{"id":26327,"date":"2026-09-09T16:26:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T23:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tmcfinancing.com\/?p=26327"},"modified":"2026-09-09T16:26:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T23:26:16","slug":"azores-veterinary-practice-how-tmc-and-an-sba-504-refinance-loan-bolster-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tmcfinancing.com\/es\/azores-veterinary-practice-how-tmc-and-an-sba-504-refinance-loan-bolster-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Azores Veterinary Practice: How TMC and an SBA 504 Refinance Loan Bolster Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\u201cSBA 504 loans are great for small businesses,\u201d says Dr. Sergio Pereira, DVM, owner and managing partner of\u00a0<\/span>Azores Veterinary Practice<\/span><\/a>, along with his wife,\u00a0Dr. Maria Rodriguez.\u00a0In 2021, he purchased a 12-acre site to expand the practice and services, using an SBA 7(a) loan.\u00a0Here\u2019s\u00a0why he refinanced that loan to\u00a0an\u00a0<\/span>SBA 504 loan<\/span><\/a>\u00a0with TMC Financing and Seacoast Bank.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building a practice from the ground up<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Dr. Sergio Pereira, DVM Owner of\u00a0Azores Veterinary Practice<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Pereira\u2019s veterinary practice, based in Turlock, CA, has\u00a0been steadily growing since he launched a private practice in 2012.\u00a0He\u00a0focuses on agricultural animals \u2013\u00a0including\u00a0cows, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs \u2013 but at that time, his work was primarily ambulatory, spending\u00a0his days, and many nights, going directly to clients\u2019 farms. He also worked with third-party practitioners for pharmacological needs and lab work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to have\u00a0my own\u00a0location,\u201d Dr. Pereira says, \u201cso\u00a0that I\u00a0could\u00a0offer a\u00a0fuller\u00a0range of services\u00a0within our\u00a0own\u00a0facilities. At the same time, my family was growing, and it was important to me to gain more control over my time and\u00a0future direction.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To achieve\u00a0this\u00a0meant finding a property\u00a0that could accommodate\u00a0areas for\u00a0preventive\u00a0medicine, reproductive services,\u00a0lab\u00a0work, consulting\u00a0services, on-farm training,\u00a0emergency\u00a0services, and more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An opportunity to achieve his vision<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In 2020, Dr. Pereira had an opportunity to purchase 12 acres of land at 11910 Youngstown Road in Turlock. Ground-up construction, completed in 2021, included a clinic, a hospital, a pharmacy, a lab, a barn and corrals, and more. Today, the veterinary campus buildings total nearly 8,000 square feet with room for future growth.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To\u00a0accomplish\u00a0this, he took out an SBA 7(a) loan. This loan is a popular financing solution for many small businesses and for Dr. Pereira, it enabled him to build his practice to meet his vision.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, for large-scale projects that include commercial real estate for a business\u2019s use,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0not always the ideal solution\u00a0for the long run.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0because\u00a0the SBA 7(a)\u00a0includes\u00a0an interest-rate reset, which makes payments less predictable over time and, often,\u00a0significantly higher, which\u00a0can\u00a0strain cash flow.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Dr. Pereira\u2019s case, that meant\u00a0that reset from a low rate\u00a0of\u00a04.25% to a much higher variable rate\u00a0of about\u00a08.5%,\u00a0which\u00a0significantly\u00a0increased his monthly payment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For Azores Veterinary Practice and Dr. Pereira, there was a better\u00a0option.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The SBA 504 loan for refinancing higher-cost debt<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Pereira has a long-term relationship with\u00a0<\/span>Jennifer\u00a0Mills at\u00a0Seacoast\u00a0Bank<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0helped us so much over the years,\u00a0and\u00a0when I wanted to learn about refinancing options for the SBA 7(a) loan, I reached out to her. She recommended the SBA 504 and TMC.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SBA 504 loans are made in partnership between the business owner, the bank, and a certified development company (CDC), which is an SBA-certified lender specializing in SBA 504 financing, like TMC. The SBA 504 is a great\u00a0option\u00a0for small business owners who want to\u00a0purchase, renovate, or\u00a0<\/span>refinance commercial property<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for their businesses because it offers:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n