Many businesses benefit greatly from the tried-and-true method of obtaining finance, wherein lenders focus primarily on the company’s cash flow. Yet, while a company’s ability to borrow money is determined by its cash flow, some others may also be able to borrow money depending on the value of their assets. One option that may work better for them is asset-based lending. Accounts receivable, bank, real estate, LLC, and even trademarks and intellectual property are all acceptable forms of collateral for obtaining asset-based lending, allowing your business access to much-needed funding. Access to large amounts of funding in a covenant-light structure may be made available to businesses with substantial assets through asset-based lending. This type of loan also allows borrowers more strategic flexibility than traditional finance. In this article, we will see the reviews of asset-based lending.
What Is Asset-Based Lending?
The term “asset-based lending” describes a type of business financing in which the borrower pledges the borrower’s company’s assets as security. It’s a quick and easy way for a business to get at the cash it needs to operate, like the money sitting in accounts receivable, equipment, and inventory. Revolving credit facilities backed by a company’s assets enable consistent borrowing to meet continuous cash-flow needs, whether for working capital, capital expenditures, or some combination of the two. Companies that have exhausted their available bank credit may turn to asset-based lending to help them continue operations and expand.
Furthermore, companies that turn to asset-based lending frequently find themselves in a monetary bind, with many instances of this being the result of the company’s explosive expansion. Rapidly expanding businesses often struggle to keep up with their workloads and end up financially unstable.
Due to the lender’s ability to recoup some or all of their losses in the event of a borrower failure, interest rates for asset-based lending are lower than those on unsecured loans.
Both “commercial finance” and “asset-based lending” can be used interchangeably to refer to this type of loan.
How Does Asset-Based Lending Work?
To get eligible for asset-based lending, a business must first have its financial and physical assets assessed. On the basis of the findings of the review and stock valuation, the bank will decide what kinds of assets can be used as collateral and what percentage of advances can be made against those assets. After then, the bank will keep an eye on a company’s holdings to make sure everything is in order. In order to maintain loan eligibility, a corporation must have a certain level of cash on hand.
Lines of credit and loans are common ways for businesses to get the money they need on a regular basis. For instance, a company still requires liquid assets to cover payroll costs during a period of weak business, such as when payments are temporarily delayed.
The physical assets of a firm may serve as collateral to secure a loan from a bank that practices asset-based lending even if the company does not have sufficient liquid assets or cash flow to cover the debt. Manufacturing enterprises borrow against unsold inventory and accounts receivable to improve cash flow and working capital.
What Are the Examples of Asset-Based Lending?
Asset-based lending can make use of many various types of collateral. Depending on the type of collateral your company has on hand, some of the most frequent types of asset-based lending are as follows:
#1. Real Estate
Any real estate that a company owns, whether it be retail or manufacturing space, land that is owned by a development company, or any other real estate property, can be considered a fixed asset that is eligible for asset-based lending in certain circumstances. This includes both commercial and residential real estate. Nonetheless, the majority of the time, these circumstances are complicated and require careful consideration on an individual basis.
If you want to use your real estate assets as collateral for an asset-based loan, the first thing you’ll need to do is seek an impartial appraisal to figure out the property’s current market value as well as any appreciations that have occurred.
Also, to use your home as collateral for a business loan, you must have paid off most of the mortgage.
Only the real equity in your real estate assets can be taken into consideration by asset-based lenders. Real equity refers to the components of the property that you have completely paid for and own wholly. You are unable to utilize the value of your property that is secured by a mortgage as collateral since your mortgage provider already has first rights to the value of your property in the event that your business fails or you default on your loan.
#2. Accounts Receivable
Receivables with terms of 30 to 90 days are acceptable collateral for asset-based lending if you run a service business that bills its customers. The larger your company’s outstanding receivables, the larger of a loan you would be eligible for. The more money your company invoices and the more important those invoices are, the greater the loan you can get.
Invoice financing is a type of asset-based lending in which invoices serve as security; it is distinct from invoice factoring. A factoring lender buys your outstanding bills for a set price and collects from your consumers.
After they recover all of your debt, your AR will be paid in full, less a fee. As a result, invoice factoring is a sale rather than a loan, unlike an asset-based loan secured by accounts receivable.
#3. Machinery and Tools
You may be able to use practically any piece of machinery or equipment that your company has as qualifying collateral for asset-based lending, such as an equipment loan or a loan for a business vehicle. This includes manufacturing equipment, automobiles, commercial kitchen appliances, and computer systems.
In general, the larger the value of the fixtures that are owned by your company, the greater the amount of money that you would be eligible to borrow. To be qualified to use your equipment as collateral for an asset-backed loan, however, you must first fully own it before applying for such a loan. To be more clear, you as an individual should not own that equipment but rather your company should.
#4. Inventory
Whether you’re in the industrial, wholesale, or retail industries, you probably have some inventory sitting around.
In this scenario, inventory can be used as security for a loan through asset-based lending, with the loan amount secured by the inventory’s estimated future sales value as determined by an appraisal from an asset-based lender.
The inventory can then be used to secure the loan. On the other hand, if you are unable to keep up with your loan payments and go into default, your asset-based lender can take back the stock in question (or stock of equal value) to satisfy the obligation.
Real Estate Asset-Based Lending
Unless you have access to a large sum of money, real estate investing is likely to be a failure for you. A good option for investors is asset-based lending, which allows for quick access to capital. In addition, asset-based lending may be better than a bank loan for a quick real estate investment.
Furthermore, In many areas, home and apartment prices are rising again, and some have even surpassed their pre-housing-crisis peaks. San Francisco, New York, and Boston’s high housing costs make it hard for many people to qualify for a mortgage. Real estate investors have encountered similar demands, especially if they have mortgage debt from other properties. Yet, in recent years, a new form of real estate finance has evolved, allowing investors to qualify for financing based on the cash flow possibilities of a property rather than on their own personal income.
As a result of the rise of asset-based lending, both small and large real estate investors now have the chance to profit from the booming rental market. Despite rent increases of up to 15% annually in some regions, cash flow remains the primary determinant of a property’s value and hence of its ability to attract financing.
Lenders that base their decisions on an investor’s assets rather than their credit scores can go past the applicant’s credit history and income when deciding whether or not to make a loan. Also, read Business Valuation: All you need to know.
How Does Real Estate Asset-Based Lending Work?
The borrower’s creditworthiness and the borrower’s liquid assets are taken into account when determining the loan amount in asset-based lending. Asset-based lending for real estate does not consider the borrower’s credit history or income level like many other loan options do. Asset-based loans, often known as bridge loans, usually last between 12 and 24 months. Also, investors and business property buyers alike might benefit from this sort of borrowing.
To secure funding from a hard money lender, a borrower will typically use real estate as security. The following factors will be considered by the hard money lender before extending credit:
- Collections Accounts Receivable
- Collateral in the form of the borrower’s existing real estate
- Equipment
- Inventory
The liquidity potential of the borrower’s current holdings is evaluated. Expected revenues are riskier because the borrower is not supporting the loan with personal income or liquid assets. So, the interest rate on a hard money loan is probably going to be greater than the interest rate on a loan from a regular bank.
The Advantages of Real Estate Asset-Based Lending
Borrowers whose funds are fully or primarily invested in a single piece of property or a few separate projects will benefit greatly from this arrangement. In order to preserve their property acquisitions, rapidly expanding real estate companies generally need more finance. If you need funds to expand your real estate company, asset-based lending could be a good alternative for you.
In the following ways, asset-based lending aids the expansion of real estate entrepreneurs:
#1. Boost Your Real estate Agency
Growing a real estate investing enterprise requires the investment of funds. The available resources could be depleted rapidly during rapid expansion or growth. Real estate asset-based lending can let you keep expanding your business while you wait for additional revenue.
#2. Get Money Rapidly
Traditional loans typically have a longer processing time than asset-based loans. They have fewer underwriting standards, involve less paperwork, and can be closed in a shorter amount of time. Investors who need to cover their costs before receiving new money will benefit greatly from this rapid turnaround time.
#3. Investments in Real Estate Benefit From Asset-Based Lending
Asset-based real estate lending now makes it possible for anyone with a viable investment property to finance it using primarily other people’s money, which is great news for new investors who just want to invest in a rental property as a way to supplement their income or for seasoned investors who want to build their portfolio.
Asset-based lending can save real estate investors with too much mortgage debt or little income from conventional lenders. An asset-based lender in the real estate market is more likely to make a loan if it is shown that the expected income from an investment property would be more than the monthly mortgage payment and other costs.
#4. Overcoming a Foreclosure or Poor Credit
Getting a loan from a traditional bank may be tough if you have bad credit or a foreclosure. You can get the money you need in another way thanks to asset-based lending.
Real estate asset-based lending is advantageous since it provides capitalists with opportunities they might not have had access to otherwise.
Asset-Based Lending LLC
In addition to its home state of New Jersey, Asset-Based Lending LLC also operates in eight other states around the country. New construction loans, hard money refinancing loans, investment property loans, private commercial loans, short-term loans, and fix-and-flip hard money loans are just some of the loan options they provide. Loans from $75,000 to $2,000,000 have a maximum LTV of 65% and 9%–12% interest rates for 1 year. While applying for a loan with them, a certain credit score is not necessary. They focus on financing single-family homes, multi-family dwellings, and properties with a mixture of uses.
A loan scheme that relies on daily monitoring of accounts receivable and inventories is labor intensive. In addition, to reduce fraud in this type of lending, banks need experienced and skilled employees.
What is ABS vs ABL?
Both asset-backed securities (ABS) and asset-based lending (ABL) are examples of financial products that are sometimes confused with one another due to the similarities between the two words. “Asset-based” and “asset-backed” money are used interchangeably to refer to money secured by asset pools or property.
What Is the Advantage of Asset-Based Lending?
Now that you understand the basics of asset-based lending, you may be asking who would choose this over other forms of finance. A large number of your company’s assets must be pledged as collateral to qualify for one of these loans.
Also, asset-based financing is an option for debtors rejected by regular financial institutions. For this reason, it’s possible that an asset-backed loan will meet your company’s requirements.
Hence, let’s go over some of the examples in which asset-based lending may be useful:
#1. Asset-Based Lending Is Easier to Obtain
The most obvious advantage of asset-based lending is its accessibility; borrowers with less-than-perfect personal or corporate credit can nonetheless qualify for adequate funding. Asset-based lending is better than bank loans because it doesn’t require a good credit score, financial history, debt-to-income ratio, etc. Putting up collateral guarantees the lender will get their money back if you default. Also, if your company has solid financials, marketable inventory and products, and a track record of timely bill payment, securing a [asset-based loan] should be quite simple.
#2. They Have a Quicker Approval and Funding Process
Unlike traditional term loans from a bank or credit union, asset-based lending is typically approved and funded much more swiftly. When you need money quickly for things like rapid expansions or increased production, asset-based loans can give that money considerably more quickly than conventional lending vehicles.
#3. Lower Involuntary Risk Rating
To secure repayment in the case of loan default, many conventional lenders would require you to sign a personal guarantee or pledge personal assets in addition to business assets. The risk to you personally is lower with asset-based lenders since they are keener on the worth of certain assets on your company’s balance sheet.
It’s best to double-check with your lender, but asset-based lenders often don’t need borrowers to provide a personal guarantee.
#4. Innovative Methods of Funding
Lines of credit structured as asset-backed loans can be an excellent source of finance for companies experiencing liquidity problems. Credit lines let you borrow money when you need it without paying interest on the money you don’t utilize.
In addition, you can use that money for working capital, business expansion, product purchases, employee salaries, and more.
Whenever you apply for a loan, the lender will likely want to know how the money will be used, and their policies on what qualifies as a loan will vary. Asset-based lending, on the other hand, allows for greater leeway in how the borrowed money is spent than traditional company loans such as those provided by banks.
Disadvantages of Asset-based Lending
The biggest problems with asset-based lending are
#1. Future Lenders Might Not Favor Asset-Based Loans
You can acquire quick finance for your business with an asset-based loan even if your credit isn’t great, but other lenders may view this as a red flag if you ever need more money. Limiting the size and number of asset-based lending you accept is a common strategy for lowering this risk. Other lenders may view small enterprises that rely too much on asset-based lending as risk-takers..
#2. Fees Apply to Asset-Based Lending
Studies warned that there may be hidden costs associated with asset-based loans. One example is a charge for repaying the loan early. Most asset-based loans come with ‘unused fees,’ which could increase the effective cost of a credit. If a company borrows $2 million on the security of its assets but will only use $1 million in the following 24 months, it may be subject to an “unused fee” on the remaining $1 million.
#3. Credit Risk Is Inherent in Asset-Based Loans
Both your personal and corporate credit will suffer if you default on an asset-based loan. The most glaring disadvantage is the potential loss of both personal and company assets should you be unable to repay the loan, as well as the resulting damage to your credit.
Conclusion
When your company needs immediate access to working capital, asset-based lending is a solid option. There are strict limits on asset-based lending compared to a conventional bank loan and the interest rates are higher than those of other forms of receivables-based lending (such as Factoring).
With asset-based financing, you may keep your accounts receivable and other assets while gaining access to capital that can be used to keep the business running as usual, fund expansion initiatives, or any combination of the three.
FAQs
Is asset-based lending risky?
Yes, it’s kinda risky. Asset-based lending carries higher interest rates than regular bank loans and may lose collateral if the deal fails.
How do you qualify for asset-based lending?
An organization’s financial and physical assets will be evaluated to determine its viability as collateral for asset-based lending. After an assessment and inventory value, the bank will set advance rates and suitable collateral.
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