What is Hard Money? - Fix and Flip

Many people have heard the term hard money but they do not have a good understanding of what it is or how to use it. Having this understanding can open up many opportunities for borrowers.

Hard money is a type of loan which is offered to a borrower based on the value of the collateral and not the personal financial position and history of the borrower. This type of loan is sometimes referred to as asset-based loan financing. The collateral is normally real property as opposed to personal funds in a retirement account or other material goods.

Because of the unique nature of a hard money loan, the lender is not the traditional bank or credit union that most borrowers are familiar with. These types of loans are offered by private investors or private investment companies. Being that the loan is from a private entity, the terms, conditions and processing time of the loans is quite different from the traditional bank loan application and process. Lenders are free to tailor each loan as they see fit and to meet the needs of the borrower. This is because the lenders are not regulated by state or federal law as traditional banks and lenders are. But these private lenders are still in business to make money so there are best practices which most hard money lenders follow.

As mentioned before, the loans are secured with collateral which is real property. To assure that the investment is protected, lenders use what is called loan to value when evaluating a loan request. The amount of the loan is determined by the value of the collateral property. Most lenders are willing to loan 65% to 75% of the value of the collateral. This insures that the collateral will always be more valuable than any outstanding balance on the loan.

There are Pro’s and Con’s

Asset based lending offers a borrower opportunities based on criteria other than personal credit and financial standing which can be very helpful. In addition, the terms can be very flexible to meet the borrower’s needs. But the lender is also seeing some benefit from funding the loan. The interest rate on these private loans is normally higher than that of a traditional bank loan. In most cases these private loans offer interest rates above 8% and they can range up to as much as 25%. But borrowers are willing to pay the higher rate to secure the loan that they need.

Shop Around

Just as when applying for a traditional loan from a bank or mortgage lander, it is always a good idea to shop around for the best rate and terms available. There are more private lenders out there than most people are aware of. With the higher interest rates of private loans it is even more important than ever to secure the best rate possible. Investing a little time to find an appealing interest rate on a private loan can save you a great deal of money over the life of the loan.

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 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

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