Texas Hard Money Lender

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

How to Obtain Your First Arizona Fix and Flip Loan

Getting in on the fix and flip real estate model can be a very lucrative investment strategy. Knowing who to turn to and which Arizona Fix and Flip Loan is right for you is often the biggest hurdle to successful entry.

If you are looking to change careers and seeking a healthy income, you may want to look at flipping houses as a business. According to reality TV shows on flipping houses, you don’t need an extensive education and it is relatively easy to do. In reality, it isn’t quite as easy as “reality” shows lead you to believe. Technical knowhow and proper planning are essential; however, one of the greatest roadblocks is obtaining funding for the project. Remember the old axiom, “It takes money to make money.”

So, you have setup your company, created your business plan, and are left wondering how to get the money to start your project. One approach that is particularly helpful for first time fix-and-flippers is to ask friends and family for start-up money. You may also want to approach private investors and Arizona Hard Money Lenders, which are some of the best sources for funding for flipping houses. Compared to traditional banks, they ask for a lot less paperwork, fund in days instead of months, and offer flexible terms with no pre-payment penalties. They look at the property and take into account before and after repair values as well as your ability to complete the project successfully.

Other investors consider taking out a mortgage loan. While rates from traditional lenders can be relatively inexpensive for investment properties, loans from traditional lenders are not always practical. When starting out, a mortgage loan may not be your best option. Traditional lenders are quite slow in closing a fix and flip loan. If your strategy includes short sales and foreclosures, traditional lenders are not always the speediest way to go and the delay can cost you prime property. Traditional lenders are also seeking W-2 or paystubs to verify income and, if you are a real estate investor or self-employed, your verifiable income may not be what the traditional bank is looking for.

After-Repair Value (ARV)

The traditional lender only looks at the appraised value and not the “after repair value” or ARV of the property you are seeking to flip. If you are flipping a house, the appraised value will be much lower than the after-repair value. Traditional lenders require that you have strong credit to get approved for your Arizona Fix and Flip Loan while alternative lenders, such as private and hard money, are less concerned with your credit and will look closer at the property you are seeking to flip.

If you are starting out, it may seem as though it is impossible to find any Arizona Hard Money Lenders that will offer you a loan, but, as Newt Gingrich once said, “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Hang in there and persevere.

When you finally obtain the Arizona Fix and Flip Loan you are seeking from An Arizona Hard Money Lender, you will face interest rates from 5 to 20 percent and may have to pay points from 1 to 10 percent upfront. Once you have established a relationship with a lender and you’re in business longer, the two of you will be able to negotiate future deals. You may also be offered interest only payments and there should be no prepayment penalty. Call us at Level 4 Funding for a no-obligation quote. Our rates start as low as 5.99 percent.

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

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027
111 Congress Ave | Austin | Texas | 78701
About: 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.
© 2019 Level 4 Funding LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

What are Fix and Flip Loans?

The fix and flip investment strategy involves purchasing the ideal property that is ripe for renovation or a quick turnaround. There are several types of Arizona Fix and Flip Loans that can help make your dream a reality.

The fix and flip real estate investment strategy involves purchasing property that is in need of either minor renovation or major construction. After improving the property, you then sell it for a profit. As simple as it sounds, there are many moving parts and areas that require a certain depth of knowledge. Let’s dig a little deeper.

You purchase a property through an auction or a foreclosure or, lastly, a bank foreclosure sale. At that point, depending on the property, you may choose to sell it “as is.” A true fix and flip, however, involves improving the property first, adding value, and then selling it. Improving the property can range from small but important updates to the kitchen and bathrooms to a complete renovation of a home.

A successful fix and flip involves many components. As a Fix-and-Flipper, you must be able to acquire a property at a price that allows you to do the renovations and make a profit. You, as an acquirer, must know your market, as a project manager, you must be able to manage the various contractors to execute the improvements, and, finally, you need to be able to secure funding for your project. One major hurdle is obtaining financing from a bank. You will find that this process may too long and costly. For example:

· Typically, the fix and flipper is opportunistic and purchases distressed properties. This means that time is of the essence and a lengthy and cumbersome bank loan will delay the process.

· The bank route depends heavily on the buyer’s credit history. Your track record and expertise in fix and flip investments is usually discounted by banks.

· The bank route may not lend for improvement costs for a fix and flip property.

Fix and Flip Loans—The Bridge Loan

Loans for fix and flip investments are typically known as Arizona Bridge Loans. The bridge loan is the “bridge” between the sale of the purchased property once renovated. These loans are short term in nature and secured by the real estate. The number and type of Arizona Fix and Flip Loans are varied. Some of the different types are:

· Purchase the property: A seller has a distressed property and the buyer has the opportunity to purchase the property at a deep discount, make some minor renovations, and then sell it.

· Renovation loan: A buyer has the opportunity to purchase a single-family home. The borrower will renovate the home to make it more eye appealing and modernize it with a new kitchen, bathroom, painting, and landscape, and then put the property up for sale.

· Arizona construction loan: A vacant piece of land is available with a dilapidated single-family home. The borrower demolishes it, replaces it with a 2-unit duplex and then sells it.

At Level 4 Funding, we work with hundreds of private Arizona Hard Money Lenders, many of which specialize in fix-and-flip loans. Our interest rates start as low as 5.99 percent with terms that range from 3 to 60 months.

The cause of capital inefficiencies in the lending market allows Arizona Hard Money Lenders the opportunity to provide liquidity while the borrower pays higher interest, organizational costs, and points. These loans are collateralized by the property or land involved in the project. The term of the loans is usually 12-24 months. An individual who invests in Arizona Fix and Flip Loans has their money going directly to the originator who then provides their clients with the working capital to fund their projects. At Level 4 Funding, we offer some of the best interest rates in the market. Call us for a no-obligation quote

Monday, October 28, 2019

Bridge Loans: The Help That's Right for You?

Bridge loans allow investors and developers the opportunity get their unrealized projects off the drawing board and into reality. These loans allow investors to take advantage of opportunities when funding is unavailable, for reasons of bad credit, speculative projects, or if the investment property is in poor condition or suffering due to low occupancy.

Bridge financing acts as a bridge between a properties initial purchase and its eventual refinancing or resale. If a borrowers financial profile doesn't meet the bank's criteria, they'll face consistent denial. Loan officers might shudder at a project that seems particularly speculative, say demolishing a building to make way for a new development or if a property suffers under low occupancy or poor condition, in these cases conventional lenders are not going to risk getting involved.

The Benefits of Bridge Loans really shine in situations like the following

• Bad Credit: Say a developer took a hit on their last project. Work got stalled, and all at once his lender called his loan, and let us assume he defaulted. Now the site sits vacant, and his financial situation prevents him from getting another loan. He approaches a bridge lender and says "I only have a little work left here I just need a bit more money," after receiving bridge financing work on his development finishes, the banks are well pleased with all the extra income he's earning. Finally, he's able to refinance to a long-term mortgage, which pays off his bridge loan and allows him to enjoy a steady stream of income from his shiny new development.

• Speculation: Our developer sees a derelict factory in a blighted industrial area, where the local university will be building their new campus. Our developer is pretty convinced he can develop low-cost apartments in place of the factory and make a boatload. But the bank considers the area, and says no, as they can't see his vision. With bridge financing, our developer can build his apartments. They quickly reach almost full occupancy after the new campus opens allowing our developer to sell off the new complex, paying off his loan and earning him a tidy profit.

• Neglected property: An unscrupulous landlord has been nickel and diming his tenants for years, disgruntled renters have been steadily moving out, and the landlord seeing the apartments as being more trouble than their worth, puts the property on the market. Our buyer is convinced that with a few improvements and more reasonable management the property can quickly turn to full occupancy. But the bank considers the current state of the property and denies him his loan. With the help of bridge lender, our buyer manages to purchase the property, makes a few small improvements and under his patient care, the complex achieves near 90 percent occupancy. Just a few necessary improvements, and a little competence on his part and our investor can refinance, allowing him to earn a generous income from the once god-forsaken apartment complex.

In short, bridge loans can help your dreams come true

Without the help of bridge financing, none of the developers mentioned above would have ever seen their projects move. Bridge lenders are willing to speculate on a properties potential, looking beyond a borrower's poor financial situation, a projects seemingly speculative nature or a properties derelict condition.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Loans for Flipping Houses: Why You Should Avoid the Bank

Many are enticed to get into the flipping business, either by reality television or the prospect of tidy profits. But few people just getting into the business have cash in their pocket to buy and remodel a house on their own, and most need financing. If you are new to the flipping business, learn why banks and every other financing method out there is less than ideal in the case of fix and flip loans.

Someone new to the flipping business might leverage the equity in their home, refinancing their personal residence to embark on their first flipping project. Is putting your actual house on the line to flip another house a good idea? I'll leave that for you to decide.

Another strategy is to take out a small conventional loan to purchase the house, and then take out an unsecured loan to cover the cost of remodeling. This strategy is basically like getting a credit card to pay for your flipping project, and paying bills with a credit card is never a sound financial strategy. So why not just go to your friendly neighborhood bank?

A conventional loan will always fall short when it comes to fix and flip loans

Many novice real estate investors are lured to banks by the prospect of lower interest rates, but conventional lenders fall short in almost every respect the case of flips. First, the tedious application process could cause you to miss out on the best investment opportunities, as foreclosures and short sales move quickly and traditional lenders simply can't keep up. If the property you have in mind is anything less than livable condition, your application will be denied outright. But, there's a bigger reason to avoid going to the bank to finance flips

Without exception, even if a bank miraculously finances your flip, the loan will not cover the cost of your renovations. Ever. Banks give loans as a percentage of a property’s current value. Your bank loan might cover 90 percent of a $50,000 shack and this loan will get you that shack but nothing more. If you want to remodel the home thereafter, you will need to take out another loan.

So home equity, unsecured loans, and even banks fall short when it comes to financing flips, but not all hope is lost.

Hard money loans remain the best way to finance house flips

A cursory search of the term “hard money” might make you balk at the double-digit interest rates offered by these lenders. Understand that those double-digit interest payments don't amount to much as your plan should be to sell the property within a few months.

What sets hard money apart in the case of flips is that these loans are given as a percentage of the property’s value after it's been repaired. Unlike a bank loan, a hard money loan can not only can you get enough money to purchase a distressed home, but you also get the money you need to improve it.

This factor sets hard money apart from other types of financing, be it bank loans, unsecured loans or equity loans. Home equity loans put your house at risk, unsecured loans are expensive, and bank loans will not cover the full cost of a flipping project. If you want to get into the flipping business, your best bet is and likely always will be hard money.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Construction Loans: The Benefits of Short to Permanent Financing

Construction loans are a confusing issue, a Frankenstein of sorts among real estate financing, as they usually come in the form of two loans in one. The first covers the cost of construction while the other loan is a long-term, conventional-type mortgage. You risk less when you have refinancing built as part of your loan package.

Let us call the ideal form of construction financing "short to perm."

You have the option to get a loan that purely covers the cost of construction, but a short to perm loan with refinancing is better. Many articles on the internet cite vague, if not trivial benefits in the case of short to perm loans. Some of these benefits include you only need to pay closing costs once, which results in lower loan fees. Some talk up the fact that with refinancing built into your loan package your interest rate is locked in.

These are all nice benefits when it comes to short to perm loans. But it's safe to say loan fees are a minor expense in the context of a construction project. Also if you think about it, how likely are interest rates going to go up drastically throughout a 6-month construction project? Barring an economic meltdown, it is unlikely that this is going to happen.

The real advantage of having refinancing built into your loan package is that it protects you from risk should your project face an unexpected disaster, after construction finishes.

Singular construction loans may cover the cost of construction, but what if things don't go quite according to plan?

Say a developer gets a single short-term construction loan. He aims to construct a post-modern apartment building complete with a pool a gym, a sauna, and all sorts of other yuppie amenities. The initial monthly rent offered is pretty high as a result of all these features. After construction ends, potential tenants fret over the $2,000 initial rent, but this is the absolute lowest rent he can offer to break even and maintain all those shiny amenities.

Before his loan comes due his beautiful apartment complex lingers at roughly 15 percent occupancy, and bank after bank denies him the opportunity to refinance for this reason. The initial lender who financed his construction calls his loan, and he'll have to pay the full balance himself, and we can only hope this didn't ruin him.

Risk less in the case of construction loans by having refinancing worked out ahead of time

If our developer had refinancing worked into his initial loan, his project would still suffer as a result of low occupancy, and yes he'd still have a loan to pay. But by securing refinancing ahead of time, he would have time to maneuver and secure more tenants. Instead, he had to make a massive balloon payment to pay off his construction loan, without much in the way of additional money coming in.

In short, the main benefit of a short-term construction loan with refinancing built is that it assures you that you'll be covered if things don't work out according to plan.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Simple Strategies to Risk Less When it Comes to Fix and Flip Loans

More and more are getting into the flipping business. Look at the statistics. In 2017, 207,888 single family homes and condos were flipped, the highest number of homes flipped since the pre-recession heyday of 2006. The average profit made per flip last year was $68,143. That's serious money. The recent rise in flips indicates that many new people are getting into the business and its likely most of them are making use of fix and flip loans to do so. Learn some mistakes you want to avoid when it comes to financing flips.

Financing flips is in no way similar to financing a primary residence. These loans are for the short term, as no one in the flipping business plans to hold onto their property for the standard 15-30 year period. They are also expensive, and interest charged usually amounts to the double digits.

Considering the expense and the short-term nature of these loans you want to ensure that:

1. Your property can sell quickly

2. That you take out the smallest loan possible.

Consider the following as examples of what not to do in the case of fix and flip loans

• The HGTV'er: This flipper purchases a property that is pretty much livable. With just a fresh paint job and some new carpets, it would be a quick-and-easy sale, but she decides to go big on the renovations instead. She takes out a rather large loan to reconfigure the home’s entire layout. After the walls come down and the dust settles, our flipper discovers that her extensive demolition didn't add much to the value after all. All that unnecessary work took time, a time during which she was paying those double-digit interest rates and this cost her several thousand dollars.

• The Designer: Our next flipper is obsessed with clean, minimal interiors and slick German appliances. Her vision for her flip is taken straight out of a Mies Van Der Rohe picture book, and again she takes out a rather large loan to bring her vision into reality. In the end, the sparse, minimal interior, Italian concrete countertops, and full picture windows didn't contribute much to the home’s final sale price. Her property sits idly on the listings for many months because her vision didn't match the expectations of most buyers. While her house sits on the market, she continues to make those hefty interest payments on her larger-than-necessary loan.

Risk less in the case of fix and flip loans by using these simple strategies:

• Consider the minimum amount of renovation needed to bring the property to a marketable standard. The HGTV'er didn't do this, and thus she took out a loan that was larger than necessary.

• Only add features that add real value. The designer might have remodeled the home in a way that was aesthetically pleasing, but not only was her vision expensive, but it also didn't mesh with the expectations of most buyers. She took out a larger-than-necessary loan but also the features she added hindered her ability to resell and therefore pay off that loan.

If you don't employ these tactics, you could end up taking out an unnecessarily large and expensive loan to finance your next flipping project.