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504 lending data

Which CDC and which bank do you need for a 504 loan in Michigan?

The CDCs and first-mortgage banks that actually closed SBA 504 projects in Michigan, including which pairs work together most often.

Reviewed and updated · How we research this

Short answer

469 SBA 504 projects were approved in Michigan recently, at a median total project size of $1,348,792. The busiest CDC was Michigan Certified Development Corporation with 243 loans, and the most active first-mortgage bank was ChoiceOne Bank.

You need two lenders, not one

This is the thing that trips up most first-time 504 borrowers. A 504 project is a stack: a bank provides roughly 50% as a first mortgage, a Certified Development Company provides roughly 40% as an SBA-backed second mortgage, and you put in about 10%. Both institutions have to approve, and they have to be willing to work with each other.

What 504 lending in Michigan looks like

Computed from SBA 504 loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30, covering projects approved fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026.

Total project size is the CDC portion plus the reported third-party first mortgage. Charge-off rates use mature cohorts only.
MeasureMichiganAll 504 borrowers
Projects approved46922,192
Median CDC portion$605,000$730,000
Median total project$1,348,792$1,642,000
Median term25 years25 years
Share to newer businesses22.0%16.5%
Charge-off rate, mature cohorts9.3%8.0%
Jobs supported4,561235,155

Which CDCs are active in Michigan

CDCs are non-profits licensed by the SBA, and they are regional — most serve a defined territory. These are the ones actually closing projects here.

CDCs by 504 projects approved in Michigan
CDC504 loans, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026
Michigan Certified Development Corporation243
Great Lakes Commercial Finance174
Oakland County Business Finance Corporation34
Business Development Corporation (BDC)10
WBD, Inc2
Small Business Growth Corporation2

Which banks write the first mortgage

The bank half of the stack is a conventional commercial mortgage on the bank's own terms. A bank that has closed dozens of 504s knows the process; one that has closed none will add weeks.

Most active first-mortgage lenders on 504 projects in Michigan
Bank504 loans, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026
ChoiceOne Bank29
Mercantile Bank17
Consumers Credit Union16
The Dart Bank16
Financial Plus CU15
JPMorgan Chase Bank15
First State Bank14
Oxford Bank14

The pairings that actually close

This is the useful part, and it is not published anywhere else. Both lenders have to approve and coordinate two simultaneous closings. Pairs that have already done it together dozens of times are a materially smoother experience than assembling a new combination.

CDC and first-mortgage bank combinations that closed the most 504 projects together in Michigan, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026. Both institutions have to say yes for a 504 to fund, so pairs that already work together are the shortest path.
CDC (second mortgage)Bank (first mortgage)Projects together
Michigan Certified Development CorporationChoiceOne Bank21
Michigan Certified Development CorporationFinancial Plus CU15
Great Lakes Commercial FinanceConsumers Credit Union14
Michigan Certified Development CorporationFirst State Bank14
Michigan Certified Development CorporationMercantile Bank14
Oakland County Business Finance CorporationJPMorgan Chase Bank13
Michigan Certified Development CorporationThe Dart Bank12
Great Lakes Commercial FinanceOxford Bank10

How to use this

  1. Call two CDCs from the table above. Ask whether your project type and county are in their territory, and what their current turnaround is.
  2. Ask each CDC which banks they close with most. Compare their answer to the pairings table — if it matches, you are on a well-worn path.
  3. Check the occupancy rule before anything else. You must occupy at least 51% of an existing building, or 60% of new construction. Investment property is not eligible.
  4. Order the appraisal and Phase I environmental early. They are the most common cause of a delayed 504 closing.
  5. Understand the rate timing. The CDC portion prices at a debenture sale after closing, not at approval. See the rates page for current levels.

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