There are as many investment needs out there as there are investors. Each person has his own financial goals and his own risk tolerance. In many cases, traditional lending institutions do not recognize these needs and try to cram an investor into one of their prepackaged deals or worse yet, will not even consider lending funds on a particular project. When this happens, the experienced investor looks to other sources of capital – typically “hard money.” Here's why:

Typically, traditional lending institutions are not really interested in any real estate deals other than those involving buyers who wish to buy and reside in a single family home. While they will offer excellent terms to these potential buyers because of FHA guarantees, investors looking for money to buy fix and flip, buy and hold, or 2-4 SFR Multifamily properties, face a far more daunting task when it comes to finding investment capital.

While hard money financing may seem like a daunting task to the uninitiated, it actually has quite a bit in common with more standard real estate deals that involve a mortgage and traditional lending institutions. Here are the three main steps to financing with hard money:

Hard money and private money are frequently used interchangeably as a way to refer to alternate financing for real estate purchases. However, they aren't always the same. Some private money gets made on loans that look and act like traditional financing, while a hard money definition should include non-private funds.

The ascendance of the Internet as the preferred mode of communicating and obtaining information has made the mobile infrastructure a must-have for anyone involved in the real estate industry. I must give full disclosure that I’m an Apple user so this list is skewed towards my personal favorites, but Android users out there may benefit as well. With that in mind, here are seven real estate investment Apps that you should use at bare minimum:

California is the most populous state in the nation, has the highest gross domestic product and covers more area than any other in the lower 48 states other than Texas. As such, the state of California has a vibrant and remarkably diverse real estate market. In fact, the National Association of Realtors Realtor Magazine just forecast the biggest home price increase (5 to 7 percent) in the state of California. For investment property, the potential profits will be even greater. Below are the key areas that will drive that increase:

While private or “hard” money lending companies may seem like one of the last places where an inexperienced investor should look, they actually provide a neutral and non-threatening platform where borrowers and lenders can meet each other and appraise their mutual needs. Still, many of the same questions that arise in a traditional investment setting are applicable. Here are just a few that every investor should ask:

Flipping homes can be a quick way to build up equity. While short holding periods don't always qualify you for the same tax deductions for investment property as a buy-and-hold strategy, the write offs that you do get are still valuable. It's also good to remember that you generally only pay tax when you earn a profit -- so having to pay tax is a sign of success. Nevertheless, the less of it the better. Here are three ways to cut your taxes: