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Private Money, Hard Money

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By Dan Harkey
Educator & Private Money Finance Consultant
949 533 8315 [email protected]
Visit my website at danharkey.com

Introduction:

“Private money, hard money, and bridge loans” are used interchangeably:

These loans refer to alternative lending sources separate and distinct from banks and institutional lending. One or more private investors/lenders fund each loan. Pools of investment capital accumulated with many private parties are also frequently used to finance private money loans. A sponsor/manager will be formed for pooled entities to fund many loans and manage the servicing.

Private money lending stands out when traditional banks decline, or the loan transaction is non-bankable. It’s a solution for property-related issues that need to be resolved, such as completing a partially constructed building or increasing occupancy in an income property with excess vacancy.

Transactions where private money loans benefit borrowers.

*Fast loan approval with possible 2-to-4-day funding for bank declines and fallouts: The bank may already have done significant underwriting, including opening escrow and title, obtaining an independent appraisal, and completing the application and financials. Some private lenders can use the banks’ information to fund faster, particularly when they have a mortgage pool or immediate capital available to invest.

*Debt consolidations for consumers, businesses, or a combination of both: In most cases, a funded loan is used for debt consolidation, lowering the borrower’s monthly payment obligations. The funded loan should give the borrower some breathing room to improve their credit and obtain a long-term bank loan. Also, if the loan is a second lien, the average interest rate between the first and second is calculated to show a ”net-effective rate.”

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*Marginal to poor creditworthiness, where a borrower is not bankable, and approval of a loan request is primarily property equity-driven.

*Special purpose-unique properties– Churches, synagogues, restaurants, bars, automotive repair shops, body repair shops, gas stations, and other single-purpose or limited properties.

*Limited document loans where the requirement is a loan application, credit report, and three to six months of bank statements. The objective is to prove the ability to pay the outstanding loan payments and other debt obligations.

*Fresh start loan. Borrowers may need to catch up and give themselves breathing room for accrued and differing payments.

*Payoff loans coming due or past due: Refinance and pay off existing first, second, and third lien position loans that may be due. Sometimes, refinancing the second and providing cash out is the appropriate answer to the loan request. Loans are available for both owner and non-owner-occupied residential and commercial properties.

*Cash-out for any reason refinances based upon the protective equity of existing real estate. Proceeds may be for business and consumer purposes. The Federal Government and some states, such as California, require a special license to engage in consumer-purpose lending.

*Junior lien or second-position loans on both owner and non-owner-occupied dwellings for business purposes.

*Construction completion, rebuilding, or upgrading properties in poor or marginal condition: The loan is usually necessary because the collateral property or the borrower needs to meet bank underwriting guidelines in its distressed or partially completed state. Loan approval by the lender will consider the as-is-value and the as-completed-value.

*A borrower may own and operate a cash-based small business with limited financial strength, as the books show. A lender will require 3 to 6 months of personal and business bank statements. The borrower must still prove that they can make the required payments.

*Leveraged existing real estate equity developed over time to borrow additional funds, purchase other investment properties or invest in a business enterprise.

*Purchase a property with some cash down payment, sweat equity, and seller’s agreement to carry back a subordinated junior lien. The property seller would have the borrower sign a promissory note and a deed of trust with a set interest rate, payment schedule, and due date. The subordinated second is recorded concurrently with the first trust deed but with a recording number after the first.

*Inherited property where family members and successor trustees who are beneficiaries need funds for distribution to the beneficiaries, pay the estate’s legal costs or fix up the property for a future rental. Another option is fixing it and selling it on the open market.

*Loan on unimproved raw land. Loaning on raw land can be a complex process. Is the land parcel part of an existing subdivision, referred to as an infill lot, a commercially or industrially zoned parcel within a subdivision, or a larger parcel held for future development? The borrower may need to use the property as collateral to raise funds for future entitlements, including engineering, architecture, various reports, and fees to develop a fully entitled parcel ready to be built. The borrower would pay the loan off as part of the construction loan.

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*Retail strip and community centers, industrial or other properties that require upgrades or repositioning: Many centers are distressed due to the COVID shutdown vacancies, where tenants could not pay rent.

*Fix-and-flip loans allow high-frequency purchasers to purchase a distressed property, rehabilitate it with the expectation of resale, and turn a quick profit. Borrowers need both experience and some of their capital at risk.

*Litigation settlements: A loan to buy out a business partner, pay off a pesky family member, an ex-spouse, a judgment lien, or a partition suit.

*Pay off civil judgments and liens, including arrearage in property taxes, association dues, and federal and state tax liens.

*Sale of existing promissory notes and deeds of trust to 3rd party investors: The sale is usually at a discount, whether the promissory note is performing or non-preforming. A deal will free up cash.

*Hypothecation or pledge of a promissory note and deed of trust: A borrower who owns a promissory note and deed will assign them to a third-party investor as collateral for a new loan.

*Cross-collateralization of more than one property: Multiple properties are required to meet the lender’s equity requirements. The borrower would sign one promissory note but have recorded liens that encumber two or more properties.

*Small mobile homes or trailer parks: properties that don’t meet the underwriting standards of institutional lenders.

*Vacation, Short-term, and rental income properties; Financials and history are necessary to prove the ability to make payments.

*New ground-up construction or construction completion for a partially completed project: Most requests result from borrowers needing to fund additional dollars to complete the project when they deplete their capital or existing construction loan proceeds.

*Collateral combines real and personal property, such as a motel, restaurant, carwash, or gas station with mini markets. A recorded trust deed encumbers the real property, and a UUC-1 financing statement will be filed with the Secretary of State to encumber the personal property. The valuation and decision to make the loan must be on the real property only.

*A long-term lease on commercial property has or is expected to expire soon. The lease expiration could cause a vacancy and a disruption in rental income. If the master tenant vacates the property, this will disrupt other smaller in-line tenants because the master tenant is responsible for the primary draw of foot traffic to the center. Banks will usually not make this loan. This loan is generally a bridge loan until the owner obtains a long-term lease with a credit-worthy tenant and manages the center back into stabilization.

*Credit approval is subject to highly sophisticated lease analyses, with multiple tenants having different lease terms, including length, lease rate, and lease provisions. Some tenants are on long-term leases, and some are on a month-to-month tenancy. Lease documents may include go-dark requirements for the anchor tenant or provide for lease cancellation in the event of excess vacancy or loss of an anchor tenant.

*Some properties require mutual property access easements for ingress/egress or complex usage rights, such as reciprocal parking agreements. Many properties, such as churches and retail shopping centers, sign contracts with multiple property owners to use the entry/exit of the property or the parking in specific ways or at certain times.

*Foreign nationals with and without social security. The borrower must have a U.S. bank account(s). The borrower must have a process agent service arranged during loan processing.

*“Notice of a substandard condition” or “notice of property noncompliance” is recorded on public records by a building department notifying the public that the property is out of conformance or in disrepair for building and zoning codes. The bridge loan funded by private lenders will provide funds to make substantial improvements and modifications to bring the property up to acceptable building, safety, and zoning standards. Institutional lenders will not make these loans.

*Non-conforming property does not comply with current zoning and building standards. As a result, strict limitations exist on repairing or replacing structures in destructive acts such as fire, flood, windstorm, vandalism, or earthquake. The property may not be able to be rebuilt to an acceptable level after the destructive event occurs.

*Earthquake seismic retrofit. Many older properties require upgrades, such as engineered reinforced steel frames bolted into the existing structure and walls shored up with steel support fasteners to withstand earthquakes.

*Tenant improvements. Commercial building owners must provide funds to install interior or exterior improvements to satisfy the owners’ and prospective tenants’ leasehold improvements.

*Cannabis-related properties, manufacturing, and retail facilities: Some states have legalized lending in cannabis-related operations, and others have not.

In summary, private money loans are collateral-driven, even though the lender must review the borrower’s financials to prove that the borrower can pay the debts.

If you find value in this article, please forward it to friends and associates. You may use this article in your marketing efforts.

Thank you

Dan Harkey

Dan Harkey

Dan Harkey is a contributing author to Weekly Real Estate News and is a Business & Financial Consultant. He can be contacted at 949-533-8315 or [email protected].

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

Ask the Right Questions! To Determine the Viability of a New Loan Request

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By Dan Harkey
Educator and Private Money Finance Consultant
949 533 8315 [email protected]
Visit www.danharkey.com

Introduction:

The following is an example sequence of questions that loan agents can use to obtain the information from the borrower. These are suggested. Each loan agent may set up their questioning sequence, which will vary but accomplish the same result.

Conversations with borrowers may be fluid and take the loan agent into complex life stories to obtain intended information. I often pause to let them talk because I know they are upset, not about me but their life circumstances.

Borrowers love to tell you their life’s problems while you are attempting to obtain material facts. Compassionate listening is a natural, thoughtful, learned trait that helps develop trust and lasting relationships.

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Any sales career endeavor involving products, goods, or services will have a similar best practices sequence of questioning. All salespeople should take the time to write down a sequence of questions as an effective platform for intended results. The intended outcome is to obtain the material facts, represent the customer with good intentions, explain and answer questions, determine the transaction’s viability, and close and drive the transaction forward. Or decline the transaction if it does not fit the company’s requirements.

Educating a client or customer is part of the job of any professional salesperson. The customer should come away with the idea that the salesperson honestly had their best interest in mind. A byproduct of this philosophy is a lasting relationship, spreading goodwill, and referrals.

Stage I: Questions as a best practices platform include:

• Loan amount, for what term?

• First or second lien?

• Type of property: single-family, owner- or non-owner-occupied, commercial, apartments, industrial, occupancy, or other.

• Loan purpose: This question is paramount if the loan request is single-family owner-occupied. Is the use of loan proceeds primarily for business purposes? Primarily means 51% or more of the loan proceeds. What portion will be used for consumer purposes?

• Where is the property located?

• Property value. How did the borrowers determine the
value? A borrower’s estimate of value is often incorrect or intentionally exaggerated.

• Cash out requested?

• Current total liens

• Are the liens current? If not, how much is the arrearage and the reason? Get the complete story in writing. Completeness may make or break your transaction. Some reasons may be rational, while others are just an attempt to conceal.

• Loan-to-value: LTV ratio total loans divided by appraised property value (APV)

• Description of collateral property.

• Property address

• Exit strategy: What are the borrower’s plans to repay this loan?

• Rental income stream? What gross rents, vacancies, and expenses are required to determine net operating income, often called NOI? The NOI calculation excludes debt service. Will the NOI cover the loan payments and property expenses?

• Most recent payment statement(s)-Please obtain.

• When was the property purchased, and for how much?

• Have they made any significant improvements or upgrades? Please provide a list of upgrades and costs.

• Pictures of the outside and inside: In most cases, pictures are found online, with Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and Trulia. Photos of the inside and outside are necessary if the property has undergone significant upgrades that enhance its value.

• Is the property owner/borrower a private individual(s) or an entity? If an entity, what is the purpose of the enterprise?

• If the property is newly or partially reconstructed, inside and out pictures are necessary, as well as a list of improvements, costs, and what improvements remain to be completed.

• Any exceptional circumstances? Weaknesses in the transaction include a history of late payments, significant arrearages in payments, accrued unpaid property taxes, outstanding judgments and liens, state and federal taxes due, probate sales, bad credit, open bankruptcy, pending divorce proceedings, tax liens or judgments, the property has a recorded notice of substandard condition, red tagged for code violations, successor trustee acting on behalf of a family trust, multiple borrowers, multiple cross-collateralized properties, etc.

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• Forward the prospective borrower a loan application and authorization to obtain credit. Request the most recent property loan payment statement and at least three months of bank statements. Use a commercial loan application rather than a 1003 residential form when possible.

• Ask for a handwritten purpose of the loan letter.

• Does the borrower have an online presence? If they are a company, they may have a website. If they are individuals, they may have a presence on LinkedIn. Does the borrower have a promotional summary about themselves? Add these items to the executive summary sent to the lender. Positive promotional material will add credibility to the prospective borrower.

The above information is sufficient for the loan agent to write an executive summary and email it to a prospective lender. Then, follow up with a phone call.

Stage II: Driving the loan process forward:

• Private money vs. institutional lenders have different borrower requirements, requiring tax returns, recent pay stubs, w-2s, and 1099s.

• Profit, loss, and financial statements are necessary if the borrower is an operating entity. Two data sets, one for personal and one for business, may be required separately.

• In addition to a borrower’s signed letter of interest, loan application, and credit authorization, the agent will need other data, such as a property owner family trust document, an operating statement for a limited liability company (LLC), insurance broker contact information, and association management company contact information.

• If the loan request is for a junior loan, information about the senior loans will be required. Documents for review may include a copy of the promissory note, loan agreements, and a recent payment statement from the senior lien holder or loan servicer. Reviewing the recorded documents related to the senior lien associated with the deed of trust is prudent.

• Does the first lien have a written provision in the deed of trust referred to as an “alienation clause” or a “due on further encumbrance clause” that would require the lender to obtain written approval to place a junior lien on the property? If the loan agent is working on a second lien loan, they should review the deed of trust and the loan agreement to see if there is a prohibition of placing a junior lien without obtaining the first lien lender’s approval.

This fact is important because, in many cases, the original borrower may have been parents, possible deceased members, siblings, co-trustees of a family trust, ex-spouses, or other miscellaneous parties. Some earlier property purchases were taken “subject to” a lien that prior owners obtained in the past. Completing a property sale “subject to” means that the purchaser/borrower purposefully failed to notify the first lien holder of the transfer. Was the sale transfer kept a secret, deliberately to get a lower interest rate? Therefore, the loan documents still show the obligor as the prior owner on the note and deed of trust.

• Does the person requesting the loan have the sole authority to borrow and encumber the property with a new lien? Are there other parties of interest who may object to recording a lien on the property? An estranged ex-husband, ex-wife, business partner, or trust beneficiary would be an example.

• Are there multiple borrower parties that a lender must include in the application, processing, underwriting, and closing process? A lender’s frustration will occur when the discovery that the borrower has intentionally excluded an undisclosed hostile party. I assure you that an unknown borrower party will not fool a good loan processor or the title company. When the title insurer underwrites their coverage, they will ensure that the correct parties have signed the documents. Verifying the proper parties is part of their insurance underwriter and approval process.

• Additional documentation may be required to drive the process forward as a loan processor sets up their file. The loan agent should maintain a respectful and enthusiastic relationship with the processor.

Sifting through the maze of questions and answers to develop a well-written executive summary to send to the lender

Loan agents ask prospective borrowers questions to determine the transaction’s viability. They are responsible for obtaining specific information from the borrower or the borrower’s agent.

Some agents are responsible for asking appropriate questions but then calling a lender with fragmented and incomplete information to discuss the potential loan transaction. The lender will respond that they need more information. The agent will answer, “What do you need?”

There are dozens of questions that may be asked at the front end, but getting to the basics of whether the potential loan transaction is viable is the beginning. Sifting through the maze of complexities includes:

  • Property types, income generating, and occupancies,
  • Agent’s competency, property ownership variables,
  • Borrower creditworthiness,
  • Borrower’s propensity to withhold material facts,
  • Some borrowers will withhold information, unaware they will get caught while processing the loan. A critical thinking questioning sequence will avoid most of this.

The material facts of the transaction should be summarized and submitted to a lender via email as an organized written executive summary, followed by a phone call discussion. Usually, a request for more information is anticipated. Emphasize the positives first and the negatives later. However, do not bury the negatives so the lender discovers them later.

Lenders have long memories about who is professional and honest, supply only fragmented data, and summarily leave out adverse material facts. After a couple of repeated offenses, the assumption will be that the loan agent withheld the negatives intentionally. Reputations, both negative and positive, accrue quickly. Experience, understanding, and the propensity to fully disclose and protect the lender’s interest will ensure lasting relationships.

After reviewing the material facts, the lender may express an interest or decline the proposed transaction. Or the lender may ask for more information. If you receive a positive response, that is great, and if you receive a rejection, it is a rejection of your request, not a rejection of you. Move on to the next lender. Lenders have different risk assessment standards and pricing structures. For example, some lenders require an independent third-party appraisal, and some do not. Some lenders care about FICO scores, and some do not. Some lenders need assurances about the ability to pay, while others are less concerned. Some lenders should be more skilled in processing and underwriting and, therefore, take riskier deals unknowingly.

The loan agent looks forward to a term sheet or a letter of interest. The written term sheet will state the lender’s terms and conditions to make the loan subject to an appraisal and underwriting of the material facts submitted by the borrower.

The above is helpful as a platform for questioning borrowers for adequate information to submit to a prospective lender to obtain an expression of interest, a terms sheet, or a letter of interest.

I sincerely hope that you find value in this article. If so, please forward it to your associates. Please refer your friends and associates to me at [email protected].

Thank you,

Dan Harkey

Dan Harkey

Dan Harkey is a contributing author to Weekly Real Estate News and is a Business & Financial Consultant. He can be contacted at 949-533-8315 or [email protected].

Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.