Understanding Loan to Value Ratio for Hard Money Loans Arizona

Understanding the loan to value ratio for hard money loans Arizona is critical to knowing how much money you can request. Without knowing the LTV you have no idea what lenders would be willing to fund.

Because hard money loans are secured with real estate, it is critical to understand how lenders determine the dollar amount that they are willing to lend. This determination process uses the loan to value ratio which is the loan amount divided by the property value. In most cases a hard money lender will fund up to 65% to 75% of the current property value. What this means for anyone who wants to use funding from hard money loans Arizona to make a purchase is that they must have cash or other financing for the remaining 25% to 35% of the purchase price.

It is important to understand what the loan to value ratio is on the property that you are purchasing so that you can be prepared to pay the remaining balance to complete the purchase. Some borrowers will seek a partner to contribute the remaining funds or others will use other properties as collateral to borrow the remaining funds.

On some rare occasions lenders will use an alternative ratio called the after repair value. This is basing the value of the property on its potential value after the buyer makes the repairs. It works in the borrowers favor as he or she is able to get a larger amount for the hard money loan. The down side is that this type of loan poses a greater risk to the lender who is likely to demand that the borrower pay a higher interest rate as compensation.

Hard Money is Always Secured

Understanding that hard money loans Arizona are all based predominantly on the value of the property being purchased is Important. It is also important to know that the lender will only offer a percentage of that property value as a way to ensure that the property is always worth more than the balance of the loan. This is so that in the event of a default on the loan, the lender can sell the collateral property and recover the full loan amount.

More Risk=More Cost

Hard money lenders are in business to make money just as real estate investors are buying properties to make money. All lenders calculate the amount of hard money loans Arizona in the same way. The only reason that some are willing to offer a higher percentage is because they are willing to assume a greater risk. And in return for that greater risk, the lender is going to require that the borrower pay a higher interest rate on the loan. But if you have no other way to secure the funds needed to close the deal, then paying a higher interest rate is better than losing the deal all together. You will always have the opportunity to refinance the loan in a more traditional manner at a later point in time to improve the interest rate.