Hard Money Blog: Invest, Revitalize, Create, Prosper

Squatter Risks in Investment Properties: A Guide for DC-Area Investors

April 14, 2025 by Kyle Sennott Leave a Comment

While it may not happen often in Metro DC, real estate investors are not immune to having issues with squatters living in their vacant properties. Squatters are people who occupy a property without the owner’s permission and without legal ownership. They might “squat” for a few weeks or years at a time, typically in abandoned, vacant, or neglected buildings.

What is a Hard Money Loan?

February 19, 2025 by Kyle Sennott Leave a Comment

George Washington pointing to hard money loans as key financing tool for real estate investors. — **Hard money loans are a key financing tool for real estate investors.**

Hard money loans serve as an essential financing option for real estate investors who need quick access to capital. Unlike traditional bank loans, hard money loans are funded by private investors or lending firms and are secured by real estate. These short-term loans are designed to help investors purchase or renovate properties that may not qualify for conventional financing.

Maximizing ROI by Finishing an Attic: A Guide for Real Estate Investors

January 13, 2025 by Kyle Sennott Leave a Comment

For real estate investors, adding value to a property is a strategic move to increase profitability. One often overlooked opportunity is finishing an attic. Transforming this underutilized space into a functional area can significantly enhance a property’s appeal, boost its market value, and attract quality tenants or buyers. We regularly see our borrowers maximize their profits by finishing attices. Here’s how investors can approach this investment with maximum returns in mind.

Why Hard Money Loans Get Denied?

December 11, 2024 by Kyle Sennott Leave a Comment

stacked cubes with words DENIED spelled out

Hard money lenders have less stringent requirements than their conventional counterparts. They are collateral-based and, as such, are less focused on the borrower’s income or credit history. That does not mean that every loan denied by a bank or a credit union can be easily approved by a hard money lender. Far from it. Hard money lenders serve a unique and relatively narrow niche. They work exclusively with investors looking to snatch a promising real estate investment opportunity. Yes, hard money lenders have streamlined underwriting, and their hard money loans can close quickly, but only when it makes sense for both the borrower and the lender. Let’s explore the main reasons your hard money loan application can get denied.

Heirs’ Guide to Renovating an Inherited Home

December 6, 2024 by Kyle Sennott Leave a Comment

Let me start with a disclosure: This article is not for everyone. It is for a lucky few who don’t have to hustle to find an investment property they can afford. Such property lands on their lap because of the great intergenerational wealth transfer currently underway. In the next 20 years, more than $80 trillion in assets will change hands. And if you are a lucky heir to one of the 26% of Americans planning to leave a financial gift to their families, such a gift might come in the form and shape of an older home requiring a renovation.

Title Insurance and How It Helps You Manage Risk

October 25, 2024 by Kyle Sennott Leave a Comment

Today, I want to talk about something that all the borrowers pay for at closings but typically have little understanding or appreciation for. It is title insurance. Title insurance is a type of insurance policy designed to protect both the owner (real estate investor) and the lender from financial losses related to title defects or disputes that may arise after a real estate transaction has closed. Here’s how it works and how it protects both parties:

Hard Money Blog: Invest, Revitalize, Create, Prosper

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