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Commercial Real Estate Loans

Need financing to build, renovate or purchase a commercial property? Our commercial real estate loans can help bring your vision to life.  

We offer fully secured term loans to businesses and nonprofits in a variety of industries. Your business or nonprofit must have been operating for at least two years. We can provide SBA financing, including 504 or 7(a) loans.  

We do not offer lines of credit or bridge/short-term financing. 

Where we lend

We currently only offer small business and nonprofit loans below $500,000 in North Carolina and the greater Chicago area. Loans of $500,000 and up are available in regions where there is a Self-Help branch.

Historic restoration experts Spectra used Self-Help financing to transform a former YMCA building into a vibrant community hub in Pomona, California.

What we look at

We offer small business and nonprofit loans primarily in North Carolina, the greater Chicago area, and California.

Cash flow: We’ll need to see 2-3 years of tax returns. Your business or nonprofit needs to have enough annual cash flow to cover expenses plus the loan payments, with revenue left over.

Experience: We will review the experience of project owners, managers and guarantors. We want to see that the owner or manager has relevant experience, both in your industry and in management.

 
Capital

Capital: Our loan can't provide 100% of your project's financing. You will need to have some cash investment in the project, too. We sometimes have programs available to support borrowers who need help with capital contributions.

Collateral

Collateral: In most cases, your loan will need to be fully secured by real estate collateral. We sometimes have programs available to support borrowers who need help with this requirement.

 
Credit

Credit: We will review your personal credit report to see if you have a history of paying debts and suppliers on time. We can make exceptions for one-time events if you can demonstrate consistent on-time payment history otherwise.

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