Financing a Motel 6 with an SBA loan
Since FY2020, 90 Motel 6 locations changed hands on an SBA 7(a) loan. Here is what those deals looked like, what the brand costs to open, which lenders wrote the loans, and where the brand stands with the SBA.
Motel 6 franchising: g6hospitality.com
What a Motel 6 deal looks like
Motel 6 is an established brand in the SBA loan file: 90 acquisitions cleared underwriting in the last five years. The median loan was $2,680,000 at 8.50 percent. Amortized over 25 years, that is about $21,580 a month, or $258,961 a year in debt service. SBA's 10 percent minimum equity injection on a deal that size is roughly $297,778 of buyer cash, some of which a seller note on standby can sometimes cover.
Illustrative only: the median loan is not a purchase price, and every deal differs. Model your own in the deal analyzer or the DSCR calculator.
7(a) or 504 for a Motel 6?
Motel 6 deals often include the real estate, which is why the median loan here is large and runs long. When the building is part of the purchase, the SBA 504 program is usually the better fit: a 50/40/10 stack, a bank first lien, a fixed-rate CDC debenture, and 10 percent down, with the real estate amortized up to 25 years. Model that structure in the 504 calculator.
When you are buying an existing Motel 6 as a going concern without the real estate, a 7(a) loan is the usual route, typically over 10 years. Price it in the 7(a) calculator.
What it costs to open a Motel 6
These are Motel 6's own franchise terms, set by the franchisor and separate from the SBA loan. They matter to a buyer because the franchise fee and the build-out are part of the project the loan has to cover, and lenders weigh the net-worth and liquidity minimums when they size a deal.
- Total initial investment
- $195,259 to $8,239,350
- Initial franchise fee
- $25,000
- Ongoing royalty
- 5% of gross sales
- Net worth required
- $1,000,000
Lodging / economy motel, figures from the 2025 FDD. Sources: VettedBiz — Motel 6 Franchise Insights: FDD, Costs & Fees (2025 FDD), Entrepreneur Franchise 500 — Motel 6 directory, Franzy — Motel 6 Franchise Analysis: Cost, FDD & More, FDD Exchange — Motel 6 2025 FDD, 1851 Franchise — Franchise Deep Dive: Motel 6's Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data. Franchise economics are drawn from each brand's public Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD Items 5 and 7) and reputable third-party franchise databases, compiled for independent editorial reference. The Closing Binder is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any franchisor listed. Franchise fee, investment, royalty, and net-worth figures are set by the franchisor and change with each FDD; confirm current terms in the brand's latest FDD before relying on them.
Lenders that actually write these
The banks below approved the most Motel 6 acquisitions in the file. A lender that has funded this brand before is the fastest path through underwriting.
- GBank12 Motel 6 loans
- Open Bank7 Motel 6 loans
- Celtic Bank Corporation6 Motel 6 loans
- First General Bank6 Motel 6 loans
- United Midwest Savings Bank National Association6 Motel 6 loans
SBA conditions on this brand
If Applicant also operates under a management agreement with a third party, Lender/CDC must review the management agreement in accordance with SOP 50 10 to determine if there is affiliation between the Applicant and the management company. The Applicant is not eligible if the management company is, or is affiliated with, the franchisor.
Every franchise the SBA will finance carries an entry in its directory, and some carry conditions like this one about how the real estate and the lease may be held. A lender has to clear these before funding, so they are worth reading before you make an offer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to buy a Motel 6 franchise?
Opening a Motel 6 takes a total initial investment of about $195,259 to $8,239,350, including a $25,000 initial franchise fee, per the brand's FDD. Buying an existing location is priced differently: the median SBA 7(a) acquisition loan for Motel 6 was $2,680,000 in the federal loan file.
Can you buy a Motel 6 with an SBA loan?
Yes. 90 Motel 6 locations were acquired with SBA 7(a) financing since FY2020, and the brand is listed in the SBA Franchise Directory. The directory attaches a lender condition to this brand, so a lender clears that before funding.
How much do you need for a down payment on a Motel 6?
SBA requires a minimum 10 percent equity injection. On the median Motel 6 loan of $2,680,000, that is roughly $297,778 of buyer cash, though a seller note kept on full standby can cover part of it. The rest is financed over about 25 years, around $21,580 a month at the median rate.
Which lenders finance Motel 6 acquisitions?
GBank, Open Bank and Celtic Bank Corporation wrote the most Motel 6 acquisition loans in the federal file. A lender that has funded the brand before knows its franchise agreement and tends to move faster. See the full lender detail above.
Other hotel brands buyers finance
- Financing a Quality Inn
- Financing a Days Inn
- Financing a Super 8
- Financing a Comfort Inn
- Financing a Best Western
- Financing a Red Roof Inn
- Financing a Baymont by Wyndham / Baymont Inn & Suites
- Financing a Comfort Suites
- Financing an Econo Lodge
- Financing a Sleep Inn
- Financing a La Quinta
- Financing a Holiday Inn Express
- Financing a Rodeway Inn
- Financing a Travelodge by Wyndham
- Financing a Country Inn & Suites
Loan counts, median size, median rate, and lender ranking are computed from the SBA 7(a) FOIA file, change of ownership approvals, FY2025 to FY2026 Q3, as of June 30, 2026. Eligibility, the identifier code, and any conditions are from the SBA Franchise Directory, effective August 11, 2026. Franchise cost figures are from Motel 6's public FDD and third-party franchise databases. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Motel 6 or its franchisor, and directory listing is not an endorsement of any individual deal. Methodology.