Commercial borrowers are likely to be confused when they are turned down and will probably be unsure as to why it happened and what to do next. For each of the five major reasons that a bank might decline a commercial mortgage, a practical strategy is provided for converting the declined commercial mortgage loan into an approved business loan.

Two reasons (tax returns and business plan requirements) could impact virtually all businesses. Many business loan officers will begin their commercial loan review process by stating "We will need to see at least three years of tax returns" and "Can you show me your business plan?" before proceeding.

Commercial property loan requests are sometimes too unique for a traditional commercial lender. In these situations (even if a business owner has an adequate business plan and favorable tax returns), it is not unusual for commercial borrowers to be declined for a business loan by a traditional commercial bank.

The reasons provided below do not represent obscure issues. It is likely that two or three of the reasons described will be important for typical commercial mortgage or business loan circumstances.

Commercial Mortgage Loan Disapprovals: (1) Limited Use Properties

Reason Number One for business loan rejections: The lender does not make commercial mortgage loans for the type of business financing involved or imposes special covenants that make the commercial real estate loan difficult for the business owner. In a typical example, fewer commercial banks are offering business financing for bar and restaurant properties.

Similarly, auto service businesses are frequently given unnecessary (and expensive) environmental reporting requirements. There are many "special purpose" properties such as funeral homes, campgrounds and churches that most traditional banks will not include in their business lending portfolio.

Strategy Number One for converting the declined commercial mortgage into an approved commercial real estate loan: For most business borrowers, there are prudent business loan options beyond traditional commercial bank choices.

There are results-oriented business lenders that will readily provide commercial real estate financing for special purpose commercial properties. The best commercial mortgage loan might only be available from a non-traditional business lender when traditional lenders won't offer the required business loan.

Business Loan Disapprovals: (2) Tax Returns Required

Reason Number Two for business loan rejections: A loan underwriter finds an issue on tax returns that disqualifies a business borrower under the bank's lending standards. This "issue" will often be inadequate net income, but when commercial loan underwriters analyze income tax returns, there can be a wide variety of other possibilities which produce the same disapproval.

Strategy Number Two for converting the disapproved business loan into an approved commercial mortgage loan: Commercial loan borrowers will never have this reason to worry about if they are using "Stated Income" business financing. Very few traditional commercial lenders use the Stated Income approach (no tax returns, no IRS Form 4506, no income verification) for a commercial mortgage.

Business borrowers should look for lenders using Stated Income business loans. This approach, however, will not work for all commercial loans due to a prevailing maximum loan of $3 million for typical Stated Income commercial mortgage situations.

Commercial Mortgage Rejections: (3) Cash Out Limitations

Reason Number Three for commercial mortgage rejections: When a business is refinancing their current commercial mortgage loan and wants to get a large amount of cash out for various uses, it is not unusual for the bank to restrict what the funds are used for and to limit the cash to amounts as small as $100,000. Even though the bank might make the business loan, if they won't provide the amount of cash needed by the commercial borrower, this is equivalent to declining the loan.

Strategy Number Three for converting the disapproved business loan into an approved commercial mortgage loan: As described above, there are other business lending options which should be considered. The business borrower's goal is to use a commercial lender that will allow larger amounts of cash out of a business refinancing without limitations on what they can do with the cash.

Commercial Mortgage Rejections: (4) Collateral Required

Reason Number Four for business loan rejections: The bank will not approve a commercial mortgage loan without collateral, typically as a lien on the commercial borrower's personal residence or other personal assets.

Strategy Number Four for converting the rejected commercial real estate loan into an approved business loan: Commercial mortgage borrowers should seek out business lenders that do not cross collateralize assets as a requirement for receiving a commercial loan. This will provide more options for the borrower and eliminate unnecessary and unwise connections between personal and commercial assets.

Commercial Mortgage Loan Disapprovals: (5) Required Business Plan

Reason Number Five for business loan rejections: A bank's loan underwriter or loan officer does not feel that the business plan submitted by the borrower supports the required commercial mortgage loan.

Strategy Number Five for converting the rejected commercial real estate loan into an approved business loan: Business borrowers should experience fewer delays and profit from dealing with a commercial lender that does not have a business plan requirement due to several key benefits:

(A) Reduce commercial loan costs by thousands of dollars. A common range for an average business plan (prepared to typical bank specifications) is $5,000 to $10,000.

(B) Decrease the closing time for a commercial mortgage by a month or more. The additional time required for business plan completion is likely to be at least a month .

(C) If a commercial lender does not need a formal business plan, there is one less condition to meet for an approved commercial mortgage.

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