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The secured debt marketplace includes all medium-size debt funding for commercial businesses - business loans, commercial mortgages, and loans to specialty finance companies. Just one segment of this market, commercial loans, is estimated at $294 billion, and growing by over 20% annually.
There are two significant reasons for the rise in the number of debt requests in the market. First, equity investors are far more cautious and selective than just a year ago. As the market for equity has severely contracted, and stock prices are depressed, business owners are seeking debt financing in greater numbers than ever.
Second, banks are
under tremendous pressure from federal regulators to exit middle market loans,
causing lenders to be much more selective when it comes to new borrowers. Borrowers
with any "credit story" need professional representation more than ever to successfully
bring them through the underwriting process to closing.