How much do you have to put in?

The most-asked question in SBA lending, and the one with the most bad answers online. Includes what a standby seller note can and cannot do.

What kind of deal is this?

Total project cost

Purchase price plus closing costs, working capital and fees — not just the price.

Cash you can put in

Seller note

Is the seller note on full standby?

Full standby means the seller receives nothing, not even interest, for a set period.

Injection required

Still short

What counts so far

Of which seller note

Where the injection comes from

A seller note only counts toward your injection if it is on full standby, and only up to half of what is required. Beyond that it is simply debt — useful for funding the deal, useless for clearing this test.

Rule SOP 50 10 7.1 Note standby period and the countable share have both moved between revisions Verify against the SOP in force on your application date

Money has to be yours, and it has to sit still

Borrowed money does not count. Expect to hand over two months of statements, and expect every transfer in that window to generate a question. Move your down payment early and then leave it alone — see seasoned funds.