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Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Getting a Arizona Hard Money Loan: Advice for First-Time Borrowers

If it's your first time looking into a Arizona Hard Money Loan, you might be feeling confused or nervous about the process. Don't worry, it's a lot simpler than it seems. Let's look at some things you'll need to know for your first loan.

For our purposes, let's say you're going to do a real-estate flip. So, how would you go about getting a Arizona Hard Money Loan?

When you make your initial contact, you'll want to have some key bits of information at your fingertips. You'll need to know the location of the property, have a purchase price in mind, put together a budget for the rehab and come equipped with some idea of how much the property may appreciate. And, many hard money lenders will want to know your exit strategy.

Once you've gone over this info, the lender may want to get a feel for you as the borrower, especially if you've never partnered on a project. A lender may ask if you've done fix and flips before and inquire about your financial history. Thankfully, none of these things will disqualify you — private lenders have more flexibility when it comes to loaning money.

The Next Steps After the Initial Meeting

The application process can vary significantly from lender to lender but will typically involve a loan application and showing paperwork for some of the above-mentioned factors including the purchase contract and the budget for the repairs and renovation. The underwriter will usually do an appraisal on the property and ensure that the after repair value is in the same ballpark as the borrower's estimate. In addition, they may want to check the property insurance and title history. If everything looks good, a closing will be scheduled.

At the closing, the buyer will purchase the property and sign paperwork related to the loan. Among the documents you might be asked to review, and sign include, but aren't limited to, a personal guarantee, a security agreement, a note and an investment affidavit.

The great thing about using private money for a fix-and-flip transaction? All of this process can be completed in a matter of a week or two. By comparison, a bank loan can take up to a month or two to come through.

Finding a Arizona Hard Money Loan in Arizona

For first-timers, all of this can seem daunting, but compared to big financial institutions, the process is pretty straightforward. And, any hard money lender worth his or her salt will help walk you through every step and make sure you understand what's happening. Here at Level4Funding, we have decades of experience dealing with Arizona Hard Money Loans. Give us a call today to discuss how we can work together to make your real estate dreams come true!

Dennis Dahlber Broker Ri CEO Level 4 Funding LLC Dennis Dahlberg
Broker/RI/CEO/MLO
Level 4 Funding LLC
Hard Money Lender
Hard Money Loans
Hard Money Loan
Arizona Tel: (623) 582-4444
Texas Tel: (512) 516-1177
Dennis@level4funding.com
Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO

About the Author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true. Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 43 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

FIX AND FLIP LOAN WITH NO MONEY DOWN

When you ask a person interested in real estate investing why they haven’t done it yet— the most common reply is they don’t have enough money.

People see that real estate can give them a comfortable life and that there are many successful real estate agents, but so many people are held back due to money issues.

Well, myth busted! It is very possible for an investor to have multiple deals going on simultaneously and never have any of their own money in the deal. There are a multitude of lenders out there that want to lend you their money for this exact purpose, as long as they know it is a safe investment.

These lenders are called Arizona Hard Money Lenders. These lenders aren’t worried about how much money you have or your employment history. They are interested in you finding a distressed property that you are willing to rehab and sell for a profit. They receive their profit from the interest they charge.

HOW CAN I GET AN ARIZONA FIX AND FLIP LOAN WITH NO MONEY DOWN

Arizona Hard Money Lenders lend use an After Repair Value (ARV). ARV is what the house will value at following renovation. Arizona Hard Money Lenders will typically finance at least 70% ARV.

Let’s say you find a property for $50,000 purchase price. Once it’s been inspected you find out it has about $20,000 worth of repairs. You need a loan for $70,000, right? Ok, but how much will it sell for if you borrow $70,000. Once it is appraised for its’ ARV you discover you will be able to sell it for $110,000.

The hard money lender will lend you 70% of the $110,000. You will be approved for $77,000. That’s $7,000 more than you need, right? Well, maybe or maybe not. That $7,000 could go toward more materials. Or maybe you could hire a contractor to help you with the repairs. Whatever it is, take the “extra” money. More than likely you will need it. What you just received was an Arizona Fix and Flip Loan with no money down.

What if you need more money for repairs? Arizona Hard Money Lenders will finance those extra repairs, as well. These are called “draws.” A draw is money financed for a certain repair. Once the hard money lender has received the proof they deem necessary concerning the repair the borrower will receive a check.

The general public doesn’t realize that you can go into real estate investing using someone else’s money.

Fix and flips are growing as the fastest way to make a profit. Don’t miss this train. If you have considered jumping into the real estate game, this is the time to do it. Please contact us at level4funding.com. We would love help you get started

HARD MONEY LENDING ON OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTIES

Unfortunately, due to recent consumer protection legislation, lending on Arizona owner occupied properties has becoming a frowned upon phrase in the private lending world.

However, there are ways to get an owner occupied private money loan where the borrower and lender can make a profit. Dodd-Frank is a bill—and out of this bill came how mortgages are to be handled by lenders. During time this bill was enacted the market was crazy and something needed to be done. But, many impacts of this legislation have been difficult for Arizona Hard Money Lenders and borrowers needing private money. Because of this legislation it has been a little tricky to get owner occupied loans done.

CAN ARIZONA HARD MONEY LENDERS LOAN ON OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTIES?

Let’s start with what exactly is an owner occupied property and why is this such an obstacle? An owner occupied property is exactly what is says it is—a piece of property that the owner resides in. The government passed many consumer protection laws which were meant to protect the homeowner. That is good for the homeowner, but the result of this legislation created difficulties for lenders. No mortgage lenders are happy with this legislation.

The laws have to do with waiting periods and how the borrower must prove they can repay the loan based on their debt service ratio and so on. Arizona Hard Money Lenders are simple—they look at the property and base the loan amount on the value of the property. Easy peasy. However, all these new regulations make some Arizona Hard Money Lenders nervous. Arizona Hard Money Lenders aren’t lenders that care how much a borrower makes.

Thank goodness there is a caveat to this ordeal! There is an exception to the rule where Arizona Hard Money Lenders are still able to lend on owner occupied properties if 51% or more of the property is for business purposes. There are ways the lender and borrower can validate and prove that, as the laws require. As long as the numbers work, the loan can work. But, what does business purpose mean? It means that the money being pulled out of the property is for the use of the business. In general, if the borrower has a business and is filing business tax returns—and the borrower can prove that the money being pulled from the property is for the business, then that will be a loan considered for a business. The borrower will have to sign a business purpose affidavit. This affidavit states that this loan is for business purposes.

How does the math work on these loans? Let’s say you have a house that is worth $300,000. You want a loan for business purposes and the house is free and clear— the lender can lend 60%—you will receive a loan for $180,000 for business purposes.

Getting an owner occupied loan is trickier than in years past, but can still happen. This article was just a sneak peak into what Arizona Hard Money Lenders can do to get you an owner occupied loan. For more information, please contact us at level4funding.com.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES AND HARD MONEY LOANS

If you are seeking to invest in real estate and require funding, you have probably figured out you have two options—Texas Hard Money Loans or conventional mortgages.

The majority of people understand what a conventional mortgage is, but fewer understand what a hard money loan looks like. And, even though you may be familiar with a conventional mortgage, you may not truly understand everything that goes into financing from your bank. In this article we will break down the common differences between the two types of financing.

THE INS AND OUTS OF FINANCING

A difference that seems to stand out more than others is the time frame between the two types of financing and how long each of them take to close. With a conventional mortgage it typically takes around 45 days. The fastest you can close with a conventional mortgage is 30 days—and occasionally up to 90 days. There are many strict rules in place when it comes to the underwriting of a conventional mortgage along with a lot of red tape. With a hard money loan you can close within a week or two. The underwriting of Texas Hard Money Loans are less stringent and more flexible.

The funding sources of conventional mortgages and Texas Hard Money Loans differ, as well. Conventional mortgages are funded by lenders who sell their loans to larger banks and other investors. The money for Texas Hard Money Loans comes from private investors, investment funds and lines of credit. Texas Hard Money Loans are not sold to anyone else as conventional mortgages commonly are. These loans remain with the original lender.

Now, the money-interest rates. Yes, generally Texas Hard Money Loans have a higher interest rate than conventional mortgages. There is a reason behind the madness, though. Arizona Hard Money Lenders are loaning money for much shorter periods of time unlike banks who collect large amounts of smaller interest payments over time. Yes! That is the only difference when it comes to interest rates. You may have a hard money loan at an interest rate of 9%, but it’s only for six months—while your conventional mortgage sits at 4% and the bank collects that interest for 30 years.

Bank lenders offering conventional mortgages are lending them on residential properties that will be used as the borrower's home. The banks are looking at the borrower's credit and condition of the property. If a property needs rehabbed in any shape or form they will generally not be approved for a conventional mortgage. Arizona Hard Money Lenders, on the other hand, lend to both residential and commercial properties, but usually don’t lend on primary residences. Texas Hard Money Loans are set up for investors looking to fix and flip properties.

If you are looking for a hard money lender we are here to answer your questions.

Lenders are as unique as borrowers are. We would love to share our knowledge with you and find out if we can work together. Please contact us at level4funding.com.

BENEFITS OF HARD MONEY LOANS

Why choose a hard money loan when conventional loan interest rates are lower? That’s a good question.

Hard money and Arizona Hard Money Lenders play a unique role in the real estate investing world. There are numerous benefits to working with a hard money lender.

UNDERSTANDING HARD MONEY

When a borrower applies for a conventional loan the very first thing a lender does in run your credit history and check how many loans you have on your credit. If a borrower’s credit isn’t stellar and they have existing loans that typically puts a halt to the application process.

When a borrower applies for a hard money loan the priority does not weigh on the borrower’s credit score or the amount of active loans they have. Yes, a Arizona hard money lender generally does look at a borrower’s credit—however, a low FICO score is rarely a red light on the road to approval. Arizona Hard Money Lenders aren’t concerned by the borrower’s number of loans that are active—they are focused on the value of the property because that is the hard asset that backs the loan—that is the collateral.

Another major component to financing a project is renovation costs. Conventional lenders don’t typically finance renovations. Conventional loan underwriting is very rigid with many stipulations. On the other hand, a hard money lender will put out draws to finance the rehab of the property.

There are countless benefits to working with a Arizona Hard money lender.

The benefits of hard money lending is not only that the focus is shifted from a borrower’s financial situation to their assets and that they will use property as collateral while financing the renovations. Arizona Hard Money Lenders generally do not impose early payment penalties, as well. That can be a life saver to an investor who quickly rehabs and sells the property. Hard money underwriting is more lenient which speeds up closing dates. This is important because it doesn’t matter how rich you are or how great your credit is—the process of getting a conventional loan is long, tedious and a general pain. Using a hard money lender, a borrower can close their deal in less than two weeks—and in the real estate world quick closes are everything.

GET A ARIZONA CONSTRUCTION LOAN USING HARD MONEY

A Arizona Construction Loan can also be called spec home financing. These are loans that are given to investors who are going to build a property.

Most banks are not comfortable lending on a property that is “speculative”—meaning the building of the property is a plan, but there is no property to speak of yet. And, the investors are building to sell for a profit.

Maybe you already have the land the property will be built upon—now you have to get the financing that will allow you to actually build the property. If a bank isn’t going to approve you for financing, who is?

HARD MONEY LOANS FOR SPEC HOMES

After you have done all your planning and gotten all your permits in order, you are what is called “shovel ready.” You are ready to start breaking the ground and building. This is where most Arizona Hard Money Lenders are ready to get involved in the project. All plans need to be approved by the city you are building in—the zoning must be handled. A hard money lender does not want to get involved in a mess. They want to see proof that the investor is authorized to build before they approve a Arizona Construction Loan.

Arizona Hard Money Lenders requirements are a little different than banks when applying for a conventional loan. Banks require a large amount of various documents such as proof of employment—typically from the last three years, proof of all income, a breakdown of your assets, W2s from the last several years and so on. Hard money requirements are a little different in the hard money spec loan department. Arizona Hard Money Lenders aren’t seeking a 750 credit score and are more lenient on job history. They will look at tax returns and bank statements. However, they look at the overall project versus focusing so much on your income and credit. These Arizona Hard Money Lenders focus on specialized projects. It helps to have experience on your side—however, the project and the profit that is projected is what Arizona Hard Money Lenders are looking at.

Knowing how the world of private money investment is crucial before jumping into a project that requires funding.

First, have all the construction plans approved. You must have a construction budget. Many lenders do due diligence and have a third party construction management company perform a budget review—to make sure the budget is in line with realistic costs. Lenders may also conduct a future value appraisal that is based on the plans of the property. Expect that lenders will finance 65% of the future value of the property.