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Loophole

Seller-Held Second Mortgage

Bank first + seller second = 100% LTV commercial acquisition.

Overview

Stack a conventional/SBA first mortgage (70–80% LTV) with a seller-carried second (15–25%). Total financing hits 95–100% LTV with minimal cash in. Seller gets a note yielding 6–9%, you get the property with almost no equity. Most banks allow this if seller-second is fully subordinated and payments are reserved. Common in SBA 7(a) deals.

Best fit
SBA acquirersCash-constrained buyersMotivated sellers
Estimated impact
Reduce down payment from 20–30% → 0–5%

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