Commercial Mortgages – Rates and Terms Feb 2022

There have been some big changes in the commercial mortgages sector recently, meaning lower rates and more completions for our clients.

Here’s a quick summary of how we see the market right now.

Affordability on commercial mortgages

This is a crucial consideration, so you are recommended to watch the video below. It explains what different lenders and rates are available.

Commercial mortgages for owner occupied businesses

This sector has been strong throughout COVID with rates from around 2.25% plus base.
We are placing most cases that come our way with LTV’s up to 75% LTV and a sweet spot of 65%.
The most critical common factor is that the business can demonstrate it has recovered from poor trading during COVID.
So recent accounts and management accounts are important – but so is the story and intention.

Mortgages for investment property

Residential blocks

Lenders generally love these. For high street lenders, the challenge has been getting the rental yield to stack up for their affordability requirements, which results in them only being able to raise circa 55 to 60% LTV because the deal won’t stand any higher due to affordability.
However, we now have lenders with far easier affordability criteria, quoting on residential blocks at around 3% plus base on capital and repayment or interest only loans. LTV’s are typically 70% – 75% LTV at a push.

Semi commercial – Mixed residential and retail/flats over shops

Before Christmas, there was a move to 70% LTV by one lender even if a good proportion of the rental income was from retail. However, the rates were very much in the specialist sector – 5% upwards. (Some lenders still won’t use rent from retail).
From this week, we have a lender accepting a mix of residential and retail or restaurants/bars at rates around 3% to 3.5% plus base. This is a massive shift and the affordability stacks up fine with yields of circa 6 to 6.5%. Look at 65% LTV for these rates.

Leisure/pubs and restaurants (with no residential element)

This has been a tough area for obvious reasons. Again, from this week, we have lenders looking at these with rates starting from 3.5% to 4%. Where there is no residential income, they will be looking closely at the strength of the tenants. If it is a single asset and single tenant, it will need to be a strong and established business. 65% LTV is the norm but we will push for higher if needed.

If there is a mix of tenants, eg pub, warehouse or office, the risk is spread and criteria is relaxed – even 5 year interest only deals are considered at rates circa 3.5%. For these lower rates, the minimum loan is circa £350K but we have lenders offering far lower amounts but at higher rates.

Commercial mortgages on multi units – trading estates

Some lenders love these (some don’t) and we are getting rates under 3% for good sized deals. The yields tend to be higher, which helps reach higher loan amounts.

Commercial mortgages for land and other quirky assets.

There is appetite, but not really from the mainstream lenders. So, it’s always worth picking up the phone and explaining what you want to achieve.

Bad credit commercial mortgages

The lenders you would want us to approach are looking for fairly clean cases, but explainable glitches are considered with an acceptable story and evidence.
Heavier adverse can be placed but at rates which may deter investors. For owner occupied, tell us the story and we will see what’s available.

Affordability summary

For the best rates from high street lenders, they will be looking for capital interest repayments and apply a heavy ICR and a higher stressed rate – so only the stronger cases get through. Having said that, the vast majority of our owner occupied business applications go with a high street lender with rates below 3%.
Where the affordability is more challenging, we have Tier Two lenders offering decent rates at 3% – 4% and they have much easier affordability criteria.
Then, of course, there are numerous Tier Three lenders with very generous affordability calculations to sweep up the rest of the business, with rates from circa 4.7% to 6%.

Commercial Loan size

We can get small loans placed below £100K without a problem. However, to get good rates (3% to 4%) they need to be an owner occupied business. In the investment sector there is also good appetite but rates will be around 5.5% to 6.5%.
Once we get to £125K to £150K there is more choice.
However, most of the business we are writing is between £350K and £2.5 million where we have a massive choice and strong appetite from lenders.

Development and Bridging

This sector remains very strong and we have placed some great quirky cases recently that 6 months ago would not have happened.
The scenarios are so varied that it’s always best to pick up the phone and chat it through.

We continue to give a great personal service going that extra mile for our brokers and their clients.
Get in touch and see what we can do for you.

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