Suppose your firm is seeking a five year, amortizing $210,000 loan with annual payments and your bank is offering you the choice between a $215,500 loan with a $5,500 compensating balance and a $210,000 loan without a compensating balance. The interest rate on the $210,000 loan is 10.0 percent.
How low would the interest rate on the loan with the compensating balance have to be for you to choose it?