Hard Money Loan: Definition, Uses, and Pros & Cons

What Is a Hard Money Loan?

A hard money loan is a type of loan that is secured by real property. Hard money loans are considered loans of "last resort" or short-term bridge loans. These loans are primarily used in real estate transactions, with the lenders generally being individuals or companies and not banks.

How a Hard Money Loan Works

Hard money loans have terms based mainly on the value of the property being used as collateral, not on the creditworthiness of the borrower. Since traditional lenders, such as banks, do not make hard money loans, hard money lenders are often private individuals or companies that see value in this type of potentially risky venture.

Interest Rates on Hard Money Loans

Hard money loans generally have a higher interest rate than traditional mortgages. As of May 2024, the average interest rate offered on a hard money loan was between 10% and 18%. This makes hard money loans much more expensive than a regular mortgage, which during the same month offered an interest rate of between 6.95% and 10.5%.

For flippers and short-term investors, this might not matter. They may plan to pay the loan back quickly, and this will reduce the effect of a high interest rate and make the loan cheaper. For most other people, however, it makes sense to look for a loan with a lower interest rate.

The primary advantage of a hard money loan is speed; if you can wait a few months for your loan to come through, it might be better to look at refinancing your home or taking out a personal loan.

Uses of Hard Money Loans

Hard money loans are typically used by real estate investors, developers, and flippers. Hard money loans can be arranged much more quickly than a loan through a traditional bank.

In some cases, hard money lenders can issue funds in as little as 10 business days, while traditional banks have a wait time of 30 to 50 days for funding. Most hard money lenders can lend up to 65% to 75% of the property’s current value, and loan terms are generally short: six to 18 months.

Hard money loans may be sought by property flippers who plan to renovate and resell the real estate that is used as collateral for the financing—often within one year, if not sooner. The higher cost of a hard money loan is offset by the fact that the borrower intends to pay off the loan relatively quickly.

Hard money loans may be used in turnaround situations, short-term financing, and by borrowers with poor credit but substantial equity in their property. Since it can be issued quickly, a hard money loan can be used as a way to stave off foreclosure.

What to Expect From Hard Money Lenders

Hard money lenders do not operate the same as traditional money lenders. There are a few important areas to be mindful of:

Interest Rates: The interest rate that you'll receive from a hard money lender will generally be higher than a traditional lender. This is so because the loan approval process does away with the traditional checks, increasing the risk for the lender. The higher the risk the higher the interest rate.

Loan Term: Hard money loans come with shorter terms. The shorter term benefits both the hard money lender and the borrower. The hard money lender has a shorter period they are lending money, which reduces their risk period, and borrowers don't have to pay a high interest rate for a long period of time.

Approval Metrics: Most traditional lenders approve a loan or the amount of a loan on standard industry metrics, such as accepted debt-to-income ratios. Hard money lenders set their own standards on what is acceptable.

Oversight and Regulation: Hard money lenders are similar to payday lenders in that they don't have much oversight or regulation to abide by.

Best Hard Money Lenders

When choosing a hard money lender, there are certain areas you'll want to pay attention to. Take a look at the interest rate and shop around for the lowest one you can find. Also, look for lenders that provide you with a few loan options. You'll also want to get an idea of the time to close from the lender. The shorter the better. Accessibility and customer service should also play a role in your decision.

Special Considerations

The cost of a hard money loan to the borrower is typically higher than financing available through banks or government lending programs, reflecting the higher risk that the lender is taking by offering the financing. However, the increased expense is a tradeoff for faster access to capital, a less stringent approval process, and potential flexibility in the repayment schedule.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Hard Money Loan

As with any financial product, there are advantages and disadvantages to hard money loans. These loans are quick and easy to arrange and have high loan-to-value (LTV) ratios, but also high interest rates.

Advantages

One advantage to a hard money loan is the approval process, which tends to be much quicker than applying for a mortgage or other traditional loan through a bank. The private investors who back the hard money loan can make decisions faster because the lender is focused on collateral rather than an applicant's financial position.

Lenders spend less time combing through a loan application verifying income and reviewing financial documents, for example. If the borrower has an existing relationship with the lender, the process will be even smoother.

Hard loan investors aren't as concerned with receiving repayment because there may be an even greater value and opportunity for them to resell the property themselves if the borrower defaults.

Disadvantages

Since the property itself is used as the only protection against default, hard money loans usually have lower LTV ratios than traditional loans: around 50% to 75%, vs. 80% for regular mortgages (though it can go higher if the borrower is an experienced flipper).

Also, the interest rates tend to be high. For hard money loans, the rates can be even higher than those of subprime loans.

Another disadvantage is that hard loan lenders might elect not to provide financing for an owner-occupied residence because of regulatory oversight and compliance rules.

The Bottom Line

Hard money loans are typically used by real estate investors, developers, and flippers. They can be arranged much more quickly than a loan through a traditional bank, and loan terms are generally short: six to 18 months.

Hard money loans may be sought by investors who plan to renovate and resell the real estate that is used as collateral for the financing. The higher cost of a hard money loan is offset by the fact that the borrower intends to pay off the loan relatively quickly.