Idaho Business Review IBR

Not all business loans need to be in the millions. While big-budget lending for blockbuster real estate and building projects gets the attention, many small businesses only require a few thousand dollars to buy a piece of equipment or bolster ...

When Rick Kimsey decided to start a business, a franchise seemed like the best way to go. Buying a franchise – in his case, a Doctors Express urgent care facility – meant he didn’t have to start from square one. ...

Western Capital Bank in Boise and Northwest Bank near Portland, Ore., will legally merge on Aug. 15, with a full combination of operations under the Northwest Bank name in mid-November. Shareholders of both financial institutions approved the merger on Aug. ...

Fidelity (or dishonesty) bonding is one type of commercial bonding that can benefit almost any type of business, according to Jim Miller of Premier Insurance in Boise. He also said it’s one of the most undersold types of bonding. “Unfortunately, ...

Government construction projects can mean serious cash. In 2011, contractors completed some big projects in Idaho, including the $15 million Hugh Nichols Public Safety Building in Nampa and the nearly $30 million Boise State University Micron Business and Economics Building. ...

A Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. effort to redistribute the cost of failing banks is taking a bigger bite out of the bottom line of the country’s largest financial institutions, while giving a shot in the arm to many community banks. ...

A proposed amendment to a 1998 bill regulating credit unions has the credit union and banking industries at odds. Credit unions that have continued making business loans through the recession are backing S. 2231, the Small Business Lending Enhancement Act ...

Home Federal Bancorp has reported net income of $559,000, or 4 cents per diluted share, for the second quarter, compared to a net loss of $78,000, or 1 cent per share, a year earlier. Reduced operating expenses, improved loan quality ...

Time is running out for business owners to take advantage of a temporary Small Business Administration refinancing program. The 504 Loan Refinancing Program launched by the SBA in February 2011 will end Sept. 27. Idaho SBA lenders are hoping small ...

When small business owners need money, loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration can be an appealing option. Long terms – up to 25 years for certain loans – and low interest rates entice borrowers, while government guarantees bring ...