When you first begin to plan a fix and flip investment strategy, it is likely that you will be looking for a lender to help with financing. While more traditional banking institutions may be an option, it is often the case that a better fit for fix and flips is a hard money lender. Because hard money lenders fund loans faster and base their lending decisions on the merits of the property more than your own credit-worthiness, they have more flexibility than do traditional lenders.

Hard money loans are not for everyone. They are the province of a chosen few - lenders, as well as borrowers. Just the word ‘quick’ eliminates traditional lenders who subscribe to the longer the better philosophy, preferring to finance a loan for the long-term since interest payments are their bread and butter. Once a loan is paid off, their stream of revenue ceases.

Gone are the "good ole days" when the loan business was easy to understand. Regulations limited the number and types of loans and the businesses who made them. Unless they had rich relatives, borrowers depended primarily on banks or the government for loans.

As the Federal Reserve sends out signals that interest rates may soon be on the rise, many real estate investors are preparing to take advantage of the fix and flip opportunities that will inevitably follow. While the rate rise is expected to be minimal, it may be enough to cause a corresponding rise in foreclosure rates across the nation. That being the case, how best may real estate investors proceed? What are the steps to take to benefit from current market conditions? What is the best advice for fix and flip financing today?

Real estate investment can be scary, especially when people start throwing around the phrase hard money. While it might sound like something out of a heist movie, the kind where the heroes need to make a big score or get their kneecaps broken by a bad guy in a pinstripe suit, hard money loans are actually fairly common when it comes to real estate investing.

Anyone who has not been keeping a close eye on their portfolio and their property inventory in this economy is not in the Real Estate Investing business. Part of the problem is that it isn't just your business you have to take into account. Suppliers, labor, and buyers for the flip market all play into the situation.

Fix and flip financing, also called hard money loans, sometimes conjures up images of boogeymen in pin-striped suits making obscure threats about what will happen if they don't get their money back on time. Real hard money loans, though, are simply investments given to a real estate buyer by a business person who expects to make a profit off of that funding. There's no broken knee caps, pinky rings, or other Hollywood elements involved. A hard money lender is just a private lender who often steps in when the bank won't to offer the financial support a property flipper needs.

Many advertisements from lenders make it sound simple to get into the fix and flip business. All you have to do is (a) find a fixer-upper, (b) buy it cheap, (c) fix it up quick, and (d) sell it fast for a great profit, right? Well, experienced real estate investors know there is a lot of ground between (a) and (d). There is an art, as well as a lot of work that goes into a successful fix and flip. Understanding what makes an ideal fix and flip house and then finding it isn't always easy. A borrower needs to do a good deal of research and get the right financing for the best deal.

Trust deed loans are not a new phenomenon. However, they are growing in popularity. It is a great way to earn passive income with little hassle. Smart investors always do their research. However, there is always more to learn. Here are 5 things you never knew about trust deed loans.

Fix and flip investing is part art form and part business venture. As a real estate investor, you know the importance of doing your homework when choosing a fix and flip property. You have built relationships with realtors,  property inspectors, contractors, and others in related industries to maximize your chances of success. You understand the proper way to figure appropriate ARVs for each property you consider. And you have a real eye for finding those diamond in the rough properties that others overlook when it comes to property searching.