COSTA MESA, Calif., Feb. 2, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- iBank.com, America's largest online small business lending network, has announced the creation of a lending search engine, which matches small businesses with lenders that offer the specific loan product they are searching for, including business loans, equipment leasing, commercial and home equity mortgage loans. Once the lenders are identified, iBank's proprietary technology allows borrowers to create a professional loan/lease package online and send it directly to qualified lenders.
"Unlike other major search engines, our lending search engine is about connecting the small business person with real lenders, with real money, in real time," said Thomas O. Markel, Chairman and CEO of Credentrust Software, Inc. the company that powers www.iBank.com. "Our advanced search engine functions using 4 loan keywords instead of one, displaying only lenders that offer the loan sought after. Furthermore, the only results displayed are actual lenders, not directories, informational articles or web logs."
Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, small businesses can search for up to 85 different types of small business loans, equipment leasing and commercial and home mortgage loans. Once the lenders are identified, they can either contact each of the lenders themselves or begin a step-by-step, self guided process of creating a professional loan package which will be sent to each of the lenders that match their criteria once completed. The loan package is stored in a secure "VAULT" which the small business can access anytime, anywhere, in order to edit, organize, or store tax returns, financials, management bios, pictures, etc.
Once the borrower finishes the application, www.iBank.com matches the borrower's information to the loan criteria of lenders within its network and sends the borrower's information only to those lenders whose criteria match those found in the application. The applicant's information, along with other pertinent documents, such as business plans and projections, are then transferred directly into the lender's systems, allowing for faster analysis and processing of applications.
The whole process, when compared to finding a lender individually and manually preparing separate loan packages for each lender, eliminates about two-thirds of the time and cuts 90% of the cost involved. The iBank.com loan package preparation and lender presentment process is completely paperless and allows lenders and applicants to collaborate nearly in real-time in order to view, analyze, propose and close their loans.
"In just a few minutes, small businesses can find the appropriate lenders, create a professional loan package and fund their loan online. We have made the process of getting a business loan or lease faster, easier and stress-free for the small business," Markel added.
Since its inception in 1999, www.iBank.com has revolutionized the commercial lending marketplace and consistently provided small businesses with a simplified, streamlined and seamless ways to do business with lenders online. The website has processed more than $7 billion in aggregate loans, processes 54,000 advance searches and 6000 completed loan requests a month. The website has attracted some of the nation's largest banks as well as community banks, private investors, brokers and credit unions. For a complete list of lending institutions, please visit http://www.iBank.com/lenders/lender_Network.cfm?pbonav=lenders.
About www.iBank.com
Based in Costa Mesa, Calif., www.iBank.com, America's largest online small business lending engine, has become a commercial lending marketplace for businesses seeking small business loans, equipment leasing, and commercial and home mortgage loans in real time. Formed in 1999, www.iBank.com utilizes advanced search engine technology, a do-it-yourself professional online loan package builder, and numerous other online tools for communicating and connecting with more than 250 lenders nationwide for closing loans faster. The whole process, when compared to manually preparing separate loan packages and finding the right lenders, eliminates about two-thirds of the time and cuts 90% of the cost involved.