Val-Chris Investments

On September 9th, 2015, the California Legislature passed bill AB 139 and Gov. Jerry Brown has signed this new legislation which has created a new form of deed for the transfer of real property in California effective 1 January 2016. The new deed is call a “Revocable Transfer on Death” deed (which we will call a revocable TOD deed), and this deed allows an owner of real property to deed it to a named beneficiary without the risk of a lengthy and costly probate proceeding or the requirement for formal estate planning documents.

A proposed Constitutional Amendment being considered by the California Senate this 2016 session will potentially affect thousands of taxpayers in our state, either directly or indirectly.

Private money lenders or hard money lenders exist to serve typically underserved markets in the real estate industry. Those markets range from potential homebuyers who are having difficulty getting residential loans from banks to investors and commercial entities seeking bridge loans. However, given the number of players in private money loans today, underserved may not be the right word.

In the world of trust deed investing, many people wonder what the difference is between using an appraisal as opposed to a broker price opinion (a “BPO”) to secure a hard money loan for either a residential or commercial property. The truth is that they serve the same purpose, as private money loans are issued by private investors, and the loan’s conditions are greatly affected by the value of the asset being used to secure it. In fact, a borrower’s equity in the property is a key consideration when underwriting a loan.  While both the BPO and the appraisal will give the private money lender a value on the property, are the costs, report detail, and skill level of the valuation analyst the same?

Investors have become accustomed to the Federal Reserve’s routine. “Coming Soon! A Rise In Interest Rates…But Not Too Soon!”

The difference between real and personal property may not seem consequential on the surface. However, the legal distinctions of each property type determine how value can be classified, protected, taxed, and transferred.

Ownership rights for property vary from one jurisdiction to the next, with distinct considerations at federal, state, and local levels. This makes due diligence for regional classifications of real property versus personal property essential when investing in real estate. 

Understanding the complex subtleties of property rights will help you navigate investment opportunities with greater awareness.

Anyone with the goal of becoming wealthy has, at one time or another, likely considered investing in real estate. Indeed, this is one of the best ways to achieve financial security. But it is a very competitive industry, and so the best way to ensure the highest chance of succeeding in the real estate investment game is to employ the proper strategies.

When you are in the market for a new home, you need to be considering many factors that will lead up to the closing.  Keep in mind that your mortgage lender is also doing the same. One of the most important things that your mortgage lender will be looking at, is the LTV (loan to value) ratio. Simply stated, the loan-to-value ratio is a lending risk assessment ratio that financial institutions and others lenders examine before approving a mortgage. You determine the LTV by dividing the price of your new home by the total loan amount. The resulting percentage is the value of your new home. Here are four reasons why the LTV is very crucial when making this deal.

Successful investing in trust deeds involves answering the often asked question of what to do should the borrower stop making monthly payments on the note. While the possibility of losing principal is remote, even the most well-secured trust deed investment provides no guaranties that the borrower will make all their payments on a timely basis.  Having a well-defined plan and taking quick decisive action by a lender will typically minimize a depletion of protective equity in the trust deed investment and thereby keep your loan more secure in the event a delinquency should occur.

Successful investment in trust deeds involves answering the oft-asked question of what to do should payments on the note stop being made. Trust deeds offer no guarantees, and the risk of losing principal is always present. But taking action will result in the ability to recover as much of your investment as possible should delinquency occur.