SBA 7(a) & 504 real-estate loans
Environmental Pre-Screen for SBA Real-Estate Loans (7(a) / 504)
Know the EPA red flags before you order the RSRA or Phase I ESA — instant, $399. A preliminary public-records triage that tells you which deals are clean and which will escalate, before you pay for the formal reports.
Check a specific SBA property address — free
Instant EPA enforcement/penalty signal for the exact property you’re evaluating. No account, no card.
Who runs an SBA environmental pre-screen
Anyone whose deal must clear SBA environmental due diligence before it can close:
- SBA 7(a) lenders pre-screening a pipeline of real-estate deals
- Certified Development Companies (CDCs) on 504 projects
- Borrowers buying or refinancing commercial real estate
- Deals with environmentally-sensitive NAICS (gas stations, dry cleaners, auto, manufacturing) or industrial/commercial site history
What the SBA requires — and where the pre-screen fits
Under SBA SOP 50 10 7.1, environmental due diligence is mandated on 7(a) and 504 real-estate loans where the property is acquired, refinanced, or improved with loan proceeds. The required inquiry escalates step by step. Our pre-screen is step 0— the fast, cheap triage that runs before the formal RSRA.
- 0
Our pre-screen (this page) — $399, instant
Before you spend on the formal reports: an automated EPA records triage that flags whether an address sits near enforcement, violations, or penalties. Decide which deals are clean and which will escalate.
- 1
Environmental Questionnaire + RSRA
The SBA's required first formal step on a triggered loan — an Environmental Questionnaire plus a Records Search with Risk Assessment, prepared by an Environmental Professional. Returns a low/high-risk determination.
- 2
Phase I ESA (if high-risk)
If the RSRA returns 'high-risk' — or a high-concern NAICS / site history applies — a full ASTM E1527 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is ordered (typically $2,000–$5,000).
- 3
Phase II (if RECs are found)
If the Phase I identifies Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs), it escalates to a Phase II — intrusive sampling and lab testing of soil/groundwater.
The RSRA is triggered when a property’s NAICS code carries environmental concern (gas stations, dry cleaners, auto, manufacturing, and similar) or the site has an industrial/commercial history. Source: SBA SOP 50 10 7.1.
Pre-screen your SBA deals
Single Report
$399
One property, full pre-screen report on the exact address you enter above.
Pre-screen one property — $3995-Pack
$1,499
Five full pre-screens — for lenders and CDCs running multiple deals. Use them anytime, on any properties in your pipeline.
Get the 5-Pack — $1,499Portfolio Watch
$999/yr
Ongoing monitoring of your financed properties — we tell you when new EPA records appear nearby.
Start Portfolio Watch — $999/yrSecure checkout via Stripe. Branded PDF reports emailed to you. Preliminary public-records pre-screen — not the SBA RSRA, not a Phase I ESA, not AAI, not legal advice. All sales are final.
SBA environmental due-diligence FAQ
Is this the SBA RSRA (Records Search with Risk Assessment)?
No. This is a fast, automated pre-screen you run before the formal RSRA. It surfaces the public EPA enforcement and penalty signal near an address so you can triage a deal early. The SBA-compliant RSRA is a separate, formal report prepared by an Environmental Professional under SBA SOP 50 10 7.1 — we are not that report and do not replace it.
When does the SBA require environmental due diligence?
Under SBA SOP 50 10 7.1, environmental due diligence is required on 7(a) and 504 real-estate loans when the property is acquired, refinanced, or improved with loan proceeds. The required level of inquiry escalates based on the property's NAICS code, its history, and the results of each step.
What triggers a Phase I ESA on an SBA loan?
The SBA escalation ladder starts with an Environmental Questionnaire plus a Records Search with Risk Assessment (RSRA). If the RSRA returns a 'high-risk' determination — or the property's NAICS code / history flags environmental concern (gas stations, dry cleaners, auto, manufacturing, and similar) — the next step is a Phase I ESA. If the Phase I identifies Recognized Environmental Conditions, it escalates again to a Phase II. Our pre-screen helps you see which deals are likely to escalate before you pay for the formal reports.
How fast is the pre-screen?
Instant. Enter an address and you get a presence-and-magnitude EPA signal in about 60 seconds; the full $399 report — facility names, distances, exact penalty amounts, and a plain-English screening rating — is emailed to you as a branded PDF.
What data does the pre-screen use?
It reads the U.S. EPA's public databases at lookup time — ECHO (enforcement & compliance), RCRA (hazardous-waste handlers), and TRI (toxics release) — within about one mile of the address. Vertexium Environmental is an independent firm and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the EPA or any government agency.
Does this replace a Phase I ESA or satisfy AAI?
No. This is a preliminary, descriptive screen of public federal records — not an ASTM E1527 Phase I ESA, not All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI), and not legal advice. It does not satisfy a lender's AAI or landowner-liability requirements. Use it to triage which deals are clean and which will need the formal RSRA / Phase I; do not use it as a substitute for either.
Pre-screen commercial property by city
Honest scope & limitations
This is a preliminary, descriptive triage of public EPA records — not the SBA RSRA, not a Phase I ESA (ASTM E1527), and not AAI-compliant. It is not legal advice and is not prepared or certified by a Professional Engineer or Environmental Professional. It does not visit the site, interview anyone, or satisfy a lender’s AAI or landowner-liability requirements. Public databases can be incomplete or lag the agencies that maintain them, and the absence of a listed record does not guarantee a property is free of environmental concerns. Use this pre-screen to decide which deals warrant the formal SBA RSRA and Phase I; do not use it as a substitute for either.