Mortgage Loans Guide

I’m a commercial mortgage professional and I deal extensively in private (hard money) loans. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is "What loan amount can I get"? That’s not an easy question to answer because privately funded loans are much less standardized than conventional, institutionally funded loans so there are no hard-and-fast rules. But I speak to lenders and investors everyday and can offer the following guidelines.

Vacant Land

Private lenders don’t like raw land and **** rural land. Hard money people tend to think in terms of quick sale value, incase they (God forbid) have to take back the property. Un-entitled, vacant land is among the most difficult to sell quickly. In the event you find a lender willing to make you a deal land, do not expect to be offered more than, the lesser of, 50% of the purchase price or 50% of the collateral’s quick-sale value. If the land can’t be financed conventionally and you are looking for hard money, be prepared to put down a huge down-payment or have the seller carry-back a big 2nd.

Properly zoned, fully entitled land that has all permits in place is a valuable commodity, even in today’s difficult real estate market. Land, however, doesn’t produce income and therefore can’t cover its own mortgage payment the way a hotel or an office building can. That’s why, most hard money sources will only lend up to about 60% against land. Further, if a property owner can’t demonstrate the means to make the payment, lenders will insist that interest payments are held by a third party as an "interest reserve". In this way lenders are protected. Any interest payments not made, due to early pay-off, will be returned to the borrower.

Underpreforming Buildings

From a lenders perspective, an underperforming or vacant building has much the same problem that raw land has; not enough income. The loan amount offered by a private commercial mortgage lender will depend greatly on the extent of the vacancy and the overall condition of the building. You won’t find any lenders willing to help you acquire a vacant building unless you have a sound, well thought-out plan for leasing it up fast, and even then LTVs will be in the 50%-60% range. Partially rented facilities with at-least some income generation might fetch as much as 65%. But again borrowers will be required to have a plan in place to fill-up the space.

Income Generating Buildings

This category is the most sought-after kind of collateral for any commercial real estate lender. A lender will have a lien on the income a building produces, not just the building itself. In the event of a collection scenario, rental income mitigates the costs of a repossession action. Investors can expect to receive term sheets that reflect between 60%-70% LTV. Apartments, office and retail are highly prized assets with warehouses and self storage facilities a close behind. Industrial facilities are less attractive to lenders because, in many cases, it’s the business, not the building that’s responsible for the generating the income.

The LTV numbers above are fairly typical but are not necessarily definitive. The important thing to keep in mind when looking into hard money loans is that they are offered by private finance firms or wealthy individuals. These lenders are free to be as flexible as they wish, after-all, it’s there money. Keep these guidelines in mind, but, don’t hesitate to pitch your deal to any private lender. If the deal is strong and you can sell the merits of it, you might just get lucky and receive more than you thought you could.



By: Glenn Fydenkevez

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Your commercial property loan is turned down - Why?? It is particularly tough to get an investment property mortgage loan, and you will often find yourself rejected for no clear reason. This can be frustrating, but it is a learning experience. With each terrible rejection, you get a little wiser.

Well, what if you could skip all of those rejections and learn from others’ mistakes? Let’s look at the most common reasons why investment property mortgage loans get turned down. Then, you will know what to expect when you apply for your financing.

The Type of Business

The most common reason that loan applications are rejected is that the bank simply does not offer financing to certain kinds of businesses. Banks loan money on the basis of possible risk, and some business types are considered riskier than others. If you are trying to get financing for a golf course, restaurant, gas station or church, you might find it tricky to get funding. On the other hand, if you are looking for funding for an apartment complex or office building, it will be much easier.

What is your solution? Look for a lender that specializes in that particular type of business. On the Internet, there are all sorts of financing company options available. Also, look for non-traditional lenders who may be more likely to take on what they consider riskier ventures.

Don’t Ask For Too Much!

A big problem that causes many rejections is that borrowers simply ask for too much money. A bank is always ready to approve a smaller loan before it approves a bigger one, especially with the sub prime catastrophe that we’re seeing today. A bad loan for lots of money is not good for the lender or the borrower.

When you are working out your business plan, be realistic about how much you need, and how much you are able to pay back. It’s nice to have more than enough money to start your business, but it’s not so nice when you are struggling to pay the bills and have that giant debt hanging over your head. Ask for just as much as you need, and don’t aim too high.

The Source of Funding

Most traditional lenders will want to know detailed information about where the funds are coming from to make the down-payment. This is a reasonable request, but it can get those of us seeking a loan into trouble. The reason why this can be problematic is that they may consider the source a high risk. Remember, they’re not as optimistic about your business as you are!

Many businesses finance their down payment by using funds from what is called “subordinated debt.” This basically means some kind of secondary financing, like a seller second. Banks and other traditional lenders don’t like to see this. A non-traditional lender will be much more likely to approve a loan that uses secondary financing as a down payment.

Finally, remember that we all get rejected! Probably everyone you know who has started a small business has been turned down at least once, and most likely many more times than that.



By: Andrew Stratton

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No Doc Mortgage Loans may also be referred to as Low Doc Mortgages. Contrary to its title, at least a report on credit standing and a valuation of property to support the application is still needed. There is, however the undeniable decrease in document requirements compared to standard loan applications.

Many borrowers are self-employed or thrive on commissions. Due to the variable nature of their income unlike paycheck earners, documentation of specific earnings is preferred to be kept hidden or undocumented. As a result, these borrowers are willing to pay the price for approval flexibility and privacy. Increased interest rates and substantial down payments are willingly contended with. Apart from these extra costs, these private individuals are expected to uphold excellent credit disciplines.

Not all Loan Specialists agree with this No Doc Mortgage, however. Many loan specialists believe that an applicant’s desire to keep some information undocumented in the belief that their generation of income is truly ‘un-documentable’, is not substantial. They (the loan specialists) know that if these borrowers just take the time to seek the advice of qualified loan officers, proper documentation can be produced to support their applications.

There are three types of No Doc Mortgage Loans.

Stated Income Mortgages - This is generally for people who are not paycheck workers. This means that other sources of income like commissions and tips contribute to the individual’s monthly income. Self-employed entrepreneurs are also classified under this mortgage.

Apart from bank statements, tax returns and Profit and Loss statements, lenders will review debt-to-income ratio in the evaluation of stated income mortgages. The interest rate for stated income mortgages is about half a point higher than standard cash loans.

No Ratio Mortgages - The ratio referred to in the title is the debt-to-income ratio. In this type of loan, no information on income and tax returns are divulged. In fact, this type of No Doc Mortgage is also casually called the don’t ask, don’t tell mortgage. It precisely adheres to the ‘mind your own business’ policy of many individuals who prefer to keep financial analysts away from their personal earnings and financial activities.

Applicants for this loan submit a list of assets as the basis for the approval. Interest rate for no ratio mortgages can range from half a point to as much as 3 points higher than the standard cash loans.

No Income/ No Asset Verification Mortgages - This is what Hollywood stars would go for as it requires the least documentation. It only requires the borrowers name, social security number, the address of the property being bought and the amount of down payment. An excellent credit score and a 100% bill payment policy merit approval.

Interest rate for this mortgage can go as high as 3 points versus standard mortgages.

Overall, regardless of which type of No Doc Mortgage is preferred, the key signifier of this type of mortgage is summed up in ‘respect for privacy’. It really doesn’t matter whether one is an honest to goodness free lance entrepreneur or a blockbuster lead role player or even the kingpin of a crime group. This financing method is designed to keep private matters private.



By: Edwin Linares

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When is the best time to refinance a commercial loan? Factors such as prepayment penalties, goals of the borrower, market rates, and existing loan terms come in play. Of course there’s no exact formula, but below are some thoughts on how you might analyze your commercial loan refinance.

The Discounted Cash Flow method is the traditional system used, which essentially compares the existing loan vs. the proposed loan on a Net Present Value basis. However we have found that most commercial property owners are really interested in:

1. How the refinance will affect their monthly cash flow?

2. What the closing costs will be?

3. How much of the closing costs will have to come out pockets?

4. (If increase in cash flow) How many months will it take for the savings to “pay back” the owners closing costs?

5. What the principal pay down (amortization schedule) will be, compared to existing loan.

Cash Flow

Most borrowers are obviously interested in improving their cash flow situation when refinancing. There’s essentially only 2 ways to do this – reduction of interest rate and or increasing the length of the loans amortization schedule. That’s it. Reducing the interest rates is obvious however most borrowers are surprised to learn that by spreading out a loan from say 20 years to 30 years normally reduces the borrower’s payment by approximately 20%.

Borrowers that are facing a ballooning loan may find out, however that their situation will not improve. Their monthly payment may go up as markets rates change, loan programs change etc. It is often the case as well that the borrowers books are not as strong as there where when they secured their existing loan and they will not be offered the same program/rates that they previously qualified for.

Closing Costs

Borrowers are always very concerned about closing costs, and for good reason. For example with appraisals ranging from $2,000 - $5,000, environmental reports from $1,800, processing at around $1,000, title from $1,000 - $2,000, and the bank 1% fee, it makes a lot of sense for borrowers to be concerned. On a refinance, the borrower can normally roll most of these’s costs into the loan amount. In terms of out of pocket costs, the borrower should be prepared to pay the appraisal, and environmental report fees upfront. In addition, sometimes the funding bank will require the processing fee paid upfront as well.

Pay Back

Assuming there is a reduction in monthly payments, borrowers like to do a cash flow analysis to see how long it will take for the savings to pay back their closing costs. For example, if the new loan monthly payment is $2,000 lower and the total closing costs are $10,000 it will take 5 months for the borrower to “break even”.

Principal Pay Down

Principal pay down is obviously another important component of any commercial loan. However, for most owners, especially those with highly leveraged properties, cash flow is more pressing. High debt payments versus net cash after the expenses have been paid make it difficult for the borrower to look at this in any other way.



By: jeff rauth

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With conventional lenders caught up in the credit crisis and unable to make loans, commercial real estate investors and developers are turning to private, often called “hard money” commercial mortgage loans. But even private lenders have tightened their underwriting criteria, and hard money is more difficult to get than it used to be.

 

Anyone considering applying for a privately funded commercial mortgage should understand just what hard money lenders look for in a deal.



 

Equity - Private lenders are equity lenders. Their lending decisions are not credit driven but are based mainly on the amount of equity in the building or project being financed. Generally a hard money lender will not lend more than about 50% of the value of unimproved land, 60% of the value of an underperforming building and 65% of the value of a stabilized, income producing building. These low LTV (loan-to-value) ratios mean that borrowers must have exceptional properties or be prepared to inject plenty of cash into a deal.

 

Experience - Hard money lenders are sophisticated real estate professionals who prefer to work with other pros. They look for borrowers or project sponsors that have a track record of success and a wealth of experience. In today’s economy, few private lenders are willing to fund first time developers or new investors.

 

 Cash - Virtually no 100% financing is taking place today. All borrowers are now required to make significant cash investment in every deal. Hard money lenders have a reputation for being flexible but they won’t make a loan to someone with no “skin-in-the-game”.

 

Exit Plan - Private loans tend to be short term loans with maturities rarely exceeding 36 months. Before a deal is approved for funding it must have a viable exit plan. In-other-words, the lender must be convinced the loan can be paid back when it comes due.

 

The commercial real estate industry runs on borrowed money; without the free flow of capital the industry would shut down. Private lenders are fulfilling a very important role in our economy right now. They are filling the lending void that has been created by this credit crunch. Thanks to hard money lenders, experienced investors with quality deals will find the funding they need.

 

MasterPlan Capital LLC; Commercial Real Estate Investment Bankers - More than $125MM in Private Commercial Mortgage Lending Capacity - Equity Financing - Asset Management - Simple, 1 Page Commercial Mortgage Application; Online - Quick Answers - Fast Closings - Professional Service

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



By: Glenn Fydenkevez

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Falling interest rates are often the prelude to home owners rushing to avail of a refinance mortgage loan. Most of the time, there is not much thought given to the merits or financial implications of that idea. It is a very attractive option, much the same as an open flame is attractive to a moth.

At first glance, a refinance mortgage loan does not seem to be minatory at all. But being burned by one is not something most people would count as a pleasant experience. In fact, rates are just a small part of the bigger equation. Some people take out a refinance mortgage loan every time rates go down, even by just a little. A common scenario is a refinance mortgage loan once every year for about five years running. That is clearly disadvantageous. Every refinance mortgage loan means adding more principal to the end of the loan as well as extending its duration.

But What Is A Refinance?

Purchase-money loans are the original loans secured by buyers to buy a house. On the other hand, a refinance loan is a new loan utilized by the borrower to pay off the original loan. Obviously, for borrowers with multiple refinance loans, the current loan pays off the last refinance loan. The refinance loan is usually prioritized but a home equity loan can also be refinanced.

What’s Your Flava?

If you are currently paying a fixed-rate mortgage, it is still possible for you take out a different mortgage loan when you get a refinance loan. Before you switch from a fixed-rate mortgage, you must be sure that you understand all of the terms of the new refinance mortgage loan. Let’s take a look at some common mortgage loan types.

Interest-only mortgages are loans that are backed by real estate. They contain an option to make interest payments. They are often portrayed as risky and disadvantageous to the borrower. This is often not the case at all.

Another mortgage product is called the Option Adjustable Rate Mortgage. It is perhaps the most complex loan program in real estate mortgage financing. Without proper management, it could cost a home owner his or her entire equity. For the knowledgeable borrower, it could be the optimal solution. Option Adjustable Rate Mortgages contain negative amortization. This is a key concept that is often misunderstood. That is why Option Adjustable Rate Mortgages are generally disdained.

FHA loans are gaining again in popularity. The Federal Housing Administration does not give out loans. Instead, it insures them. This insurance eliminates or alleviates the risk lenders face when buyers only pay a small percentage. Borrowers with less than perfect credit histories might want to consider them. They may qualify even if they have had financial problems in the past. Also, the rates are competitive and the terms are very straightforward. Today’s FHA loans also require fewer repairs on the home. They are available to everyone. However, first time and low to moderate income buyers are their most frequent users.



By: Rony Walker

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Commercial loan brokers should provide a real service to their clients. An emphasis should be on saving their clients time, helping them avoid aggravation, costly mistakes and of course, should be able to line up the right bank to the borrowers unique situation. Bottom line, the broker’s prior experience should help guide the borrower, who may have little or no experiencing sourcing, negotiating, processing, and closing a commercial mortgage.

One of the more valuable components of what a good commercial loan broker does, is introduce the borrower to lenders they would never, (realistically) be able to find on their own. There is a full market of commercial lenders out there that do not have branches and instead depend on their broker networks to find deals and introduce creative/unique programs that traditional banks do not offer (such as commercial stated income loans, commercial 30 year fixed or second lien position loans, etc).

In addition, brokers should be able to give their clients solid, meaningful recommendations on which specific lenders fit the borrower’s situation. The real differences from one lender to the next can be very difficult to uncover. There are obvious factors, such as which banks are quoting the lowest rates, offering the longest amortization schedules, longest fixed periods, etc. But the issues that could potential kill or change loan terms in the middle of processing a loan are only discovered through experience. This is where a commercial loan broker really earns his fee and this intricate lender knowledge is only learned by being involved on a day to day basis. A good commercial loan broker closes 2 -4 loans per month, while a borrower will only close 2-4 in their life time.

Brokers are basically on the same side of the table as their clients. Although there is no official representation agreement like a listing agreement, a broker should be there with their borrower’s interests in mind. In addition, unlike bank loan officers, brokers only get paid when the loan closes. We get paid to close loans. Many bank officers in contrast are on salaries and have other quotas besides funding loans, such as weekly meeting goals, number of telephone calls made, turned in applications, etc. So the bank officer may know that your loan stands little to no chance of closing yet will “lead you on” simply to protect their job (this happens all the time!).

A good broker will create a competitive environment with funding sources to produce the best rates and lowest fees possible for their clients. The brokers reputation with banks will also add to this in that if the broker is known, the funding source will take the loan request more seriously, put more time and energy into the file. Lenders also will not “re-trade” as quickly with good brokers in fear that the broker will not bring the bank additional loans.

Brokers worth their “salt” should be able to identify the right options for the borrower based on small intricacies of the file. Often, it is a small detail that will slow or kill a deal. A solid broker should be able to identify these details from the beginning that would otherwise cost the borrower thousands, and waste months as the wrong lender tries to make the file fit their guidelines



By: jeff rauth

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If you’re looking to purchase a commercial property, and have doubts as to whether you will be able to qualify for a loan, there is no need to worry.

Whether you have been turned down or away before because of your credit, situation or risk factor, there are thousands of commercial loan programs in the U.S. and abroad that most commercial loan brokers aren’t aware of due to access restrictions.

Regardless of your desired loan size is, whether it be just a few thousand dollars or a few million, there is a solution. There are thousands of International investors & commercial financial institutions worldwide that provide funding to low, medium & high risk businesses with competitive interest rates.

The problem with most commercial loan brokers is that they are only experienced in tapping into a select few, although well-known commercial lending institutions in the U.S. and nearly all offer the same rate, whereas other brokers who have industry connections can tap into not only a few, but several thousand lenders where interest rates & conditions can be negotiated in favor of the individual or business seeking a commercial loan.

In the commercial lending business there are “wholesale” and “retail commercial interest rates” offered by the banks & institutions. Having a backdoor connection to access wholesale interest rates is key.

Commercial loan broker’s that can access databases of investors and lending institutions that offer base wholesale rates with minimal “life of the loan” profit are able to pass the savings to the client.

Additionally, with thousands of international investors & funding institutions available, they are all hungry to make money just to earn cash from the Interest rate. As such, obtaining loans through a backdoor pool of U.S. based & international commercial lenders is incredibly easy, regardless of your credit or current situation. Whether you have documents or not.

With a broker experienced in guerilla commercial loan financing and negotiation, not only will you have powerful leverage in the real estate industry, but you will have a wide array of financing options for your specific situation.

The commercial lending industry is very unique, yet difficult navigate for those that are not in the ideal position to be seeking a loan. But, there are solutions whether it be domestically or

Internationally.

Finding a commercial broker who has experience in seeking loans for those in a not-so-good situation is vital if your real estate goals are to be achieved.



By: Allan Znoj

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California continues to be a popular choice of location for many homeowners today. Between the warm climate, beautiful scenery and sunny beaches, there are few areas of the country that can offer so much to do and see. However, the popularity of this state has also resulted in some high housing costs that can make it difficult for a first-time homeowner or someone just moving into the state to find a home that they can afford. The answer to your housing quandary may indeed lie in the type of California home mortgage loan that you apply for. Depending on the terms of your loan, you may be able to qualify for more house than you originally imagined.

A Bowl Full of Both Quality and Quantity:

With the high cost of housing in this area of the country, one popular choice in California home loan mortgage broker is the adjustable rate mortgage. The reason that an ARM is so popular with many home buyers is that it generally comes with a lower initial interest rate than many of the traditional California home loan mortgage broker. This translates to greater spending potential for a home buyer, since you can qualify for a loan based on the monthly payment amount instead of the full purchase price. A lower interest rate at the beginning of the loan will mean a lower monthly payment for you. The interest rate on an ARM is generally tied to an economic index, such as a treasury security. For more info see http://www.mortgagerefinanceloanhelp.com/Home_Mortgage_Loan/Home_Mortgage_Loan_Calculator.php on Home Mortgage Loan.

California Home Loan Mortgage Broker is among Best Service Providers:

Adjustable rate mortgages broker can be a good choice for someone who is trying to break into the housing industry for the first time, and cannot qualify for a very large monthly payment amount. It is important to note that the rate of interest can and will fluctuate throughout the term of this type of loan, usually every six months to a year at a time. This means that while you may have a low monthly payment amount at the onset of your California home mortgage loan, that amount will be subject to change. If you do not want to make higher payments on your loan over the long term, you must be prepared to either sell your home after a period of time, or refinance your California home mortgage loan to a fixed-rate option.



By: David Faulkner

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You have been waiting decades for this day. It is not your 100th birthday. It is not your 50th wedding anniversary. And, it not the day that the local TV station airs a 24-hour Star Trek marathon. Today, you will make the last payment on your home. You will officially own the house that you “bought” many years ago! All of those overtime hours at the office, those countless weekends hunting through the newspaper for coupons, and the constant insistence that all of your kids wear the hand-me-downs from their older siblings have paid off! Your trip up Mortgage Mountain was worth it. When we first take out a mortgage for our home, it is difficult to imagine the day that we will pay it off in full. But the journey begins when we search for an equity home loan mortgage rate.

Equity Is a Good Thing

Equity is the amount by which a property’s appraised value is greater than the debt value. If a home’s market value is $200,000 while the mortgage balance is 50,000, the property’s equity value equals $150,000. So, equity is a good thing when taking out a mortgage. The greater the equity in the house, the better. Adding equity to your home is fairly easy. Of course, making a mortgage payment is one way to build equity. And the sooner that you reach a hundred percent equity - or own your home, the sooner you can retire, have genuine wealth, and experience less financial stress. Also, the more equity you have, the better the equity home loan mortgage rate you can find.

Making your monthly mortgage payments based on your equity home loan mortgage rate is just the start. You can engage in other ways to build extra equity. The following are ways to build extra equity.

* Improve the size or quality of your home, via home improvements. Remember, though, that some improvements are more advantageous than others. Remodeling bathrooms is usually more beneficial than adding a swimming pool. And remodeling kitchens is usually more beneficial than attaching a skull door-knocker on your front door.

* Make a higher initial down payment when buying your home. This will also increase the equity. Think about it this way: the more money you invest in your home, the less you can waste

* Make extra principal payments or add to your monthly payment that will be dedicated to your principal. Less debt means less interest, so less of your payment will go to interest, and more will go to your principal. Also, each dollar you send reduces your debt by an equal amount. However, check if your lender permits extra payments of principal.

* Secure a lower equity home loan mortgage rate will allow you to refinance, if you are now in a long term mortgage - 30 years, for example. Also, you could initially secure mortgage with a shorter term. A shorter mortgage term translates into paying down your principal faster, thus earning extra equity, faster.

Rating Rates

While building equity in your home is wise, searching for the best equity home loan mortgage rate is equally important. Many companies have search engines that can find the best rates for you. Factors considered include where you will buy your home, and the loan amount.

The first important step in buying a home is buying a home. Afterwards, adding equity to your home is important in adding value to it. That will give you the equity home loan mortgage rate that none other can equal.



By: Rony Walker

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