Bank vs Hard Money Loans

House Keys

Are you familiar with the term hard money loan for real estate investing funding in Texas? You might have heard of this kind of loan before, but you may not understand how it differs from traditional bank loans. If you’re considering investing in real estate but don’t have a solid financial background or good credit, keep reading to learn the benefits of hard money lending.

Timeline

Hard money loans aren’t ideal if you’re buying your forever home and looking for a low-rate on a 30-year mortgage. However, these loans are wonderful for house flippers looking for short-term lending options. The interest rates on hard money loans are higher than your average home mortgage and are a high-cost lending product for the average buyer. However, real estate investors aren’t your average buyer. When you invest in real estate, you need cash fast to make the deal and turn around the home as quickly as possible. For house flippers looking for legitimate real estate investing funding, hard money loans provide many benefits.

Credit Isn’t an Issue

Traditional banks have strict lending policies and require minimum credit scores from their applicants. Hard money loans might look at your credit, but this type of real estate investor funding is concerned more with how much equity is in the property than your credit score. Most investors with poor personal credit scores don’t have a problem qualifying for a hard money loan based on their credit history. Instead, the hurdles they face may have more to do with the amount of equity in the property.

If you’re considering purchasing a piece of property with a hard money loan, do your research. Hard money lenders invest in properties with 30%-50% of equity in the property as a protective measure. What does this mean for you? It means you need to find properties at the right price to make hard money lenders happy. While they may loan you up to 100% of the purchase price, they want 30%-50% of built-in equity already in the property. Therefore, if you default on the loan, they’re able to recoup their investment.

Money

Stream-lined Processes

Traditional bank loans can take as much as 90 days to close. This means 3 months waiting for keys to the property. Anyone interested in real estate investing knows that timing is everything. What’s hot today might not be hot 3 months down the line. For this reason, hard money loans make better sense for investors. Depending on the type of loan you’re applying for, the closing process can be completed in as little as 5 days. Hard money lenders look at each case individually and aren’t tied to strict lending requirements like traditional banks or mortgage lenders. This is a huge benefit for real estate investors who need to close a deal fast.

The biggest difference between traditional bank loans and hard money loans is that hard money lenders have programs designed specifically for investors. These loans make the process quick and easy, include funding for repairs and renovations, and don’t require any money down. If you’re interested in learning more about accessing a real estate investing fund in Texas, contact Investor Loan Source and learn more about their residential, rental, and commercial investor loans.