How fast should an SBA lender respond?

searcher profile

October 03, 2025

by a searcher from Boston University - Questrom School of Business in Newton, NH, USA

I found a potential target, and am applying for an SBA loan. The amount is not particularly large. I went with a local credit union since I figured the level of service would be more "personal" and they'd be more responsive. However, I have had to reach out several times to get responses, have had the guy I am working with say he'll call me the next day, then disappear for a few days, etc. He was supposed to send me documents after a call last week, then I never heard back and had to ping him several days later. I sent him the application documents on Monday, and then never heard back. I emailed him yesterday, he said he was busy but would start my application on Friday (today), and would contact me this morning. I never heard from him. Is this typical? They require 25% down, which isn't a huge amount in my case, but I figured with an ask like that I would be getting good service. This has felt more like "real estate agent trying to be a small business broker". Over the summer, I had talked with someone from Huntington that I connected with on here, and thinking of going with them instead. Any thoughts from the group?
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commentor profile
Reply by a professional
from University of Akron in Charlotte, NC, USA
For me, it is so important to use a funding broker. They work for you. They only get paid if you succeed. They are experts in all aspects of funding. They have access to hundreds of banks. Their goals is to get you the best deal. You hire an expert attorney, accountant and so on... You should partner with a funding broker. You shift the burden from you doing everything to them. It is a no brainer for me and something everyone should do. You wouldn't have these worries with a broker or at least a good one. ^redacted‌ is who I suggest
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Reply by a professional
in Windermere, FL 34786, USA
Responsiveness is absolutely crucial in the ETA / dealmaking environment. SBA is already a really tough process, and the last thing you want is a lender who isn’t on top of communication, that usually doesn’t get better as the deal goes on. We've worked with SBA lenders over hundreds of millions in deal volume in the last three years and have a vetted list of the best folks in the space. If you’d like an intro, shoot me an email at redacted and I’ll connect you. Having the right people on your deal team makes a massive difference.
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