All You Need to Know About 100% LTV Commercial Real Estate Financing

100% commercial real estate financing is possible. Let’s take a look at what lenders look for when determining your eligibility.

This type of loan is used solely for income producing properties and is not for residential use. Some of the types of properties that you can obtain a 100% LTV commercial real estate financing for include shopping centers, retail malls, hotels, complexes and office buildings. Independent lenders and home mortgages are actively making loans on commercial real estate. Additional lending companies are pension funds, insurance companies, private investors and SBA loans. A small percentage of preferred lenders offer 100% LTV commercial real estate financing for owner occupied commercial properties—meaning that your business must occupy at least 51% of the property. This SBA loan is for established businesses only.

A mortgage is typically loaned to an individual borrower. Commercial real estate loans, on the other hand, provide loans to entities which include corporations, developers, funds, trusts and limited liability partnerships, all of whom are formed specifically to own commercial real estate. If the entity does not have a verifiable credit rating or financial track record, then the financial organization may want the principal’s personal guarantees. In the event of a default on the loan, the lender will look at the loan guarantors to recover the funds. If you obtain a loan without a personal guarantor, the lender cannot seek recourse with the principals.

Loan repayment schedules differ from one type of loan to the other. Residential loans are repaid over the term of the loans and are amortized over the life of the loan. Commercial loans range from five years to twenty years and the amortization period is usually longer than the loan. The lender will charge an interest rate depending on the term of the loan and the amortization schedule. Additional considerations for the interest rate are the borrower’s credit strength and the negotiable terms. Higher interest rates will normally be charged on longer term loans.

Loan to Value Ratios

Loan to value ratios are another way to differentiate commercial loans from residential. This is a figure that measures the loan to value (LTV) against the property. The lower the LTV for both commercial and residential loans, the more favorable interest rates the borrower will qualify for. The reason is that the more equity the borrower has in the acquisition property, the less risk the lender needs to assume. Commercial loan’s LTV fall into the 65% to 80% range. The rates will differ depending on the loan type, such as raw land versus rehabbed land. This means, of course, that you will usually be paying a higher interest rate for 100% LTV commercial real estate financing.

DSCR stands for Debt Service Ratio and is one of the ratios lenders consider when approving loans.

Lenders will look at the properties ability to service the debt by looking at the ability of the commercial property to service the debt, including interest. This is known as the Debt Service Ratio (DSCR). If the DSCR is less than 1 then this indicates a negative cash flow. Lenders look for loans with a DSCR of 1.25 or greater. Unlike residential loans, commercial loans carry higher interest rates. There are additional fees added to the overall cost of the loan which differs from residential loans. Some of the fees include appraisal, loan application, legal, survey fees and origination fees. Some of these costs are upfront fees. Restrictions may be built into the loan for disallowing prepayment of the loan. This is an important consideration as many investors are looking to turn properties quickly and a prepayment penalty can significantly affect the bottom line. If you’re looking for commercial real estate financing, call us at Level 4 funding for a no-obligation quote.



Dennis Dahlber Broker Ri CEO Level 4 Funding LLC
Dennis Dahlberg

Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC 
Hard Money Lender

Hard Money Loans

Hard Money Loan

Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444

Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177

Dennis@level4funding.com

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO


NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378

22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave | Austin | Texas | 78701  

About the Author:  Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true. Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 43 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

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