Types of businesses most and least likely to be approved for SBA loan
It;s well known that some types of small to medium size businesses are more likely to receive SBA loans than others.
We are indebted to George Heaslip, "The Loan Professor" for the following ranking. George is an independent SBA loan originator for many years experience. George is based in South Florida and be reached at (561) 329-1315 or by email gbh@mac.com.
Based on his experience and opinion, George periodically issues a ranking of business categories most and least likely to receive SBA loan application approval. It's a star rating method with five stars being the most likely to receive loan approval.
The list is updated quarterly and is the only one of its kind in the U.S. This ranking is as of April 2015.
*** A/C & Heating
** Advertising and Promotion
Zero Adult Merchandise
*** Agricultural Products and Plantings
** Aircraft Maintenance
**** Aircraft Flight Schools, with real estate
* Air Duct Cleaning** Alarm Systems, Residential and Industrial
** Amusement/Theme Parks established with real estate
**** Animal Care & Grooming, with real estate
**1/2 Animal Grooming, no real estate
** Antiques Dealer
Zero Apartment Houses, Strip Malls, all investor properties
*** Appliance Sales and Repairs
** Art Gallery/Dealer
** Arts and Crafts
** Art Framing
****1/2 Assisted Living Facilities with real estate
**** Auto Body & Repair Shop with real estate
**1/2 Auto Body & Repair, leased facility
*** Auto Car Wash, with real estate
** Auto BrokerZero Auto Car Wash, no real estate
**** Auto Car Wash with real estate
** Auto SalvageZero Auto Used Car Lots
* Awards/Prizes/Engraving
***1/2 Beauty/Spa One Stop Centers, with real estate
** Beauty/Spa One Stop, leased
*1/2 Bed & Breakfast, with real estate
**1/2 Bagel Restaurant, leased
*** Bagel Restaurant, with real estate
** Barber/Styling Shop, franchise
Zero Barber/Styling Shop, leased
***1/2 Bakery, Neighborhood, with real estate
** Barges, Sea Transport* Billiard Parlor
**** Biohazard Cleanup Services, Per Event
****1/2 Biohazard Cleanup Services with government accounts
***1/2 Boat/Marine Manufacturer with real estate
*** Boat Storage Facilities with real estate
Zero Boat Tours
* Book Store
*1/2 Bookkeeping Services
*1/2 Boutique and Bridal Shops
***1/2 Bowling with bar & restaurant and real estate
** Bridal/Baby Shops
**** Building Component Suppliers and Installers
**1/2 Building Supplies
**1/2 Building Renovators
*1/2 Business Brokerage Companies
* Greeting Card/Gift Shop
** Carpet Cleaning Franchise
**** Car Wash, with real estate
Zero Car Wash, no real estate
Zero Printer Cartridge Refill
Zero Casino, Gambling
***1/2 Catering with real estate
** Catering, Business & Residential, no real estate
*** Cement Product Manufacturers with real estate
***1/2 CemeteriesZero Charter Schools
**** Child Care Centers with real estate
** Child Care Centers, no real estate
**** Children Party Center, franchise, with real estate
* Children Party Services
*1/2 Chiropractic Services
***1/2 Chropractic Services seeking a building, as opposed to current lease
Zero Churches
Zero Cigar Store
** Cleaning, Clothing
*** Cleaning Janitorial
*** Closet Interior Manufacturers
** Clothing Stores, Leased, Franchised
** Club Houses
***1/2 Cold Storage Facilities
** Coin LaundryZero Collection Agency
***** Commercial Building/Condo For Business Expansion
* Computer Supplies
** Construction/General Contractor
**** Consulting Companies with fine tax returns (Legal, Accounting)
*** Consignment Shops with real estate
*1/2 Consignment Shops, leased facility
*** Contractors, established with government accounts
* Contractors, other
Zero Convenience Store
* Costume Shop
*** Crane Services
***1/2 CPA Practice
** Damage Restoration
** Dance Studios, children and/or adults
Zero Data Management
*** Delis with real estate
** Delivery Services
***** Dentists/Dental Practices
**** Dental Lab
***** Distribution Centers with real estate
*** Distribution Centers, leased facility
***** Doctors
**** Doctors With Patented Product
** Document Shredding
****1/2 Dog and Cat Kennels with real estate
*** Dry Cleaners, franchised
** Dry Cleaners, not franchised
** Dry Cleaners with real estate
** Educational Schools
** Embroidery Services with commercial accounts
*** Electrical Contractors, with fine business recordsInsurance, Immigration, other professional)
** Employment Placement Companies
***1/2 Environmental Cleanup
* Electronics/Computers
** Equipment Sales, Services, leased facility
*** Equipment Sales, Services, with real estate
**** Equipment Suppliers/Installers, established* Event Planning
***** Export Products Manufacturers
**** Exterminating Companies, franchise
****1/2 Farm/Ranch Facilities and Equipment
***** Fabrication Companies with real estate
***** Factories/Manufacturing
*** Farm Equipment Sales/Servicing
**** Fast Food Franchises, with real estate, and on the Franchise Directory
* Fencing Companies
1⁄2 Film Production Companies, Independent
* Financial Services
** Firearms
*** Fireplace and Furniture Manufacturers
** Fish FarmZero Fishing Vessels
*** Fitness Health Club, expansion to new facility, not leased
**** Fitness Centers, franchised with trainer(s) and real estate
*** Flooring Contractor
***1/2 Floral Centers with real estate
** Flowers**1/2 Food Business, Retail
***** Franchises with 100 or more locations, on the Franchise
***1/2 Franchises, like above, no real estate
** Franchises other with real estate
Zero Franchise, New
Zero Franchises not on the Franchise Directory
*** Freight, with real estateZero Fund Raising
***** Funeral Homes with real estate
*** Furniture, Retail with real estateZero Game Room
***1/2 Garden Centers, growing sales, with real estate
***1/2 Gas Stations/Truck Stops, with real estate
**1/2 Gas Station/Convenience Store, with real estateDirectory, and with real estate
Zero Gift Shop
*** Glass Company, Auto, Home, Industrial
**1/2 Golf Courses, established, historic sales growth
* Golf Store
** Gourmet Catering
***1/2 Gravel Pits and Dredge
*** Grocery Store with real estate
*1/2 Grocery Store, leased
* Group Transportation
** Guard Company, Security
* Guided Tour
* Gyms, not franchised
Zero Hair Salon
***** Hardware Stores, with real estate, established, no big
** Hazmat Cleanup Services
**1/2 Health Products, franchise and on the Directory
* Hobby Shops
**** Home Health Care Services
***1/2 Home Health Care Staffing Services
** Home/Condo Owners Association Management Companies
*** Home Heating Fuel distributor
***1/2 Hostels with growing rent rolls
**** Hotels, Flagship
**1/2 Hotels/Motels, other
**** Hydraulic Systems and Services, with real estate
* Ice Cream/Yogurt
Zero Import Companies
**** Industrial Buildings/Condos, 51% owner occupied
*** Injection Mold, with real estate
** Insurance Agencies, franchise
**** Interior Design Units Manufacturers
* Internet Related
** Irrigation
*** Janitorial Services, commercial accounts
Zero Jet Ski Rent
** Jewelry, Retail
**1/2 Kitchen and Bath Retail
***1/2 Kitchen and Bath Products Manufacturer
** Land for business expansion and construction to start immediately.
***1/2 Landscaping with commercial accounts
*1/2 Landscaping, residentialbox competition
**** Law Firm, business expansion/new facility
Zero Limo Business
*** Liquor Store with real estate
** Liquor Store, no real estate
** Locksmith
*** Lounge/Liquor, growing business with real estate
**** Machine shop, historical growth, with real estate
** Mail Packaging/Mail Order Services
***** Manufacturing Facilities with real estate
***** Manufacturing Facilities that export
*** Marinas with real estate
***1/2 Marinas/Restaurant, with real estate
** Marine Related Sales
* Marketing Company
*1/2 Massage, body, back and feet
***** Medical Related, except chiropractic
Zero Medical Billing Software and Services
***** Medical Product Distributers, with warehouse real
***1/2 Medical Product Distributers, leased facility
***1/2 Metal Fabricator, with real estate, good track record
Zero Micro Breweries
***1/2 Millwrights, with real estate
**1/2 Mines
*1/2 Miniature Golf
Zero Mobile Homes
**** Motel for conversion to an ALF, re-hab center, or nursing complex
***** Motel, Flagship, with real estate, otherwise
***** Moving Companies
* Movie Theaters
** Mulch Products
** Museums, for profit
** Music
***** New Building or Upgrade/Expansion
Zero Not For Profit Organizations
Zero Nail Salons
**1/2 Nursery/Plants
****1/2 Nursing Home, with real estate
*** Nursing Home, no real estate
** Nutritional Stores, if on the registry and a franchise
Zero Office Building, not 51% business owner occupied
***** Office Building/Office Condo, 51% business occupied
* Oil Wells
** PaintersZero Parasailing
*** Parking Lot Cleaning and Maintenance
* Party Goods
**** Pawn Shop with real estate, otherwise
***1/2 Personal Services
Zero Personnel Staffing, non-medical
**** Personnel Staffing – medical
**** Pest Control, established and franchised, otherwise
*1/2**** Pet Centers, with real estate, franchise, fine reviews
**** Pharmacies, no compounding
***** Pharmacies, compounding
** Photography services
* Pizza Shop
Zero Pressure Cleaning
Zero Phone Sales
** Pool Supplies, leased site
***1/2 Pool Supplies, establishes, with real estate
**** Pre-School with real estate, otherwise
*** Printer Cartridge Refill
* Printing and Typesetting
**** Professional Service Companies (Accounting, Legal, etc.)
***1/2 Plumbing Supply
***1/2 Pool and Supplies, no real estate
***** ` Pool and Supplies, with real estate, franchise
Zero Pool Cleaning/Maintenance
** Publishing
* Residential Realtors
****1/2 Pet Kennels and Supplies
***1/2 Recreational Facilities and Clubs, with real estate, fine records
**** Recycling Facilities
*** Restoration Services, franchise
***** Recycling Facilities with real estate
* Rental Businesses
** Repair Services, Licensed
****1/2 Restaurants, solid historical records, with real estate
*** Restaurants, franchised
** Restaurants, other
*** Retail, with real estate, solid historical recordslarger facility
** Retail, no real estate
*** Roofing Contractor
**** Roofing Maintenance
* Roof Cleaners, independent, pressure washing
* Routes* Sanitary Landfills
Zero Satellite Dishes (TV)
** Security Systems
***** Self-Storage Facilities
**** Sign Companies with real estate
*** Sign Companies without real estate
** Sight Preparation, for construction
Zero Skin & Massage
* Security Related
** Shoes/Repairs
*** Skating Rinks with real estate, food services
** Sod Distribution
*** Software Services, with three years of documented growth
***1/2 Sports Arenas
* Startups, unless customers are lined up
*** Sports Bar, established, clean records
***1/2 Sports Bar, established, clean records, with real estate
****1/2 Sports Sales Related, long business history, with real estate
*** Sports Sales Related, franchise and on the Franchise Directory
* Start Up Businesses, difficult, requires solid business plan high cash
Zero Strip Malls (considered as investment property)
** Sub (Sandwich) shops, franchise
*** Supermarkets, flag
* Surf and Active Wear
* Tailoring
Zero Tanning Salons
Zero Taxi Business
* Tax Preparation
* Teeth Whitening, non-dentist
Zero Telemarketing
* Telephone Sales
*** Tennis Clubs with real estate
***** Therapy Centers and Therapy In-Home Services
* Tobacco Related
*** Towing Services, Autos
**** Towing/Repair Services/Trucksinjection and collateral backup
*** Trade Contractors
**** Training Schools, for profit, established, with real estate
** Training Schools, other
** Transportation Services
Zero Travel Agencies
**1/2 Tree Farm, with real estate
**** Truck Repairs and towing
**** Truck and Car Washes, with real estate
***** Truck Stop, Full Service/Repair, with fuel, food, on site
* Tutoring
Zero Vacant Commercial Land
*** Vacant Commercial Land for business relocation/construction within a
Zero Valet Parking
** Variety Store, non-franchise
***1/2 Variety Store, franchise, with real estate
Zero Vending Machine Routes
***** VeterinarianZero Video Related
**** Uniforms Manufacturing, United States, with real estate
Zero Used Car Dealerships
***** Warehouses, for an expanding business that will occupy
** Water/Smoke Damage Restoration
** Water Purification
* Web Development and Hosting
* Wedding Planning/Gowns
** Well Drilling*1/2 Wineries
***1/2 Wholesale Distributors, with real estate
** Wholesale Distributors, no real estate
** Yogurt Store
