Industry data
Financing for commercial property owners: what the loan data shows
202 SBA 7(a) loans went to commercial property owners recently, at a median of $723,200. The lenders that make them, the terms they write, and what underwriters look at.
202 SBA 7(a) loans went to commercial property owners in the most recent fiscal years, at a median of $723,200 over 25 years. 63.4% went to new or under-two-year-old businesses, and the most active lender was Wells Fargo Bank.
What a commercial property owner loan actually looks like
These are approvals, not advertised ranges. Computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30.
| Measure | Commercial property lessors | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026 | 202 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $723,200 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $328,875 - $1,479,250 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 25 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 8.50% | 10.25% |
| Share to new businesses | 63.4% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 | 2.1% | 7.1% |
What stands out
Reading these figures against all 7(a) borrowers:
- Loans here run larger than average. The median of $723,200 is 382% above the $150,000 national median. Expect lenders in this market to be geared toward bigger deals, and expect a small request to get less attention.
- New businesses do well here. 63% of these loans went to startups or businesses under two years old, against 34% nationally — an unusually open market if you have no trading history.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 27% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Rates run lower here. The median initial rate of 8.50% is 1.75 points below the 10.25% national median, which usually tracks loan size and perceived sector risk rather than geography.
- This market has performed well. Its FY2010-2019 charge-off rate of 2.1% is below the 7.1% overall figure, which is part of why lenders compete for it.
- Terms are long, at a median of 25 years, which almost always means real estate is securing a large share of these loans.
Which lenders actually fund commercial property owners
Ranked by loans approved in this niche. The median, startup share and rate describe each lender's own loans to commercial property owners, not its national averages — which is how you spot a genuine specialist.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 27 | $855,000 | 56% | 6.84% |
| Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC | 18 | $1,337,500 | 56% | 10.50% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 9 | $814,900 | 78% | 8.50% |
| The Bancorp Bank | 8 | $811,900 | 62% | 9.25% |
| U.S. Bank | 6 | $2,121,500 | 83% | 7.13% |
| Live Oak Banking Company | 6 | $1,000,000 | 17% | 8.75% |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 6 | $136,500 | 100% | 10.88% |
| Banco Popular de Puerto Rico | 6 | $199,650 | 100% | 10.25% |
| Byline Bank | 5 | $1,319,000 | 80% | 10.75% |
| TD Bank | 4 | $142,500 | 25% | 10.12% |
Where these businesses borrow
Most active states for commercial property owners: California (31), Texas (17), New York (12), Florida (9), Pennsylvania (9), Minnesota (8).
Which financing fits
| Product | Fit for this sector | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| SBA 504 | Strong fit — real estate is carrying these deals | 6.0% - 7.5% effective, fixed |
| SBA 7(a) | The dominant vehicle in this niche | 10.0% - 14.0% APR |
| Commercial mortgage | If you are buying the building | 6.5% - 9.5% APR |
| Equipment financing | For the hard assets, often cheaper separately | 7.0% - 30.0% APR |
| Business acquisition loan | If you are buying an existing operation | 10.0% - 14.0% APR |
Before you apply
- Check coverage first. Run the payment through the affordability calculator at 1.25x.
- Shortlist from the lender table, favouring ones whose median loan here is close to what you need.
- Assemble the documents — see the checklist.
- If you are buying rather than starting, read business acquisition loans first; the injection rules and diligence are different.