Refinancing or Cashing out of Hard Money Loans?

Refinancing or Cashing out of Hard Money Loans?

Residential Real Estate Agent · WA · Member since 2014 · 13 posts · 1 vote

I need some advice on a current investment and how to get out of this financing situation were in. 

We purchased a flip/fix using 2 hard money loans (one for the initial purchase, one for the rehab costs). The 2nd loan has a huge exit fee and steep penalties for going beyond the 6 month note limit.  We didn't have the credit scores to obtain conventional investment financing nor the 20% down required so this is why we chose hard money. 

The project went great, and when we were at the 6 month note maturity mark, we got an offer and went under contract to sell it. Unfortunately the new buyer's closing date got extended and the property was off the market for 2 months under contract until the day of closing when the buyer backed out of our contract because they couldn't get financing.  

We had to put the property back on the market, and now it's almost a year since we bought it. The market has slowed way down and we've dropped the price to below the appraised value and still no movement on it.  It's a great rental property since it's near the military base but there are not many people out buying in the price range of the home ($350K) for owner occupied.  

The holding costs over the past year and penalties on these loans have financially killed us and taken all of the profit out of this project for us personally. We are upside down on it right now with the cash that we invested in it and we have to get out of the current situation asap.  

The current loan payoffs are about 90% of value.  Short of selling it (which is obviously our preferred choice)  are there any other financing options I'm missing?   

We would be happy to hold it and turn it into a rental but from what I'm aware of we can't quality with our credits scores for a conventional non-owner occupied loan and most will only do 80% LTV.

Any help is greatly appreciated. 

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  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 11 posts · 4 votes
    11y

    I just read this article as i am fairly new to what you are doing, i know its gotta be tough being the situation you are in but stick it out and i'm sure you've learned from what didn't go right. I hope this scenario helps.....

    For example, if you buy a home for $100,000 with hard-money loaning 100% of purchase price and financing $35,000 in repairs. The total loan is now $135,000, you fix up the home and refinance using a Fannie loan, which will loan up to 75% of the new appraised value. If the appraisal comes in at $185,000 then you could finance up to $135,000, but Fannie guidelines will not allow a cash out refinance. You would be able to refinance the full $130,000 that was loaned to you buy the hard-money lender. This technique can be rather expensive, because you have to pay the higher interest rate on the hard-money loan, the initial points and then the refinance costs with Fannie Mae. However you just bought a long term rental and fixed it up with almost no out-of-pocket costs!

  • Tacoma, WA · Member since 2010 · 203 posts · 93 votes
    11y

    That is a tough situation, and perfectly illustrates the risk of hardmoney. If you don't get in and out quick it will eat you alive.

    As for financing I would look for private money (hit up your network) and start calling portfolio lenders, see if you can find anyone who wants to play ball. However you will have a higher interest rate and at that price point in this area I would be concerned about the rents supporting it. You could be trading a short term problem for a long term one.

    It hurts, but sometimes the best option is to just unload the property and move on. Drop the price and get it sold, even if that means bringing cash to the table.

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