SBA 7(a) and 504 financing is highly active in the Myrtle Beach market, serving the thousands of small hospitality, restaurant, retail, and professional services businesses that form the backbone of the Grand Strand economy and frequently need owner-occupied real estate financing. Hotel and motel acquisitions by owner-operators are among the most common SBA use cases in this market, and the program's ability to finance up to 90% of acquisition cost makes it a critical tool in a market where property values have appreciated materially and cash-equity requirements would otherwise be prohibitive. Medical office and outpatient clinic acquisitions by physician groups and specialty healthcare providers represent a growing SBA segment, driven by the retiree population that is generating consistent demand for healthcare real estate throughout Horry County.

When to Use SBA Loans in Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach's commercial real estate market, driven by tourism and hospitality, healthcare, retail trade, construction, education, creates specific scenarios where sba loans are the optimal financing choice:

  • Owner-occupied office buildings
  • Restaurant and hospitality acquisitions
  • Medical and dental practices
  • Retail storefronts and service businesses
  • Industrial and manufacturing owner-users
  • Business expansions and equipment purchases

In the Myrtle Beach metro, sba loans are particularly relevant given the market's 4.1% rent growth and 2.9% job growth, which support small business expansion and owner-occupied acquisition strategies.

Current SBA Loan Rates in Myrtle Beach

As of 2026, sba loans in the Myrtle Beach market are pricing at the following levels:

  • Rate Range: 5.54% - 8.25%
  • Loan Amount: $1M - $20M
  • Term: 5 - 25 Years
  • Maximum LTV: Up to 90% LTV (504)
  • Recourse: Full Recourse (Personal Guarantee)

Rates in Myrtle Beach may vary from national averages based on local market conditions, property type, and sponsor experience. The Myrtle Beach market's 5.50%-6.25% multifamily cap rates and 6.25%-7.25% industrial cap rates influence lender pricing as they underwrite to specific debt yield and coverage targets.

Pricing a live deal? This guide covers how the market works. For current terms, program details, and a free quote, go to our SBA Loans in Myrtle Beach, SC page or call (310) 708-0690.

Qualification Requirements

Qualifying for sba loans in Myrtle Beach requires demonstrating both borrower strength and property fundamentals. Key requirements include:

  • Borrower Experience: Lenders evaluate your track record with similar assets in Myrtle Beach or comparable markets
  • Net Worth & Liquidity: Most lenders require net worth equal to the loan amount and 6-12 months of debt service in liquid reserves
  • Property Performance: Owner-occupied property with at least 51% business use, strong business financials and tax returns
  • Market Position: Asset location within Myrtle Beach's strongest submarkets, including Market Common, Carolina Forest, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island

Capital Sources for SBA Loans in Myrtle Beach

The Myrtle Beach market offers access to a diverse set of capital sources for sba loans:

  • SBA-Approved Banks
  • Certified Development Companies (CDCs)
  • Credit Unions
  • Community Banks

Each capital source has distinct appetites for property types, leverage levels, and borrower profiles. Working with a commercial mortgage broker who maintains relationships across all these capital sources ensures you're seeing the most competitive terms available in Myrtle Beach.

Exit Strategy Considerations

SBA loans in Myrtle Beach are long-term financing designed for owner-occupied properties, so the primary exit is continued business operation and eventual loan payoff. The SBA 504 program features below-market fixed rates that make early repayment unnecessary for most borrowers. The 7(a) program offers more flexibility for business transitions.

If you plan to sell the property before loan maturity, review your prepayment terms carefully: SBA 504 loans have declining prepayment penalties over the first 10 years, while 7(a) terms vary by lender.

Myrtle Beach Market Context

Myrtle Beach anchors its economy on the Grand Strand's tourism infrastructure, which draws roughly 20 million visitors annually and supports one of the densest concentrations of hospitality and retail square footage per capita on the East Coast. Tanger Outlets in the north strand, the Broadway at the Beach entertainment complex, and Market Common, a redeveloped former Air Force base that converted into a lifestyle retail and multifamily district, demonstrate how the market has layered permanent resident demand on top of a historically seasonal base. Hospitality underwriting here requires careful attention to average daily rate compression during the shoulder season and the outsized share of extended-stay and condo-hotel product that complicates conventional debt sizing. Conway Medical Center and Grand Strand Medical Center anchor a growing medical office corridor serving a population that skews older and is expanding through sustained migration from the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, particularly into Carolina Forest and Pawleys Island. That demographic shift has made Horry County one of the faster-growing counties in South Carolina by raw population count, driving multifamily absorption across workforce and attainable price points even as luxury product has entered the pipeline in North Myrtle Beach and Socastee. Industrial demand remains modest relative to major logistics metros, concentrated in last-mile and light distribution serving the contractor and hospitality supply chain, while Horry County's relatively low property tax assessments and South Carolina's Multicounty Industrial Park incentive structure can materially affect stabilized yields on new industrial development.

Understanding the local market dynamics is critical for structuring the right financing. The Myrtle Beach metro's key commercial neighborhoods include Downtown Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Conway, Socastee, North Myrtle Beach, Loris, Horry County, Carolina Forest, Market Common, Grand Strand, each with distinct property characteristics and tenant demand profiles.

Get a SBA Loan Quote for Myrtle Beach

CLS CRE provides sba loans throughout the Myrtle Beach metro area, with access to 1,000+ lenders competing for your deal. Our market expertise in Myrtle Beach commercial real estate helps you navigate the lending landscape and secure the most competitive terms available.

Related resources:

Trevor Damyan, Commercial Mortgage Broker
Trevor Damyan
Commercial Mortgage Broker, CLS CRE | CA DRE 02244836

Trevor Damyan is a commercial mortgage broker at Commercial Lending Solutions with a background in structured finance at CBRE and Marcus and Millichap Capital Corporation. He specializes in bridge loans, construction financing, SBA programs, DSCR loans, and complex capital structures for investors and developers across all 50 states.