Spotting a Business Loan Beware of Hidden Fees in Hard Money Loans ArizonaThat Is Too Good To Be True

Certain fees are to be expected when you borrow money. But there can be hidden fees that you will not learn about until the closing unless you are very thorough in reviewing your hard money loans Arizona documentation.

There is always a cost associated with borrowing money. And legitimate lenders will clearly explain the cost prior to the closing date. They don’t want to invest the time and effort in drawing up the documents only to have the borrower refuse to sign on closing day. But the less than reputable lenders will bury these fees deep in the documentation in hopes that the borrower never discovers them until after signing the loan documents.

Points are not considered a junk fee but are more the cost of creating the documents for hard money loans Arizona. But there are other fees such as document preparation fees, underwriting fees and clerical fees which do fall into the junk fee category. The best way to avoid paying any of these fees to to request a written list of all of the fees associated with the hard money loan. In addition verify which fees will be due at the closing. This will let you know exactly how much you will need to pay in addition to the down payment on the property.

Upfront Fee Scams

In addition to hidden fees that can get added into the loan documentation, there is a scam that includes upfront fees. In this situation, the lender explains that they require an application fee or they sometimes refer to it as an administrative fee to process your application. In essence, they are requiring you to pay them before they decide if they will fund your loan or not. In some cases they say that the fee will be applied to your points once the loan application is approved. But this is all a scam. They are not going to approve your loan application. They never approve any applications. This is just a way to collect fees from unsuspecting borrowers. When you try to call or email the lender, you never get a response and your application fee is long gone. You should never be asked to pay fees before you can apply for hard money loans Arizona.

Get a Second Opinion

No legitimate hard money lender would ever be offended if you ask for a copy of the loan documents so that you can have them reviewed by your accountant and lawyer. Hard money loans Arizona are not as tightly regulated as traditional loans so the legal documents can be very confusing to the average borrower. So it is a very wise choice to ask for a full list of all of the loan fees and a copy of the loan documents to have reviewed by a professional. A hard money loan is a serious investment and you should take every precaution to protect your financial interests. A lending professional will not be offended and will often be impressed with your candor for explaining what you are doing and why.

 

Dennis Dahlberg
Broker/RI/CEO/MLO
Level 4 Funding LLC  Private Hard Money Lender
Arizona Office:  (623) 582-4444
dennis@level4funding.com NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

Here’s What it Takes to Be a Rebel Rehabber/ Fix & Flip Pro

Here’s What it Takes to Be a Rebel Rehabber/ Fix & Flip Pro

Curious what it takes to be a rebel rehabber? At Level 4 Funding, we have the pleasure of helping some amazing people who work in the fix and flip business and sometimes they’re kind enough to share their stories with us. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Yvette Stevens of Miami Beach Fix & Flip, and she not only gave us her personal story, but some epic tips for those of you who are interested in becoming a house flipper as well.

Yvette Always had a Fascination with Finance and Homes

While she may not have known it at the time, Yvette was being primed for the fix and flip business from an early age. Growing up in Chicago, she often visited her father’s construction sites and fell in love. It wasn’t long before she was begging her parents to take her on tours of the city, so she could soak up the architecture and imagine what it would be like to create similar homes. While other kids were nagging their parents for spending cash, Yvette was happily balancing her mother’s checkbook and paying the household bills. It’s no surprise, then, that when it was time for Yvette to choose a career, she jumped headfirst into lending.

One of Yvette’s current projects: completed stock plan, a 2,721-square-foot beauty

She Decided to Kiss the Corporate Ceiling Goodbye

Although Yvette loved many aspects of her career, particularly reading the plans that came in with loan applications, she wasn’t content to sit still. “Corporate America has a ceiling,” she says, “especially for women.” She rebelled. Using her expertise in both construction and lending, Yvette began transitioning into development in 2005, building homes from the ground up.

The Market Crash Left Her with “Beans”

“Real estate goes in ten-year cycles,” she says. The money, mortgages, real estate, and politics are all tied together, resulting in regular shifts. This, she says, is also the cause of the “steak and beans” lending cycle. During lean times, Yvette has been able to refocus on her career in finance, while searching for development opportunities when the market has been good. Like many others, the crash of 2008 hit Yvette hard. She was working on building an entire subdivision that September, but she managed to climb back up out of it and now does fix-and-flip work too.

When Choosing Fix-and-Flip Properties, Yvette Goes for a Blank Slate

Every fix-and-flip pro has a specialty. For Yvette, her ideal property is one she can tear down to the studs, simply because she loves having a blank slate to work with. “The uglier they are, the more we like them,” she says. Her current project is an older home in a historic district, which comes with rigid requirements for what can be done to the outside of the home, but she doesn’t mind at all. “Construction feeds my creative side,” she adds. Her primary focus is Florida these days, but Yvette researches various markets and finds new opportunities all over the country.

Yvette Offers a Wealth of Advice for Potential Fix-and-Flippers

“It’s not that easy,” she says. “People think they’re going to jump in and make money,” but there’s so much more involved. You have to “live, breathe, and eat real estate.”

“You’ve gotta have some cash.” Even if you get 100%, you’ll need to have money set aside for things like closing and emergencies.

“Look at it like a line of credit.” Lenders look for 20% verified liquid assets in order to ensure the borrower can finish the project. “Be prepared. Everybody wants something for nothing these days, but it just doesn’t work that way.”

“Learn, learn, learn before you earn.” Research your market; don’t jump into it. Get a good understanding of how credit and assets work. Learn about the business and concentrate on a market. Yvette’s a fan of BiggerPockets.com and points out that newcomers may benefit from the free information and tools the site offers, like fix-and-flip calculators.

“Make a lot of offers. Keep throwing them up against the wall until one sticks.” Resilience is paramount because you’ll get a lot of rejections before you find one that’s really a great deal you can work with.

“Love what you do. If it’s not fun, you’re not going to be successful.” There will be a lot of ups and downs when you do home rehabs. Enjoying what you do will keep you motivated and on your toes, even when things are difficult.

Learn More

If you’d like to connect with Yvette, head over to her LinkedIn profile and say “Hello.” We’ll be covering the stories of other Level 4 Funding clients as well, so pop back over soon for the next installment. You can also reach out to us directly if you’re interested in financing your next fix-and-flip with a hard money loan.

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 45 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

Which type of Hard money loan is right for you?

The "hard "asset being financed secures a typical hard money loan. But there are different types of asset-based loans, so how can you figure out which one is right for given your specific circumstances?

Asset- based lenders consider the value of the property which secures the loan rather than a borrowers credit score, so this type of loan can be more accessible for some borrowers.

The application process is easier than a traditional bank loan as borrowers don't need to provide extensive financial documentation in most cases.

Typical types of asset-based loans include commercial, renovation and cash-out refinance loans. Businesses rather than individuals take out commercial loans.This type of loan is short term, and it is not typically used to purchase real estate or to make long-term investments. Instead commercial loans should be used to cover short-term costs like equipment or inventory.

Borrowers use renovation loans to improve a property and then resell it for a profit. Refinance loans allow borrowers to quickly purchase a property and then later refinance to a traditional mortgage.

So what are some specific situations and how do they relate to these particular types of asset-based loans?

Evaluate your situation to determine which type of hard money loan is right for you

An asset-based loan could be a good solution if your business has sufficient collateral and you cant secure financing from a regular bank. If you want to renovate a distressed property, an asset-based lender is your best bet. Few banks are willing to issue renovation loans because raising the required capital is made difficult by government regulations. Traditional lenders also deem such projects too risky because there is a high risk of default if the borrower's project doesn't go according to plan.

A cash-out refinance loan can be ideal if you want to purchase an investment property quickly. A traditional mortgage can take several months to close. A cash-out refinance loan allows you to make the initial purchase while giving you the option to refinance to a long-term mortgage at a later date.

Whatever circumstances asset-based loans provide you with flexibility, but any lender you approach should be transparent and willing to offer advice.

Beware of hard money lenders that cant offer you specific advice about which loan is right for you

There are other types of asset-based loans of course, but a good lender will carefully consider your situation to find the option that can best meet your needs. You should look elsewhere if a lender isn't transparent or is unable to give you insight into your specific situation.

A commercial loan can be great for businesses owners with a lot of collateral, but who are ineligible for regular financing. A renovation loan can allows you to improve and resell a distressed property, and a cash out-refinance loan allows you to complete time-sensitive transactions. In short, asset-based loans are easier to qualify for, can be used to make speculative investments and can close quickly to complete time-sensitive purchases. Carefully consider your specific situation to find the type of loan to meet your financing needs.

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

Why You Should Repair Your Credit Score to Obtain Commercial Loans

If you can rebuild your credit score, you have a much higher chance of getting approved for commercial loans. Most lenders want to see a clean credit history and a high credit score, so Level 4 Funding offers ways to build and restore your credit to help you get the loan you need.

Before you can repair your credit, you need to know what state it’s in. First, obtain your current credit report from one of the three recognized credit bureaus. You should be patient and take plenty of time to review your credit report and history. You should also look at your previous business patterns and habits. Do you continue to make the same bad decisions? If you can recognize a pattern with the way you handle your finances, you can change your habits for the better… and begin to improve your credit score. If you have less than desirable credit, it’s going to be a lot tougher to obtain approval for commercial loans, so you should really put all your effort in here. You need to take some time to review your credit history by obtaining your report from one of the three recognized credit bureaus. Really scrutinize your business habits that have led you to earn less than desirable credit. Seeing the report can also help you recognize how you can break these patterns so you can make progress towards improving your credit.

Yes, most people in America have debt and it’s okay — and even good — to have some debt. But too much is… too much. It will make lenders wary about your ability to pay back their loan, and that’s not good when it comes to trying to get loan approval. Try to pay down debts and the amount you owe as much as possible. Take a close look at your financials, your budget and figure out how you can tighten things up so you don’t have to get too far into debt. You can also consider having all your outstanding credit combined onto one card to you can consolidate payments and perhaps even negotiate a better interest rate for your commercial loans. Having just one payment can help you keep track of on-time payments as well.

If you have good business relationships with your suppliers and vendors talk to them about your loan plans and ask them to make a report on your behalf. Make sure you make timely payments to supplier and vendors because being in good standing can help your credit score improve.

If you have any unused, paid off accounts, closing them can affect your credit score too – this can improve your chances of getting approved for your commercial loans needs.

Once again, review your finances, see which accounts you have paid off but that are still open and then for any of those that you are no longer using, send a request letter for those to be closed. You can ask for a return letter from the creditor that proves your account balance is zero and that the account is now closed.

It’s not a quick route to perfect (or near perfect credit).

The bottom line is it takes time to build or repair your credit. However, it's a lot easier to secure commercial loans via traditional lenders if you have stellar credit. Ultimately, it will benefit you and your business, as you will be in a better position to negotiate better rates. Making some big changes in the way you handle your business finances is a must when repairing poor credit. Start small and make little changes that will eventually pay off in a big way. It’s not impossible and though it may take some time, it is worth it once you’ve got your credit on track and you are able to move head with your business with a loan that you secured with your new high credit score!

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

My mother said to keep my mouth shut and don’t cause problems.

At the men’s bible study on Friday someone ask why I looked depressed.

I told them I was frustrated, and what I did for a living and how the job was going.

They asked what was causing all of the frustration, and seemed very concerned about my wellbeing and wanted to reach out and help.  How can we help? You know, we a small group and we help one another!

I said it was because a lot of conversations I’ve had with potential borrowers resulted in them having a poor credit score and I could not help them.

Then I made this comment:

As Christians we should all have 800+ FICO Scores.
We’re not good Christians if we have poor credit scores.

Man that was a big mistake to say that!
Why did I not just keep my mouth shut?

It appears that a lot of Christians have poor credit scores.  The exact opposite of what I thought.

And, man, dude did I just piss off a lot of men in the group and now they were all out to get me!

Oh no!  Big mistake, so I started to back pedal and try to recover from this blunder and defuse the issue, but of course being the dummy I am, I opened my mouth and I made my second biggest stupid comment.

Well, true, Credit Score is an indication of credit worthiness but
really the score is an indication of you integrity,
and your character and tells the world
the type of person you really are!

Did it again, why did I open my mount?

For the next 40 minutes, the men’s group went from a group of caring, loving individuals that wanted to help me, to a group that was now out to get me!

We even went “past the time for the meeting”, and now the men were into overtime, in grinding me down.  Double overtime!

All I saw was red faces, red eyes and I even thought that one person was going to jump over the table and attack.

Ok it was time to bail, head for the door before it was too late, but the men followed me to the parking lot and to the car and wow get out-ta-there dude!

But it did not end there.

Later that day one of the men came to my office and was ready to confront me again.
At least that is what I thought when he walked into my office.  Call Security NOW!

But that was not the case.

He came and told me that I was correct in my comment and felt sorry that the ‘bible study’ turned in to this bad situation.

I asked why “didn’t you stand up and help me out?”

He said “I’m not that stupid to open my month and make
that comment to a bunch of Christians with bad credit”.

One smart dude!

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: credit score,christians credit score

BofA Gets Nailed with a $45 Million Penalty……Wow!

After years of trying to help home owners it was nice to see that finally the borrower was vindicated in the modification requests. Following is an accounting of Bank of America recent attempt with the modification process.

By Jenny Park | Geraci Law Firm

A California bankruptcy judge handed down a $45 million penalty against Bank of America Corp. (“BofA” or “Bank of America”), decrying the manner in which the bank treated a California couple who attempted to save their property from foreclosure.

Judge Christopher Klein, a federal bankruptcy judge for the United States bankruptcy court, Eastern District, stated the financial institution’s mortgage modification protocol and errant foreclosure on Erik and Renee Sundquist's home rendered them emotionally distressed. The case sheds light on how the mortgage industry’s inadequate loan servicing transactions negatively affect some borrowers. Judge Klein referenced internal procedural failures, claiming that Bank of America had scant incentive to change the loan terms in such a way that would preclude the 6% interest rate the bank was collecting from the Sundquists' loan.

The couple’s problems started in 2008 when the couple’s construction firm went out of business because of the economic collapse, and they purchased a less expensive house outside of Sacramento. They borrowed approximately $590,000 from a financial firm, later acquired by Bank of America, with promises from a loan officer that they could request a reduction in their monthly payments.

The couple ceased making payments in March 2009 following Bank of America’s refusal to consider modifying loan terms for customers who were current on their payment schedules. According to the court’s ruling, the Sundquists’ “sole reason for defaulting was acquiescence in Bank of America’s demand that they default as a precondition for loan modification discussions with Bank of America.” Over the course of the next few years, the plaintiffs submitted around twenty separate requests to modify their loan terms, which Bank of America either lost, deemed inadequate, or denied without explanation all the while repeatedly scheduling foreclosures.

The Sundquists filed for bankruptcy in June 2010. Doing so precluded a foreclosure sale on their property because of the automatic stay, but Judge Klein’s ruling claimed the bank, while knowing of the bankruptcy, unjustly reclaimed the home and issued the couple a three-day eviction deadline. According to the ruling, Bank of America even “staked out the premises, tailed the Sundquists, knocked on doors, knocked on windows, and rang doorbells, all to the terror of the Sundquist family." Eventually, the couple vacated the property, and Ms. Sundquist subsequently suffered stress-related heart attack symptoms that required hospitalization.

Bank of America representatives eventually reversed the sale and transferred title back into the Sundquists’ name without notifying the Sundquists or their attorney of the change. The couple eventually moved back in after several months only to discover that they were charged $20,000 during their absence by the homeowner association for neglected landscaping and maintenance.

Judge Klein’s 107-page ruling incorporated entries from Renee Sundquist’s personal journal that highlighted harassing encounters with Bank of America loan officers, and Mr. Sundquist’s suicide attempt following the couple’s frustrated discussion regarding their mortgage issues. Judge Klein awarded the Sundquists nearly $1.1 million, verified the remaining amount they owe on their loan, and fined Bank of America $45 million.

The $45 million penalty, which will be dispersed via grants to law schools and consumer advocacy groups, is intended to be substantial enough that it will deter future misconduct on behalf of Bank of America. Rick Simon, a spokesperson for Bank of America, claimed the Sundquists' issues originated before the implementation of the new loan procedures and criticized Judge Klien’s ruling for being unsubstantiated and breaking established precedent. Mr. Simon refused to comment when asked if Bank of America will seek an appeal.

However, in April, Bank of America filed papers requesting Judge Klein to reconsider his $45 million fine calling the amount “unprecedented in its magnitude.” In court papers, bank officials asked Judge Klein to amend his 107-page ruling against the bank, arguing that his “excessive” fine amount violates guidance from Supreme Court justices in 2008 meant to prevent outsized awards. The fine stands as the largest punitive damages award for violations of bankruptcy law’s automatic stay rules.

Dennis Notes:

When we were doing loan modifications, "losing paper" was a common problem when we worked with borrowers. It was an persistent and constant problem. But, I would say in BofA favor, it probably was not a deliberate attempt to stop the modification, when you look back at the tremendous volume of paper work that was required for a modification, and the number of people requesting modifications it was easy to get the documents lost. We developed specific procedures to submit the application and eventually solved the paper work problem. Another problem with paper work, was it became out of date after 30 days and had to be resubmitted (that's the story they told us). In the beginning BofA underestimated the amount of staff that was required for modifications, and the long process of modifications.

The second point, of BofA following the customer, as motioned above, is hard to understand. I've never encountered this situation directly from any bank/servicer. During this time there was an army of fix/flippers that wanted to purchase homes, and this is probably the people who were knocking on the windows and doors and following the borrowers. I did have one situation, where the servicer went in and physically took control of the properly by changing the locks and posting on the door. When we objected to this practice, the servicer referred us to the Promissory Note, which stated that the borrower gave the authority to do so. Which they borrower did.

The good part of all of this is that this horrible situation is over. At one time I counted over 1,000+ homes being sold at the court room steps in ONE DAY. Fortunately, now this has dropped to just a few per day. I do understand the pressure the borrowers had on them during this process, and personally I have experienced clients losing their savings, ending their life. It's good that this bad time is behind us and things are improving. I just wish I had all of my teeth that I cracked and ground down dealing with the modification process. Overall during this time we were successful in obtaining about 10% of the modifications. Of those only about 2% still own their homes today.

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: private lenders,home flippers,hard money loan

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Buy One Property Annually to Retire Comfortably

Could adding one property per year to your rental property portfolio help you retire comfortably? For Dr. Dat Tran, this strategy is just what the doctor ordered.

Dr. Tran is an internal medicine physician practicing in the metro Phoenix area, with 35 prestigious years of medical experience under his belt. Originally from Japan, Dr. Tran moved to the US and ultimately to Arizona because it was where his wife truly wanted to be. He takes great pride in caring for his family, and for others.

When asked what his biggest motivation is in life, Dr. Tran says he finds true fulfillment in taking care of others. He loves the medical field and his daily ability to help and heal. But he also knows it’s time to start thinking about his retirement and securing a strong financial future for his family.

Securing an strong financial future

At the advice of trusted friends, Dr. Tran started investing in real estate and is slowly growing his portfolio of rental properties to help fund his retirement. Prior to 2017 he used a variety of lenders for his real estate purchases. Then a trusted colleague mentioned he should try Level 4 Funding.

Dr. Tran reached out to Level 4 Funding and connected with loan originator Mark Gowlovech. Having experienced mediocre service in the past when it came to loan requests, Dr. Tran was especially impressed with Mark’s speed and efficiency.

“Very fast, very quick, very helpful” said Dr. Tran of his experience with Mark Gowlovech. He is glad he took his friend’s advice and was thrilled with the results. With Mark’s help, Dr. Tran received his loan funds in record time and wrapped up his most recent property purchase in Avondale in March. Now he’s one step and one property purchase closer to retirement.

Could real estate fund your early retirement?

Dr. Tran is not alone in leveraging real estate as a key component of his retirement and financial strategy. Though the real estate market will always experience ups and downs, many physicians and other professionals still see it as a viable retirement funding solution.

Physician’s Money Digest reports that some successful physicians endorse a simple retirement strategy from their mentors—"Buy one real estate investment property a year." In one example, a well respected physician who was also a savvy real estate investor shared that he had “technically retired years ago, but had continued working simply because he enjoyed it.”His simple and effective strategy? You guessed it, buy one real estate investment property per year.

By the numbers

This retirement strategy is certainly not restricted to physicians. But can only one property per year truly make a difference? As this one-per-year real estate purchase model shows, by year 20 the numbers truly add up:

Assumptions:

· All properties purchased are single family homes.

· Each was purchased with 30% down private hard money loan, up to 4 properties financed at a time.

· Property values are modest, at only $100,000 on average.

· Average cash flow per property is extremely achievable—$400 per month.

· Once each property is paid off, it cash flows at $800 monthly.

· The Case-Shiller index was used to estimate a 3.4% property appreciation rate.

10 Year Summary:

· 8 properties were purchased in the first 10 years of this simulation model, just short of goal.

· 4 homes are completely paid off.

· Cash flow by end of year 10 is $57,600 annually.

· Portfolio property value is $750,000.

· Total investment so far is $300,000.

20 Year Summary:

· Properties continue to be purchased at an average of 1 per year.

· Portfolio property value is $2.8 million at the end of year 20.

· Cash flow reaches $172,800 per year.

The case study concludes that these are conservative estimates which most people can replicate. The numbers start to snowball around the 10 year mark, and many would agree that an annual income of over $170,000 in retirement qualifies as “comfortable” and then some.

Expand your funding options to escalate success

A 20 year retirement model looks great if you are 30 years old and want to retire by 50. But what if you’re a bit closer to retirement and need to escalate your plan?

One simple tweak is to expand your real estate purchase funding options. Rather than restrict your loans to just four at any given time (one of which is likely your primary residence), look to Level 4 Funding for greater flexibility and a longer runway in your financial plan.

You may run across a stellar investment property, hopefully one which cash flows for well above $400 per month. And you may have to act swiftly to win the bid. Your local bank will likely bog you down in a sea of paperwork and lengthy approval processes. Plus they are sure to have some sort of maximum property funding limit.

Keep things simple and follow Dr. Tran’s lead. When it comes to real estate financing he recommends Level 4 Funding. Just “go there and try them” he says, and experience their professional swift, service for yourself.

 

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: Private Hard Money,Real Estate Investing

Using Hard Money to Purchase Your Fix and Flip

Is Arizona Hard Money Right For Me?

  

Sometimes people get confused about Arizona hard money, but it shouldn't be so difficult because Arizona hard money can provide the short-term money that individuals need to fix up or purchase a piece of property.

Arizona hard money can come in two forms; hard money lender Arizona and private money lender Arizona.

Hard money lender Arizona refers to a group of people who do not use conventional standards to loan money to borrowers and by that it is meant that hard money lender Arizona is not affiliated with banks. The loans hard money lender Arizona gives out are non-traditional loans, which makes them easier to obtain.

Private money lender Arizona is an individual who wishes to give out non-traditional loans. This private money lender Arizona could be someone that you know or it could just be an investor that you’ve met with who wants to join you on your real estate adventure.

Whichever way you choose, Arizona hard money ensures that investments happen relatively quickly. Arizona hard money is a loan solution that is short-term and over quickly, so higher interest doesn’t really matter. The credit history of a borrower doesn't make a difference because the Arizona hard money loan comes from a non-traditional loaner interested less in the credit and more in the property.

If you are looking for a quick loan for the property you have wanted for quite some time now, it could serve you well to begin looking into Arizona hard money for the loan that you want and need. Instead of dealing with confusing banking rules, get together with a private money lender Arizona or a hard money lender Arizona group and begin to plan out the remodeling of your brand new property. 

You will be glad that you chose Arizona hard money lender.

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