Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals

What Trump's Policies Mean for Appraisals for SBA Loan Purposes

Posted by Equipment Appraisal Services on Tue, Feb 07, 2017 @ 09:15 AM

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With the inauguration of President Trump, we can expect to see changes in how business is done in our country. One area that may be impacted is appraisals for SBA loan purposes. Will you need to have equipment values to get a loan? Will having a machinery valuation from a certified equipment appraiser improve your chances of being approved? Let's take a look at some signs of what may lie ahead in Trump's administration.

What Trump's Policies Mean for Appraisals for SBA Loan Purposes

As a businessman, President Trump has regularly mentioned his plan to grow the economy and American way of life through the promotion and growth of domestic businesses of all sizes. Many people are hoping that this will translate into policy changes that benefit small business owners and entrepreneurs, especially with positive changes in the Small Business Administration. Unlike several of his more controversial appointments, the President's appointment of Linda McMahon to head the organization was approved by an overwhelming majority of 18-1 by the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

But what does this mean? It could suggest that neither side finds any problem with McMahon, which could be good or bad. She could promote strong changes in the SBA, or she could simply keep it business as usual, making her a non-threat to the establishment in Congress. That being said, she has shown the ability to grow a small regional business into a multi-national corporation, so she may be able to shake out some of the existing bureaucracy in favor of effective updates to the administration.

If the changes favor more available SBA-backed loans, businesses that would otherwise not be approved may find themselves able to apply for these loans, though the conservative backing that brought President Trump into office may not approve of risky investments that bring back memories of the sub-prime mortgage market. If the approach remains the same, with a business-as-usual approach, borderline businesses may need additional documentation of asset worth to qualify for loans.

Beyond any potential changes the new administration may bring, having an equipment appraisal performed on your equipment provides a number of other benefits. It helps provide documentation of equipment values for insurance, financial, legal and tax agency circles, when performed by a certified equipment appraiser. Because the certification process teaches the proper methodologies to use in particular situations, which have been tested over time, the appraisal reports produced by such an appraiser stand up to strong scrutiny. This report could serve as documentation of value to help secure an SBA loan by proving the assets you can already bring to bear for your company. It also helps you back up insurance claims, fight bad property tax assessments or prove asset value from a charitable donation.

Regardless of what changes may be coming to the Small Business Administration with the new administration, equipment appraisals for SBA loan purposes are always a good idea. An equipment appraisal report gives you concrete proof of value for your machinery that will stand up in legal, insurance, tax and financial circles.

Tags: appraisal, Trump, sba loan

How does Bank Financing Collateral Really Work?

Posted by Equipment Appraisal Services on Tue, Jan 03, 2017 @ 03:02 PM

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When you're expanding or improving your business, it's important to understand the terms of your financing agreement. With changes in the banking industry since the 2008 recession and bailouts, many businesses are looking at bank financing collateral as a possible option to consider. But how does it really work and will it cause problems down the road for your company? In this post, we'll take a solid look at how equipment appraisals should be a part of your toolkit when approaching bank financing involving collateral.

How does Bank Financing Collateral Really Work?

Banks require collateral as an insurance policy, so that they can regain any losses from a loan default by selling the collateral to make up the balance due. Though immovable assets are typically thought of as assets such as real estate, large equipment that is difficult to remove may also be considered this type of asset. Smaller pieces of equipment or equipment that is more easily moved is considered a movable asset. The bank may require that you provide a high amount or all of these assets as collateral to secure a loan. But at the same time, you don't want to risk any more of your equipment, often the very source of your income, than is absolutely necessary. What can you do to both protect your interests in your business while providing the bank with the financing it needs? One possibility is through an equipment appraisal.

Equipment appraisals are reports prepared that calculate the value of a piece or a lot of machinery. If they're prepared by a certified equipment appraiser, the report will stand up to much higher levels of scrutiny than a report or general quote developed by a dealership or other party. Why? Because a certified appraiser is taught specific, standardized methodologies to calculate the machine's value, a report prepared by them is considered more accurate and reliable than other methods of determining equipment value. These methodologies have been scrutinized in legal proceedings, financial circles, insurance claims and tax agencies and have evolved into a nationally-recognized set of standards - the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). 

When you have an accurate valuation performed, you have a solid figure you can take to the bank when negotiating the terms of your financing. Because the report has been provided by a certified appraiser, the bank officers know that it's an accurate representation of your equipment's worth. That means that you can choose which piece of equipment you're willing to put into the agreement as collateral and which ones to protect from risk.  An accredited appraiser through organizations like the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) with the Machinery & Technical Specialties (MTS) designation must provide unbiased appraisal reports that all parties can rely on.

As you can see, using machinery valuation as part of your process for agreeing to bank financing collateral requirements can help ensure that you're only putting as much of your business assets as are necessary. Using a certified equipment appraiser helps ensure that not only are you getting accurate equipment values, but that the valuation report with stand up to strict scrutiny by your financial institution.

 

Tags: bank financing collateral, bank loan, used equipment, sba loan