Private Mortgage Loans Provide a Short-Term Financing Alternative
Private mortgage loans are made by private lenders instead of traditional financing sources such as banks, lending institutions, or government agencies. They usually are short-term (6 months to 3 years) hard money or asset-based loans, and the decision to lend is based on the equity and value of the property being put up as collateral, not on the borrower's credit.
These loans are a source of funding for professional real estate investors who wish to acquire, rehabilitate, or cash out equity of income producing property, and those who otherwise would not qualify for conventional financing. Private mortgages also assist real estate investors who need immediate financing without the financial documentation required by traditional institutional financiers.
Private mortgage loans are very secure because they represent a maximum of 65 percent to 70 percent of the appraised value of income producing property. On non-income producing property, a maximum of 55 percent loan to value is lent. Investors can expect to pay interest rates of 12 percent to 14 percent on first liens and 16 percent to 18 percent on second liens in this current low interest rate environment. Historically, first lien yield of six points over prime has been obtainable.
