Most financial planners agree that real estate investing has historically been a sound investment. Real estate has consistently earned money over time and is a way to help build your investment portfolio and personal wealth. However, for many individuals with bad credit, real estate investing has been beyond their reach using traditional loans. Approximately 42.5 million Americans have a bad credit score and are considered sub-prime borrowers. Typically this means that a borrower with a FICO score of less than 640 will be denied a home loan by a bank. If you are in the market to start real estate investing but you have bad credit, there are a variety of Arizona Bad credit home loans and loan programs available to you.

One type of loan available to sub-prime borrowers is a hard money loan. A hard money loan is a specialized type of real estate backed loan. The lender is an investor or group of investors rather than a bank. The lender offers short term capital loans to purchase investment properties. The term of a hard money loan is generally no more than two years and is designed to make money on real estate for both the borrower and the lender. Hard money lenders focus on the value of property being purchased rather than the assets or credit score of the borrower. For this reason a hard money loan is an invaluable opportunity for an investor looking for Arizona Bad credit home loans to purchase a property as a short term investment.

Hard money loans are available for all property types including commercial, residential, multi-family, and even land loans. Each lender or group of lenders determines the requirements for what types of loans they will give as well as how much money they will lend. If the lender gives loans on residential properties he/she/they are required to be licensed through the National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS). In order to sure that the lender you are using meets all requirements, it is best to use a broker or investment team that specializes in hard money lending.

Although hard money loans have significantly less regulations than traditional mortgages, there are certain federal regulations that apply to hard money lenders. For most property types, hard money lenders do not require the same income verification or credit score guidelines that traditional banks do. This is part of what makes them ideal Arizona Bad credit home loans as they look at the value of the property from an investment standpoint, not based on credit or income. However, it is important to note that hard money loans are more risky for the lender and therefore come with a higher interest rates. In addition, if you are taking out a hard money loan on a residential property, you will be required to some proof of ability to repay the debt. This means some type of proof of income though it is usually less stringent than what a bank requires.

When you take out a hard money loan, the property that you are investing in becomes the collateral. If you default on the loan, the lender will seize the property to protect its investment. If you take out a hard money loan, make sure that you will be able to pay the loan back in full at the end of the term by either selling the property or other means. When you sell the property you keep any money that is earned above the amount of the loan which is why hard money lending can be a great Arizona Bad credit home loans program to allow individuals with bad credit to invest in the real estate market.

A financial professional or mortgage broker can help you decide if a hard money loan is a smart financial choice. It is a great way for Americans with bad credit scores to start taking advantage of real estate investing. In addition, hard money loans can benefit prime borrowers as well. If you already own a home you may not qualify to purchase an investment property based on your debt to income ratio. A hard money loan can be a great work around to get you into the real estate market. Call a broker or your financial adviser to learn more today. 

Dennis Dahlberg
Broker/RI/CEO/MLO