Every small business will at some point have a need for funding. Unsecured business loans are specifically designed to finance a quick need for capital.
A new entrepreneur may require capital to start up a business or an established business may need money to expand or cash flow purposes. Unsecured business loans can be the perfect solution in such cases. The amount borrowed with an unsecured business loan can be used for almost any purpose and the payment terms are normally flexible.
The business loan can be a term loan with fixed monthly payment over a set number of years or an unsecured business line of credit type loan in which the minimum payment may be interest only. An business line of credit provides the borrower access to capital with minimal up-front payments and the flexibility to design a loan repayment schedule suitable to your finances.
Lenders will normally approve unsecured business loans for amounts ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 depending on the business gross revenue, credit and the owner’s personal credit history. Some lenders even have loan programs that will not require financials, i.e. (tax returns, financial statements, etc.). This type loan is best suited for short terms of 5 years or less and small cash needs since the interest rate tend to be higher than loans secured by property. The best thing about an unsecured business loan is that it does not require a borrower to put collateral against the loan. Thus, the borrower’s property is not under any risk of repossession if the business defaults.
You can either choose to pay a fixed interest rate or variable interest rate on the amount borrowed. In a fixed rate business loan, the interest rate applied to the outstanding principal remains constant for an agreed period that may be the loan term. Variable interest rate imply that rate of interest on the loan is not constant and fluctuates to common standard rate.
A good personal credit history is probably one of the most important qualifying factors of the lender’s set of lending guidelines or qualifiers. The high risk ratio for an unsecured business loan due to the absence of collateral makes it necessary for a lender to recognize or identify the credit worthiness of the borrower to avoid any default by the borrower in the future. Higher the credit score, higher is the possibility of your application being approved. Applicants should have at least a 670 and above personal fico score and not be over extended with credit card debt.
The starting place for applying for an business line of credit can begin with your local community bank or even where you currently do your business banking. Be sure to request an unsecured business loan or line of credit and inquire about the maximum loan amount you can apply for without requiring financials or additional documentation. Applying online is also an option. Many regional and national lenders have web sites where you can fill in an online business loan application and receive a decision within a few minutes.
Growth and longevity should be the goal of any business. However, your ability to obtain cash and credit to meet your financial challenges will ultimately be a deciding factor on where, when and how long your business will prosper and grow. An business loan can help to provide the capital infusion and stability necessary to continue on your road of entrepreneurial independence.