Everything You Need To Know About Business Loan Brokers Before Hiring One

There’s a lot to consider when applying for a small business loan—specifically when it comes to the type, term, amount and the company you should work with. 

For owners who are new to the funding process, working with a business loan broker who can help you find the best loan may seem like an easy decision. However, it isn’t so cut and dry. 

In this guide, we’ll review everything you need to know about hiring a business loan broker, including what they are, how commercial loan brokers work for—and benefit—you, the costs of working with a broker, potential red flags and how to make sure a broker has your best interest at heart.

What Is a Business Loan Broker?

Simply put, brokers help small businesses like yours obtain loans. Brokers are a third party representative of the applicant acting as the middleman between the owner(s) and any lenders they’re negotiating with. 

They can work on an owners behalf with banks, credit unions, alternative financing companies and peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms. Brokers are independent, in the sense that a lender or bank does not employ them. 

Why Experience Is Important

Obtaining a business loan can come with a lot of questions, especially for first-time applicants. Small business owners who aren’t experienced with business financing may be tempted to work with a broker, assuming they’ll gain more leverage over a lender.

While the process is not as daunting as some would lead you to believe, having the support of an experienced professional in these scenarios is always beneficial. As with most forms of financing, there are pros and cons to consider, including the costs of working with a commercial loan broker and their experience and knowledge. 

Business loan brokers do more than negotiate. Aside from finding the best loan for your business, commercial brokers provide additional perks, including an assessment of your loan requirements, breaking down each of your potential financing options, sharing their outlook on prospective lenders (and their reputations) and assisting you with any required paperwork, applications or document submissions.

Because these professionals have brokered many different loan scenarios, they’ll be able to bring their perspectives and guidance to your business to find the best option.

How Working With a Commercial Business Loan Broker Benefits the Borrower

As with any service, there are pros and cons to working with a commercial loan broker. Before deciding whether or not to work with one, it’s in your best interest to weigh the good against the (potentially) bad.

Let’s first look at three of the greatest benefits gained by working with small business loan brokers:

1. Loan brokers can negotiate on your behalf.
2. Brokers save business owners time and effort that would otherwise be spent researching, applying and conferring with lenders.
3. Typically, commercial loan brokers have more experience in this specific area than the borrower. Loan brokers often have industry contacts. 

Of course, while there are advantages, we need to acknowledge some of the potential cons of working with loan brokers. 

1. Borrowers might not have room in their budget depending on the size of the loan they seek and the type of small business they run.
2. Even if you work with a loan broker, there’s no guarantee that your business will secure a loan with better rates than what you could have secured independently.
3. Loan brokers could lean too heavily on lender relationships, steering you into an agreement that was not the best offer available.

While we established a few of the advantages and disadvantages of working with a loan broker, there are still other essential elements you need to keep in mind, starting with how to evaluate an agent. 

Loan Broker Market Knowledge

Once you’ve calculated both the funding amount and type you’re seeking, finding the best loan brokers involves establishing which candidates have the most market knowledge and experience.

A loan broker who can prove their familiarity with the type of business you operate is likely to be the best match. Their familiarity means the loan broker knows the best types of loans you should apply for, what the application should include and which lenders could potentially be the best fit. 

Additionally, any financial market can experience volatility. Because of this, a good commercial loan broker needs to have knowledge of the market and how it shifts and changes over time. This understanding allows them to advise in any market condition. 

Rapport With the Loan Broker

Once you’ve settled on your short-list of small business loan brokers, it’s important to meet with them in person. Interacting with a loan broker face to face or over the phone gives you a better idea of how they treat their clients. Meeting with them can also give you a chance to verify their research and ask additional questions. 

If you don’t agree with some of the broker’s answers or opinions once you’re together, it’s best if you share your unease with the broker so they can address it or you don’t waste your time. 

Either way, it’s crucial that you trust your broker. You’re a prospective client who will ultimately be responsible for paying back the loan. It’s the duty of the loan broker to prove to you that they can help you secure the best rates and terms possible while still sticking to realistic goals.

Questions to Ask a Small Business Loan Broker

During your meetings with potential brokers, it’s important to do more than assess their client service offerings and your general level of comfort. 

Once you’ve reviewed your business’s goals and desired outcome with a potential loan, you need to ask about their privacy policies, which lenders the loan broker typically contacts and why, how quickly their process takes and what they charge (we’ll explore business loan broker costs more in-depth in the next section).

As an example, here are six questions to consider when you meet with a potential small business loan broker:

1. Do you make more money by working with specific lenders over others?

Whenever you consider working with a business loan broker, it’s important to understand their relationship with specific lenders. You want to know that, regardless of the commissions they stand to make on a given offer, they’ll pursue the deal that benefits you.

2. How much time will I have to make a decision?

Ideally, you should have a window of a few days before you’re required to make a decision. If the broker seems to be reticent to waiting a few days, this could be a cause for concern.

3. Will you sell my information to any third parties?

There’s a lot of opportunity in the data you provide to your loan broker. You want to know that you can trust them with everything.

4. What is the loan broker’s privacy policy?

A loan broker should always be upfront about what they do with a client’s personal information. If you suspect that a loan broker sells information to third parties, this is not a broker you want to work with.

5. What’s the total cost of my loan?

The cost of your loan will be determined by your business’s qualifications. The only difference is any fee incurred by working with a commercial business loan broker. It’s also possible that you will make regular payments to your broker instead of directly to your lender.

6. How many lenders will see my application?

The loan broker should be prepared to submit the application to multiple lenders. Multiple lenders mean more variety and more chances at discovering the best fit for your business.

Business Loan Broker Costs

A legitimate broker should be upfront about fees before reaching an agreement on any offers. If a broker is not upfront about their fees, then they are probably not a broker you should consider working with.

The amount each broker charges for their services varies based on expertise, size of the brokerage firm, borrower requirements and region. Typically, there are three ways a broker will charge for their services:

1. Requiring that you pay upfront 
2. Baking their fees into your lender agreement
3. Billing you after you’ve come to terms on a loan

Many business loan brokers will charge you just for utilizing their services.

With the notable exception of SBA loans, there isn’t much regulation dictating how much business loan brokers can charge. Therefore, it’s important to have a transparent discussion with your broker about what they typically charge their clients.

Establishing a budget for working with a broker is just as important as determining the amount you’re seeking in a loan. Having a number in mind can help narrow down the field of potential loan broker candidates.

How to Spot Potential Red Flags

Legitimate brokers will be transparent with you throughout the entire process, from initial discussion to the final agreement. 

As you conduct your research, look for these red flags: 

• Guarantees of getting a loan
  There’s no guarantee that an application will be approved. No legitimate broker will make this promise.
• No client references or reviews
  A lack of reviews or testimonials is a major red flag. A legitimate loan broker should be able to provide reviews or contact information for former clients willing to provide a testimonial.
• No contact information online
  Legitimate loan brokers will provide multiple avenues for clients to contact them. If it seems impossible to reach your broker, they may have promised something too good to be true.
• No credit check required
  All legitimate loan brokers must check their client’s credit score to find legitimate business loans and lenders.
• No privacy policy available
  A legitimate broker should be transparent about what they do with the client information they have access to.

Keeping the Borrower’s Best Interest in Mind

As with any important financial decision, there are several things to consider when looking for a small business loan. Exploring what a business loan broker can provide is just one of those considerations. 

If you don’t have the time to investigate funding options on your own, feel out of your depth or are having trouble finding a lender, a loan broker can be a huge asset. You can also rest assured knowing that the Borrower’s Bill of Rights protects you and your business from predatory lending practices. However, it’s still important to do your own research to ensure the broker you choose can help, while having your best interest at heart.