Lender Programs vary from these standards. These variations are indicated for each program.
SBA's 7(a) Loan Program has a maximum loan amount of $2 million dollars. SBA's maximum exposure is $1.5 million. Thus, if a business receives an SBA guaranteed loan for $2 million, the maximum guaranty to the lender will be $1.5 million or 75 percent. SBA Express loans still have a maximum guaranty set at 50 percent
The vast majority of businesses are eligible for financial assistance from the SBA. However, applicant businesses must operate for profit; be engaged in, or propose to do business in, the United States or its possessions; have reasonable owner equity to invest; and, use alternative financial resources first including personal assets. It should be noted that some businesses are ineligible for financial assistance.
Certain other considerations apply to the types of businesses and applicants eligible for SBA loan programs.
Business Types and Applicants with Additional Considerations
FRANCHISES - are eligible except in situations where a franchisor retains power to control operations to such an extent as to be tantamount to an employment contract. The franchisee must have the right to profit from efforts commensurate with ownership.
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND CLUBS - are eligible provided: (a) the facilities are open to the general public, or (b) in membership only situations, membership is not selectively denied to any particular group of individuals and the number of memberships is not restricted either as a whole or by establishing maximum limits for particular groups.
FARMS AND AGRICULTURAL BUSINESSES - are eligible; however, these applicants should first explore the Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, particularly if the applicant has a prior or existing relationship with FSA.
FISHING VESSELS - are eligible; however, those seeking funds for the construction or reconditioning of vessels with a cargo capacity of five tons or more must first request financing from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a part of the Department of Commerce.
MEDICAL FACILITIES - hospitals, clinics, emergency outpatient facilities, and medical and dental laboratories are eligible. Convalescent and nursing homes are eligible, provided they are licensed by the appropriate government agency and services rendered go beyond those of room and board.
An Eligible Passive Company (EPC) is a small entity which does not engage in regular and continuous business activity. An EPC must use loan proceeds to acquire or lease, and/or improve or renovate real or personal property that it leases to one or more Operating Companies for conducting the Operating Company's business. The EPC must comply with the conditions set forth in 13 CFR Sec 120.111.
CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP - Loans for this purpose are eligible provided the business benefits from the change. In most cases, this benefit should be seen in promoting the sound development of the business or, perhaps, in preserving its existence. Loans cannot be made when proceeds would enable a borrower to purchase: (a) part of a business in which it has no present interest or (b) part of an interest of a present and continuing owner. Loans to effect a change of ownership among members of the same family are discouraged.
ALIENS - are eligible; however, consideration is given to the type of status possessed, e.g., resident, lawful temporary resident, etc. in determining the degree of risk relating to the continuity of the applicant's business. Excessive risk may be offset by full collateralization. The various types of visas may be discussed in more detail with the local SBA office.
PROBATION OR PAROLE - applications will not be accepted from firms where a principal (any one of those required to submit a personal history statement, SBA Form 912):
This restriction would not necessarily preclude a loan to a business, where a principal had responded in the affirmative to any one of the questions on the Statement of Personal History. These judgments are made on a case by case evaluation of the nature, frequency, and timing of the offenses. Fingerprint cards (available from the local SBA office) are required any time a question on the form is answered in the affirmative.
Ineligible Business
Businesses cannot be engaged in illegal activities, loan packaging, speculation, multi sales distribution, gambling, investment or lending, or where the owner is on parole.
Specific types of businesses not eligible include:
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT firms exist when the real property will be held for investment purposes - as opposed to loans to otherwise eligible small business concerns for the purpose of occupying the real estate being acquired.
OTHER SPECULATIVE ACTIVITIES are those firms developing profits from fluctuations in price rather than through the normal course of trade, such as wildcatting for oil and dealing in commodities futures, when not part of the regular activities of the business. Dealers of rare coins and stamps are not eligible.
LENDING ACTIVITIES include banks, finance companies, factors, leasing companies, insurance companies (not agents), and any other firm whose stock in trade is money.
PYRAMID SALES PLANS are characterized by endless chains of distributors and sub-distributors where a participant's primary incentive is based on the sales made by an ever- increasing number of participants. Such products as cosmetics, household goods, and other soft goods lend themselves to this type of business.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES are by definition those activities which are against the law in the jurisdiction where the business is located. Included in these activities are the production, servicing, or distribution of otherwise legal products that are to be used in connection with an illegal activity, such as selling drug paraphernalia or operating a motel that permits illegal prostitution.
GAMBLING ACTIVITIES include any business whose principal activity is gambling. While this precludes loans to race tracks, casinos, and similar enterprises, the rule does not restrict loans to otherwise eligible businesses, which obtain less than one-third of their annual gross income from either: 1) the sale of official state lottery tickets under a state license, or 2) legal gambling activities licensed and supervised by a state authority.
CHARITABLE, RELIGIOUS, OR OTHER NON-PROFIT or eleemosynary institutions, government-owned corporations, consumer and marketing cooperatives, and churches and organizations promoting religious objectives are not eligible.
7(a) loan proceeds may be used to establish a new business or to assist in the operation, acquisition or expansion of an existing business. These may include (non-exclusive):
Ineligible use of Proceeds
There are certain restrictions for the use of SBA loans. The following is a list of purposes which SBA loans can not finance:
The Federal Government does not extend credit to businesses where the financial strength of the individual owners or the company itself is sufficient to provide all or part of the financing. Therefore, the utilization of both the business and personal financial resources is reviewed as part of the eligibility criteria. If business and personal resources are found to be excessive, the business will be required to be use those resources in lieu of part or all of the requested loan proceeds.
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”) (P.L. 111-5). Section 501 of the Recovery Act authorizes SBA to reduce or eliminate certain fees on 7(a) and 504 loans. The purpose of this Notice is to announce the implementation of fee eliminations in the 7(a) Loan Program and the 504 Development Company Program. A notice on this subject will also be published in the Federal Register.
Fee Eliminations
7(a) Loan Guarantee Fee Eliminations: For 7(a) loans approved by SBA on or after February 17, 2009, SBA will temporarily eliminate the Small Business Act section 7(a)(18)(A) fees (upfront guaranty fees) for all eligible loans, including those made with higher SBA guarantees (up to 90%) as provided in section 502 of the Recovery Act. For eligible loans approved between February 17, 2009 and the date of this notice, the Agency will make funds available to refund payments for these fees. The Agency is developing a refund mechanism. SBA expects to be able to begin issuing refunds by approximately May 1, 2009. If borrowers have already paid lenders for the fee on eligible loans, lenders must reimburse the borrowers from the SBA refund.
Consistent with the prioritization for fee eliminations or reductions in the Recovery Act, the on-going guaranty fee set forth in section 7(a)(23) of the Small Business Act will continue to apply. In addition, SBA’s ¼ point guaranty fee set forth in 13 CFR 120.220(a) for loans with maturities of 12 months or less will continue to apply.
SBA will eliminate upfront guaranty fees until the aggregate dollar amount of 7(a) loans made under this authority exhausts the funds dedicated to that purpose. SBA currently estimates that program level will be approximately $8.7 billion. Depending on loan volume in the 7(a) program, SBA estimates that it will be able to eliminate upfront guarantee fees on loans approved through approximately December 31, 2009.
504 Development Company Program Fee Eliminations: For eligible loans approved through the Agency’s section 504 Development Company Program on or after February 17, 2009, SBA will temporarily eliminate two program fees:
1) Third-Party Participation Fees (Small Business Investment Act Section 503(d)(2) fees codified at 13 CFR 120.972)
2) CDC Processing Fees (13 CFR Section 120.971(a)(1) fees). Consistent with the Recovery Act’s temporary elimination of CDC Processing Fees, CDCs will no longer be allowed to collect deposits from small business applicants that would have gone towards payment of the CDC Processing Fee upon loan approval under 13 CFR 120.935. SBA will reimburse the CDCs for the waived CDC Processing Fees.
SBA will pay CDCs two-thirds of the estimated CDC Processing Fee at the time of loan approval by SBA or upon the issuance of a loan number for a loan approved under the Premier Certified Lenders Program. The remainder of the fee will be paid immediately following debenture funding and will be equal to 1.5% of net debenture proceeds for which a CDC does not collect the CDC Processing Fee, minus the amount previously paid. If a borrower has already paid a CDC for the fee, the CDC must reimburse the borrower from the SBA refund. SBA will not permit CDCs to cancel loans approved by SBA prior to February 17th, 2009 and resubmit them in order to qualify for the reimbursement of the processing fee. If the Participation Fee has already been paid to SBA on an eligible loan, SBA will refund the fee.
SBA will eliminate the Participation Fee and the CDC Processing Fee until the aggregate dollar amount of 504 loans made under this authority exhausts the funds dedicated to that purpose. SBA currently estimates that program level will be approximately $3.6 billion. Depending on loan volume in the 504 program, SBA estimates that it will be able to eliminate these fees on loans approved through approximately December 31, 2009.
Prohibition on Use of Funds
Section 1604 of the Recovery Act states that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this Act may be used by any State or local government, or any private entity, for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool. Further guidance will be issued on this subject in the near future.
For loans for these Recovery Act prohibited uses, lenders and CDCs may continue to submit applications in accordance with SOP 50 10 5(A) and all applicable fees will apply.
Additional Requirements
The provisions of the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act applicable to the 7(a) and 504 loan programs and the regulations promulgated thereunder will continue to apply to loans made under the Recovery Act.
Lenders, CDCs, and/or borrowers may be subject to additional reporting or recordkeeping requirements in connection with loans under the Recovery Act.