Franchise Financing

Sunday, March 21, 2010

How To Look At Your Franchise Financing Options

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So you've decided to start working for yourself; congratulations! Being self-employed can be a wonderful thing. Franchising is one of the very best ways to go into business for yourself, but you'll need financing for your new start-up.

If you intend on obtaining financing for your new business venture, start looking at your franchise financing options now. It can take longer than you think to apply and wait for an approval.

Home Equity Loans: This is the least expensive and easiest commercial loan option, generally speaking. If you own your home and have some equity built up in it, you can get a home loan in around a month.

A line of credit loan will allow you to draw checks upon this loan as expenses arise. Remember to include you loan payment as a business expense when doing your financial statements.

Your Retirement Account: This is a lesser known franchise financing option. Companies exist who are in the business of converting your retirement account's funds from a retirement account into a fund for your business.

However, this is not the best choice for the risk averse - you are, after all using your retirement funds for this venture, so be cautious if you go this route.

SBA Loan: The Small Business Administration provides loans for start-up businesses; or rather, they give guarantees to banks for these loans. The SBA sets up the loan programs and determines who qualifies for these loans.

Keeping It In The Family: Suppose you have good credit but don't own your own home. You could (provided you can convince them) use the home of someone in your family as collateral for a SBA or other type of loan.

You'll still have to qualify for the loan of course, but this can be a way of getting collateral for the loan that your business needs.

Asset-Based Lenders: Using an asset-based lender is a possibility if you'll have to buy equipment and other items for your new business. You won't be able to finance all of the costs that you'll incur with one of these loans; there is, for instance, the franchise fee to be paid - but you'll need less cash on hand at the beginning this way.

You collateral for this sort of loan are your assets (equipment, etc.). Keep the interest rate in mid here; the interest rate will be higher for an asset-based loan than for a loan with collateral consisting of real estate.

Sell Stock In Your Corporation: This can take some doing, since you'll need the services of a lawyer to incorporate your new business venture, not to mention convince investors that buying into your start-up is a good idea.

You'll need a business plan which can excite investors, yet doesn't sugarcoat the potential risks of the venture.

There are a lot of franchise financing options available out there; these are just a few of the most commonly used ones. It is very important to consider your financing source when deciding whether to buy a franchise or begin any sort of new business.

(ArticlesBase SC #461278)

Kevin Sinclair - About the Author:

Labels: business franchise financing, financing franchise, franchise

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You Can Now Get Franchise Financing For Your New Business

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One of the main issues with starting a new business is getting the financing you need. Many people choose a franchise business because it allows them to have a turnkey operation and they do not have to worry about building a brand.

It is important that once you choose to open a franchise business you have the required capital that you need to be successful. It is hard opening any kind of business and when you are underfunded you have a higher chance of failure.

There are many places where you can get financing for your new franchise business. One of the most important things you will need is to have your business plan with you when you are searching for financing.

Find: Business Franchise Financing

Starting your own business is not an easy thing to do but it helps when you choose a franchise because you have a team of people that can help you with any obstacles you may have. When you go out on your own and start a business takes time for you to build a name brand that people can trust. Buying a franchise can be a great opportunity for you and if you find a well known name brand it can also be easy to get the financing you need.

Get: Free Franchise Advice

Remember that when you start a new franchise business you are going to need enough money to stay in business. Getting the financing is not hard but you must check around and see what are your best options. Usually with a well-known franchise you have a great chance of getting the money you need to be successful.

(ArticlesBase SC #1043921)

Bryan Burbank - About the Author:

Labels: business franchise financing, financing business, franchise financing

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Franchoice Offers Franchise Financing Tips for a Tough Economy

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EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – (November 11, 2008) Despite what you hear on the news about money being tight there are still plenty of ways to finance a franchise purchase, said Jeff Elgin, CEO of FranChoice, Inc., a national consultant company that helps individuals find their ideal fit in a franchise business.

“Financing will always be a crucial part of the process of becoming a franchisee and what you can afford – or borrow – will determine which businesses you focus your research on,” said Elgin. “The more you know about the various sources for finance help, the better decision you will make when it comes time to buy your business.”

The current economic situation has impacted the franchise financing process in a number of ways. “One change we are seeing,” said Elgin, “is that it can take longer to process your financing. For that reason, we recommend to our franchisee candidates that they being the process even before they start looking at individual business to buy.”

Another change is that lenders, once they approve you for a loan, want you to move on it more quickly. “Lenders are not going to leave credit commitments out there for weeks or longer. If you don’t take the money, they will lend it to someone else,” said Elgin.

Elgin suggests these tips for navigating the turbulent financial waters of the current economy:

Home equity financing, which was once a popular source of franchise lending, is more difficult to obtain these days. With home values falling, your lending institution may not be willing to loan you the money you need.

It’s still worth checking, particularly if you have a good relationship with your bank. Also, check out The Small Business Association (SBA) which guarantees loans for qualified individuals. One of their terms is that you must have some of your own money to invest.

You may also consider investing some of your retirement savings. An IRA or 401K account can often be used without incurring penalties. If you consider this as an investment in yourself, one you have control over, and compare it to what your retirement account is currently earning, this may be a good option.

If you are an honorably discharged military veteran, there are programs that may help you financially. VetFran is a program started by the International Franchise Association as a way to give back to those who have served in the military. More than 300 franchise companies participate and will offer substantial discounts on fees and expenses to those who served our country.

Also, there’s a government-established program called the Patriot Express Pilot Loan Initiative, whose purpose is to guarantee up to 85 percent of a loan made by a lending institution to a veteran or someone currently in the military and close to retirement. (Check the SBA website for eligibility requirements.)

MinorityFran offers incentives such as fee reductions to assist members interested in increasing the number of minorities in franchising. Check out the IFA website for more information at www.franchise.org.

Another financing option is to work with a company that specializes in facilitating franchise financing, such as Guidant and FranFund . They can help you decide between a number of options or combine them into one loan package.

Keep in mind that your credit score is likely to be scrutinized even more carefully in the current economic environment. You’ll probably need a credit score above 700 so if that’s not the case, try to improve your score before trying to finance your business.

No matter which type of loan you use to finance your business, you’ll be required to pay a part of the costs in cash. This can come from savings or perhaps severance pay from a corporate job.

The best advice for planning for your franchise financing, according to Elgin, is to be very organized and prepared before you begin the process. Lenders will want to see your loan proposal including how and what the loan will be used for and why it is needed.

You will need to provide information about yourself and information about your company’s products and the market you will serve. The more research you have done, the better prepared you will be to find financing for your new franchise opportunity.

About FranChoice

FranChoice is a national network of consultants dedicated to helping consumers find their ideal match in a franchise business. Since 2000, FranChoice consultants have helped over 40,000 people identify and investigate the perfect franchise for them through their free service. For more information, go to www.franchoice.com.

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(ArticlesBase SC #636589)

Terrie Hall - About the Author:

Labels: franchise financing, franchise financing economy, franchoice financing

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