If you are a real estate investor looking to buy a house to flip or rent, getting a loan the conventional way can be challenging. You must undergo a rigorous assessment, and your odds are zero if your credit score is not where the lender wants it. It may also take a longer period of time than you can afford, especially when you want the cash faster than the lender can provide.
Luckily, hard money loans come to your rescue. A hard money loan is temporary and it uses the property you want to buy as collateral. Private companies and individual investors offer these types of loans and base their decision on the property to be collateralized. Here are the perks of hard money loans.
The Underwriting Process Is Less Rigorous
One of the reasons why many business owners and real estate investors opt for hard money loans is because the underwriting process is less rigorous than with traditional loans. As earlier mentioned, hard money lenders do not focus more on the credit score and other financial aspects but instead base their decision on the property you intend to buy, which serves as collateral.
They Close Faster
Hard money loans close faster than traditional loan processes because hard money lenders are not required to follow the same guidelines as conventional lenders. They pay less attention to credit score and debt to income ratio; therefore, the process may take as little as days. On the other hand, it may take several weeks to months to qualify for a traditional loan.
Lower Chances of Not Getting the Loan
One of the difficulties real estate investors face today is qualifying for loans from traditional institutions such as banks to buy an investment property. Traditional lenders must verify the borrower's income, credit score, and other financial aspects and decide the loan amount based on the property's appraisal value.
Still, other procedures are necessary before granting the loan. Hard money lenders don't often say no as long as the loan is equivalent to the property's value since they use it as collateral.
They Are Convenient
Hard money loans are convenient at the cost of high interest, but investors are willing to pay more for good services. Traditional lenders may attract borrowers due to low interests, but the many requirements, including income documentation, tax returns, bank statements, and leases, are overwhelming.
Real estate investors who want a quick loan prefer hard money lenders. You can get a hard money loan in a significantly shorter duration without the hassle of collecting and submitting many documents.
It Improves Real Estate Investment
For instance, if you took a traditional loan to invest in a property and identify another profitable deal in the middle of the term, you cannot take another loan until you repay the first one. But hard money lenders provide the much-needed flexibility of accessing another loan even if you are engaged in another repayment.
The Bottom Line
Hard money loans are speedy, convenient, and flexible, eliminating the headache of pursuing loans to invest in real estate.
