Tag Archive for: real estate

Investor Mortgage Report 5.19.20

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Non-Conventional Mortgage Loans Are Making a Comeback…

Non-conventional loans are closing again

Non-conventional mortgage loans are getting funded again.

What We Know:

Finally, we’re seeing an influx of non-conventional mortgage loans being funded. Hopefully, this positive change is bringing some relief to both investors and their buyers who don’t fit neatly into the conventional mortgage lending box.
 
Mortgage loans in this lending bucket typically do not require tax returns but rely on bank statements or leases for income.
 
Even though some are back, requirements for securing these loans have increased and are a little harder to obtain.  The majority of the lenders have a starting point of a max 65% LTV and a credit score of 700+.  The good news is the rates have not skyrocketed. There are now lenders lending who had previously been turning away would-be investors.
Light at the end of the lending tunnel

There’s a light at the end of the lending tunnel again.

 

The Takeaway:

We are on the road to lending opening back up. The economic restrictions and resulting uncertainty appear to be lessening. Apparently, to the point where lenders are feeling confident enough to begin closing riskier deals again.
Make no mistake, it will be a slow process. But there appears to be a light at the end of the COVID lending tunnel. Stay tuned as we provide continuing outlook updates over the course of the coming weeks.
In the meantime, if you’d like to review your financing options for investment properties, feel free to reach out! We’re always happy to run your numbers with you.
*All non-commercial and construction loans offered by TNS Loans NMLS #1719349
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Don’t Sideline Your Investment Game

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investment power player

Be a real estate investment power player by harnessing the power of OPM funding.

You don’t have to be a bench warmer in the real estate investment world. Transform yourself into a power player! 

 

It’s easy to think that with the COVID-19 shutdowns, stay-at-home orders, and lasting economic uncertainty that now is an okay time to sit idle and just see what happens in the real estate investment world.

 

And that would be your first mistake.

 

By many standards, there’s never been a better time to go all-in for your real estate investment business. Mortgage rates are low, making previously out-of-reach properties insanely affordable. Showings are still under a good deal of restrictions and safety precautions. But this just means the buyer pool is limited to the extremely serious. Great news for fix-and-flip investors looking to turn a quick profit!

 

It’s true, the banks have been saying no, but that doesn’t mean the game is over. We’re here to tell you that there are other ways to play besides begging the banks to fund your deals.

 

Put your future in your hands: Make the switch to OPM (Other People’s Money) funding and stop waiting on the bank.  When the deals start popping up (and they will,) you’ll be able to buy the properties you want when you want, and for what you want to pay. 

Instead of sitting on the bench, you can be actively working to build that dream life, even in times of uncertainty.

 

Questions on how to go about making this transition? Luckily for you, we’re hosting an Intro to OPM Webinar where we’ll be covering all the critical details of how to make this crucial switch for your investment business!

 

Get signed up >>>

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Investor Mortgage Report 5.12.2020

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Remote Closings And You: How COVID-19 Has Redefined the Real Estate Closing Process

 

What We Know:

The financial side of real estate has been stalled on many fronts these past few months due to the economic lockdown.

 

Offices are closing, and would-be buyers are losing their jobs. Appraisers aren’t allowed into properties, title companies are limiting closings. There are also complications of safely converting everyone’s office jobs to work-from-home positions.  This influx of rapid-fire changes puts a strain on the mortgage process and adds stress to closing on properties.

 

But, things are improving. We are beginning to see some positive changes thanks to the introduction of remote and online closings.  

 

What Is Changing:

For starters, buyers and sellers are no longer required to physically drive across town at a prescribed hour that works for everyone and suit up with masks and gloves for a closing.

Closing from Home

Systems are now in place for closings to happen 100% from the comfort of home or office ( or really, anywhere you need to be.)  Remote closings are real and they’re happening, along with simple remote notarizations. These simple adaptations eliminate so many hurdles to the closing process and help speed things along, especially in these unique times.

 

Fidelity, one of the largest title companies in the industry, is all-in with the remote advancements and allowing clients to choose how they close.

 

What the Future Holds:

We could be heading for a time when remote appraisals are standard and virtual showings become the norm.  It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. We’re inching closer to that reality by the day.

Remote Closings

Just imagine the mortgage process taking place in a week or two, and not months!

 

Of course, this is good news for investors selling SFR properties and/or refinancing.  Landlords owning commercial properties may see values drop. After all, more people are working from home without having to physically come into an office.

 

On the rate front, we’re seeing very stable numbers. However, we’re still staring at a wall when it comes to refinancing.

 

As states open up and lift restrictions, let’s hope people run out and get back to work and start spending like we are all used to.

 

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Why You Shouldn’t Let the Banks Hold Your Wallet

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95% of investors are controlled by the banks. The other 5% control their own destiny.

Which group do you want to be in? 

 

History is repeating itself.  Banks and lenders are closed up and running away from loans for the investment community.  They’re backing out of deals just minutes from the closing of a loan, without the courtesy of so much as a “Sorry.”

Right now, the majority of real estate investors (95%) rely on banks and traditional lenders as a means to fund their deals. That means when the banks decide to stop lending money, they stop you from succeeding.

 

Let’s change that!

 

Now, more than ever is the perfect time to take back control of your financial future.

 

How? By partnering up with people who have money ready to invest! Mom, your bestie, neighbor, gym buddy—anyone with cash to invest has the ability to help fund your investment deals. It doesn’t HAVE to be a bank or traditional lender. 

Be a power player and join the 5% who don’t sweat economic disasters.

 

Want to dip your toes into the world of OPM (Other People’s Money) funding, but not sure where to start? Sign up for our Into to OPM Webinar! We’ll be going over the basics and answering your most pressing questions about how to secure financial freedom for your investment business, EVEN when the banks are saying “No.” 

 

Sign Up Here >>>

 

Just remember: Keep it legal, keep it safe, keep it honest.

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Investor Inspo – 2931 Pheasant

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Some serious added curb appeal was only the beginning for this Colorado flip.

Better than As-Seen-on-TV

How’s this for a Fixer Upper? Come with us as we explore some impressive investor before-and-afters from right here in Colorado!
This impressive flipper was able to transform this dated, worn-out property in less than two months! From dump to gem, and from purchase to under contract in less than two months!

We know which kitchen we’d rather be cooking quarantine meals in…

Yes, even in this crazy COVID-lockdown world, homes are getting updated and sold in record time. Rates are extremely low, and smart investors who have figured out how to work around the banks are taking advantage.

New and improved backyard oasis.

From scary and dark, to light, bright and inviting entryway.

From dark and dank to spa-level luxury in the bathroom.

Love how the flippers are making neighborhoods better one house at a time.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates, and we’ll keep you posted once the property closes and our client takes his profits and moves on to the next deal!
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Investor Mortgage Report 5.5.2020

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Refinancing may have just become more expensive for both rate and lower LTVs.

 

Wow, what is this? The powers that be are still messing with our beautiful lending world. It’s not a shock that government officials seem more focused on getting votes at the cost of property owners and mortgage companies, encouraging tenants not to pay rents and not lending a hand with evictions.

 

What We Know:

Mortgage rates are so low right now (in the mid 2’s for owner-occupied, and low 3’s for investors) that still-employed buyers should be running out and buying homes left and right.  After all, the number one reason buyers purchase is that they can fit the payment into their monthly budget. We should be seeing mortgage companies throwing money out to everyone. We should see buyers buying and investors refinancing (increasing that cashflow without adding more properties.)

 

 

So why isn’t that happening?

 

In short- our government is hard at work wreaking havoc in the lending markets, making it harder for all of us to get a loan, especially refinances.

 

Sure, it sounds good in theory: Allow anyone who wants to defer a payment or 4 during an economic crisis to do so, without proving any reason based on financial hardship.

 

How does this impact us all?  Glad you asked.

 

If a lender helps someone out and refinances them and they decided to go directly into forbearance, (yes, people WERE doing cash-out refinances with the plan of deferring payments to take advantage of the government’s kindness,) that lender cannot sell or move that loan off of their books to those that service FHA, VA, Conventional loans, etc, unless they want to take pay a huge fee. So, they decide to hold the loans, thus filling up their lending bucket.

 

So what happens next?  The lenders don’t want to take a chance that a percentage of people are going to take advantage of this opportunity, so they raise the cost of refinancing for everyone.  On top of that, they will start lowering the LTVs (loan-to-value ratios,) making the box for traditional financing harder for all.

 

Yes, obviously those that need mortgage forbearance should be able to use it, but it’s the ones who are not in financial need that are making these numbers grow, creating more costly financing for us all.

 

Let’s look at the numbers from an article from MBA.com from the end of April:

 

Key findings of MBA’s Forbearance and Call Volume Survey – April 13-19, 2020

  • Total loans in forbearance grew relative to the previous week (from 5.95% to 6.99%.) In comparison, only 0.25% of all loans were in forbearance for the week of March 2.
    • By investor type, Ginnie Mae loans grew the most relative to the prior week: from 8.26% to 9.73%.
    • The share of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans in forbearance increased relative to the prior week: from 4.64% to 5.46%.
    • The share of other loans (e.g. private-label securities and portfolio loans) in forbearance increased relative to the prior week: from 6.43% to 7.52%.
  • Forbearance requests as a percent of servicing portfolio volume (#) dropped relative to the prior week: from 1.79% to 1.14%.

What You Can Do:

Keep up with your payments if you’re able. The more of us that are paying on time and in full, the quicker the lenders will start to relax and start loaning again. Everyone wins.

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New Build Construction is Slowing Down. Here’s Why That’s Not Necessarily A Bad Thing.

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New-home construction sees its largest monthly decline since March 1984, as COVID closures take a toll.

 

According to March’s economic report by MarketWatch, new-build housing starts and permits have fallen to their slowest pace since last July.

Builders started construction on new homes in the U.S. at a pace of 1.22 million in March, representing a 22% decrease from a revised 1.56 million in February. However, even with this decrease, the figures were still 1.4% higher than a year ago.

It’s the largest decline we’ve seen since March 1984.

Permitting activity, however, had a little less dramatic of a slowdown. Privately-owned housing unit permits were authorized at a seasonally-adjusted rate of 1.35 million. That was 6.8% below the revised pace of 1.45 million set in February, but still 5% above last year’s rate.

This news isn’t all doom and gloom, however.
Yes, housing starts are down and inventory is very low, but these conditions create some interesting market conditions.  With the lockdown and the rise in unemployment, one would start to think we may have a housing crash on our hands (and it’s still possible if closures and stay-at-home orders continue much longer.)
For now, with mortgage rates so low (buyers still mainly purchase on payments they can afford) and inventory shrinking, it is keeping home prices high. There’s not enough inventory to meet buyer demand, and therefore, prices remain stable.
What this means for the future will all come down to how long our economy is closed.
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Investor Mortgage Report 4.28.2020

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States are slowly opening back up into an uncharted post-COVID19 closure world, but how does this affect the lending markets?

 

Some states have started to allow the gradual re-opening of businesses as stay-at-home orders begin to relax around the country.  What effect will this have on mortgages, rates, and availability of lending to investors?

 

What We Know:

Here’s what we think is reasonable to expect as we return to our new version of “normal”:

 

As businesses start opening up, there will be an influx of people employed and able to make their rent and mortgage payments.

 

The majority of the traditional lenders left investors out to dry over concerns of rents being paid. Government officials haven’t helped the matter with proposals to postpone or forego rent payments.  If tenant rents are not paid, how will investors react? Will they still be able to make their payments?  Will it affect those with larger portfolios to a greater degree than those with smaller ones?

 

These serious (and unanswered) questions are the main reason we have little to no funding options at the moment.

 

The only way we put these concerns to rest is by people going back to work (if they’re able.)  Feeling out the new “normal” flow of payments will help bring certainty to the lenders so that they can decide whether to open lending back up (at a limited pace and with tighter guidelines,) or keep it as-is (little to no options.)

 

The fate of the traditional lending world will hinge on payments: Those made by renters as they return to the workforce, and subsequently, those made by their landlords.

 

What You Can Do:

Be optimistic for more certainty over the coming weeks. As individual states’ economies reopen, let’s remain hopeful that jobs are still there, people want to go back to work, and that they are able to keep up with their payments.

Lastly, also let’s encourage government officials to stop putting out the idea that renters can “forgo” their rents.  This helps no one currently holding a mortgage (unless you want votes.)

 

Want to stay in the loop with the latest assessments of the lending climate, and ideas on how to keep your real estate investments funded in these trying times?

Sign up for our weekly industry newsletter and upcoming OPM webinar series here >>>

 

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Introducing Your New Partner: Money

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If you’ve been watching the mortgage industry reports over the past few weeks, it shouldn’t come as a shock to you that the banks are quickly closing their doors to investors. In fact, if you run an investment property business and have relied solely on traditional funding, it’s practically impossible to find money to close your deals the old-fashioned way. 

 

But don’t give up hope just yet. We’d like the chance to introduce you to your new funding partner: Cash money.

If you need funds to close your deals, the quickest way to secure it in these unprecedented times to STOP relying on banks and traditional financing options. Believe it or not, there are tons of other sources of investment capital out there, and they just so happen to already be in your phone’s contact list.

 

When it comes time to fund your next deal, instead of turning to the bank and patiently waiting to be shot down, why not place a call to a potentially willing partner instead? Whether it be a grandparent, a fellow real estate investor, your golfing buddy, or your next-door neighbor, chances are you already know someone who might be looking to make their savings balance work a little harder for them (and therefore, you!)

Asking acquaintances or friends for funds can be a tricky subject, but with the right approach, it’s perfectly possible to do so while keeping it legal, safe, and honest – not to mention PROFITABLE – for all parties involved.

Don’t be beholden to banks. Money is king, so take back control of your financial future and put yourself where the money is.

We can help you start the conversation with our Guide to OPM Funding Webinar series! Get more info and signed up here >>>>

 

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Investor Mortgage Report 4.21.2020

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Investor mortgage report

The going is still tough out there for real estate investors looking for traditional financing.

 

 

What We Know:

This week doesn’t bring much (if any) relief to the mortgage markets.  The Feds have slowed down buying mortgage back securities and closings are still tough.

 

We are seeing the majority of our payoffs being delayed 2-3 weeks as mortgage companies push loans through these uncertain times.

 

Unfortunately, this means–once again–the real estate investor doesn’t rank high on their list of loans to close (or close fast).

 

The good news? There are still lending options for Real Estate Investors.  You just need to know where to find them.

 

Even though most traditional lending options are currently off the table, there is still one source that is interested in lending to real estate investors (at least in some markets):

Credit unions.

 

 

According to our market research, there are still a couple of credit unions maintaining business as usual. Better yet, they are still lending with good terms on rental properties.

 

Why do they seem less impacted than the rest of the lending world?  The answer is heavily based on their loan mix. Unlike banks, credit unions do not have a heavy investment in all these small businesses that have closed down. (Remember, the closure of small businesses impacts banks via deposits and bad loans. Bad loans create a need for banks to slow down on all lending.) Secondly, a good deal of their mortgages are kept inside the credit union, and don’t rely on secondary markets to keep lending.

 

So, if they can make a good loan on a piece of real estate, they will.

 

What You Can Do:

Of course, not every credit union lends on rental properties. You will need to call around in your market to find out which ones offer this service.  

 

 

Also consider that the ones who are doing these loans will be BUSY, and you’ll need to be patient.  It took us 2 days just to get a call-back…that is just reality in the strange times we’re living in.

 

Want to stay on top of what’s happening in the market, as well as what you can do to help your investor business thrive in a post-pandemic lending world? Get signed up for our weekly webinar series and join our mailing list for info, insights, and action items geared toward helping you take the guesswork out of your funding.

 

Sign up here >>>>

 

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