When should I engage with Lenders?
September 11, 2025
by a lender from University of Southern California - Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, CA, USA
One of the biggest mistakes we see is waiting until after signing an LOI to engage lenders. By then, deal structure and timelines are often locked in — and financing options can be limited.
At 5th Line, we work with independent sponsors, ETA operators, and PE groups to:
Run early debt market assessments (“kick the tires”)
Build pro formas that reflect real lender appetite
Create competitive dynamics across lenders to secure better terms
If you’re aiming to close before Q4, it pays to line up the right debt partners before diligence begins.
Happy to connect if you’d like to talk through how we’re helping sponsors structure acquisition financing in the current market.
Let's connect: redacted
from University of Utah in Sandy, UT, USA
from The University of Mississippi in Saint Louis, MO, USA