Tag Archives: Texas hard money lender

Why Hard Money Lenders Are So Helpful For Investors

There are many benefits to using hard money lenders when purchasing an investment property. Level 4 Funding shares reasons this type of loan can benefit you.

While many beginner investors typically want to go the route of seeking a loan from a traditional lender such as a bank or other financial institution, they may not realize hard money lenders can help them obtain short-term loans that are much simpler, faster and a great way to get a loan without having perfect (or close to perfect) credit.

For real estate investors, hard money lenders are looking at one main thing — collateral. So instead of having to complete a complication application, provide a lot of personal financial statements and documentation for conventional lenders, these lenders offer a quicker and less stressful way to obtain the funding they need.

These lenders are mostly interested in the property, which is many times used as collateral for the loan. This is a much more direct way to get the loan because it sometimes takes weeks (or longer) for traditional lenders to verify credit scores, reports and history and approve the loan application.

The property’s current market value is the main thing.

The lender is going to want to help the investor make the purchase if the loan amount is approximately 70 percent less than the value of the property in question to purchase. If that is the case, hard money lenders will typically look at this as a good investment and ready to create a contract and repayment schedule agreement.

This type of loan is a win-win situation for the borrower and the lender.

Everyone involved typically benefits from this type of short-term loans. For investors that are looking to “fix and flip” buildings or homes, for homebuyers that will need to make a lot of home improvements on their new abode or for first-time investors, these loans are the way to go. And for those that have poor credit or dings on their history, this does not really even factor in to whether or not their loan will be approved. They get cash in hand, fast, and with few complications. The borrower can even opt to secure a conventional loan with lower interest rates once they own the property outright. The lender benefits as well because the repayment schedule is short, and the interest is generally higher than a typical long-term conventional loan, so they begin to see the return of investment almost immediately. All in all, this is a great type of loan and really does offer a multitude of benefits for all parties involved. Level 4 Funding is available to help investors with a variety of loan needs. With a bit of help and advice from an experienced and professional lender, borrowers can make their investment dreams come true and start building an investment career that can be very financially lucrative – making any future loan needs in the future much easier to obtain.


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

If you learn about the process of hard money loans, you can figure out how to get the best loan to suit your business needs. Level 4 Funding shows you how.

When it comes to learning about hard money loans, it helps to start at the very beginning, with what they actually are. These are unconventional loans that are not reliant on banks or traditional lending institutions for funding. Private sources fund these types of loans, whether it be an individual or a group that helps assist with the funding. Most often, these loans have a short repayment term cycle and are typically used by the borrower to purchase investment properties.

The qualification process for hard money loans it totally different than applying and approval for a traditional loan. In the latter, a borrower needs to complete and submit an application process to the bank or other conventional lender. The process is often very detailed and lots of documentation is required of the borrower. The borrower must also share credit score and history, and provide details about their financial status in order to be considered for the loan.

For unconventional loans, the process is based upon collateral, and the current market value of whatever collateral the borrower is able to provide. Collateral is the value the borrow puts up as a way to offer the lender security of the loan. This could be a car, the person’s home, another building or event the building/property that is being purchased, for example. The lender requires this as security that if for some reason the borrower can’t make payments, than the lender takes over the collateral and can sell it to recover their funds. In this type of loan, the funding individual or group is less interested in the borrower’s credit score or even their currently financial situation. It’s all about collateral.

This is important for borrowers that have less than ideal credit scores or have a ding in the credit history somewhere along the line that makes it difficult for them to obtain a conventional loan. The value of the collateral or the property in mind to purchase needs to have value equal (or likely higher) than the amount that is being requested to borrow. This gives people breaking into the world of investment property purchases a good place to start.

Now that you know…

This is a huge benefit of hard money loans that people don’t often realize at first. While conventional lenders can often be intimidating and the loan applications very challenging, the process of this type of loan is very straightforward. Investment properties, fix-and-flip homes and other property purchases are all great for this type of loan. It offers the cash upfront (and fast!) to make the purchase happen. Then it’s up to the borrower to take their investment purchase to the next level in order to profit to the maximum.

Working with this type of loan has great potential

For those without stellar credit or even those that are just starting to establish their business credit scores, these loans are the way to go. A private lender such as Level 4 Funding can help beginner investors with a short-term loan to build their investor career.


Dennis Dahlberg
Broker/RI/CEO/MLO
Level 4 Funding LLC 
Private Hard Money Lender
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444
Dennis@level4funding.com NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027
111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701
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Why some hard money lenders in Texas will turn you away

House and money

When Casey moved to Texas, he had dreams of making a name for himself in the real estate industry. He quickly realized it was not as easy as the shows on Bravo make it look. Hard money lenders in Texas are not the only ones that are on the chopping block when it comes to loaning money.

If you have been following Level 4 Funding for a while, you probably have read a few times that it is fairly easy to borrow a hard money loan. This is true, for the most part, when you are looking for a potential lender you are free to pick and choose who you want to borrow from. If a certain lender is offering an interest rate that is out of your range, then find another. If the lender you are talking to is not willing to lend you the money are seeking, you do not have to work with them.

For some borrowers, like Casey, the lender may turn you away if they feel the property is not going to return their money. There are usually certain standards that hard money lenders in Texas look for when they are considering lending someone money for a property.

Someone that is playing to win

The real estate business can be extremely unforgiving if you are not prepared and careful when you are looking at properties. Many lenders will not lend to you if you are not risking anything for the investment. Most lenders expect you to pay a large enough down payment on what you plan to purchase.

This is a sign of good faith that you are willing to stick your neck out for the property so you can recoup your money. In Casey’s situation, he was not willing to put a large enough amount that would suffice the risk that the lender was taking. He could have gotten another person to invest with him, but this was his first property. The down payment was the least of his problems.

When in doubt know, your way out

Most people that get into the business try to look for homes that will have a higher resale value during closing. When experienced investors are looking for a property they can flip for a profit, they make sure they have a plan to pay back the loan if all else fails. Hard money lenders in Texas look for borrowers that have an exit strategy if the property fails to make a positive return.

Casey did not think of this when he was planning on purchasing the derelict duplex in a fairly rough neighborhood. Since many people were moving out and Casey did not have enough money to buy the rest of the city block, it was unlikely the building would have a positive return.

Setting yourself up for success counts in real estate

Planning accordingly with allow you to seek out any lender you choose. For Casey being new to Texas and not knowing how things worked he ultimately failed. Take a page from Casey’s book and remember this: do not be like Casey. Take the extra hour to look up potential investors, and forget about being frugal when it comes to a down payment.

Learn How to Select Hard Money Lenders

For many borrowers working with hard money lenders is a new concept. Borrowers are not familiar with the process or how to select a good lender.

Many borrowers are facing the challenge of less than perfect credit or a low credit score. And sadly, these people are under the assumption that they have not alternative to traditional lenders and banks. They are unaware of the service which is provided by hard money lenders. Though these loans are called non-traditional, they are still a very viable option for anyone who is unable to qualify for a traditional loan. But it is critical that a borrower learn how to select a good private lender to work with.

The first step might sound overly simplified but it is valid. Select a firm or individual who specializes in lending hard money. This ensures that you are working with a knowledgeable lender and one who can offer you terms which will fully meet your needs. You can learn a great deal about a lender by reading comments from other borrowers and investigating the lenders reputation. Any reputable lender will do what is best for his or her clients.

If you are new to private lending, it will also be helpful to limit your search to local resources. Working in-person will allow you to ask questions and establish a good working relationship with the lender as you learn the processes and intricacies of hard money. In addition, it will be much easier for you to check out the licensing information for local hard money lenders. This is an important step that should never be overlooked even if the firm is large and appears to be well known.

Seek Openness

As with any business, there will be certain privileged or proprietary information that the lender might not be willing to share with you. But all parties should have access to the loan information during the origination process. Be sure that your lender is willing to provide this transparency and that you are not getting a higher rate than originally promised. As you invest more time in speaking to the lender, you should not feel like some questions are being skirted or that there are aspects of the loan process the lender is not willing to discuss fully and openly.

Due Diligence Pay Dividends

Learning any new process takes time and effort. And working with hard money lenders is no different. You need to be willing to invest your time in learning the process as well as getting to know the lenders. Working with local lenders allows for a shorter learning curve and also gives you more peace of mind as you have been able to actually meet the lender and their staff. As you progress into more loans, seeking national lenders is a viable option to increase your opportunities and to locate more diverse loan options and offers. Be certain to carefully evaluate all of the lenders and all of the loan offers that you receive. Look for a lender who you feel comfortable working with and find very trustworthy.

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
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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.

Technorati Tags: commercial loans,commercial lending,commercial mortgage

Invest 5 Minutes to Learn How Hard Money Loans Can Work for You

By understanding the process of hard money loans, you will see the benefits that they offer. Then you can use this financial tool to make money.

Hard money loans are non-traditional loans, meaning that they are funded not by banks or lending institutions but by private sources. These sources can be a private individual or a group of people who are working together to fund loans. In most cases, the loans are short term and are used to purchase investment properties. The other key feature for these loans is the qualification process.

In the case of a conventional loan, a borrower must complete a loan application and submit it to the traditional lender. This document can be very in depth and tedious to complete. And then the lender begins the process of verifying the information to determine if the borrower is a good risk. The lender considers the borrowers credit score, credit history and overall financial well-being to decide if they will grant the request for funds. In short, the approval is based on the borrower’s current finances. But for hard money loans, the lender is basing the approval on a totally different criteria. The lender is only interested in the current market value of the collateral being offered for the loan. Collateral is something of value which is pledged as a form of security on the repayment of a loan. In this case the collateral is most often the property being purchased. If the borrower fails to make the payments on the loan then the lender is able to sell the collateral to recover their money. The lender is not even really interested in the borrower’s credit or financial position, only the collaterals value.

Understanding this single point is critical to making money using hard money loans. What this means is that you do not need to have great credit or a strong credit history to be able to fund an investment property. You only need to have found a property which has a value greater than the amount that you need to borrow. This single fact opens up investment real estate to an entire segment of the population who might not qualify for a traditional loan due to past credit issues.

Use This Knowledge

Knowing that private lenders are willing to extend loans to borrowers without perfect credit means that anyone can invest in real estate and benefit from this potentially huge profitability. Fix and flip purchases have become very popular in the past 5 years. Buying a property which needs work is a great way to buy cheap, invest sweat equity and then sell for a large profit. Using hard money allows anyone who is willing to invest the time and work needed to improve the property to make a profit on this short term investment.

Invest in Your Future

Not everyone has great credit or can qualify for a second traditional mortgage for an investment property. But using a private lender is a great way to get a short term loan to begin your path to financial freedom as a real estate investor.

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
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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.

Technorati Tags: commercial loans,commercial lending,commercial mortgage

How to Get the Most Benefit from Hard Money Loans

Understanding how hard money loans function is critical to using them successfully. By understanding just a few facts, these private loans can be the key to your financial success.

Most borrowers know very little about the process and characteristics of hard money loans. They understand that the money is provided by a private lender or a group of private lenders and not a traditional bank or lending institution. And they are also aware that the money carries a higher interest rate than traditional loans. But with that very limited bit of information, most borrowers turn away from this very viable and potentially profitable source of funding.

It is very true that hard money loans can carry interest rates in the double digits which is considered to be high. But what most borrowers are not considering is that these types of loans are much more accessible than traditional loans. Long processing time frames, stringent qualification standards and predetermined terms are all facts of life when seeking traditional funding. But a non-traditional loan can offer a much less difficult process for most borrowers.

A private lender is not going to require but a fraction of the documentation that a traditional lender demands during the loan application process. Banks want to see credit history, bank statements, other loan documents, income statements and even documents defining your business and the relationship of the owners of the business. But a private lender is not focusing on that information to determine the risk of your request. So there is much less paperwork involved and therefore much less time wasted during the application and approval process. Borrowers can often have funds in hand in a week or two when working with a private lender.

What Determines a Good Risk?

A private lender is also not going to focus on the borrower’s financial stability when considering a loan request. This opens the door of opportunity for borrowers who have low credit scores or have a high debt to income ratio. What a private lender is going to base the loan approval or rejection on is the value of the collateral for the loan. In most cases the collateral is the property being purchased with the loan funds. The lender needs to be assured that the collateral will always have a greater value than the outstanding loan balance. In the event that the borrower defaults the lender must be able to take possession of the collateral and sell it to recover their investment. For this reason, most hard money loans cannot exceed 70% of the value of the collateral.

Making Private Loans Make You Money

Clearly, private loans can be obtained in a very short time as compared to traditional loans. And these loans can also be obtained with less than perfect credit. If you are willing to pay a little higher interest rate, then a privately funded loan is an option for a borrower who has been denied due to a low credit score or who needs funding quickly to secure a great deal. There is always the option to refinance later at a lower interest rate from a traditional lender. But private lenders can be the answer when time is critical to closing a deal and not missing out on a great money making opportunity.

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
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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.

Technorati Tags: commercial loans,commercial lending,commercial mortgage

Commercial Real Estate Lenders

Shopping malls are turning into mixed-use developments and online shopping has increased the demand for distribution centers. Investors in this segment are looking for commercial real estate lenders that are familiar with this segment of CRE.

We’ve all seen the boarded-up shopping malls with empty parking lots and decaying signs. And so have commercial real estate lenders. Sears, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, CVS and RadioShack have all reported bankruptcies and store closures, leaving lenders looking for a different venue, or at least a different take on an old classic. Shopping malls have become mixed-use developments that include housing, boutiques, outside concert venues and chef-driven restaurants. And maybe a golf course or two.

The truth is that several of the major delinquent loans are backed by shopping centers. According to REBusinessonline, “Major loans that have fallen past maturity in the past year include several that are backed by shopping centers formerly owned by the Westfield Corporation that were later sold to other REITs.”

This includes the $240 million Westfield Centro Portfolio, the $140 million Westfield Chesterfield and the $110 million Westfield Shoppingtown Independence. Rouse Properties purchased Independence Mall after a few years of foreclosure proceedings. Their goal is to create an “open-air retail destination” with a focus on upscale dining and a grocery market as an anchor. This shopping center giant has been in a restructuring mode since 2014 and just recently announced its sale to a French company. Unibail-Rodamco will reportedly pay $15.7 billion to take over Westfield Corp. It will operate as a REIT in France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. Its uncertain if Westfield’s previous plans to seek approval to flatten the Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills, CA and build residences, offices, boutiques, restaurants, hotels and a concert venue is still on target, though chances are the French global property leader will have a similar remodeling plan in mind.

From Retail to Warehouses

Some have blamed the demise in retail and shopping centers on the online giants such as Amazon. But this expanding trail that leads from brick and mortar to mouse and keyboard has left an interesting opportunity for commercial real estate lenders and investors—industrial warehouse and distribution centers. According to American Banker, e-commerce sales are expected to reach $700 billion by 2022. And all those online purchases need a home. While most distribution centers are built on demand, there is a growing number of commercial lenders shelling out the bucks for speculative centers—centers that are selling just as fast as they can be built. In fact, with increasing demand, building in this sector is booming, vacancies are at an almost record low, and rents are rising. Mini-distribution hubs are on the rise as well. Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago all made the top five in the amount of construction space geared for new warehouse and distribution centers.

Those in the business are looking for commercial real estate lenders who understand the business.

Level 4 Funding has been in the industrial/warehouse segment for over 20 years. We work with over 200 private investors and understand the sectors that they specialize in. With this type of rolodex, we can get you the loan you need at the best possible rate. Closing can occur in as little as a few days, giving you the money you need to purchase that next warehouse, build a distribution center, or develop a mixed-use supercenter in record time. Call us for a no-obligation quote.

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
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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.

Technorati Tags: commercial loans,commercial lending,commercial mortgage

What it takes to get a Commercial Real Estate Lenders Approval

Knowing what commercial real estate lenders are looking for on an application will be very helpful when you are ready to seek a loan. Some of the information could surprise you.

Getting your loan application approved by commercial real estate lenders requires more information and effort than most first time buyers expect. But the key to understanding this request and the amount of information which is requested comes from taking a look at the loan from a lenders perspective. Commercial real estate loans are often quite large and hold some inherent risk. The lender is simply trying to eliminate as much risk as possible by being restrictive and stringent about their lending policy. This allows them to make their money and well qualified businesses to make their real estate purchases. They use a system which is sometimes called the three C’s to evaluate loan applications.

Collateral is a big factor in commercial lending. All loans are secured by a lien on the commercial property being purchased. This allows the lender the right to take the property and sell it to pay off a loan in the event that the borrowers default on the loan. If you are requesting a loan which exceeds 80% of the value of the property being purchased, the lender might also request that you offer other property or items as additional collateral for the loan. In most cases the lender would like the loan to only be 80% or less of the property value but in some cases they will accept cross-collateralization.

Cash flow is also an important factor to commercial real estate lenders. They need to see that either the property itself generates enough income to cover the cost of the loan payments or they need to see that the business purchasing the property has sufficient cash flow to pay the loan. In addition, commercial real estate lenders like to know that there are cash reserves or other assets which can be easily liquidated should the economy change and cause a decrease in the cash flow needed to make the loan payments.

Your Personal Promise

There are some occasions when the business does not have enough credit to merit a commercial loan or it has questionable credit. In this case, a commercial real estate lender will require the borrower to personally guarantee the loan. To qualify for this you must have a 660 personal credit score or better, no bankruptcy in the last 7 years, no foreclosures or short sales in the past 3 year and no open tax liens or judgements. If you meet these criteria then your credit history and creditworthiness will be considered during the loan application.

Know What Lenders are Looking For

Commercial lenders are looking for a business which is in stable financial condition and has been for at least three years. The lender is also looking for the ability to repay the loan and to have a cash reserve in place if needed. Before you begin a loan application, you should carefully consider how well your business will fare when they are judged on the three C system.

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
clip_image002clip_image004clip_image006clip_image008

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.

Technorati Tags: commercial loans,commercial lending,commercial mortgage

The Requirements for Securing Commercial Real Estate Loans

Due to the dollar amount of most commercial real estate loans, the criteria to qualify is more stringent. It’s important to understand these requirements before you apply for a loan.

Not only are commercial real estate loans substantially larger than most other loans, they are also inherently more risky. This increased risk is due to the fact that most businesses financial health is very closely tied to the overall economy unlike the financial health of a consumer which is more insulated. To offset this risk as much as possible, lenders are much stricter about the qualifications for commercial real estate loans.

The first step in securing a commercial mortgage is to have the property appraised. Legally, the lender will need to have this process completed but it is not a bad idea for the borrower to also have an appraisal completed. It is critical that the property value be equal to or exceed the amount of the loan being requested. This is simply because the property will be the collateral for the loan. Most lenders want to see the property value at least 20% greater than the loan amount to ensure that the collateral is always greater than the outstanding balance of the loan.

When a business entity is making the purchase, the lender is going to want to verify that the business is financially stable and has the ability to make the loan payments. The lender will request documentation to verify the cash flow of the business as well as the debt that the business is carrying. Lenders prefer to see a steady net income 20% greater than the debt. It is also important that the business have some type of savings or other assets which are very liquid in the event that the business slows and cannot make the loan payments from the months’ income.

If the business entity does not have a strong credit history or is relatively new, the lender will require the owner of the business or owners to become personal guarantors. This basically means that the business credit history does not merit the loan and the owners are willing to use their personal credit history and scores to obtain the loan. This also means that the owners are willing to use their own personal funds and property as collateral for the loan.

Understand What Lenders are requiring

In many cases there are nonrefundable fees which must be paid to apply for commercial real estate loans. Knowing that your business or your personal credit is strong enough to secure a loan is very important before you begin the long process of a loan application and pay the fees to have the application processed. If you have any questions about the qualifications, you should invest your time in more research.

Due Diligence

There is a lot to understand when seeking a commercial loan and researching the process, the potential lenders and the criteria for securing a loan is a very smart choice. Speaking to a local bank or a mortgage lender is a good way to gather information and learn about the process to help you avoid wasting both time and money if you are not prepared to meet the loan application qualifications.

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
clip_image002clip_image004clip_image006clip_image008

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.

Technorati Tags: commercial loans,commercial lending,commercial mortgage

Key Differences between Commercial Loans and Residential Loans

Knowing the differences between commercial loans and residential loans will help you to understand the lengthy process when applying for a commercial loan.

Most consumers think that the process to apply for a residential loan is fairly in-depth and thorough. But if they were ever to apply for a commercial loan they would begin to look more favorably on the residential loan application and approval process. Because of the larger sum of money involved and the greater risk and volatility in the commercial real estate market, commercial loans and the application process can be very intense.

When a consumer applies for a mortgage, the lenders first concern is their income and its stability as well as their debt load. Consumer’s debt should be no more than 45% of their income. But commercial lenders are more interested in the ability of the property to generate income to pay the loan. This is called a Debt Coverage Ratio and lenders prefer to see the ratio at 1:1.25 at the least. This means that the income to cover the loan payments is relatively secure.

A down payment on a home is somewhat negotiable and in some cases is very, very small. But due to the increased risk associated with commercial loans, these down payments are normally 20%. This gives the lender the added security of knowing that the property is valued at 20% more than the initial loan amount. Even in the event that the borrower defaults early in the loan, chances are good that the property is still valued at the full payoff on the loan.

Time Is Critical for Commercial Loans

A normal residential mortgage loan can range from 15 years to 30 and some even stretch as far as 40 years. But a commercial mortgage loan rarely exceeds 10 years. This is because lenders want to decrease the risk of the loan by getting their money back faster. In addition, consumers can pay a mortgage loan off early and save some of the interest that they would have paid over the term of the loan. This is not the case for a commercial mortgage. And in fact, there can be penalties which must be paid called prepayment penalties. In more cases the penalty decreases the further into the loan you progress. But the lender wants to be sure that they make their desired profit, or earning, on each commercial loan they write.

Not Really Even Similar

A consumer mortgage and a commercial property loan are only similar in the fact that it is a loan to purchase property. The dollar amount of most commercial loans is substantially larger than the average home loan. In addition, commercial real estate values are very volatile and can change drastically and very quickly. This is an added risk for the lender. Due to these increased risks, lenders are much more particular about the loan applications which they approve and the terms for which they will offer the loan. Having a good understanding of the lenders approval criteria can save a borrower a great deal of time in completing lengthy commercial loan applications if they don’t meet the lenders criteria.

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
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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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