Ways I have found money for investing!

Ways I have found money for investing!

Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes

Hi Everyone,

One of the key parts of investing is obviously finding the financing for the deals after you find it. It can be one of the easiest parts but you need to know what to look for. So many investors will tell new investors to not worry about the money and it will come when you have a deal but they forget to tell the new investor where to get it from when the time comes. I want to compile a list of places to find the money. So below are places that I have got money from, places I know other investors have achieved financing, and I would like everyone to add the ways they have raised funds for their properties.

-Hard money brokers- this one is pretty easy to find by asking another investor or looking up online. the key is to do your due diligence and find out exactly all their costs and rules. I have been caught up on a rule before that wasn't disclosed before and it killed my deal. This money is good for getting started because it TENDS to be easier to borrow. 

-Private Money- this one is borrowing money from a private individual. It can either be someone you know like a relative or friend, It could also be someone you find that has money they are looking to lend, Doctor, lawyer, dentist, contractor, etc. It is very important to make sure everything about the deal is very clear in this type of lending so no one can say something was missed. Benefits here can be that you can negotiate a good deal on the lending, from interest to no payment and splits of profits, the creativity is only limited by you imagination. 

-401k- people can lend money out of their 401k (it is a particular one that I myself am not positive of which) this is a great way for lender to make more money in their 401k and get good tax benefits on lending the money. An accountant would be a good person to ask about more particulars on this one.

-Traditional banks- smaller banks are lending money in a few ways. They are doing a flip loan much like hard money lenders but with better rates, they are doing lines of credit to experienced investors, they are creating "Lines of credit" that are treated as mortgages but because they are "lines of credit" they are already approved and can be closed quicker. The longer you use a bank the more money they will give you. 

-Transactional funding- this is a lender that is lending you money for a wholesale or a deal where you need to buy it then you can get a bank loan on the property. they only will lend the money for 30 days at most usually and expect a fixed money back on the money usually. You can look up some of these lenders online or ask other wholesaler investors. 

-FHA 203k loan- ask mortgage brokers about these, they are very involved but can be a great start for a new investor. it takes a lot less down to get the loan and can be very helpful in protecting you on your first deal because of all the requirements needed to settle the loan. these are most common for house hacks. I know a lot of these loans require some sort of owner occupation, But I believe a few don't (mortgage brokers please clarify for us)

Crowd Funding- This is easy enough to find online, their are many websites now offering it. It is useful to use if you have little or no funds for a particular deal. I would recommend reading more online and maybe finding and investor who has done it before to find out more. 

Creative-  This is the number one thing to be when it comes to funding your deal. I know some Investors who have funded deals by doing a partnership with the current owners, ex relative dies and the family decides to finance deal for investor who gets deal done and then everyone splits profit. There are so many ways to complete a deal that it only takes a knowledge of your costs and how real estate is bought and sold to figure out new ways to get it done. 

I ask everyone to add their experiences and knowledge to this discussion so we can all have a great resource of what's possible when it comes to getting the deal together and completed.


Thanks!

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Investor · Youngstown, OH · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y

@Steve M. It's a numbers game. Say it's Jan. 1, and you have a $100k CC limit that's 0 interest for 18 months. You find a $20k house that needs $15k in repairs. You pull cash from the card for those transactions and have the repairs done by June 30th. You get a tenant in there and refinance it on December 31st, and it's appraised at $60k. The bank is willing to loan you 70% of the appraised value, so they give you $45k. You pay off the cards, get $10k in gold coins, and dive through them like Scrooge McDuck. 

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  • Rental Property Investor · Dallas, TX (dallas tx) · Member since 2019 · 15 posts · 32 votes
    6y

    I'm still new and plan on getting my first property at the top of next year to March. I have nothing to add for your list but just wanted to say thanks for providing what you have. 

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    Hi @Holden McCord

    Thanks for checking it out! Best of luck on getting your first property!

  • Specialist · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 179 posts · 100 votes
    6y

    Credit cards are a good source of funds and it's unsecured.

  • Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2017 · 135 posts · 294 votes
    6y

    I'll second the SMART use of credit cards for funding.

    While you may not be able to fully fund a deal on your cards unless you are buying super cheap assets, they are a fantastic way to fund other portions such as rehab costs. If you use a card with a zero percent APR intro offer or balance transfer you may be able to fund your rehab without a private lender. Just make sure you fully repay the amount prior to your introductory period ending or else you will royally screw yourself with 24.9% interest rates.

    Additionally for the military members out there, you can often get super cheap deals on your credit cards.  Discover card offers any military member a permanent 5.9% interest rate for as long as they serve.  I've carried a balance several times to fund deals with these cards because at 5.9% with no points or fees, it's the cheapest and easiest money around.

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    Hey @Mark Durham and @Bob Daniels 

    Thanks for the input. I have used credit cards too and completely forgot about them.

  • Morris, IL · Member since 2019 · 19 posts · 22 votes
    6y

    How do you use Credit Cards to buy a house?  I can see their usefulness funding a rehab, but I can't see how you'd pay the down payment with them.

  • Tampa, FL · Member since 2016 · 9 posts · 13 votes
    6y

    Thanks for sharing! I bought my first condo investment property a year ago by taking a loan against my 401(k). I was able to use those funds as a down payment, and it was quick and easy! I am now looking to find my second condo investment in the near future.

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    @Steve Mahnke

    There’s a couple different things you can do with credit cards, you can use them for closing costs and down payment’s, You could also use them for fees. And if you have enough You could potentially even buy the house itself. The key component is knowing how to get the cash off the credit card. Sometimes they give you checks that you can use, you could also do other payment ideas to get access to the cash, like cash advance and even using pay pal.

    There are a few different services out there that will help you get the credit cards and tell you how to use them. You can find the companies online or even through networking events and other investors.

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    @Manuel Torreira

    That's awesome! I'm working with someone right now who bought a house hack with a FHA 203k. Took him 4 months to close but it was definitely worth it. How did your closing go?

  • Investor · Youngstown, OH · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Steve M. It's a numbers game. Say it's Jan. 1, and you have a $100k CC limit that's 0 interest for 18 months. You find a $20k house that needs $15k in repairs. You pull cash from the card for those transactions and have the repairs done by June 30th. You get a tenant in there and refinance it on December 31st, and it's appraised at $60k. The bank is willing to loan you 70% of the appraised value, so they give you $45k. You pay off the cards, get $10k in gold coins, and dive through them like Scrooge McDuck. 

  • Tyler GibsonBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Orlando, FL · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Nicole Heasley Beitenman:

    @Steve M. It's a numbers game. Say it's Jan. 1, and you have a $100k CC limit that's 0 interest for 18 months. You find a $20k house that needs $15k in repairs. You pull cash from the card for those transactions and have the repairs done by June 30th. You get a tenant in there and refinance it on December 31st, and it's appraised at $60k. The bank is willing to loan you 70% of the appraised value, so they give you $45k. You pay off the cards, get $10k in gold coins, and dive through them like Scrooge McDuck. 

     Ha Ha Ha! Yes! $10k in gold coins and drive through them like Scrooge McDuck.

  • Tampa, FL · Member since 2016 · 9 posts · 13 votes
    6y

    @Account Closed 

    The 401(k) loan application took about 20 minutes and the funds were available the next day. We were able to close in a little under 3 weeks! Overall, this was a great way to purchase my first condo investment.

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    @Manuel Torreira

    Sorry I misread and thought you had said fha 203k instead of 401k. That’s awesome how fast it worked for you!

  • Rental Property Investor · New York City · Member since 2019 · 703 posts · 538 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Nicole Heasley Beitenman:

    @Steve M. It's a numbers game. Say it's Jan. 1, and you have a $100k CC limit that's 0 interest for 18 months. You find a $20k house that needs $15k in repairs. You pull cash from the card for those transactions and have the repairs done by June 30th. You get a tenant in there and refinance it on December 31st, and it's appraised at $60k. The bank is willing to loan you 70% of the appraised value, so they give you $45k. You pay off the cards, get $10k in gold coins, and dive through them like Scrooge McDuck. 

    That's a good plan but if the bank don't go for the refinancing or if the appraisal numbers don't work the borrower is stuck paying big bucks for a cheap house.

  • Morris, IL · Member since 2019 · 19 posts · 22 votes
    6y

    @Nicole Heasley

    I guess I was not aware you could pull hard cash out of a credit card. Something to look into. I think I'll be good for a couple of multi-family properties, but this could get me a flip. Thank you. I have not had a credit card in about 15 years or more.

  • Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    @Nicole Heasley does a $100k CC exist?

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    @Brian Gerlach

    The credit card is a line of credit just like from any other bank, you can ask them to extend further credit as time goes on. They base it on your income and your paying on time and length of credit history. Credit cards are mostly businesses as well which makes it a little different with approvals as well. I’m sure other investors have more information into this as well.

  • Rental Property Investor · Washington, DC (washington dc) · Member since 2018 · 34 posts · 23 votes
    6y

    Don't forget personal loans like SoFi and Lending Club. I know someone who got a personal loan from SoFi and used it to help with a cash purchase. No points and 11% interest for 5 years. You can also do delayed financing with this which you can not do with a HML.

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    @Ankush Ratwani

    Yes definitely! I’m not familiar with the delayed financing actually though, what is that?

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Liberty, MO · Member since 2016 · 2 posts · 18 votes
    6y

    @William Lees

    I have borrowed on a 203k steamline loan twice. Both as owner occupant (house hack). It went great. As owner occupant buying a foreclosure it has some definite advantages...

    1. HUD likes to sell to owner occupants over investors.

    2. The only people you are competing with are the non-preferred cash buyers and those with a Construction loan because no bank will loan on a dilapidated property. The 203k includes a promise to the bank you will make the property “insureable” by completing the work.

    If you put in the sweat equity it works great. Dealing with contractors is a whole nutha level of paperwork from FHA.(hopefully your uncle is a contractor, wink)

    My first deal was a perfect storm. I bought a 2/1 on a busy street,30k, rehab was 25k. All in for 55k and it appraised for 90k when finished. The city pulled an eminent domain to turn the road into a parkway and bought my house . The whole process was about a year closed at 126k and I walked away with 76k in my pocket. This started my adventures in real estate. When they adversely posses your primary residence they have to pay 25 percent premium one top. And if you have to move a business, I have two, they pay 3k for moving the business. ( this education is not provided by the city).

    The second one I 203k loaned on was 102k with 9k to fix it. Appraised at 145k. I say if you are starting out, put yourself in the best deal you can get in a B neighborhood and fix it up with OPM. Then you just pay your mortgage and you can use your equity to leverage a deal. And oh yes, work,work,work. Also you get to enjoy living in the place.

    I just want to share that story because it’s a unique experience.

    I’ve also used discover home equity after paying cash (24k) for a house and racking up credit cards. They don’t do a walk thru appraisal just a drive by. Let’s just say the landscaping looked better then the interior of the house.

  • Contractor · 08234 · Member since 2016 · 253 posts · 178 votes
    6y

    @Jon Cooney

    This is very insightful into the process, thanks for telling the story. The government buying the house is awesome as well. I actually had a similar idea a few years ago. I bought some houses in an area where they were going to build a train station, looking for the same exit potentially. They ended up not going through with it but it’s something to look for and pay attention to, because say you hear about a potential project coming in an area that has cheap property, getting it first and making rentals could be a good way to hold them until the government, or a business in my case, buys them from you.

  • Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2017 · 135 posts · 294 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Brian G.:

    @Nicole Heasley does a $100k CC exist?

     Cards with unlimited spending exist for celebrities and other filthy rich individuals, but it's not something you or I would ever 'apply' for.

    However you can combine 4 different 25k cards and reach the same effect.

  • Rental Property Investor · Member since 2017 · 75 posts · 19 votes
    6y

    @Steve Mahnke when you have great credit and high limits you can get low interest balance transfer checks for 12-18 months. You can use this as down payment and the pay off into traditional refi or sale

  • New to Real Estate · Allentown, PA · Member since 2019 · 62 posts · 19 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    @Steve Mahnke


    There’s a couple different things you can do with credit cards, you can use them for closing costs and down payment’s, You could also use them for fees. And if you have enough You could potentially even buy the house itself. The key component is knowing how to get the cash off the credit card. Sometimes they give you checks that you can use, you could also do other payment ideas to get access to the cash, like cash advance and even using pay pal.

    There are a few different services out there that will help you get the credit cards and tell you how to use them. You can find the companies online or even through networking events and other investors.

    Isn't by doing this would add to your debt to income ratio? I tried this method for one of the FHA duplex and I had to pay a huge price for it. Had to use all my personal saving to pay back the cards by the closing dates. It was a huge headache but I got the house. If you have a different recommendatios would be awesome!

  • New to Real Estate · Allentown, PA · Member since 2019 · 62 posts · 19 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Nicole Heasley Beitenman:

    @Steve M. It's a numbers game. Say it's Jan. 1, and you have a $100k CC limit that's 0 interest for 18 months. You find a $20k house that needs $15k in repairs. You pull cash from the card for those transactions and have the repairs done by June 30th. You get a tenant in there and refinance it on December 31st, and it's appraised at $60k. The bank is willing to loan you 70% of the appraised value, so they give you $45k. You pay off the cards, get $10k in gold coins, and dive through them like Scrooge McDuck. 

     Hi Nicole, which bank can I go to to apply for that much money for CC?

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