Question 1

Who are RivetRatio’s preparation tools for?

Accepted Answer

RivetRatio’s guides, worksheets, and calculators are for U.S. small-business owners and commercial real-estate investors preparing for a commercial lender conversation. They help you organize information and understand common financing terms; they do not underwrite a request.

Question 2

What should I organize before approaching a commercial lender?

Accepted Answer

Start with the amount requested, its purpose and timing, total project cost and funding sources, and the expected repayment source. Gather business financial statements, tax returns, current results, existing debt details, ownership records, and property or project documents that apply. Ask the lender which periods and formats it wants because requirements vary by lender and transaction.

Question 3

What do the readiness checklist and loan request worksheet help me do?

Accepted Answer

The 17-point readiness checklist helps you review business, financial, ownership, and property information before a meeting. The browser-local loan request worksheet organizes the requested amount, use of funds, repayment plan, collateral, ownership, and financial highlights. Use them to prepare your notes; they do not submit a loan application.

Question 4

What do the DSCR, LTV, debt-yield, and CRE tools calculate?

Accepted Answer

The DSCR calculator compares annual net operating income (NOI) with annual debt service. The LTV calculator compares a loan amount with property value. The debt-yield calculator compares annual NOI with the loan amount. The CRE property analysis worksheet brings income, operating expenses, debt service, value, and loan amount together to show related figures such as NOI, cash flow after debt service, DSCR, debt yield, and LTV.

Question 5

How should I use calculator results when lenders may calculate differently?

Accepted Answer

Treat each result as an estimate based on the figures and assumptions you enter. Keep track of the source and period for your inputs, then ask the lender how it defines each measure, which records it uses, and how it handles items such as reserves or adjustments. A lender may use different inputs, periods, or methods.

Question 6

What should I bring to a lender conversation, and what should I ask?

Accepted Answer

Bring a concise summary of the request and its purpose, a repayment explanation, relevant financial and ownership records, and property or project details when applicable. Ask about the lender’s document list, calculation methods, process, and expected next steps. Write down who owns each follow-up and when requested items are due.

Question 7

Do RivetRatio’s tools determine eligibility or predict approval?

Accepted Answer

No. RivetRatio does not determine eligibility or promise approval. Its calculators provide estimates for preparation, and its guides and worksheets help organize information. The lender makes the financing decision based on the borrower, transaction, and its own requirements.

Question 8

Which RivetRatio resource should I use next?

Accepted Answer

Use the readiness checklist to gather information, the loan request worksheet to organize the request, and the calculators or CRE worksheet to review figures you may discuss. If you are preparing for a conversation, read the lender meeting guide. For DSCR definitions and lender-specific methods, see the DSCR guide.

Commercial financing, clearly explained.

Make a clear next step with a lender.