Start with a project and a use of capital
Write down whether the Houston proposal funds an operating business, an owner-used building, investment property, equipment or a construction phase. Retain the relevant borrower entities and the actual jurisdiction in the worksheet; a wider Houston-area location does not establish that city procedures apply. Separate the purchase price from improvements, operating liquidity and closing costs. The commercial calculator illustrates entered payment and maturity mechanics. It does not approve the project, determine a program fit or supply a citywide property value or financing rate.
Put this into my plan ↗Use OBO as a resource starting point
Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity Solutions Center describes business guidance, counseling and financial-resource referrals, and identifies access pathways involving named financing organizations. Its hub also flags older linked guides. Ask the actual administrator or provider for a current process and written terms before relying on a historic illustration or resource listing. The city’s information service and a lender’s credit decision have different roles. A link here does not imply MITEY is an OBO partner, administers a program or can promise capital from a listed organization. Official OBO business guides and resource scope ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Put the permit path beside the opening date
Houston’s Permitting Center separates building, occupancy, infrastructure and engineering services, with a project-planning starting point. Ask the city and relevant professionals which reviews, records and permissions the actual business use and improvements require. Retain the written project sequence before assuming the space can generate income on a preferred date. A purchase contract or financing approval does not issue those permissions. Keep pre-opening debt, rent and operating cash in a separate timing case. The calculator does not certify construction, determine jurisdiction or confirm that a business may begin operating. Houston permitting and project resources ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Investigate floodplain questions through the actual process
The city’s Floodplain Management Office lists different project categories and pathways for map amendments and damage determinations. Use the appropriate official process and qualified project advice for the proposed property and work. Do not infer flood status, a required design solution or an insurance premium from a city name or a general guide. Obtain the actual determination and written coverage terms, then retain associated work and cash needs in the project budget. This workspace does not perform an address lookup, interpret a map or issue a hazard, permit or safety finding. City floodplain project and determination resources ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Keep coverage and interruption cash identifiable
Ask an insurer about the actual building, occupancy, business activity and proposed work. Retain premium, deductible, exclusions and any separate property or business-interruption cover in the appropriate worksheet, then compare the lender’s requirements. A property policy does not by itself establish that every lost receipt or repair will be paid. Keep a case for continuing debt and operating expenses during an interruption and identify the source of that liquidity. The calculation neither quotes insurance nor determines coverage, claims outcomes or the property’s suitability.
Put this into my plan ↗Carry a delayed construction case
Build the draw plan from written cost and timing assumptions, distinguishing committed capital, equity, contractor payments and any costs outside the facility. The construction tool charges a monthly approximation of interest on entered draws and leaves drawn principal visible for repayment or conversion. It does not include every undrawn fee, inspection charge, retainage or overrun. Test a later completion and a larger supported contingency alongside the preferred case. Retain permanent-financing conditions separately rather than assuming the construction balance will automatically become a long-term loan.
Put this into my plan ↗Separate business receipts from available cash
For an operating business, compare the timing of collections with inventory, payroll, rent and other cash obligations. A booked sale or invoice does not necessarily arrive before the next bill. If short-term finance is proposed, record cash advanced after fees, repayment timing, recourse and any minimum-interest or exit charge in the actual agreement. The private-loan cost workspace illustrates entered interest and fees; it does not verify an invoice, interpret the contract or guarantee collection. Keep the short-term facility distinct from the property mortgage in the debt schedule.
Put this into my plan ↗Ask a participating Texas institution about actual terms
The state’s credit initiative works through financial institutions and describes several kinds of lender support. Institution-level capital arrangements, including CDFI funding, are different from a rate or approval offered to a business. Ask a participating provider about the actual use, collateral, repayment, charges and current program conditions. Keep that written response with the financing worksheet. MITEY’s example does not copy a state institutional rate into a retail offer, enroll a business in a guarantee or establish that funds are available for the proposed Houston project. State initiative and participating-provider route ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Keep fixed assets and working capital distinct
SBA’s 504 overview focuses on major fixed assets, while its 7(a) overview describes a wider range of business uses through lenders. The 504 exclusions include working capital and rental-real-estate investment, so a facility should be discussed in the context of the actual operating business and project. Obtain current conditions from the appropriate lender or Certified Development Company. The manual example is not an SBA quote, prescribed leverage structure or eligibility decision. Identify every funding component and continuing obligation before treating the total project as financed. SBA fixed-asset overview ↗ SBA 7(a) uses and delivery ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Read a leased property through its documents
If rental income supports the proposal, obtain executed leases, the rent roll, collection records and operating statements. Distinguish base rent, recoveries, vacant space and owner expenses, then retain leasing costs and capital work in the broader cash plan. Ask the lender which definitions apply to its coverage test and use debt service from the same period. The DSCR workspace does not certify tenancy, value the property or decide a covenant. Build a supported interruption or turnover case instead of assigning a guessed Houston vacancy average.
Put this into my plan ↗Make the maturity balance part of today’s decision
A repayment schedule longer than the loan term can leave substantial principal due at maturity. Compare the displayed balance with the proposed exit and ask the lender about actual extension, reserve, prepayment and rate-reset conditions. The example uses fixed interest mechanics and does not guarantee a refinance, a sale or a future valuation. Keep a shorter or less favorable operating case alongside the base plan. The payment can look manageable while the exit still needs work, so retain both questions in the financing discussion.
Put this into my plan ↗Open the next Houston financing question with MITEY
Describe the business purpose, approximate need, project stage and timing through the optional enquiry when you want help with the next step. Calculator sharing remains a separate choice. A provider introduction requires confirmed availability and your permission; the enquiry does not distribute an application, guarantee terms or establish a partnership with a listed resource. Keep personal addresses, identity documents, bank statements, tax returns and tenant or customer records out of the message. Start with the capital or project question that needs a clearer answer.
Put this into my plan ↗