Hard Money Loans

A Great New Niche for Mortgage Brokers aE” Hard Money Lending With the subprime crisis of a few years ago, and the recession of the past couple of years, the demand for the services of mortgage brokers has diminished. These facts along with tighter lending standards, has led to tough times for mortgage brokers, with many having difficulty finding enough clients to maintain their business. Although lending standards have tightened, real estate investors are still finding ways to fund their real estate projects. Many are turning to hard money lenders to obtain the financing they need to flip a property, invest in a foreclosure, fund a new construction, and other real estate projects. These hard money loans are asset based loans, using the intrinsic value of the property as collateral for the loan, rather than relying on the investor’s credit worthiness. Mortgage brokers, who find themselves short on clients, can look to hard money lending to expand their clientele. Lending to real estate investors will allow them to take advantage of this growing segment of the market. Those who have jumped into the hard money lending arena find that they have little competition with other brokers, and have many clients looking for a broker to help them with their financing needs. An added advantage is that real estate investors, unlike individual homeowners are repeat customers. Most will make multiple investments in a year, seeking new financing for each, thereby increasing your business two, three, and even four fold per new client. Helping real estate investors find proper financing is an underserved market, and a broker who teams up with the right hard money lenders can quickly capitalize on this need.

A broker wanting to expand into hard money lending should research the market as well as the availability and reputations of the hard money lenders in their area. Start by doing an internet search on the hard money lenders in your area, and assess their offerings, experience, and dedication to hard money lending. Then set up interviews with the firms that stand out. You want a hard money lender who is very knowledgeable about the local real estate market, who strictly deals with hard money lending, and is well capitalized, with many financial backers. They should be very professional, organized, and of course ethical. Hard money lending can be a very profitable niche for mortgage brokers who team with the right hard money lenders.

About Author
Jason Balin www.hardmoneybankers.com

Who knows the term hard money?

Hard money is private money lending, money you will receive from individuals that will loan you their money against your real estate, hard money lender is the bank and the bank will Loan you their money and put a lien against your real estate, the same with hard money lenders.

What is the difference between the hard money lender’s programs and the bank across the street?
1. Hard money lenders can help investors with large loan amounts, while banks will make it very difficult on the borrower to loan these large amount, so the loan would probably end up with an insurance company to loan the money and the requirements are high.
2. Hard money lenders can fund any hard money loan within a week, while for the banks it will take at least a month or even more.
3. Hard money lenders will ask for very little documentation, while the banks would ask for almost everything you have, taxes, income, assets, history of the property before and plans for after the purchase, business license, basically they will definitely want to see more from you to loan you some money.
4. Hard money lenders have guidelines but they can make exceptions without processing it through a whole underwriting team- while the bank need to go through different departments and underwriters and processors just to make an exception, and then the exception will not get excepted.

As you see to get a hard money loan is much easier then to get a loan from a bank because of the whole process, the banks are big companies and big companies have many different rules inside their companies, and to get an exception for these rules is almost impossible, and that is why many investors would rather go with a hard money lender.

So now you’re probably thinking what is the catch with the hard money lenders?
OK, so let’s talk about all the reasons why you should not consider applying for a hard money loan:

1. Hard money lenders for their services will charge you 4 to 9 points on the loan- while the banks will charge you only 1 to 2 points.
Example: If you have a loan amount of $1,000,000 and your hard money lender will charge you 5 points up front then you will pay $50,000- while the bank will charge you 2% which is $20,000, that is a bit difference but under different circumstances for some people it’s still a great deal.
2. Hard money lenders because of the fact that they will loan you money without showing your credit history and your income they will set the loans interest rate 9%-15%- while the banks will set your loans interest rate to 7%- 10%, again that is a huge difference if you’re thinking about it but for these people that want the hard money loans it’s still a great deal.

You have to understand that most investors or home buyers can not qualified today with banks for any type of Loan, hard money lenders can get you the deals you want (foreclosures, reo’s) without even thinking about showing all the unnecessary documentation, all you need to have is some money in your pocket if you’re purchasing, and if you’re refinancing then you need enough equity since the hard money lenders will probably go up to 65% at the most, also to find good hard money lenders it’s not so hard, it’s actually very easy because there are many private hard money lenders that are looking for real estate properties and notes to buy so they can make their points up frond and of course the high interest rate, if you will think about it, it’s much better then put the money in the bank.

Example: If a hard money lender put $1,000,000 in the bank and the bank will pay him 5% a year- while if he will loan the money to an investor that want to purchase a property or to refinance a property, he will charge his 5 points and he will get 15% interest rate on his money, that’s a big difference.
Good luck to you all investors out there.

Why would any borrower accept 15% rates and 5% on the front of a hard money commercial loan?  Because their other options are worse.  For example they may lose a substantial amount of equity out right or have to take on a partner that may take a higher percentage of their equity than a hard money lender would charge in fees.

Also the commercial hard money loans are easier and more reliable to attain than finding, negotiating and bringing on a partner or waiting months for a conventional loan to close (assuming the borrower qualifies).  Partners also have the high potential of creating legal issues if the project does not work out as planned.

Hard Money Commercial Loans  

For borrowers seriously considering going with a hard money commercial lender it is wise to only use a source that has been referred to borrowers by an experienced, unbiased third party.   This segment of the industry is filled with unethical people that have the bad habit of taking $15,000 good faith deposits with no intention of funding loans.  For many borrowers this $15,000 may be their last chunk of cash and they can’t make the mistake of going with the wrong commercial hard money lender.   Borrowers have almost no recourse either as most have to sign agreements stating that the fee is non refundable and the Letter of Intent is only a letter of “interest”.   Which of course, relieves the hard money lender of funding the deal. 

Many real estate investors overlook hard money loans as a strategy for acquiring property. That’s because these loans are typically used by desperate property owners looking for a way out of the real estate market, rather than into it. But hard money can work for anyone, and it can be particularly useful if you’re a new investor looking to build your portfolio quickly.

Hard money loans can generally be described as high interest loans available to borrowers with any credit rating, as long as they can can provide solid collateral – usually equity in real estate, such as a home. These loans are almost never issued by banks or deposit institutions, but rather by private lenders who specialize in short term lending at high interest.

Normally a home owner in need of a big loan would apply for a second mortgage, using real estate equity as collateral, but bad credit can make things difficult here. If a home owner has missed a few mortgage payments, the banks may refuse to provide more financing – hard money might be the only option in this case.

The limit for hard money loans typically hover at about 60 to 70 per cent of a property’s quick sale value, defined as the price a lender could reasonably expect to realize if the borrower defaulted on the loan, and the property was liquidated fast. The interest rate for a hard money loan is usually in the 15 to 25 per cent range.

Investors can take out hard money loans to buy a property, as long as they provide acceptable collateral – in this case it could even be the property they’re buying. The strategy here is to find a pre-foreclosure property, or any real estate with an owner prepared to sell below below market value as long as the sale is fast. If the investor can re-sell the property at full market value, before too much interest is paid on the hard money loan, he or she can make a significant profit. Hard money loans have helped many successful investors get started in real estate.

It would be an understatement to say that the decline in the real estate market changed the lending environment. Lenders who used to allow stated income loans no longer offer them, or they may claim to offer them but decline 99% of the stated loan submissions offered. This is extremely bad for investors who have made their incomes solely from real estate investing, or other self employed endeavors.

Primarily because when they do their taxes they have a lot of items to deduct from their income, and so their tax returns do not effect the true gross income that they earn. W2 employees do not have this problem, as they are qualified based on their full gross income and even if they do write off their incomes, the tax returns are hardly ever requested when W2′s are provided.

A good Residential Hard Money Lender, understands this is the case for full time real estate investors, and they will not have much taxable income on purpose at the end of the tax year. Even if tax returns are requested, its just to verify that the investor really does what he said on the application provided, and not to calculate debt to income ratios.

Another benefit to obtaining a Residential Hard Money Loan is that the loan is based on the After Repair Value, and not the Purchase Price. With a conventional lender, it doesn’t matter if you are buying at 10% of value; they would still require a certain percentage down payment on that purchase price. In other words, conventional lending methods ignore the fact that you are getting the property at a deep discount.

When you obtain a mortgage with a Residential Hard Money Lender you can rest assured that the After Repair Value (ARV) is being considered in the transaction. In a lot of cases the deep discount an investor is getting will allow room for the lender to roll in closing costs, rehab costs, etc… This decreases the amount of capital that an investor has to put into their projects, and therefore leaves more capital available so that he can do more deals.

If you have a real estate investment in mind, and are concerned with minimizing risk, and maximizing return on investment, you should consider utilizing a Residential Hard Money Lender. Its easier to qualify, and they are more flexible on the structure of a transaction.

Are you an investor looking to minimize risk, and maximize ROI by partnering with an aggressive Residential Hard Money Lender? Does including closing costs, rehab costs, and basing your loan on After Repair Value sound appealing?

If so, you owe it to yourself to see if you too can qualify for an Investor Rehab Loan by visiting this website: http://www.residential-hard-money-lender.com/

A residential hard money loan is a kind of loan in which a borrower gets funds based on the value of a specific commercial or residential real estate. The term hard money refers to the difficulties in acquiring a loan. Hard money loans offer high interest rates and lower loan-to-value ratios, as there is no government institution that backs the lender. The loans are given against the value of real estate collateral.

Residential hard money loans are loans given by private lenders on the basis of the value of the asset or property as opposed to the traditional banking criteria of credit scores, tax returns, and income statements of the borrower. Residential hard-money loans are temporary bridge loans that are provided for acquisitions, refinancing, foreclosures and people who file for bankruptcy. The interest rates for these loans are high, but it is cheaper than taking on a financial partner or filing for bankruptcy.

In general, hard money loans offer interest rates and points that are 50-100% higher than traditional bank loans. This has led to the impression that they are tough to repay. However, hard money loans are considered to be beneficial for people looking for sources to help them get loans, for example, to renovate residential property before selling or renting it.

The hard money lenders usually consider income-producing properties such as apartments, retail or shopping centers, industrial, office buildings, hotels, motels, medical institutions, and restaurants. They also provide loans for non-income producing activities such as land acquisition, development and construction, bank workouts, foreclosures and bankruptcies.

Most private investors look for a safe and secure investment with a return that is better than what they will receive from the bank. As residential hard money loans are secured by a property with usually 30% – 50% equity, the investor is well protected and receives the benefit of the higher interest rate return.

Author: Thomas Morva
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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For real estate investors there are numerous benefits and advantages to private real estate money versus hard money loans or mortgage loans to fund your real estate investing business. Knowing the advantages can mean the difference between making a real estate deal work or losing a good deal to your competitors.

As the credit-bubble continues to unwind, traditional sources of real estate financing are drying up and real estate investors need to find alternative sources of capital such as private real estate money.

Advantage #1: Speed and Cash Flow

The ability to close a real estate deal in less than two weeks is a huge advantage over having to wait weeks or even months for a typical bank loan approval. The importance of speed cannot be overstated in a competitive market and quick cash gives you a big edge over other investors.

Imagine if you are the seller and someone comes to you to buy your house and has a two or three month escrow period before closing plus several financing contingencies versus another investors who will close in two weeks with no contingences.

Not hard to tell which offer the seller will accept. And the real power of this offer is the seller may accept a lower price to close quickly with no contingencies. So not only do you get the deal from the other investor, but you get it at a lower price. The power of private real estate money is the ability to close quickly and drive better deals terms to your advantage.

Advantage #2: Simple Paperwork

Have you ever gone to a closing on a traditional mortgage loan and had to sign 2 inches of paper work. Now image going to closing and only signing two or three documents (yes that is not misprint).

Private real estate money deals are incredible simple and the total paperwork is normally less than 10 pages and includes two or three simple documents. The documents included in a private real estate money transaction are a mortgage (Deed of Trust), an installment note and possible a disclosure statement. The only other required paper work is to name your lender on your property insurance as you would in any normal loan situation.

Advantage #3: You Control Terms and Conditions

One of the incredible advantages of a private real estate money transaction is you control the terms and conditions of the loan. For example, you can offer a very short term loan of only 6 months if you know you are going to flip the property for quick profit. Or you can offer a 5 or 10 year term if you plan on holding the property for a long term rental.

You can also control the conditions of the loan such as not allowing a prepayment penalty for early prepayment. Most normal mortgages and hard money loans require a 1% to 10% prepayment penalty to pay a loan off early. With private lending transaction you control the conditions and can simply add a clause that allows an early prepayment without a penalty. That can mean a huge savings down the road.

Advantage #4: Reduced Fees and Costs

Private real estate money is less costly than mortgage loans or hard money loans. For example, most hard money loans can ultimately have total interest cost of 20% or greater by the time you factor in all the fees, points, interest and other costs. Even mortgage loans can be very costly with fees and upfront points factored in and the high interest rates most investors must pay versus home owners. Loans from private real estate money sources usually have no points and very few costs. The total cost of most private loans is somewhere in the 9% to 15% range with little upfront or back-end fees.

Advantage #5: Flexibility

Private real estate money provides tremendous flexibility for both you the borrower, but also for the private lender. The private lender can invest small amounts of $5,000 or less in deals or large amounts to fund larger apartments or commercial property purchases. You can also work with lenders to structure a term that fits the lenders needs.

A commercial hard money loan is a non-conventional commercial real estate loan that is not made by a traditional bank. This type of commercial financing has been in use for over 50 years. Such loans usually have a first lien on commercial property. If a hard money loan has a secondary lien, it is known as mezzanine financing.

There are three financing options for most commercial real estate scenarios: traditional banks, intermediate lenders and hard money lenders. The primary rationale for a small business considering a commercial hard money loan is that traditional or intermediate commercial financing options are not viable.

In those situations where traditional banks and intermediate lenders both say “NO”, it then makes good business sense to explore under what terms a hard money commercial loan might be available. Many viable small business projects can be funded ONLY via a hard money lender. Before accepting “NO” from the traditional banks and intermediate lenders as the “FINAL ANSWER”, a prudent small business borrower should determine if a hard money lender will say “YES”.

Commercial hard money loans are typically completed more quickly than a traditional commercial loan. Compared to traditional bank business loans, commercial hard money loans will generally involve a higher interest rate (prevailing range of prime rate plus 4-8% for typical scenarios), higher fees and shorter-term financing (one to three years). However, because many hard money loans offer interest only terms, the payments can be lower than a fully-amortized loan with a lower interest rate.

Three common commercial financing scenarios using hard money loans are described below.

COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN SCENARIO # 1:
Low Credit Scores

Most traditional commercial loans have very strict standards for acceptable credit scores by the guarantors for a commercial real estate loan. Hard money loans are much more flexible and low credit scores are acceptable.

COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN SCENARIO # 2:
Need to Obtain Commercial Financing Quickly

Traditional commercial loans will normally require several months to complete. Hard money loans can be obtained within a few days in some situations. This difference will be critical if commercial financing is required within a short time frame.

COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN SCENARIO # 3:
Special Small Business Situations Not Easily Understood by Traditional Banks and Intermediate Lenders

• Foreclosure
• Bankruptcy
• Special Purpose Properties
• Tax Liens
• Losses
• Negative Net Worth
• Less than one year in business
• Environmental Requirements

For each of the three scenarios described above, a commercial hard money loan will involve shorter-term financing, higher fees and higher interest rates than a commercial loan from a traditional bank or an intermediate lender. However, the critical point which must not be overlooked is that for most situations covered by the three scenarios, commercial financing would be declined by either traditional banks or intermediate lenders. It is under these circumstances that a commercial hard money loan becomes a practical and viable solution for many small business owners.

Copyright 2005-2006 AEX Commercial Financing Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Author: Stephen Bush
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In the world of real estate investing, people are always on the look out for different ways to make an investment purchase. Typically the property would simply be bought & mortgaged in the traditional manner but as home values increase and the cost of living rises buyers are seeking out other ways of making the down payment on properties. One way that this can be accomplished is through the use of hard money loans. Now, one must be careful in purchasing with a hard money loan as interest can stack up quickly as most interest rates range between 10 and 16%. In comparison to a normal mortgage this is a fairly high rate. The best way to make this kind of loan work is on a home where the owner is looking for a quick sale and the property has the potential to sell for greater than the purchase price.

The most attractive aspect of a hard money loan is the fact that it can allow a buyer to act quickly to take advantage of a particular home sale. An investor will have to plan carefully and be intelligent and educated about the terms of the loan and the value and viability of the property. An investor should be sure about the attraction of the property as with a higher interest loan the whole point is the flip the property quickly before the payments start to pile up. Additionally the loan should be designed to comprehensively cover the costs of purchase and renovation if necessary or desired. in such a situation the buyer will need to have everything organized ahead of time in terms of renovations or construction to the home and should have a definite timeline as to when things should be complete and the home can be listed. This will also take an intricate understanding of the local real estate market and the trends that dictate it. There are certain times when the market will be hot and times when it will be cooler and the sale of the home will have to be a planned event that takes advantage of the peaks of the market.

In planning a purchase with a hard money loan, be sure to sit down with your realtor and explore all the available options before taking the plunge. They are the best suited individuals to help plan the purchase and subsequent sale of the property. They will also be able to direct a investor to loan professionals that are reputable and honest. With such a wealth of dishonest mortgage companies as this country has seen in the past years, it is essential that an investor has a good amount of background on the lender that they choose to deal with. Good Luck!

Hard money is a staple term in the world of real estate investing. It is also a word that beginners in the business find hard to understand and a form of loan that keeps rehabbers flipping more and more houses without spending a dollar.

Hard money is issued by hard money lenders to investors, wholesalers, or rehabbers. Those involved in real estate investing like to use this kind of financing as hard money lenders do not care about the borrower’s credit score. Instead, they look at the deal the borrower wants to close using the money. In short, if the deal is good, the money will come to the deal. This is because hard money is also collateral-based. If the property has a potential to return profits, then you will likely get a loan.

Borrowers prefer negotiating with hard money lenders as it is easier. Unlike in traditional lenders, those in the hard money business usually operate individually. That means you only have to convince one person to get a loan. A loan application in a traditional lender is usually is processed by a team and must pass through several steps before it is approved or rejected.

Such process is time-consuming, bringing us to another advantage of hard money loans. This kind of financing is issued fast. Within just days, you will know if your application is approved or rejected. That means you’ll be able to plan another move faster in case your request is denied.

In some sources, hard money loans can be approved in just two days after the submission of complete documents. RehabHardMoney.com uses this kind of system. Borrowers in need of fast cash can go to RehabHardMoney.com and fill out a form. This form will make “pre-qualify” you for loans and other services Rehab Hard Money offers. It will basically find you hard money lenders based on your location and specific needs. Upon signing up in the system, you will also receive FREE reports that will help you be acquainted with hard money loans. You’ll receive the “7 Secrets to using Hard Money to Your Advantage” and “5 Mistakes almost every Investor makes when Borrowing Hard Money” plus access to a video titled “How to Get & Use Hard Money Funding.”