Understanding how a bridge loan works can afford you a great opportunity to buy a new home. But you need to understand the risk involved before you chose this option.
Not everything goes according to your plans no matter how diligently you might work to ensure that it does. There are just some events that are out of your control. And this can certainly be the case when you are selling your current home and searching for a new home. Nothing is more frustrating than finding your next perfect home before you are able to sell your current home. In some cases you can make an offer with a contingency but other times the seller has multiple offers and you are faced with making an offer or losing the house. Your only solution could be a bridge loan, which is a temporary loan that is secured by your existing home to fund the down payment on your new home.
When you are in a position that requires a bridge loan, the bank will need to see documentation on your current mortgage and your income to determine if you qualify. There are not really any specific standards to qualify for a bridge loan as each case can be drastically different. Most lenders take a more real life approach to evaluating your ability to pay both mortgages at the same time because it is likely that you will not sell your first home before the mortgage payment is due on your new home.
As with any type of loan, there are pros and cons to a these loans. It is certainly a benefit to be able to close on a new home prior to selling your current home. Also, you might be able to negotiate terms with your lender so that the first payment on your short term loan is not due for several months. This can give you time to sell your current home without making multiple mortgage payments each month.
The Drawbacks
Any short term loan is going to have a higher interest rate than a long term loan so expect that as well as additional fees when you are talking to lenders about a loan to bridge your two mortgages. Also, if your income is not substantial, it could be difficult to qualify for a second loan. So before you head down the path of two mortgage payments, even for just a few months, be certain that you have the monthly income or savings to cover both payments. The very real truth is that you do not know when your first home will sell and therefore how long you will need to pay both loans each month.
Understand the Cost and the Risk
Knowing that you could be paying somewhat high fees and interest as well as two mortgage payments each month can add a lot of stress to your finances. Be certain that you understand the repayment time frame of your short term loan before you commit to the lender. Also, be very realistic when you estimate how long it could take your current home to sell. If you have no interest or offers then it could be wise to pass on the new home until your current home sells. Using a bridge loan correctly can be a great benefit but used improperly it can also be a huge disaster.
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.
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