Glossary · Reading the business
In short
This refers to whether the value of the business's assets is sufficient to secure the SBA loan. As a buyer, you care because the SBA wants assurance that if the business fails, there are assets to cover the loan.
The SBA requires lenders to take all available collateral up to the loan amount. If the business assets don't fully cover the loan, the lender will look to personal assets, like your home, to make up the collateral shortfall. Understand what assets are being pledged and their liquidation value before closing.
13 CFR Part 120 — Business Loans
Office of the Federal Register · Federal regulation
SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs
U.S. Small Business Administration · SBA Standard Operating Procedure
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
Pressure-test the numbers before you make an offer
Send us the asking price and the seller's cash flow — we'll show whether the deal services SBA debt and where the add-backs are likely to hold up.
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