Val-Chris Investments

The Private Loan Market Gets Crowded

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.

Read More

Loan Based on Broker Price Opinions or Appraisals?

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?

Read More
hands creating a roof over a miniature house

The Defining Characteristics of Real Property vs. Personal Property

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.

Read More

4 Essential Real Estate Investing Tips

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.

Read More

4 Reasons Why the LTV is Very Important to Your Deal

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.

Read More

Trust Deed Protection – Managing Your Investment

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.

Read More

The True Gist of Higher Interest Rates vs. Lower Prepayment Penalties

When it comes time to take out a loan, you will need to consider many factors. The loan may be for a new car or for a home remodeling project. No matter what it is for, you will need to consider the interest rate and any possible prepayment penalties that come with the loan. While it may seem daunting at first to think about these specialized terms – after all, you’re busy planning to build a new deck – they are easier to understand if you think about one pro and con of each.

Read More