If you've been trying to get deals done in California's rewarding but challenging investment real estate climate, you know that sourcing debt is hard to do. Luckily, you do have an alternative -- the private mortgage market. Here are the top seven reasons that California hard money lenders can make you a loan and help you get your deal closed:

1. They have money to lend. Private lenders are investors like you that have money that they need to place. 
2. They can close quickly. California hard money lenders aren't big, faceless institutions with levels of decision making. Once they get your application, they can move quickly and fund your loan, usually in three weeks or less.
3. They don't underwrite income. Most private lenders look at your ability to repay the loan rather than looking at the property's in-place cash flow. Since they do this, they can lend you money on vacant and distressed properties, allowing you to carry the property until you can turn it around or resell it.
4. They can preapprove you. Since California hard money lenders' primary concern is your strength and your ability to repay the loan, they can usually preapprove you and give you a proof of funds letter that you can use to write purchase agreements with the knowledge that you will be able to close.
5. They have to lend to earn. Banks can borrow money from the Federal Reserve, lend it to the government, and pocket the difference. Private lenders can't. If they aren't lending their money to investors like you, they aren't making anything.
6. They can lend on after-repair value. California hard money lenders usually look at what a property will be worth after you fix it up; instead of looking at its value on the day you close on it. This means that they can lend you more money than you might expect, giving you the funds that you need to rehabilitate the property and resell or re-tenant it at a healthy profit.
7. They take risk. Many traditional lenders are so risk averse that they miss opportunities to make good loans that will make them money. While the private lending community is extremely prudent, they look at a deal and a borrower as a package and may be able to ignore minor issues that should not derail a transaction.