Business owners currently considering a commercial mortgage refinance, will find that many of the rules have changed. As the economy and so called credit crisis continue, small balance lenders (loans between $300,000 – $5 mil) are scrambling to reset their guidelines while not denying every loan that comes across their desk.

“Back to basics” seems to be the rule of the day. As little as one month ago, commercial lenders were still “cranking out” untraditional programs such as stated income loans, interest only and second lien position loans. Although not completely gone, these programs have been seriously altered. Business owners will need to have their books, value, and credit in line, in order to receive good finance options.

DCR

The Debt Coverage Ratio is a tool capital sources use to asses if a business can afford the mortgage payments of proposed loan. Typically lenders want to see a ratio of 1:1.20. Meaning the business, would have $1.20 of net income vs. $1 of proposed mortgage debt. So, if the business had a 1:1.2 they would still have $.20 left over after all debt and expenses were paid.

This ratio becomes critical in difficult times. It has in impact on commercial property value and as mentioned above, what a business owner’s can qualify for. Most capital sources are now ratcheting up this ratio to a 1:1.3 and with some special purpose properties to 1.4’s (like hotels). As a reference point this ratio was as low as 1.1 with many aggressive lenders just a few months ago.

In addition, less obvious underwriting standards, such as increasing vacancy and management fees have a direct impact on net income. Many lenders are raising these underwriting guideline from 3% to 7%. In areas like Phoenix for example, some underwriters are using market vacancy vs. a the standard 5%, which can seriously effect a transaction if market vacancy are, for example 12%. Keep in mind that this vacancy will be factored on to the deal, even if the subject property is 100% occupied at the time of the refinance.

This tightening has its biggest impact on businesses that are highly leveraged and or very tight on cash flow. Borrowers facing a ballooning loan that a borderline, will have difficult time coming up with options.

LTV

Loan to values, as in the difference between what a property is worth vs. what is owed, is another key ratio to reduce risk for banks. The normal high side for the typical owner occupied property, such as office, industrial or retail, is 75%/80% on a refinance. This is being dropped pretty much across the board to a max of 70%.

Special purpose properties, such as, restaurants, automotive, hotels, daycares, etc are taking the brunt of it, as many lenders will not lend beyond 60% loan to value. Many lender have simple stopped lending on these properties all together.

CREDIT

Personal credit scores are becoming an all too easy way for banks to quickly and efficiently say NO to a deal. 680 is now the new 640. It’s not to say that there are no decent lenders that will look at deals below 680 but the file has to have strength on it to augment the weaker credit score.

GLOBAL

The Global Income ratio effectively computes all income (both business and personal) vs. all expenses (again, both business and personal) that the entrepreneur has. 50% to 60% has been the norm for years, now more and more lenders are demanding 40%.

Beyond the underwriting rules that are becoming more strict, there’s seems to be a general confusion among banks as to what actually fits their criteria, and or a “wait to see what happens” mentality. This can be especially frustrating for business owners as most would prefer a quick yes or a no, rather than being dragged out due to confusion.

Jeff Rauth is President of Commercial Finance Advisors, Inc out of Birmingham, Michigan. He specializes in Commercial Real Estate Loans between $400,000 – $5,000,000. Offers unique loan programs such as Commercial Second Mortgages, Commercial 30 Year Fixed and 90% non SBA financing, Commercial Equity Lines. 248 885-8797 or at Commercial Real Estate Loans or SBA 7a Loan Commercial loan brokers
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It is a subject which splits opinion on a daily, weekly and monthly basis – the housing market. The sector is pored over in minute detail, with many lenders, bodies and other organisations publishing figures at the end of each month, detailing average house prices, annual changes, monthly changes, regional breakdowns, discrepancies between asking and selling prices, and so on.

Data released recently by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) says that house prices are showing their most pronounced rise for more than two years. This, in part, has been caused by a lack of supply, but should not take away from the fact that the proportion of surveyors reporting price increases is at its highest point since May 2007 – well before the outset of the credit crisis.

It is difficult to ascertain just how accurate or reliable these surveys – and there are a great many – actually are. Most are released by groups or organisations that have a vested interest in the value of property going up. One of the more reliable reports comes from the Land Registry, which bases its figures on the prices houses are actually sold for, not what they are deemed to be worth by the owners or agents. After all, a house is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it.

That being said, there does seem to be evidence that an appetite for entering the housing market is returning. Reporting its figures for September, the National Association of Estate Agents said that the average number of house hunters registered at its agents had jumped from 238 to 294 in the month. Furthermore, a survey has found that it is cheaper to buy a home in the UK than it is to rent in all regions apart from London, although this assumes that first time buyers have sizeable deposits in place.

What is certain is that at the end of September, there were more mortgage products to choose from than there have been for almost a year, with a shade over 1,400 on the market. There are still just a handful of products that offer buyers a loan worth the total value of the property, or even 95 per cent, but the 90 per cent loan-to-value market is now comprised of more than 100 products, which has not been the case for most of 2009.

A number of new trackers have also been launched by providers and, with some predicting that the base rate of interest will remain low for some years to come, the more daring of potential homeowners have a number of competitive deals to choose from.

There is still some way to go before the housing market can be considered in good health, but a number of providers have decreased their rates lately as well as launching new products that look competitive. Those who had given up designs on owning their own homes could do worse than giving the mortgage best buys a cursory glance once more.

Moneyfacts.co.uk is the leading independent financial information provider in the UK. Since 1988, we’ve been providing impartial information to financial services professionals which has helped thousands of customers get the best deal on their mortgages, savings accounts, credit cards, loans and other personal finance products.

www.moneyfacts.co.uk Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/mortgage-articles/a-stirring-mortgage-market-1367846.html

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Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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