CLEARWATER, FL - Bison Financial Group, Inc., a mortgage brokerage business based here announces the closing of a $675,000 loan on a neighborhood shopping center in Ocala, Florida. The loan was placed with a regional bank holding company.

"It was a difficult transaction to place," comments David Repka, President of Bison, "the center was anchored by Blockbuster Video with less than a year to run on their lease. The purchaser was a California based investor and this was one of his first Florida transactions. It required the right lender that understood the compelling fundamentals of the location. The lender was able to overcome the expiring lease hurdle once they learned that this location was one of the top ten producing Blockbusters in the region. The fact that they have a branch bank in the neighborhood significantly helped move this to closing."

Bison Financial Group, Inc. specializes in arranging debt and equity capital for distressed real estate and transactions with intense time pressure.