Small business lending for owner-occupied real estate will flourish in 2014, SomerCor 504 VP Bill Kornit (snapped with his wife Brandi) says, thanks to near all-time-low rates and favorable legislation in the pipeline. The firm's SBA lending (90% financing) has been incredibly active, given today's 20-year, fixed-rate loans at about 5% interest and real estate's depressed pricing. Most often, it's companies that have been leasing their property and are now opting to buy.

Bill's two kids, who keep him busy with wrestling and baseball. The SBA's refi program, a smashing success that sunsetted in September 2012, should be returning full throttle next year, SomerCor lobbyists say, a boon for borrowers with five-year balloons coming due or in a high-LTV position. They can use the program to create 20-year, fixed-rate financing and tap into equity to refi other debt. He recently closed a loan for WhirlyBall's new $11M, ground-up facility in Chicago.