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Buying Investment Property? What You Need To Know About Hard Money Loans

If you want to invest in real estate, now's the time to prepare for the hard money loan process. Hard money loans are short-term loans you can use to buy investment property. The process is a bit different than the process for a traditional home loan. For one thing, the approval process moves faster than with traditional home loans. The faster approval process lets you avoid delays when you find a good property. But, the faster approval process means you need to have everything ready when you apply for the loan. If you've never applied for a hard money loan, you might not be prepared for the process. If that's the case, read the list below. Here are three things you need to know before you apply for a hard money loan. 

You'll Need a Detailed Property Plan

If you need to apply for a hard money loan for your investment property, be sure to have a detailed property plan. When you apply for a hard money loan, lenders want to know about the plans you have for the property. Those plans let them know if the investment will be profitable. Some things to have in your plan include the types of renovations you plan to do, and the overall cost of the project. Lenders also want to know what plans you have for the investment. The more details you can provide, the better your chances of securing a hard money loan. 

You Could Get Higher Interest Rates

If you're ready to apply for a hard money loan, be prepared to pay higher interest rates on the loan. There are a couple of reasons you'll pay a higher interest rate. Hard money loans have shorter loan repayment schedules. Because of that, higher interest rates generate more money for lenders. Also, renovating investment property is risky. Because of that, many people default on hard money loans. So, lenders increase the interest rates on those types of loans. 

You May Need to Show Collateral

If you're ready to invest in real estate, it's time to think about collateral. The property you plan to buy will serve as collateral for your hard money loan. One way to ensure that you have enough collateral is to buy a property that already has enough value to cover the cost of the loan. That way, lenders know that selling the property will cover the cost of the loan if you default. 

For more info about hard money loans, contact a local company.