Commercial Investment Financing

By Roger Frost


Commercial real estate financing is very different from home financing. In the latter, the transaction is based on the value of the home at the time of the sale. When taking financing for your commercial property purchase, however, financial institutions will base it, in part, on the value of the business in the future. In addition, commercial real estate financing can take on very different terms. The way the deals are structured is based on a number of factors.

Commercial properties are usually appraised by both an income approach to value and comparative sales in an attempt to establish a more accurate value estimate. This can make commercial property more difficult to appraise and management of property may play a bigger role than comparative sales. There are many different types of financial institutions that are available for your commercial property financing requirements. Shopping around will ensure you get the right loan or mortgage at the best possible rate and structure.

There are many ways to finance your property purchase, be it from mortgage banking firms, savings and loan institutions, regional banks, insurance companies, and private investors. It is not advisable to pay 100 percent for your commercial real estate purchase. In the current economic climate, you can get up to 75 percent financing.

Typical bank requirements for financing Income Producing Properties (Shopping Strips, Apartment Buildings, and Commercial Warehouses) are commonly; Property must show sufficient debt repayment ability; banks will typically only finance 75% of appraised value; credit history of tenants or tenants and an environmental assessment if required.

Although there are many types of financing available, investors should assess their level of risk. Ask yourself, can you afford the property? What is your cash position like? Are you looking to just pay 25 percent first and take a bank loan for the remaining 75 percent? Will you have sufficient cash to buffer yourself during an economic downturn? Can you afford the fluctuating bank interest rates? Going through all the possible commercial factors will help you eliminate your risks and anticipate any shocks in the market.

Before committing to purchasing any Commercial Property it would be wise to hire a professional commercial property inspector. The inspection of Commercial Properties is performed by someone who has experience and knowledge to inspect structures such as; residential, mixed-use, factories, storage, office buildings, restaurants or any combinations of these. This will provide potential buyer with a PCA report that will enable him to make his purchasing decision based on the findings. We recommend www.commercialbuildinginspector.ca for purchases in Southern Ontario Region.




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