Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Be Careful Not To Get Conned By Private Hard Money Banks!

By Mary Wise


There might be a point in your investing career that you are going to need to use commercial hard cash lenders. Hard cash is used when you have got to get quick short term financing. The rates are sometimes high and the LTV's very low (to justify the risk involved in these types of loans). These loans are often tied to the property price (however , banks also glance at the borrower's credit score, private money statement, etcâ€"they use this info on identify your rates and allowable LTV). Some people are scared to even think about getting a hard money loan as the rates are so highâ€" but that should not stop you if the numbers sound correct.

The commercial hard money industry is completely full of reputable banks as well as sharks. And it would surprise you to discover who the sharks are! They're the ones with all of the slick advertising that guarantee you everything but never deliver (but they do come up with a way to keep a pleasant bit of your money).

I've been told a lot of horror stories, from not closing on time to losing hundreds of thousands of bucks.

So how do you avoid being a casualty on this battleground of commercial singapore money lending ? Read on and I'm going to share with you tips from past clients as well as my own private experience.

PROBLEM 1 - Not Employing a Business Mortgage Broker

So you think you may save some money by not employing a business mortgage broker, but trust me, you'll spend more in the long run. The broker is the expert you need to rely on. Not only will they know better sources of funding but they will also know which of them to avoid. Brokers also have a fiduciary responsibility to act in your own interest, so they ought to understand the process and know the lender. Generally brokers will charge you 2 points toward broker the loan.

Pitfall 2 - Not Having a Lawyer Review Your Documents

A Broker has a fiduciary responsibility to act in your best interest but they're not a lawyer. Before signing any contracts and pay any money to the lender, have your lawyer review the documents. Most barristers will check contracts for a small fee (depending on how large the contract is) and it will be worth your investment. You not only desire your barrister to check the documents, but also have them explain them to you in "plain english".

PITFALL 3 - Paying A Lot Of Cash Up Front

You should expect to pay some 1st up front money (for evaluations or other inspections), nevertheless it should not be a unreasonable amount. Additionally , you have got to know if the money is refundable or not and under which conditions. Do you have got to pay for site visits (aside from appraisal)? Is any bit of that reimbursed if the loan doesn't close? This is usually where almost all of the heart ache comes from...you have given them a large sum of money and it appears that it's not refundable!

Pitfall 4 - Not Performing a Background Check On the Lender

When you know who the commercial hard money lender is (if you're employing a broker, they will not make it clear that until you have agreed a fee agreement) check the state that they are approved in for any beefs or legal actions. Most individuals do this step after they have lost their cash and they are preparing a court action! I suggest that you do it before any cash changes hands.

Using commercial hard cash can be a constructive answer to your investment strategy, but you want to ensure you know what you're getting yourself into, so that you do not get burned.




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