When using Arizona Hard Money Loans, there are a few pieces of important information that every borrower should know. This will increase your potential for success and earnings.

Arizona Hard Money Loans can sound very intimidating if you are not familiar with the process and this financial tool. But these are very useful and legitimate loans for many real estate investors. The first important piece of information that you need to understand is that hard money is a short-term loan as opposed to the 15 to 30-year term on a traditional mortgage. In addition, you need to understand that Arizona Hard Money Loans are funded by individuals or possibly a small group of lenders who work together rather than a bank or mortgage company. But this offers many great benefits to the borrowers of hard money.

Because the lender is independent, he or she is able to work with borrowers to customize the terms of loans much more than a bank or mortgage company. This could mean a unique payment schedule or even a payment amount that fluctuates. And borrowers will also be glad to learn that private lenders require much less paperwork during the application process. This makes applying and getting approved for a loan much less stressful.

One aspect of Arizona Hard Money Loans that some borrowers are uncomfortable with is the higher interest rate. Private lenders are not regulated in the same manner as a financial institution and they are free to set the interest rate as they see fit. In addition, hard money is normally an option for someone with less than perfect credit so the risk is more substantial for the lender. But for a fast application and approval process, many borrowers are happy and willing to pay the higher interest rates associated with hard money.

Asset Based Lending

This is the most important aspect that separates a hard money loan from a traditional loan. A traditional loan is based on the borrower’s creditworthiness and ability to repay the loan. But a hard money loan is based on the current market value of the property being purchased. The borrower must use the property as the collateral on the loan to provide added security for the lender. In the event that the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender has the right to seize the property and sell it to recover his or her investment.

Use It Wisely

Hard money is a very legitimate resource for any real estate investor who is looking for fast funding, a simple application process, and a short loan term. All of these benefits make many borrowers a huge fan of the hard money option. When used on a fix and flip project it is perfect. And other investors use hard money to make a fast purchase for a property with high potential. Once the purchase is secured, then the borrower will refinance on a long-term mortgage at a lower interest rate. Used correctly, hard money can help to make a real estate investor a great deal of money.

If you’re working with Arizona Hard money lenders to complete a fix-and-flip, your success is their success. Avoiding the common mistakes ensures it’s a win-win situation for all.

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “It’s easier to keep a customer than it is to find a new one.” This rings true in the fix-and-flip business too. Relationships are everything. If you treat your crews well, they’ll do good quality work and come back for repeat projects. If your broker gets you a great deal, you’ll return to him when you need funding for your next project. The same thing goes for your Arizona Hard money lenders as well. They want you to be successful because it ensures an ongoing mutually-beneficial relationship. But, if you’re new to the business, it’s all too easy to strike out on the first round, and it typically comes from one of three common errors.

1. No Cushion: Call it an emergency fund, a cushion, or any other name, you’ve got to have some sort of back-up funds ready for when things don’t go as planned. Even seasoned pros will find flood damage, bad wiring, and other expensive issues with their projects when things get going. They get through it because they plan ahead for issues. If you find a great deal on a property, sometimes the cushion can come from the Arizona Hard money lenders and your initial loan, but more often than not, you’ll need to have some of your own cash available.

2. Making Emotional Decisions: You knew the second you saw the property that it would be the one. Maybe it was a quaint little historic bungalow or foreclosure in a quiet community, just waiting for some TLC and a family. The location was great, the repair needs were minimal, and the pricing was amazing. Then, the bidding war started. It’s hard to walk away when you’ve already made plans and know exactly what you’ll do with a place, but at some point, the deal stopped making financial sense and you began bidding because your heart was set. It happens to the best of us, but if you find yourself making any kind of decisions based on emotions, walk away.

3. Failure to Create an Accurate Timeline: Like the financial cushion, all your projects should have a time cushion as well. Not only can unforeseen repairs make a job take longer, but sometimes crews fail to show or coordinating teams doesn’t work out. Give yourself some breathing room. At the very least, it will make the project less stressful, but there’s a good chance that cushion will save the project at some point too.

Realistic Expectations Come with Experience

The more fix-and-flip projects you take on, the easier it will become to gauge what needs to be done, as well as how much time and money it will take to do it. When you’re getting your start, you’ll need to pad your expense list and timeline to compensate for that.

Work with Arizona Hard money lenders and other professionals who have experience and know the business inside and out to ensure success.