Liberty SBF closed a $2.8 million SBA 504 loan for the acquisition of a gas station and convenience store in late January 2022. The borrowers received 85% LTC for the 6,674 square foot property, located in High Point, NC.
The two borrowers were under contract to purchase the gas station for $3.2 million and required financing to complete the investment. The partners already own and operate an existing convenience store brand with four locations across New Jersey and North Carolina. They also have a partnership with a major oil company that will provide the gas for the station.
Our underwriting team structured the deal and valuation with the borrowers’ four existing entities as corporate guarantors. This acquisition will expand the company to five total locations.
Interested in applying for a commercial real estate loan with Liberty SBF? Click below to learn more about our secure online application process.
Liberty SBF provided $3,747,000 in total SBA 504 financing to acquire a retail property located in Brooklyn, NY for a kosher supermarket. The Property is a 10,000 SF, single-story retail building specifically located in a densely populated residential neighborhood in south-central Brooklyn.
The store offers a complete range of grocery products including baked goods, fresh produce, beverages, frozen foods, dairy and eggs, meat and fish, paper and cleaning, health and beauty, and housewares. The grocery store has occupied this location for more than 24 years and will continue to occupy 100% of the property.
How can we help?
Liberty SBF offers personal service for SBA 504 and Conventional & Bridge loans for owner-user properties across the US. We’d love to help you.
Liberty SBF has become a thought leader in commercial real estate finance with articles published online and in major industry media outlets. Below are 10 articles published by Liberty SBF or in influential publications with the company’s input.
1) Non-Bank Lending Is the Solution for Small Business CRE Loans
Strong demand for capital in the commercial real estate sector is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Historically low interest rates, a robust economy, and strong employment numbers are boosting a surge in CRE demand across the country. People might assume that all commercial real estate lenders are alike, but there are many types of financial institutions that work with CRE borrowers.
Despite what you might be hearing in the news, in today’s strong economy, retail trade continues to grow. April 2019 saw a year-over-year 3.1 percent increase in US retail sales.
Find out how business owners can thrive in the new retail ecosystem especially with an SBA 504 loan.
3) Green Office Properties & the SBA 504 Loan
When you acquire a green office property you can help protect the natural environment, have a healthier workplace, and take advantage of the special SBA 504 Green loan program, when the office property you are purchasing meets certain environmental standards.
Find out advantage of SBA 504 financing for office properties here.
4) Loan Interest Rates for Dummies (and the Rest of Us)
We spend a lot of time talking about interest rates because they affect so much of our lives. On a personal level, they govern the cost of our mortgage, our credit card bill and our car payment. In business, they affect our ability to grow and expand, to invest in new equipment, and to purchase commercial real estate.
But how well do we really understand interest rates? Where do they come from? What do they mean, and how can we make smart financial decisions based on our expectations for future interest rates?
5) Characteristics of an Industrial Real Estate Hot Spot
Over the past few years there has been a revitalization of the industrial sector, driven primarily by e-commerce retailers looking for warehouse space that meets their specific needs.
On paper, that looks like decreased industrial vacancy and increased rents. What really makes an industrial hot spot in different regions?
6) The Interim Second – a Critical Element of Every SBA 504 Loan
If you’re familiar with SBA 504 loans, you’re likely at least familiar with the term “interim second.” But there’s also a good chance that you may not fully understand what an interim second is, and how critical it is to SBA 504 financing.
7) What a 25-Year Term on SBA 504 Loans Means for Business Owners
Last year, the SBA made the first major change to its 504 loan program in over 30 years: It added a 25-year term. Now, businesses owners applying for a SBA 504 loan can choose from a 10-, 20- or 25-year debenture. What’s different about a 25-Year SBA 504 loan?
8) Scale the Multifamily Mountain with a Bridge Loan
When your multifamily property deal needs to close before your agency loan is approved. When this happens, having a strong bridge lender on speed dial can make a commercial mortgage broker look like a hero to their client.
Find out more about bridge lending for multifamily here.
9) Spotlight on Self-Storage: What’s all the Buzz About?
This asset class may not exude the glamour of a shiny downtown office tower, but self-storage assets have for a long time been the unsung heroes of commercial real estate investments. People are talking more and more about self-storage.
The US hotel industry saw another record year in 2018, reaching absolute values that were the highest ever benchmarked. A 10th consecutive year of growth is predicted for 2019, according to CBRE Hotels Americas Research. As experienced lenders, we are convinced that the best, most cost-effective solution is to finance your hotel is with an SBA 504 loan.
In this article, we will walk you through today’s peak hotel market, as well as recent changes that affect SBA 504 loans.
Despite what you might
be hearing in the news, in today’s strong economy, retail trade continues to
grow. April 2019 saw a year-over-year 3.1 percent increase in US retail sales.
Despite the convenience of ecommerce, in-store shopping remains dominant.
Sixty-four percent of Americans today are shopping in-store vs. 36 percent
shopping online. Shopping in stores
accounted for 85.7 percent of retail sales in 2018. Most consumers still enjoy
and value the physical shopping experience, where they can see, hold, touch,
and try on merchandise before buying.
Ecommerce famously has had a negative impact on stores and shopping malls, and many observers hold ecommerce chiefly responsible for the numerous store closures and downsizing of the past few years. The challenges ecommerce presents to real estate are complicated. However, we discern potential areas for growth in the retail CRE sector, especially for owner-users. Commercial real estate pundits who predict doom, gloom, and the eventual loss of retail assets’ value may be blinding themselves to today’s opportunities.
Mixed-use properties
Mixed-use properties are particularly well suited to these changing times. Retail owners have by now pruned their dead or dying properties and changed their focus to higher-growth retail and mixed-use projects (retaildive.com). The owner/user model, where the owner’s business occupies at least 51 percent of the net rentable square footage of a property, is eligible for advantageous SBA 504 loans. The commercial and residential combination is common for SBA-accepted properties, e.g., a retail business below and rental apartments above.
An SBA 504 loan we recently arranged for the acquisition of a mixed-use, three-story retail/residential building in Brooklyn, New York, is a good example. The buyer, Brooklyn Brokerage, is an independent Insurance agency that will occupy the ground-floor commercial unit and a second-floor apartment unit for the business, and lease a third-floor apartment unit for additional income from the property. this type of small storefront building with apartments above and retail below is a common sight in New York City. The commercial ground floor usually occupies less square footage than the residential portion above. Urban infill markets with walkable retail such as the property described above, offer generally stable opportunities, especially when they are well well-maintained, and storefronts are visible from the street.
“Total Commerce”
As retail evolves at a rapid pace, shopping today is an anytime, anywhere, 24/7 activity. The boundaries between brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce are blurring for general merchandisers. No longer this-or-that, either/or, it is one, total commerce ecosystem, and smart retailers will keep up with the trend. “The message needs to be: This is how consumers are choosing to shop. We need to be there in whatever way they want us to be,” according to cnbc.com.
Many online retailers are now finding it profitable to open brick-and-mortar outposts that complement and facilitate their online sales and deliveries. As these sellers scale up, the move from “click to brick” is necessary for continued growth. Digital native brands will open approximately 850 physical stores over the next five years, according to a report by JLL on more than 100 top online retailers. Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods is part of this trend, as well as its physical retail sites Amazon Books, Amazon Go, AmazonFresh Pickup, Amazon Pop-Up stores, and Amazon Hubs for package pick-ups and drop-offs, with plans to open hundreds more. A recent study by ICSC indicated that when native online retailers open brick-and-mortar stores, they experience a 45 percent increase in online traffic in that market area.
Further timely investment opportunities are emerging from the repurposing of abandoned big box stores and retail malls to create spaces for ecommerce warehousing and fulfillment operations.
Service Retail
Retailers know that one key to differentiating their businesses and attracting new and loyal customers is to deliver superior customer service, beginning with the first-time potential buyers walk in to their stores. The key is to develop a relationship with the buyer that will translate into repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Service retail will never go out of style, but it is evolving in line with today’s market conditions. According to retaildive.com, store closures have peaked by now, and physical retailers are going all out to compete by reinvesting in their stores.
The retail-as-a-service concept has expanded to experience-driven retail that creates an attractive, even entertaining atmosphere that fosters a sense of social community. Retail Prophet CEO Doug Stephens has define the concept as “hosting brands in a space that is curating that space in a very particular way, employing great design, creating great online content,” as well as great staffing, merchandising and analytics. For example, the online furniture retailer Wayfair is opening a store with showrooms and displays that will include interior designers to help customers make choices (Bloomberg.com). Other owner-users are converting industrial-type properties, such as abandoned big box stores, into mixed-use office and ecommerce fulfillment centers.
Retail innovations
Retailers are experimenting with technology, location size and various customer services. In line with the function of stores meeting consumers’ desire to see, hold and touch a product before buying, the retail chain b8ta’s 15 stores, plus one in Macy’s in New York City, serve as presentation centers for consumer electronics and other innovative products. Some chain retailers are downsizing their stores, including Ikea and Nike. The Nike Live concept has localized products and an intimate feel, with an emphasis on mobile technology and tie-ins for NikePlus members.
Another great example: Nordstrom was losing traffic in its department stores due to the popularity of its online sales. It is expanding its service-hub Nordstrom Local concept that combines several of its most popular or highly demanded services under one roof to serve customers in their own local markets. The boutique stores have no inventory; customers can pick up online orders. “Local” isn’t a mini-Nordstrom store; according to forbes.com, it’s “a wholly new offering seeking to meet customers where they [a]re in a remarkable, intensely customer relevant way.”
Financing
Another great example: Nordstrom was losing traffic in its department stores due to the popularity of its online sales. It is expanding its service-hub Nordstrom Local concept that combines several of its most popular or highly demanded services under one roof to serve customers in their own local markets. The boutique stores have no inventory; customers can pick up online orders. “Local” isn’t a mini-Nordstrom store; according to forbes.com, it’s “a wholly new offering seeking to meet customers where they [a]re in a remarkable, intensely customer relevant way.”
Brick-and-mortar retail properties continue to evolve in many ways, and, we believe, will offer more and more options for investors. When it comes to financing mixed-use properties with retail components, the SBA 504 program has advantages that no other can equal, including 90 percent LTV (loan-to-value ratio) financing, a low fixed rate, and up to 25-year terms. We specialize in helping borrowers though the SBA 504 loan process to ensure success. When you work with an experienced SBA lender like Liberty SBF, you can be confident that we will anticipate any problems and help you overcome any potential obstacles.
Interest rates are low, and now is the time to lock in your fixed-rate SBA 504 loan. Contact Liberty SBF, and we can get the job done in 45 days or less.
Small businesses, banks, and investors warmly received the SBA’s 25-year loan program, launched in July 2018. In June, less than a year later, the total amount lent reached $1.04 billion, exceeding the $1 billion goal for the first year. The numbers represents 1,289 fixed-rate SBA 504 loans to U.S. small businesses.
Also: Read our article on what the 25-year term means to business owners.
Senior Housing Needed for Middle-Income Boomers
Senior housing today is unaffordable for middle-income retiree such as nurses, schoolteachers, firefighters and steel workers, and they will have too much income to qualify for Medicaid. Aging boomers also want more amenities and independence, and as-needed healthcare than earlier generations. Real estate investors, developers, owners and operators need to innovate fast. Some proposed solutions include tax incentives, repurposing existing real estate like former malls and big-box retail, designing for construction, operational efficiency and cost savings, and volunteer caregivers.
Rising Costs of Mandated Hotel PIPs
Nearly every hotel deal comes with a mandated, formal property improvement plan (PIP) that addresses every aspect of the hotel from mechanical systems and plumbing to lighting, landscaping, and parking. PIPs are increasingly costly, as branded hotels have become more aggressive in their PIP requirements. The PIP can be negotiable, especially for sellers and buyers who have existing relationships with the brand. Negotiating PIPs early on can directly increase profits for sellers and lower the costs for buyers.
US Retailers Strive to Differentiate Offline Channels
A recent study by Avison Young describes the challenges online retailers present to offline retail distributors in the US. As Amazon creates a shopping environment unrestricted by time, place, and product, some department store chains have improved offline sales by stepping up customer-friendly services. For example, Nordstrom is expanding its service-hub Nordstrom Local concept that combines several of its most popular or highly demanded services under one roof to serve customers in their own local markets.
How Can We Help You?
Liberty SBF offers quick closings for SBA 504 and conventional loans. We’d love to help you.
The Latest Commercial Real Estate News From Liberty SBF
The 18 CRE Trends That’ll Dominate 2019
Prognostication is always a risky business, but nevertheless, Bisnow found some industry experts willing to play Nostradamus for the coming year. A few predicted highlights include a continued boom in industrial demand from eCommerce, rising interest rates, and record-breaking hotel occupancy. Check out the full list.
Flexible Space Sees Major Growth
As technology changes the way people live, work and commute, investors are increasingly looking to invest in buildings with a high percentage of flexible space, reports GlobeSt. In fact, JLL recently noted that office flex grew by 29% in 2017, and is likely to grow by more than 25% in 2018.
Just Closed! $1.5M SBA 504 Loan for Retail Space in New York
Liberty is happy to announce that we’ve just closed a $1.5 million SBA 504 loan for the acquisition of a retail property in the Glendale neighborhood of Queens, NY.
Industrial Construction to Swell in Chicago
Similar to the national market, Chicago has seen record-breaking industrial construction in the last few years, including finishing 19 million SF in 2016 and 22.6 million SF in 2017. Though growth hasn’t been as strong in 2018, experts believe it will ramp up again soon in response to increasing demand from users and investors.
Liberty Funds More Than $39 Million in Recent Industrial Acquisitions
Recently, Liberty has funded more than $39 million in industrial and warehouse acquisitions for business owners taking advantage of some of the hottest industrial markets in the country.
2018 Prediction Scorecard
We’ve got to give it to the folks at Bisnow for being willing to assess the accuracy of their predictions from last year. From a booming industrial sector to leisure travel-focused hotels to senior housing, they gave themselves a passing grade. Maybe that means good things for their 2019 predictions?
How Can We Help You?
Liberty SBF is the #1 ranked non-bank SBA 504 lender by volume in the country. We offer personal service for SBA 504, bridge and conventional loans. We’d love to help you.
