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

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 Think Like Hard Money Lenders

When you are seeking a private loan, it can be helpful to learn to think like hard money lenders do. This will help you to prepare for the process and to know which information will be critical to the decision to fund or reject your request.

When you are making your first request for hard money, it can appear to be a very odd change from completing the myriad of paperwork required by a traditional lender. It might even feel as though you are ill prepared for the meeting because you are not carting in piles of bank statements, credit reports and income statements. And if you are, then you are going to be surprised and embarrassed when your lender is less than impressed and wants nothing to do with all of your paperwork. Hard money lenders are a different breed and they are looking for completely different information to evaluate your request and determine if they will approved your loan.

The key to securing hard money is nailing the loan to value ratio. This is the ratio between the amount you are requesting and the current value of the property. Most hard money lenders are looking for an LTV of 65-75%. There are some lenders who will also consider the property’s after repair value as well but that is not a standard practice. With that in mind, those lenders will also want to see your business plan to renovate the property and your budget to make sure that the numbers are in line with their estimate for the renovated value of the property.

Know the Critical Term

Knowing that the loan to value ratio of the property is the key to getting a loan, you need to be certain that you have enough of a down payment to make the loan request fall into the desirable range for the lenders. Understand that the lender is protecting his or her investment by only lending up to 75% of the value of the property. In the event that you are unable to make your loan payments, the lender will need to take possession of the property and sell it to get their investment back. And the only way to be sure that they get their full investment back is to know that the property will always be worth more than the balance of the loan. Hard money lenders are not being unfair or trying to take advantage of borrowers, they are simply practicing good business and protecting their investment.

Think like a Lender

Understanding the lenders point of view will only help you to better prepare yourself for requesting a loan. Knowing that the most important factor is the LTV and not your credit score or credit history will save you a lot of time and paperwork. You can then invest that time into researching the current value of the property and procuring funding to make the down payment you will need to meet the LTV ratio. In addition, you can invest your time in creating your renovation schedule and budget to demonstrate that you will be quickly and efficiently adding value to the property as soon as you take possession of it. All of this information will help to ensure that your hard money request gets funded.

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

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 Find Hard Money Lenders

There are various reasons that people turn to hard money lenders, but knowing the benefits is only half of the challenge. Now, you have to find the one that is right for you.

Hard money loans are often issued by individuals or companies. At one time, they were considered “last resort” loans for people or businesses with imperfect credit. In today’s world of fix & flip investors and contractors in need of quick funding, they are a part of most businesses and individuals lending portfolios. People often turn to hard money lenders when they are in need of a bridge loan that keeps them afloat until a property sells or is renovated. Other’s use this type of loan due to time constraints and when initial capital is required in a matter of weeks instead of months, such as when a hot property hits the market.

So, just where do you go to get these quick-to-fund loans? Ideally, it’s best to work with a lender that specializes in your specific business model or real estate segment. For instance, a hard money lender that understands construction loans will offer monthly quick-payout draws as well as interest-only payments, both of which are designed to take the stress off you and your company as you progress through the building process.

There are also hard money lenders that specialize in the fix & flip or buy-and-hold real estate segments as well as multifamily, office, warehouse and storage complexes. If you do not have a direct reference from a fellow business associate, you can turn to the many listings on the internet. If using this approach, be sure to look for recommendations from established businesses and don’t be shy when addressing your concerns. If you find a qualified lender that you can trust and has a large rolodex of private lenders to draw on, you will most likely find yourself turning to this funding source time and again for many of your capital needs.

Things to Consider When Interviewing Lenders

There are a few basic questions that you will want to address when undergoing an interview with a potential lender. One of the most important is their loan-to-value ratio (LVR). Because hard money loans are asset based, the loan value is determined by the appraised value of the property. Some lenders will use the potential value of the property once renovation has been completed, otherwise known as the after-repair-value or ARV. This approach, however, is very risky and, for those lenders willing to take this chance on you and your abilities, will often mandate a higher-than-average interest rate. Many lenders stick to about a 70 percent loan on the value of the property.

At Level 4 Funding, our loan-to-value goes as high as 90 percent with 100 percent of rehab for fix & flippers.

Of course, loan-to-value is just part of the equation. The other all-important consideration is the interest you’ll be paying on your loan and the terms the lender offers. At Level 4 Funding, our interest rates start at 7.99 percent with terms anywhere from 3 months to 5 years. Call us today 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

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

Arizona home mortgages for bad credit: Why Sub-Prime Lending Is Making a Comeback

Hard economic times have caused more Americans to have sub-prime credit scores leading to an increase in Arizona home mortgages for bad credit programs and loan types. As interest rates rise more borrowers are using sub-prime loans to make home purchases and refinance high interest conventional loans.

With recent economic hardships, more and more Americans are finding themselves in the position of having a “fair” or even “poor” credit rating. Job loss, divorce, rising fuel prices and a host of other factors have led to nearly 25% of all credit using Americans to have a sub-prime credit rating, meaning their FICO score is less than 640. This can be a significant obstacle when it comes to purchasing or refinancing a home. Two types of loans that can help you purchase or refinance a home with bad credit are an FHA loan and an adjustable rate mortgage.

An FHA loan is a program for Arizona home loan for bad credit borrowers. If you have bad credit, an FHA loan may be a good option for you to secure a home loan. An FHA loan is a government backed loan. Each month you pay extra insurance against default. The loan is secured by the Federal government so lenders are more likely to give them to borrowers with bad credit. In order to qualify for an FHA loan you will need to have 3.5% of the purchase price to put down. You will also pay extra for monthly mortgage insurance which can vary based on the amount of your loan. For many bad credit borrowers an FHA loan is a good path for homeownership. The Federal Housing Administration does not give out loans. In order to obtain an FHA loan you will need to find a mortgage broker, bank, or investment firm that is certified to give out FHA loans. The FHA provides mortgage insurance to the lender on their loans. This mortgage protects the lenders from losses due to homeowner default. The lenders bear less risk because the FHA will pay an insurance claim to the lender if the homeowner defaults on their loan the lender has to foreclose on the property. This insurance makes and FHA loan a good program for bad credit borrowers because a lender is more likely to make a loan to a borrower with bad credit if they have FHA insurance. However, borrowers with good credit can also apply for and receive an FHA loan. For prime borrowers, the small down payment option of an FHA loan is often an attractive feature.

Another type of loan that is making a resurgence recently is an adjustable rate mortgage or ARM. An adjustable rate mortgage is a mortgage with an interest rate that adjusts after a fixed period. The fixed period is anywhere from 1 to 7 years, with the most common terms being 3 or 5 years. During the initial fixed period, the interest rate on the loan is very low, usually lower than prime. This means that your monthly mortgage payments will be low. After the fixed term, the rate will adjust to a higher interest rate. This will increase your monthly payment amount due to the higher interest payments. When your interest rate does reset, it will be to a higher than prime rate.

Why Are ARMs Making a Comeback?

When interest rates on home mortgages rise, it has a big impact on the mortgage loan market. In late 2014, rates on tradition 40 year mortgages rose from about 3.5% to 4.5% or more. This significant increase had a dramatic effect on monthly mortgage payments for home buyers and made it harder for many borrowers to qualify for home loans. However, there is one type of loan that rates did not increase for and that is an adjustable rate mortgage or ARM. An ARM is typically consider an Arizona home loans for bad credit or sub-prime borrowers program, but in the case of rising interest rates it can be a good option for prime borrowers as well.

Until recently, it only made sense for individuals looking for Arizona home mortgages for bad credit to look into adjustable rate mortgages. With traditional mortgage rates low, prime borrowers could easily qualify for and afford the home they needed with a 30 year fixed rate. However, once interest rates rose, monthly payment amounts increased by hundreds of dollars each month and many borrowers were unable to qualify for the loan amount they needed. As a result, many prime borrowers benefited from an adjustable rate mortgage.

If you have bad credit or want to take advantage of the lower interest rates offered by an ARM or the lower down payment offered by an FHA loan, contact an Arizona mortgage broker.

If you have bad credit, you have probably been turned away by a bank if you applied for a home loan. You may think that owning a home is impossible. However, there are a number of programs that can help you qualify for a home loan. The best first step is to ditch the bank and find a company that specializes in helping individuals and families figure out Arizona mortgages for bad credit. A good

first stop is a mortgage broker. Unlike a bank, the broker does not actually loan out the money for a home loan. Instead he or she shops different banks to help you find the best loan for your purchase and credit situation. This allows more flexibility in terms of the types of loans that the broker can find as well as lenders. A mortgage broker or mortgage company can act as your intermediary and usually get you better loans and better terms than you could get by going straight to a bank, especially if you have bad credit.

Dennis Dahlberg
Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Tel:  (623) 582-4444 | Fax: (888) 279-6917
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
23335 N 18th Drive Suite 120
Phoenix AZ 85027