Glossary · The loan itself
In short
How long you have to repay. Business purchases get 10 years, or up to 25 if real estate is most of the deal.
The SBA sets maximum maturities: ten years for a straight business acquisition, up to twenty-five if real property makes up the majority of the deal. Longer terms mean lower monthly payments, which improves your DSCR on paper — but you pay more interest over the life of the loan. When you're sizing a deal, run the payment both ways to see how the term choice affects your cash flow after debt service.
7(a) Loan Program — Terms, Conditions, and Eligibility
U.S. Small Business Administration · Official SBA source
Last checked 2026-06-14. 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 2026-06-14 · 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.
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