Whether it is a fix and flip or a cash flow property, real estate investing is addictive. Many real estate investors are constantly on the lookout for financing to purchase the perfect property at a great price, and then turn that excellent purchase decision into profit.

If you're a real estate investor, working with a hard money lender makes a lot of sense. The many benefits of using hard money loans mean that, despite their name, they can actually make things quite a bit easier for you.

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.

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.

There is a sense of urgency with hard money loans. For whatever reason, such as an interruption of funding or a quick take down of cheap property, a hard money loan usually needs to be acquired quickly. It is important to help a lender feel comfortable and to help a lendee receive funds as soon as possible. To do that, here is the ultimate checklist for you and your hard money lender.

What Are Bridge and Hard Money Loans?

A hard money loan is an alternative to a conventional loan where private funding is secured by the value of a property. Therefore, it can be obtained relatively quickly.

For brokers that are assisting property investors with finding loans, it can be difficult, especially if the borrower can't get a traditional loan through a bank. That's where hard money, or private money, loans come in. Although these types of loans are easier for risky borrowers to obtain, finding a good hard money lender is not as easy as it sounds. Here are three tips for brokers new to hard money lending.

The California real estate market is one of the most active and lucrative markets in the country. Velocities are high, large numbers of both bank and hard money lenders provide capital, and some markets offer significant opportunities for appreciation. However, the unique nature of real estate in the Golden State also poses some challenges. Here are some tips to help you close the right deals:

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.