Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, part of the Greater Phoenix Area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, the city was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2,000. The 2015 population of the city is estimated to be 236,839 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The New York Times described downtown Scottsdale as "a desert version of Miami's South Beach" and as having "plenty of late night partying and a buzzing hotel scene". Its slogan is "The West's Most Western Town". Scottsdale, 31 miles long and 11.4 miles wide at its widest point, shares boundaries with many other municipalities and entities. On the west, Scottsdale is bordered by Phoenix, Paradise Valley and unincorporated Maricopa County land. Carefree is located along the western boundary, as well as sharing Scottsdale's northern boundary with the Tonto National Forest. To the south Scottsdale is bordered by Tempe. The southern boundary is also adjacent to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
The economy of Scottsdale is largely composed of tourism and retail, which account for a large percentage of the city's sales tax revenue. The city also has a large number of financial and business service companies. The city is home to the headquarters of three major banks: JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. Scottsdale also has a large number of small businesses, many of which are located in the Old Town Scottsdale area.
Comparing SBA loan types in Scottsdale
Three SBA programs come up most often for Scottsdale, Arizona businesses, and they do different jobs.
SBA 7(a) loan: program overview
Maximum loan
$5 million (sba.gov, fetched 2026-07-24)
What it funds
Working capital, equipment, owner-occupied commercial real estate, refinancing business debt, and business acquisition.
Who lends
Participating banks and non-bank lenders. The SBA guarantees a portion of the loan; it does not lend directly to borrowers.
Rate structure
Negotiated between lender and borrower, capped at the SBA maximum. Most 7(a) loans price off the WSJ prime rate plus a spread.
Personal guaranty
Required from every owner of 20% or more of the business (13 CFR 120.160(a)).
Program facts confirmed against sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/7a-loans on Jul 24, 2026. Confirm current fees and maximum rates with your lender before relying on them.
SBA 504 loan: program overview
Maximum loan
$5.5 million per the SBA-backed debenture (sba.gov, fetched 2026-07-24). Total project size can be larger because a bank funds the first mortgage alongside it.
What it funds
Major fixed assets: owner-occupied commercial real estate and long-life machinery and equipment. Not working capital or inventory.
Structure
A conventional first-mortgage lender, a Certified Development Company holding the SBA-backed second, and a borrower down payment.
Rate
The CDC portion is fixed for the full term and set at the monthly debenture sale.
Program facts confirmed against sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/504-loans on Jul 24, 2026.
SBA Express: program overview
What it is
A delivery method inside the 7(a) program. The lender uses its own forms and procedures and gets an accelerated SBA response, in exchange for a lower SBA guarantee percentage than Standard 7(a).
What it funds
The same uses as 7(a), including revolving lines of credit, which Standard 7(a) term loans do not offer.
Trade-off
Faster turnaround and lighter paperwork, against a smaller guaranteed portion, which some lenders price for.
Current SBA Express maximum loan size and guarantee percentage are set by SBA notice and change. Confirm them on sba.gov or with your lender; this site does not publish an unverified figure.
Small business loans available in Scottsdale
An SBA 7(a) loan made to a Scottsdale, Arizona business is made by a participating lender, not by the SBA.
The lender underwrites it, sets the rate within the SBA maximum, and services it. What varies locally is
which lenders are active, not the program rules.