Borrowing Money

Some legislative ideologues and conservative groups would rather abolish the SBA than spend taxpayers' money to boost its small business loan-guarantee programs.

Rental apartments are back in demand, financing for hotels and motels is loosening up a bit and investors are stepping off the sidelines with wads of cash to do deals.

The revised HARP program will help a few homeowners and investors at taxpayers' expense. It will release refinancing lenders from liability. And most disappointing, it may have no discernible effect on improving our economy.

Every bank has its own sweet spot for small-business loans and will look at your application somewhat differently. Find the right one and form a business relationship before applying.

WASHINGTON (Glenn Somerville) - U.S. consumer credit rose by another $5.08 billion in May, according to a Federal Reserve report on Friday that su...

Passion and a great idea are not enough to start a business. In my last two columns, I wrote that you must demonstrate enough predictable cash flow an...

Capacity, capital, collateral, credit, and character are the "Five Cs" that loan offers learn in Lending 101. But to most small-business loan applicants in need of money, it is an esoteric and arduous exercise.

You can increase your revenues by selling products and services overseas, even if you've never done it before. Moreover, exporting creates jobs in America. That is why Obama wants the federal government to help you get started.

Lenders, brokers and borrowers beware. The Small Business Administration's Inspector General is looking for errors made during the origination, closing and servicing procedures.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has a cadre of talented staff whose goal is to help small-business owners succeed. Yet, if there was ever a way to tell someone to not go into business, their newly redesigned website is it.

Washington, D. C. is hot, but the rest of the nation is not when comparing our unemployment rates to the nation's capitol. "The largest over-the-month...

Near term, economists tell us that less homebuyers and more apartment renters are in our future. Yet, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that ...

Pundits say that $350 billion of commercial mortgage loans are coming due for payoff. The balances still owed are so high that many borrowers will be unable to refinance conventionally.

Self-employment is an alternative to unemployment. Yet, determining what kind of business to start, knowing how much money you will need, and what steps to take can be daunting

Big banks prefer making multimillion-dollar loans to large corporations instead of small-businesses because the fee income is greater and it allows them to hire experts in industries that they want to target.

Your mission is to foster a trustworthy-enough friendship with the loan officer so that he will agree to show you what the bank's memorandum looks like.

Even though the cover letter is rarely thought of as a business-plan document, it begins the process of selling your concept to the loan officer and finance committee.

Now is the time to think about dusting off your old business plan as the economy improves. A business plan is required to obtain a loan or venture capital. It is uniquely designed as a sales tool to get financing.

Amidst the foreboding headlines, there is a not-so-noticeable success story for small-business borrowers. SBA's Community Express Program continues to chug along at a brisk pace.

The time has come to recognize that rating agencies are research firms, and they are not deities endowed with inalienable rights to dictate the quality of investments.

I lost a friend last week. Innovative Bank of Oakland, Calif. is kaput. Just like with other bank failures, the regulators swooped down on the floundering bank after the stock market closed on Friday.