Do you know how you are going to fund the next deal that comes your way?
You should know how you will fund your next deal before you even have it in hand. Subsequently, you won’t get anywhere without funding – even if it is the best property in a great location. A lack of financing is often one of the biggest hurdles for investors – old and new. Fortunately there are more options than you may realize. Before you consider your next purchase, you need to have as many different options as possible lined up. Here are four ways to find the cash you are looking for:
- Lender Financing: It wasn’t that long ago that lender financing was the most popular method for financing new properties. Unless you have been living under a rock for the last decade, you probably heard about the mortgage collapse. Since 2008, many of the guidelines and programs for investor loans have changed. Instead of 100 percent financing on a three-family property, you need a 20-25 percent down payment in today’s market. Some lenders are beginning to loosen guidelines and make more investor programs available, but they are few and far between. Even though the down payment is higher and underwriting stricter, lender financing is still an option. Fortunately, interest rates are still near all-time lows. This allows buyers to keep their mortgage payments low and increase cash flow. There are also many programs for construction loans and loans for end buyers. Lenders have a way of changing with the times and if there is demand from investors for new programs they will be created. If you have a down payment and can show your income, lender financing is still a viable alternative.
- Private Money Lenders: A private money lender is anyone you know that has access to money, and may want to invest in real estate. This could be a friend, family member, coworker or investing partner. The biggest hurdle in finding private money is usually asking. This shouldn’t be an uncomfortable situation for you, if you know what you are doing. If you ask 50 people, odds are that at least a handful are interested in investing. They may not know how or where they want to start, but they have money. If you handle finding and closing the property, your partner could handle the financing. There are many different types of private money partnerships. With the growth in real estate investing, there are many people that want to get involved but don’t know where to start. Here is where you can form a partnership and get your foot in the door. It all starts with sending your first email or post on social media looking for investing partners. If you can get over that hump, you will be surprised at the results.
- Mortgage Broker Programs Mortgage brokers got a bad rap for their part in the mortgage meltdown. They had access to dozens of lenders and all their different programs. In some cases, borrowers were not given the best advice by their brokers and got into programs that they should have avoided. Mortgage brokers are still around and have value for real estate investors. A broker works with multiple lenders on the wholesale side that local banks don’t have access to. These wholesale lenders often have unique investor programs that local banks do not. Some may call for a reduced credit score or lower down payment. Some may allow twelve months of self-employment history while others take a higher amount of rents received. If you are looking for financing, you should reach out to a few local mortgage brokers and ask what new investor programs they have. All it takes is one lender with one program to make a difference.
Funding your next deal should not be the most difficult part of a transaction. Set yourself up with multiple options that you can contact when need be. The more options you have, the easier it is to find financing.
