Business LendingBureau

504 lending data

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

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

Reviewed and updated · How we research this

Short answer

245 SBA 504 projects were approved in New Hampshire recently, at a median total project size of $795,000. The busiest CDC was Granite State Economic Development Corporation with 173 loans, and the most active first-mortgage bank was Primary 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 New Hampshire 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.
MeasureNew HampshireAll 504 borrowers
Projects approved24522,192
Median CDC portion$342,000$730,000
Median total project$795,000$1,642,000
Median term25 years25 years
Share to newer businesses17.1%16.5%
Charge-off rate, mature cohorts6.4%8.0%
Jobs supported2,056235,155

Which CDCs are active in New Hampshire

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 New Hampshire
CDC504 loans, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026
Granite State Economic Development Corporation173
Bay Colony Development Corporation35
Capital Regional Development Council26
New England Certified Development Corporation10

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 New Hampshire
Bank504 loans, fiscal years 2023 to 2026, using data released June 2026
Primary Bank32
Rockland Trust Company24
Savings Bank of Walpole17
Camden National Bank11
Kennebunk Savings Bank10
Bangor Savings Bank9
Bank of New Hampshire8
Union Bank8

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 New Hampshire, 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
Granite State Economic Development CorporationPrimary Bank19
Granite State Economic Development CorporationRockland Trust Company17
Granite State Economic Development CorporationSavings Bank of Walpole17
Capital Regional Development CouncilPrimary Bank13
Granite State Economic Development CorporationKennebunk Savings Bank10
Granite State Economic Development CorporationUnion Bank8
Granite State Economic Development CorporationM&T Bank Corporation8
Granite State Economic Development CorporationLedyard National Bank8

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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