What Is Asset Finance? 4 Things You Need to Know

If you have ever taken ways to obtain more working capital under consideration, you may have looked at asset finance. More money to expand your business is always welcome, but how important is it?

Considering that cash flow is the crippler of 82 percent of small businesses, it’s vital!

There are several reasons you might need that extra capital, but there are a few things to consider. Before you make any life-changing business decisions, we will investigate the crucial details of asset finance.

1. The Basic Definition Of Asset Finance

At its very core, asset finance is a type of loan. It’s an alternative to more traditional loans, separated by how it functions.

The value of the loan gets used as leverage against your business assets. What kind of assets? An example would be any kept stock or equipment used in the day-to-day operation.

Certain assets don’t apply, which we will go over shortly.

2. Figuring Out If Asset Finance Is The Right Fit For You

Are you a small business? Do you have limited cash flow but seek to capitalize on the benefits of expansion? No matter the motivation, asset financing might be the thing you need.

Since asset financing uses a leveraging system, you’ll need to have valuable goods or equipment. If you are confident in your plans, it’s a sure-fire way to obtain something.

How do assets receive a valuation, though? That’s where the difference between hard assets and soft assets comes in. We will give a brief outline of the differences between the two, as it makes the difference in the type of assets you can get.

3. Soft Assets And Hard Assets

Soft assets are items that are valuable but do not have as high resale value. Good examples of soft assets are things like furniture and computer equipment. They may have value, but there is no guarantee that they will maintain it.

Hard assets are fantastic candidates for asset finance. Any expensive machinery will qualify, such as cars, for example. Depending on what you wish to finance, you may need a significant amount of hard assets.

The more expensive the desired item, the higher the cost the value assets will need to be. Asset finance for cars, for example, will carry a steeper requirement.

4. Pros And Cons

The huge benefit for smaller businesses is that asset-based finance frees up your cash flow. You don’t need to worry about having large debts hanging over your head.

The biggest drawback is the lack of ownership. Lack of ownership means that any damage may drastically reduce the item’s value.

They are also not great for short-term arrangements, as the financing agreements are usually a minimum of a year.

More Strategies To Help Your Business

Hopefully, you’re going away with a little more understanding of how asset finance works. Even if it’s not exactly what your business needs, we’ve got plenty of other articles that could help!

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