Tag Archive for: real estate investing

5 Differences Between a HELOC and a Bank Line of Credit

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HELOC and a bank line of credit… which is better for your investments?

So what’s the difference between a true bank line of credit for your business and a HELOC?

Let’s go over 5 key differences you should know.

1. Qualifying for a HELOC or Bank Line of Credit

Typically with a bank line of credit, which is a line of credit on one or multiple properties, you could have one line of credit that covers all of your properties or just part of them. You have that flexibility. But, in order to qualify, you also have to provide all the paperwork, taxes, and everything a bank usually requires.

For a HELOC, qualifying is usually just as simple as getting an estimate or value on your property, and having a good credit score. There is often minimal paperwork and little concern about your income.

2. Applying

One major benefit of a HELOC is once you get one, they’re good for a set draw period. That period is usually 5 or 10 years. So once you get it, you have it at your disposal for that timeframe. You can use it over and over.

A bank line of credit that goes through your business is less set-it-and-forget-it. Some banks will want to look at your financials every year, and some every two years. You’ll have to re-qualify every couple of years.

With a bank line of credit, you have to bring in your paperwork every few years, so you have to be sure your business stays profitable. They also re-evaluate the property’s value, which can be pro or con depending on the market.

3. LTVs on a HELOC or Bank Line of Credit

What are they going to lend you? A HELOC on a non-owner-occupied property usually maxes out at 70% of your equity. In owner-occupied, that could be up to 80%.

Depending on your credit and your properties, a bank line of credit will probably have a maximum LTV of 75% average overall on the properties.

The LTVs on these two lines of credit aren’t that different. It’s more important that, whichever option you go with, you shop around to maximize your loan-to-value.

4. Costs

Typically, a HELOC costs a few hundred dollars to open up. So each property you put a HELOC on will have its own fees (the couple hundred bucks) and requirements every time. But remember, this lasts for 5-10 years, or until whenever you refinance it.

The cost for a bank line of credit will be somewhere between one and one and a half percent. They may need some appraisals to approve it. And remember – since it’s only a 1-2 year limit on bank lines of credit, these charges will happen at least every 2 years.

5. Source

Now, the biggest benefit of a bank line of credit: it’s in one source.

For HELOCs, you have a small amount available on each property. So if you need a large amount, you’ll have to go to each bank or credit union and pull out the amounts. You’ll have different accounts at different banks that you’ll have to manage the payments on. You may have two HELOCs, or you might have 10 – and you might have to put all 10 together to get enough funds for what you need.

Read the full article here.

Watch the video here:

https://youtu.be/BXvXb0BpyPo

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The Secret Method to Compete with Cash Buyers

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Setting up this simple funding source helps you compete with cash buyers in your market.

Cash buyers always swoop up the best deals. Why? Wholesalers and realtors contact them first because they know they’ll get a fast, simple close with these people.

How can you even begin to compete with cash buyers in the real estate investing market? HELOCs are a secret weapon that not enough investors are tapping into.

A HELOC allows you to play the same game. Let’s go over the details.

How to Use a HELOC like Cash to Compete with Cash Buyers

A HELOC allows you to buy properties with cash, without having the actual cash. So how does this work to buy properties with a HELOC? 

Once you’ve set up a HELOC, you could go into the bank at any time and ask them to draw the money out or wire it.

Within hours of finding a property, it’s possible to go under contract, set up a closing, fund it, and own it. Once you own the property, you can always refinance later into a more traditional loan to pay back what you took from your HELOC.

This allows you to compete with cash buyers because this is exactly how they do it. Using a HELOC in this way gives you the power to get in front of the line.

Small HELOCs

HELOCs are a valuable tool in any investor’s toolbelt. It’s one of the easiest ways to ensure no good deal will get away from you.

Even if your HELOC isn’t big enough to fund the purchase of the whole property, you could still use it as a down payment. This way, you might not need to wait for lender approval to close. 

Even if it’s not purchasing the whole property, maybe it’s putting the money down. So you don’t have to wait for your lender. You don’t have to figure out if they’re going to approve you or not. 

Big HELOCs

If you want more HELOC power behind your investing punch, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, if you own multiple properties, you can put HELOCs on each of them. More lines of credit equal more cash available to you.

Second, you want to ensure you’re getting the best HELOCs. What makes HELOCs the best for real estate investors who compete with cash buyers? There’s one thing: high loan-to-values.

You’ll want to shop around to get the maximum amount you can from these lines of credit. Money is power in real estate investing, so choosing the HELOC with an extra point in fees shouldn’t distract you from your highest LTV option.

The best lenders will be able to give you 70-75% LTVs on your rental properties and 80-85% on your owner-occupied home.

Where to Find the Best HELOC to Compete with Cash Buyers

So where do you find the best HELOC? It’s something you’ll have to do a little research on.

If you don’t want to do your own research, we do it every month. We call all the banks and credit unions in our markets to find out who has the best loan to values, lowest rates, and easiest qualifications. Reach out at Info@TheCashFlowCompany.com if you want this list!

5 Things To Do Before You Get a HELOC

So if you want to compete with the cash buyers, how do you start with getting a HELOC?

First, know where to go for HELOCs. This is typically local credit unions and large national banks.

But before you call these institutions, make sure you have these 5 things ready:

  • How much your property is worth.
  • How much you owe on it.
  • Align your LTVs. So if it’s a rental property, make sure your current mortgage and your current value is 70-75% or less, or HELOCs are probably not going to be available to you.
  • What your credit score is. Know what it is and know what it needs to be. Most places will require a minimum 680, but 700 is better. The higher your credit score, the higher your loan-to-value.
  • What type of property it is. Especially with a rental, know its condition and whether it’s a single-family, duplex, etc.

A final tip on HELOCs: each bank or company will give you a HELOC on between one and three of your properties. So if you want a HELOC on five, ten, or twenty properties, you’ll have to set up accounts at different banks.

As an alternative, you could also look into lines of credit, which span multiple properties.

Help on HELOCs and More

We want to make it easier for you to get the best, cheapest leverage possible for your investments.

If you have any questions or have a loan you’d like us to price out, reach out to us at Info@TheCashFlowCompany.com. If you just want more information on real estate investing, you should check out the videos on our YouTube channel.

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The Best Lines of Credit for Real Estate Investing

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You use lines of credit for real estate investing. But which are the right ones?

There are two types of lines of credit you can look at as a real estate investor: bank lines of credit vs HELOCs.

A HELOC (home equity line of credit) can go on each unit you own. This goes for your owner-occupied home, or each of your rentals.

A bank line of credit is one line of credit that covers multiple properties. This is how investors get huge lines of credit to purchase properties anytime, anywhere.

The flexibility of either of these lines of credit is unmatched. You can use these funds to:

  • Close on a property at auction, where traditional financing takes too much time.
  • Use it for your rehab costs, instead of putting in escrow draw requests to your lenders.
  • Paying contractors, other payroll, overages, or other business expenses that a primary loan may not cover.

What These Lines of Credit for Real Estate Investing Have In Common

Both lines of credit are a mortgage, or lien, on a property, typically in junior position. This means there’s usually a mortgage on the property already, so the lien for this line of credit comes in second position.

Lines of credit don’t work like a loan for real estate investing – where you take out the money, pay it back, and you’re done. These lines of credit work more like a credit card. You can take the money out, then pay it back, then take some more out, and re-use it over and over.

Also different from a loan, with a line of credit you never have to ask permission to use them. You don’t have to re-qualify each time you do a deal.

Lines of credit give you speed and flexibility in your real estate career.

Read the full article here.

Watch the video here:

https://youtu.be/BXvXb0BpyPo

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Fix and Flip Loan Costs: Reserves Requirements

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There are a few key fix and flip loan costs: here’s a brief breakdown.

In addition to understanding LTVs and down payment amounts, there’s another important cost to know about for fix and flip loans: reserves.

Reserves Requirements

Reserves are the other amounts of money a fix and flip lender might require you to have. Here are the most common reserves requirements:

  • 6 months of interest payments in an account. They want to be sure if anything comes up, you’ll have the funds to make those payments.
  • Closing costs. You’re purchasing a property that’s going through a closing agent. You’ll have to pay the costs for that closing agent, plus any lending closing cost.
  • Monthly payments. Loan costs and other “carry costs” will come up monthly for the property while you’re fixing it up. Don’t forget to include these in your budget.
  • Other lender requirements. Every fix and flip lender might have slightly different cost and reserve requirements.

Know Your Fix and Flip Costs

Remember, if your lender tells you they’ll give you 70% of the ARV, there’s more to the story than that.

Know your actual fix and flip costs, and always look for the highest LTV lenders. 70% is the average in the current market, but some lenders can offer closer to 75% or give you 90%+ for the purchase.

Want to be able to compare these costs from multiple lenders at once? Download this free loan analyzer.

Have more questions about fix and flip loans? You can reach out at Info@TheCashFlowCompany.com.

Read the full article here.

Watch the video here:

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Line of Credit vs HELOC: Which Do You Need?

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These funds can supercharge your real estate investments, but which is better: a bank line of credit vs HELOC?

Lines of credit are one of the most powerful tools a real estate investor could keep in their toolbelt – whether a bank line of credit or home equity line of credit.

Let’s go over why these are so powerful, how to put them into practice in your business, and what the difference is between a bank line of credit vs HELOC.

Example of Using a Line of Credit for Real Estate Investing

Here’s a story about the power lines of credit brings to real estate investing:

A client called us recently who purchased 34 units last year. He’s kept them all for rentals.

That’s an incredible volume of properties for one year! I had to ask him, “What’s your secret?”

It’s simple: he has a $600,000 line of credit on his other properties. So when deals come up from wholesalers and realtors, they call him first because they know he can use this line and close within days.

In total, he owns 124 units. His first goal was 100, now it’s 200. And he says the power behind all of it is that of credit.

But he didn’t start out this way. He began just four years ago with zero properties. Let’s look at how you can get started with lines of credit.

Bank Line of Credit vs HELOC – What Are They?

There are two types of lines of credit you can look at as a real estate investor: bank lines of credit vs HELOCs.

A HELOC (home equity line of credit) can go on each unit you own. This goes for your owner-occupied home, or each of your rentals.

A bank line of credit is one line of credit on multiple properties. This is how investors get huge lines of credit to purchase properties anytime, anywhere – like the previous example of our client.

The flexibility of either of these lines of credit is unmatched. You can use these funds to:

  • Close on a property at auction, where traditional financing takes too much time.
  • Use it for your rehab costs, instead of putting in escrow draw requests to your lenders.
  • Paying contractors, other payroll, overages, or other business expenses that a primary loan may not cover.

What a Bank Line of Credit vs HELOC Have In Common

Both lines of credit are a mortgage, or lien, on a property, typically in junior position. This means there’s usually a mortgage on the property already, so the lien for this line of credit comes in second position.

Lines of credit don’t work like a loan, where you take out the money, pay it back, and you’re done. These lines of credit work more like a credit card. You can take the money out, then pay it back, then take some more out, and re-use it over and over.

Also different from a loan, with a line of credit you never have to ask permission to use them. You don’t have to re-qualify each time you do a deal.

Lines of credit give you speed and flexibility in your real estate career.

Differences in Lines of Credit

So what’s the difference between a true bank line of credit for your business and HELOCs?

Let’s go over 5 key differences you should know.

1. Qualifying for a Line of Credit vs HELOC

Typically with a bank line of credit, which is a line of credit on one or multiple properties, you could have one line of credit that covers all of your properties or just part of them. You have that flexibility. But, in order to qualify, you also have to provide all the paperwork, taxes, and everything a bank usually requires.

For a HELOC, qualifying is usually just as simple as getting an estimate or value on your property, and having a good credit score. There is often minimal paperwork and little concern about your income.

2. Applying

One major benefit of a HELOC is once you get one, they’re good for a set draw period. That period is usually 5 or 10 years. So once you get it, you have it at your disposal for that timeframe. You can use it over and over.

A bank line of credit that goes through your business is less set-it-and-forget-it. Some banks will want to look at your financials every year, and some every two years. You’ll have to re-qualify every couple of years.

With a bank line of credit, you have to bring in your paperwork every few years, so you have to be sure your business stays profitable. They also re-evaluate the property’s value, which can be pro or con depending on the market.

3. LTVs on a Bank Line of Credit vs HELOC

What are they going to lend you? A HELOC on a non-owner-occupied property usually maxes out at 70% of your equity. In owner-occupied, that could be up to 80%.

Depending on your credit and your properties, a bank line of credit will probably have a maximum LTV of 75% average overall on the properties.

The LTVs on these two lines of credit aren’t that different. It’s more important that, whichever option you go with, you shop around to maximize your loan-to-value.

4. Costs

Typically, a HELOC costs a few hundred dollars to open up. So each property you put a HELOC on will have its own fees (the couple hundred bucks) and requirements every time. But remember, this lasts for 5-10 years, or until whenever you refinance it.

The cost for a bank line of credit will be somewhere between one and one and a half percent. They may need some appraisals to approve it. And remember – since it’s only a 1-2 year limit on bank lines of credit, these charges will happen at least every 2 years.

5. Source

Now, the biggest benefit of a bank line of credit: it’s in one source. 

For HELOCs, you have a small amount available on each property. So if you need a large amount, you’ll have to go to each bank or credit union and pull out the amounts. You’ll have different accounts at different banks that you’ll have to manage the payments on. You may have two HELOCs, or you might have 10 – and you might have to put all 10 together to get enough funds for what you need.

How the Find the Best Line of Credit

The benefits of a HELOC: they’re fast, easy, and they’ll stay there for 10 years. 

For a bank line of credit, you have all your funds from one source, but every year or two, you have to requalify.

So they both have their benefits, and they both have their uses. Whatever makes sense for you is what you should be focused on.

It’s sometimes hard to figure out what’s best and what banks will work with you. That’s what we could do here at the cash flow company. We keep in touch with banks to find the best credit options for investors.

If you have a question or you need someone to help find the best line of credit for you, reach out at Info@TheCashFlowCompany.com. We’d be glad to help.

For more on real estate investing, you can check out our Youtube videos here.

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Fix and Flip Loan Basics: What Is ARV?

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When a lender decides your loan-to-value amount, what is ARV?

The first number to know in a fix and flip loan is called ARV, or after-repair value. This is the amount you could sell the property for after it’s been fixed up.

Why is this number so important? While loans on regular properties are based on the purchase price, fix and flip lenders loan based on the ARV.

For example, most fix and flip lenders in this market lend 70% of the ARV. As an example, on a property with an ARV of $200k, you could get $140k in your fix and flip loan (aka, 70% of $200k).

On a property that will be worth $500k after rehab, you could likely get a maximum of $350k on a fix and flip loan.

What Is ARV’s Other Requirements for Fix and Flip Loans

Generally, the loan you get is based on LTV. However, that doesn’t mean that’s the exact amount the lender is going to give you.

In a fix and flip, there are two major costs: the purchase price and the rehab costs. How much the property is and how much it will take to fix it up.

Your fix and flip loan will cover a certain percentage of these two costs.

For example, in this market, if you’re a seasoned investor, they’ll lend you 85% of the purchase and 100% of rehab. This means that with any project, you’ll have to find a way to fund a 15% down payment on the purchase. But the fix and flip loan will pay for all the rehab.

As a quick example, let’s look back at that $200k ARV house. The lender will give you 70% of that amount (so $140k), but they’re still restricting purchase to 85% and rehab to 100%.

So this example might play out like this:

  • ARV: $200k
  • Maximum LTV: $140k
  • Actual as-is purchase price: $120k
  • Rehab budget: $20k
  • Actual LTV for purchase: $102k
  • Actual LTV for rehab: $20k
  • Total actual LTV: $122k
  • Amount needed for down payment on purchase: $18k

Read the full article here.

Watch the video here:

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Your Real Estate LLC: Every Member Matters

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How the partners in your real estate LLC decide your loan…

We had a client come in recently with a low credit score and HIGH quoted interest rate for a DSCR loan refinance.

After offering a simple usage loan to bring his credit score back up… He dropped this bombshell on us about his LLC partners (don’t make the same mistake).

DSCR Loans and a Real Estate LLC

This client told us he owned the property. All the properties were his. Then we got to ordering the title…

And the property was under an LLC. No problem! DSCR loans are great with LLCs.

Then he mentioned that he has a partner. And the partner owns 40% of the LLC. And his partner’s credit score was even worse than his.

Depending on the lender, a partner has to own a certain percentage of the LLC before their credit score matters. For some, it’s a minimum of 5% ownership. For others, it’s 50%.

In this case, at 40%, we look at the lowest credit score in the LLC to determine the loan rate and LTV.

Be warned: if your financing is under an LLC, you can get quoted one set of terms, but once it comes down to it, your partners’ credit scores can make the actual terms worse. Don’t let this catch you off guard.

You should not only be careful with your own credit – but with the credit of everyone in the LLC.

How to Fix a Real Estate LLC’s Member’s Bad Credit

In this client’s situation, we’re going to try another solution, but it will take much more time.

We’re going to move this partner off the LLC while we do the usage loan. Then give it a month or two until the lender can see that it’s only the client’s name, with no partner.

There are hurdles this way. But there are always ways to get through it.

Keep this in mind when you put LLCs together for real estate investing. You might want one person with great credit and one with great experience, but however you piece it together, make sure you’re upfront with your lender. Being open about the LLC at the beginning can prevent roadblocks down the road.

Read the full article here.

Watch the video here:

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Fix and Flip Loans Explained: Get More Money For Your Deals

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How much do fix and flip loans cost? Here’s a quick breakdown.

There’s a way to set up a fix and flip project to minimize financial surprises.

It all comes down to your loans and understanding the money side.

Here’s a breakdown on how fix and flip loans work – and how you can get more money for your deals.

What Is ARV?

The first number to know in a fix and flip loan is called ARV, or after-repair value. This is the amount you could sell the property for after it’s been fixed up.

Why is this number so important? While loans on regular properties are based on the purchase price, fix and flip lenders loan based on the ARV.

For example, most fix and flip lenders in this market lend 70% of the ARV. As an example, on a property with an ARV of $200k, you could get $140k in your fix and flip loan (aka, 70% of $200k).

On a property that will be worth $500k after rehab, you could likely get a maximum of $350k on a fix and flip loan.

Other LTV Requirements for Fix and Flip Loans

Generally, the loan you get is based on LTV. However, that doesn’t mean that’s the exact amount the lender is going to give you.

In a fix and flip, there are two major costs: the purchase price and the rehab costs. How much the property is and how much it will take to fix it up.

Your fix and flip loan will cover a certain percentage of these two costs.

For example, in this market, if you’re a seasoned investor, they’ll lend you 85% of the purchase and 100% of rehab. This means that with any project, you’ll have to find a way to fund a 15% down payment on the purchase. But the fix and flip loan will pay for all the rehab.

As a quick example, let’s look back at that $200k ARV house. The lender will give you 70% of that amount (so $140k), but they’re still restricting purchase to 85% and rehab to 100%.

So this example might play out like this:

  • ARV: $200k
  • Maximum LTV: $140k
  • Actual as-is purchase price: $120k
  • Rehab budget: $20k
  • Actual LTV for purchase: $102k
  • Actual LTV for rehab: $20k
  • Total actual LTV: $122k
  • Amount needed for down payment on purchase: $18k

Reserves Requirements for Fix and Flip Loans

In addition to understanding LTVs and down payment amounts, another important cost to understand for fix and flip loans is reserves.

Reserves are the other amounts of money a fix and flip lender might require you to have. Here are the most common reserves requirements:

  • 6 months of interest payments in an account. They want to be sure if anything comes up, you’ll have the funds to make those payments.
  • Closing costs. You’re purchasing a property that’s going through a closing agent. You’ll have to pay the costs for that closing agent, plus any lending closing cost.
  • Monthly payments. Loan costs and other “carry costs” will come up monthly for the property while you’re fixing it up. Don’t forget to include these in your budget.
  • Other lender requirements. Every fix and flip lender might have slightly different cost and reserve requirements.

How to Maximize Your Fix and Flip Loans

Remember, if your lender tells you they’ll give you 70% of the ARV, there’s more to the story than that.

Know the actual criteria you need for each flip, and always look for the highest LTV lenders. 70% is the average in the current market, but some lenders can offer closer to 75% or give you 90%+ for the purchase.

Want to be able to compare these costs from multiple lenders at once? Download this free loan analyzer.

Have more questions about fix and flip loans? You can reach out at Info@TheCashFlowCompany.com.

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How to Get Better DSCR Loan Interest Rates

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How our client raised their credit score to lower their DSCR loan interest rates by 30%.

A client came to us who was quoted by another company for a DSCR loan. They offered him:

  • 9% interest rate
  • 3 origination points
  • On a cash-out, 70% refinance of a remodeled, rented property.

Doesn’t that seem high?

His main hurdle was that his credit score had dipped during the remodel of this project.

He started with a score of 720 and a credit limit of $35,000. But to get the property rent-ready, he used $30,000 of this credit. This caused high credit usage – which dragged his credit score down to a 679.

This plummet in score cost him a couple of points in interest and origination, resulting in a much more costly refinance than he was prepared for.

Raising Your Credit Score to Lower DSCR Loan Interest Rates

To get his score back up, we helped him with a usage loan.

This means:

  • We gave him a private loan.
  • Which he used to pay off his credit cards.
  • Paying off the credit cards lowered his usage.
  • Then the lower usage raised his credit score.

When usage is the reason for your low credit score, a small short-term private loan like this can be a solution.

In our client’s case, this higher credit score refreshed the refinance DSCR. They quoted him to a 7.625% interest rate, with a half-point origination, on a 30-year fixed loan.

Read the full article here.

Watch the video here:

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DSCR Loans and LLCs: Beware of This Major Roadblock

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Learn from this mistake: an important lesson about DSCR loans, LLCs, credit, and partners.

DSCR loans are a great option if you need a loan in an LLC’s name.

However, there’s a major risk to be aware of when you look for financing under your LLC’s name.

Let’s walk through what recently happened to a client whose credit score dipped… and a big secret was revealed.

Credit Usage Can Impact Your Loan Terms

This client was quoted by another company for a DSCR loan:

  • 9% interest rate
  • 3 origination points
  • On a cash-out, 70% refinance of a remodeled, rented property.

Doesn’t that seem high?

His main hurdle was that his credit score had dipped during the remodel of this project.

He started with a score of 720 and a credit limit of $35,000. To get the property rent-ready, he used $30,000 of this credit. This caused high credit usage – which dragged his credit score down to a 679.

This plummet in score cost him a couple of points in interest and origination, resulting in a much more costly refinance than he was prepared for.

How to Fix Bad Credit as a Real Estate Investor

To get his score back up, we helped him with a usage loan.

This means:

  • We gave him a private loan.
  • He used it to pay off his credit cards.
  • Paying off the credit cards lowered his usage.
  • Lower usage raised his credit score.

When usage is the reason for your low credit score, a small short-term private loan like this can be a solution.

In our client’s case, this higher credit score refreshed the refinance DSCR he was quoted to a 7.625% interest rate, with a half-point origination, on a 30-year fixed loan.

WAY better. Until he dropped a bomb on us…

DSCR Loans and LLCs

This client told us he owned the property. All the properties were his. Then we got to ordering the title…

And the property was under an LLC. No problem! DSCR loans are great with LLCs.

Then he mentioned that he has a partner. And the partner owns 40% of the LLC. And his partner’s credit score was even worse than his.

Depending on the lender, a partner has to own a certain percentage of the LLC before their credit score matters. For some, it’s a minimum of 5% ownership. For others, it’s 50%. 

In this case, at 40%, we look at the lowest credit score in the LLC to determine the loan rate and LTV.

 

Be warned: if your financing is under an LLC, you can get quoted one set of terms, but once it comes down to it, your partners’ credit scores can make the actual terms worse. Don’t let this catch you off guard.

Be careful not only with your own credit – but with the credit of everyone in the LLC.

How to Fix a DSCR Loan When Your LLCs Partner Has Bad Credit

In this client’s situation, we’re going to try another solution, but it will take much more time.

We’re going to move this partner off the LLC while we do the usage loan. Then give it a month or two until the lender can see that it’s only the client’s name, with no partner.

There are hurdles this way. But there are always ways to get through it.

Keep this in mind when you put LLCs together for real estate investing. You might want one person with great credit and one with great experience, but however you piece it together, make sure you’re upfront with your lender. Being open about the LLC at the beginning can prevent roadblocks down the road.

Help with DSCR Loans, LLCs, and Other Investor Loans

If you have any other questions on DSCRs, fix and flips, or any kind of loan in the investor world, we’re happy to help.

For more info on real estate investing, you can check out our YouTube channel. You can also reach out directly at Info@TheCashFlowCompany.com.

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