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Featured · Used & private party

Used Equipment Financing: What to Expect Before You Buy

Used equipment financing follows the same path as new equipment financing with two additional questions: how much useful life the machine has left, and how clearly the sale can be documented. Gather the year, make, model, serial or VIN, current hours or mileage, photos, and the seller's ownership proof before you apply, and the file will move far faster.

6 min read · Reviewed 2026-07-28

Used & private party

Buying Equipment From a Private Party: A Documentation Guide

A private-party equipment purchase can be financed when three things are documented: the seller genuinely owns the unit, any lien is identified and payable at closing, and the price is supportable. Funds are disbursed to the verified seller — never to the buyer — which is a protection for both sides.

7 min · Reviewed 2026-07-28

Documentation

Documents Needed to Finance Equipment Under $100K

For most equipment finance requests under $100,000, the starting package is a completed secure application plus the vendor quote or bill of sale with a serial number or VIN. Bank statements, financials, payoff statements, or ownership proof are requested only when the specific file calls for them.

5 min · Reviewed 2026-07-28

Structures

Equipment Loan vs. Lease: How to Choose

Choose a loan when you intend to keep the asset well beyond the term and want ownership from day one. Consider a lease when you expect to rotate or upgrade the equipment, or when end-of-term flexibility has real value. Tax treatment differs by structure and by your situation — confirm it with your CPA before signing.

6 min · Reviewed 2026-07-28

Startup

Startup Equipment Financing: Building a Strong First File

A business under two years old can finance equipment. Because there is less operating history to review, the file leans on owner industry experience, the liquidity of the asset, evidence of committed work, and clean documentation. Startup structures more often involve a down payment, advance payments, or an owner guaranty.

6 min · Reviewed 2026-07-28

Structures

Soft Costs: What Can Actually Be Financed

Soft costs are the non-hardware expenses needed to put equipment into service: freight, rigging, installation, commissioning, training, tooling, software, extended warranties, and sometimes sales tax. They can often be included when they appear on the vendor's itemized quote, but because they carry little collateral value the financeable share is usually limited.

5 min · Reviewed 2026-07-28

Structures

Sale-Leaseback: When It Makes Sense (And When It Doesn't)

A sale-leaseback fits a business that owns useful equipment, needs working capital, and wants to keep operating the asset. It fits poorly when the equipment is near the end of its life, when title is unclear, or when the underlying need is a structural cash-flow problem rather than a timing gap.

6 min · Reviewed 2026-07-28

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