Hard money lenders ask different questions from traditional lenders. You can't approach one simply expecting that a high credit score will be enough to get a loan. Instead, they look at you, your proposed purchase, and your equity to answer one basic question: Are you motivated to repay the loan? To this end, here are five of the most common questions that you can expect to be asked:
A hard money loan is a tool to help you invest in property and make a profit. As such, planning your exit strategy for the loan is an important part of your overall plans for property investment. Paying off a loan is often one of the significant expenses involved in rehabbing a property, which means a good loan exit strategy can make the difference between making a great profit or simply breaking even. Here are 3 strategies for paying off your hard money loan.
There is no doubt that when looking to make a real estate investment, choosing a hard money loan is a great option. However, many people do not get approved for the loan because they were caught off guard with the loan application requirements. To ensure a better chance of having the loan approved, check out The Hard Money Loan Application Checklist.
5 Common Real Estate Investment Mistakes that Will Cost You
Posted by Ken Meyer on Tue, Sep 30, 2014Real estate investment is an exciting field, with many opportunities to gain a hefty profit. However, as with all transactions, there are many risks involved. Careful consideration of all details will help you make profitable investments and avoid making potentially disastrous decisions. In particular, take note of the 5 most common mistakes real estate investors make:
What Do Appraisers Look for When Determining the Value of a Property?
Posted by Ken Meyer on Fri, Sep 26, 2014While many real estate investors like to rely on their own intuition and experience, it is always a good idea to get a second opinion when buying a property. For this task, there is no one more qualified than a reputable real estate appraiser. Equipped with the right tools and expertise, they can confirm or negate your impression of a property. Here is what they typically look for when determining the value of a property:
The world of hard money lending is a tight knit one, but one that plays fair with those who act honorably. Still, each lender is trying to maximize their own gains while providing the necessary funding to borrowers. With those two facts in mind, here's what to expect when dealing with a hard money lender:
With property values on the rise in California, this is an excellent time to be in the real estate market. There are large numbers of distressed properties available with great potential for profit. Buying, renovating and flipping properties is a lucrative approach to real estate, as long as the investor avoids three common mistakes.
On a Deadline? Top Three Home Improvements Needed in a Flip
Posted by Ken Meyer on Tue, Aug 19, 2014Maximizing your return on a real estate “flip” investment requires a few things. Obviously, you must buy the property at the right price. In addition, though, you must use your investment capital efficiently. This last factor means concentrating your rehab efforts on the places that provide the greatest return on investment. With that in mind, here's where we suggest that you start:
3 Advantages of Hard Money Borrowing: What’s in it for You?
Posted by Ken Meyer on Tue, Aug 12, 2014A hard money loan is a type of financing where the funds are offered by private investors or companies and are secured by real estate. They may come with some of the same qualification criteria as a conventional loan, including credit score and income analysis, but will more often be based on the value of the real estate that will be used as collateral. Typically, hard money loans will go up to about 70% of the purchase price. Some people are hesitant to explore hard money loans because they tend to have higher interest rates, but you should not base your decision on interest rates alone. In fact, hard money loans can be a worthwhile option for certain buyers. Here are 3 advantages of hard money borrowing: what’s in it for you?
Speed
Private lenders often move faster than traditional banks. They require less peripheral documentation than traditional banks because they are looking primarily at the liquidation value of the property in question. Anyone who has had to submit childcare expenses or make multiple appointments to deliver documents to traditional lending institutions in triplicate will appreciate being able to bypass the nonsense and get to work on their project faster. These loans are also likely to come with shorter terms. Instead of taking on payments for 15, 20, or even 30 years, hard money loan terms can range from 6 months to 5 or 6 years.
Many might suspect that hard money lenders may be difficult financing sources; that they have rather strict terms and can be quite complicated to do business with. What is the truth? The truth is that many experienced and reliable hard money lenders are actually very easy to transact with. How do you get a good deal out of them? Here are some simple tips.