If you are like most, you probably think that all lenders are alike; well, you might want to think again, when it comes to hard money lenders. California is no stranger to these particular kinds of lenders and is the best place to really note the distinction between private money and hard money lenders.
Clearly, when dealing with private money, you are for the most part dealing with private money lenders and not necessarily hard money lenders. California based lenders, however, make it a point to make a clear distinction between these two kinds of financing. For instance, private money is generally obtained through close personal working relationships and is used for investment properties and ventures. Thus, California lenders who offer private money tend to be more flexible with repayment options and more tailored to a specific group of borrowers.
On the other hand, hard money is almost always obtained via hard money lenders. California lenders of hard money look at the actual property being purchased and essentially determine if there is enough value for them to loan you funds. Moreover, these particular lenders tend to cut through the red tape in comparison to private money lenders and traditional lending institutions. The reasoning being that, again, these particular lenders (hard money) are more focused on the property value and in reality, the approval is just the beginning for these kinds of lenders.
This means that hard money lenders take things a step further and typically manage many of the processes necessary to get your loan closed. For example, it is not shocking to see your lender create your loan package, order the necessary forms such as your title and appraisal report. Hard money lenders will also generally verify payoffs and/or restatements advise you on the best loan program as well as provide all your disclosures. Furthermore, your lender will likely handle underwriting responsibilities, investor matching, decide on a loan servicers for your loan and create/manage pertinent documents (loan docs, loan settlement and/or closing). Of course, this is just a quick overview of everything your hard money lender can do for you. So, let us discuss a more in-depth explanation of one of the main services—the loan package.
Beyond Approval
Creating your loan package is no minor tasks. In other words, your lender will spend some time making sure that you have everything you need to secure an investor. It is important to let your lender take the lead on your loan package for several reasons. The main reason being that a tailor-made package that knows the market and is well documented/organized is what will attract quality investors. In your loan package, you will have a credit report, financial statements, statement of information, tax returns, proof of relevant liabilities and assets—just to name a few.
A Win- Win Solution
Ultimately, all of the above is what sets hard money lenders apart from the pack. Moreover, an reputable and highly experience lender of hard money will make sure the entire process from start to finish is as seamless as possible, which gets you one step closer to making your real estate dreams a reality.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO
Level 4 Funding LLC  Private Hard Money Lender
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444
Texas Tel:     (512) 516-1177
Dennis@level4funding.com NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027
111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701
 
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.