Bridge Financing For Investors

In his 37-year career, the Managing Director of LYNK Capital, Ben Lyons, has learned a lot about real estate and investing. Learn why Ben believes that anyone can find their path to financial freedom in his second book.

Regardless of their experience level, real estate investors utilize bridge loans to grow their real estate investment portfolios.

Read further to learn how this can work for you.

What is a Bridge Loan?

A bridge loan is a short-term loan to provide financing during a transitionary period, such as when a builder or flipper has recently completed a project and is awaiting the property to sell, or when a new rental property is in need of seasoning before being eligible for long-term financing.

Bridge loans are among the most common asset-based loans offered by private lenders. Offering short-term financing based on the current value of a property, bridge loans provide the funding needed until more permanent financing is secured or until existing obligations are removed (i.e., a property is sold).

Receiving the bridge loans allows the borrower to cover upcoming expenses in between paying off past projects and wrapping up their loose ends.

Bridge financing or bridge loans help real estate investors free up available cash for other ventures, also referred to as gap financing or swing loans. and interim financing.

How Does Bridge Financing Work?

Bridge loans offer shorter-term financing than conventional loans and provide immediate funds to meet current obligations. A bridge loan can vary in costs and payment terms, depending on the lender. Some lenders require regular monthly payments; others may include upfront and/or end-term or lump sum payments to the loan structure.

In general, bridge loans have fewer guidelines and offer a faster approval process than traditional loans, providing maximum flexibility for short-term real estate investing, and making them ideal for investors requiring fast and convenient access to funds.

With the property assets and a clear plan to repay the loan, real estate investors are able to accept the higher interest rates associated with bridge financing. While typically issued with a higher interest rate than longer-term debt, lenders can structure a bridge loan to be non-recourse.

Under these terms, the property itself is the guarantee attached to the note. The borrower’s exposure is limited to property and holds no personal liability, even if the value of the property does not cover the remaining loan balance.

When Do Bridge Loans Make Sense?

As discussed, bridge financing is used for many situations and meets the needs of real estate investors of all levels of experience. Some typical scenarios where these loans are advantageous include:

  • Allowing time to sell a renovated home for maximum value and ready for your next project
  • To quickly close on a foreclosed, bank-owned, or distressed property for renovation before another flipper takes the property off the market
  • Allowing time to acquire permits and update the investment property to improve your ROI
  • Enable the completion of rehab and renovations or stabilizing rental history prior to securing longer-term financing

What to Think about When Considering Bridge Loans

Gap financing can be a boost for immediate obligations in the short term. But think about how the future expenses from a high-interest loan will affect you.

Pros of Using Bridge Loans in Real Estate

The money you get from a bridge loan can help you have more spending options when looking at new homes. It means you have more liquid, or cash, for those sellers. They in turn will be more likely to want to work with you instead of waiting for the promise of money in the future.

Homeowners also have less stress when selling their homes while buying a new one. From a business standpoint, companies have freedom with bridge loans to take on ambitious projects.

Cons: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Bridge loans come with higher interest rates. This happens for a couple of reasons. Because these loans cover shorter-term periods, lenders charge higher interest to keep the value of their investment over time.

Since gap financing covers cash shortages, bridge loans carry an extra risk for lenders. They expect to immediately receive dividends from their borrower’s future assets. But sometimes, unforeseen circumstances can affect sales.

If someone takes out a bridge loan because they owe a lot of money, but can’t pay the bridge loan as promised, they bury themselves into even more debt and can create further financial strain.
Also, borrowers have to pay back using their own dividends. With the extra interest, overall profits are reduced and can result in an overall loss.

Less Cash Doesn’t Take Away Your Options

If you’re an experienced real estate investor and are ready to buy—but don’t want to wait to sell—bridge financing provides ready opportunities for assistance. LYNK Capital has a suite of customizable financing products to suit your individual investment objectives.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

2023 Flip Tips: Focus on High-Impact Improvements

In his 37-year career, the Managing Director of LYNK Capital, Ben Lyons, has learned a lot about real estate and investing. Learn why Ben believes that anyone can find their path to financial freedom in his second book.

As you plan your next flip, it’s critical to know what upgrades increase home value. The world looks a lot different in 2023 than it did even a year ago, with house valuations changing and would-be buyers commanding more control and demanding optimal value for their purchase.

We’ll take a look at some home improvements that often add value, taking into account recent trends as well as tried-and-true tips for home flippers.

Prioritize the Right Projects

To make the most of your renovation project and realize the highest return for your investment of time and money, there are some fixes and improvements that far outweigh the others. You’ll want to factor in which updates you can tackle to maximize the resale value and those that are just not worth it.

There will of course be some items on your list of improvements you cannot avoid, including anything that is needed to bring the home into a livable state and meet required codes. These items can include large-ticket efforts such as ensuring a roof that doesn’t leak, has a suitable HVAC system and there are no insect or rodent infestations.

Simple but necessary updates such as CO2 and smoke detectors throughout the home must also be on the punch list. However, if you try to tackle every possible upgrade—even in relatively newer homes—you will likely find an endless list of items to address that could be insurmountable.

One of the biggest impacts comes from adding living space. While this sounds simple, structural additions to a home can be time-consuming and costly, especially if not included in your original rehab plans.

The advent of so many remote workers should also be something to consider. Adding a dedicated space for a home office can really tip the scales for sellers. In some cases, converting a walk-in closet into a functioning office space will do the trick.

Creating an open floor plan, where walls and doors can be removed or reconfigured to optically increase the space without increasing the square footage can also increase the appeal and value to would-be home buyers.

However, if there is an option to finish a basement, an area above a garage, or even enclose a screened patio, flippers can see returns of up to 75% above their investment.

Button Down Your Budget

Before starting a house flip, it’s important to identify what improvements are in scope and will have budget allocated and those that will not. While there may be overruns of cost and or time, it’s advisable to ‘plan your work and work your plan.’

We’ve all learned that kitchens and bathroom upgrades command a significant return if done properly, but caution should be taken to avoid overdoing it in comparison to the whole home.

A simple beach bungalow often won’t see the same return on newly installed marble countertops and high-end appliances as would be earned in an upscale suburban neighborhood. In some cases, simply updating the faucets and fixtures is enough to entice buyer interest.

Floors in poor condition will need to be addressed, but in many cases, laminate hardwood or luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a cost-efficient, easy-to-install upgrade that holds value in resale.

Walls, interior and exterior, should have a fresh coat of paint in a neutral tone. In some cases, replacing interior doors and adding trim such as crown molding will enhance a room without much-added expense.

Focus on the Outside as Much as the Inside

Curb appeal and outdoor spaces should not be excluded from your attention. Not only is the exterior the first thing potential buyers see, but it also sets the tone for the available property.

Everything from trimming back overgrown trees, replacing older mailboxes, and cleaning the walkways will all add inexpensive, high-impact fixes. Installing shutters on the front of the home, replacing old and dented garage doors, and adding outdoor lighting, can all dramatically improve the approach to the house.

Experienced flippers have followed the previous suggestions for decades and seen greatly improved ROI for the flips.

However, some items previously considered less valuable fixes are now ascending buyers’ wish lists and reducing days on the market, including eco-friendly features (such as low-flow toilets, and energy-efficient appliances and windows), smart home components (thermostats, lights, keyless entry, doorbells, etc.), and strong wi-fi (and/or available ethernet ports).

Evolving as a temporary solution, stay-cations have fortified homeowners’ interest in enjoying their own private outdoor spaces. Whether a deck, an outdoor kitchen or barbecue patio, or a firepit—or better yet, an outdoor fireplace—consider the appeal a personal retreat adds to your investment property.

As recent demand has dramatically increased both the wait and costs to install a new pool, the viability of adding one in your next flip is minimal.

Stay Focused on High-Impact Improvements

It may sound simple to stay focused on high-impact improvements, but even the most experienced flippers can get caught up in adding to the punch list, adding to the costs, and not bearing in mind the return on investment. It’s vital to remember, a renovation for sale is an economic process.

Personal taste will certainly affect some design elements but should not override what will deliver a strong return on investment nor should they derail the timeline to completion. It’s not about imposing your personal style on buyers but getting a house prepared for sale that appeals to buyers who value and are willing to pay for the improvements you’ve made to the home.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Our Managing Director Is Sharing Over 37 Years of Financial Insight

In his 37-year career, the Managing Director of LYNK Capital, Ben Lyons, has learned a lot about real estate and investing. Learn why Ben believes that anyone can find their path to financial freedom in his second book.

In his 37-year career, the Managing Director of LYNK Capital, Ben Lyons, has learned a lot about real estate and investing. As a financial advisor, investor, and business owner, he has experienced his share of highs and lows, starting with modest roots in a middle-class family in Baltimore, MD. It was a chance encounter at an early age with a local real estate agent that formed the foundation for a career in real estate.

By the age of 25, he owned 100 rental properties and had a million-dollar lending business.

The beginnings, as they say, were humble. Originally planning for a future in community college, he instead went to work for a real estate company at the age of 18 for free. Determined to learn all he could about the business, he convinced his boss to place an ad in the money-to-lend section of the newspaper – he would work all the leads and split the profits with his boss 50/50. In January 1985, he collected over $10,000 in mortgage broker fee revenue, receiving $5,000 after the split.

“In one month, I went from earning $600 a month to $5,000. I thought I was rich. It was extremely exciting and only increased my motivation to learn and grow.”

After that, he read everything he could get his hands on and took mentors to lunch or dinner to learn what they knew. By the age of 21, he became the youngest licensed mortgage broker in Maryland and that year purchased a four-bedroom, two-bath home with a pool. His friends moved in and paid rent – becoming his first investment property.

Since that time, he has owned or managed over 375 residential and commercial real estate projects – and his lending organizations have produced more than $6.5 billion in mortgages. (He was previously an initial investor and large shareholder of a commercial bank, a title company, and three mortgage banks.)

His interests in real estate and financial freedom have produced some interesting insights – after decades of talking to hundreds of investors (many of whom are financially wealthy), he noticed that while everyone’s path to wealth was different, they all shared four things in common:

  • They created predictable and scalable monthly investable income to reinvest for growth.
  • They acquired assets, including stocks and real estate, for long-term growth.
  • They learned how to leverage people, money, and knowledge to accelerate their success.
  • They learned how to utilize time effectively.

It is on these principles that Ben believes anyone can find their path to financial freedom. He has recently authored his second book – this one in partnership with Ortus Academy, a financial literacy training company – to share his personal journey and financial formula for success. The book, titled From Worry to Wealth, is available for purchase and download.

“One of my favorite things is sharing my financial journey with others. There are several factors to determine financial success: our attitude about money and our education, which is not necessarily a college degree. Wealth is available to everyone. By understanding the components of wealth creation and applying them to your unique circumstances, you can build your own future, starting today.”

You can get a free download of the first three chapters of Ben’s book From Worry to Wealth by clicking below:

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Tips for Fix & Flip Success

House flipping has continued to thrive in recent years, and the potential profits have attracted many investors to the marketplace. While the potential profits are a big draw, you must do your homework before beginning a project in order to ensure the highest probability of success.

House flipping has continued to thrive in recent years, and the potential profits have attracted many investors to the marketplace. While the potential profits are a big draw, you must do your homework before beginning a project in order to ensure the highest probability of success. A few of the tips listed below should help when considering a new real estate investment.

Choosing the right house to purchase and flip is the most important decision to make when beginning to plan your investment. According to an article from realtor.com, investors should look for homes that have “good bones” meaning that they are structurally sound and have a lot of potential to be fixed and resold as good quality homes to make a sound profit for the real estate investor. Having a good base to build around will help to make the flip easier.

Once you’ve found a good investment property, you’ll need to determine how much your’re willing to pay for it. Running comparables for other similar properties that are in the same neighborhood can provide a good sense of what the home would be worth once repairs have been made. The After Repair Value or ARV is another great estimate for what the home will be worth after the rehab is been completed. A good rule of thumb is to keep your purchase price and rehab budget below 70% of the ARV.

Finally, as a savvy investor, you should network and find out who the best local contractors are and who may be the best to tackle your project. You should ask for estimates on renovation costs from contractors and get references from previous clients who can attest to the quality of the contractor’s work. Hiring a good quality contractor goes a long way in helping the entire flipping process go as smoothly as possible. You should also budget conservatively and plan for any unseen extra costs that may occur during the flip to give flexibility should these problems arise.

Flipping houses can be very exciting and, when done right, very profitable. By picking the right property, estimating expenses correctly, finding the right contractor to do the work, and having a sound estimate of the resale value of the property once the rehab is completed, you can put yourself on the path to great investing success.

Source: Realtor.com

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Working with LYNK Capital to Fund Your Next Fix and Flip

A fix and flip home rehab project should be a profitable investment, but getting the RIGHT type of loan can be daunting. Here’s how LYNK Capital will help ensure that your project is properly funded and kept on track, so that you can focus less on funding and more on flipping.

A fix and flip renovation project should be a profitable investment, but getting the RIGHT type of loan can be daunting. Here’s how LYNK Capital will help ensure that your project is properly funded and kept on track, so that you can focus less on funding and more on flipping.

Here’s a look at LYNK Capital’s Fix and Flip loan process:

When beginning the loan process, we’ll provide you with a list of documents we need to underwrite your loan request. When evaluating your loan, we will look closely at the following three areas:

  • The quality and value of the property
  • The scope of work and the experience of your contractor
  • Your capability to manage the project through completion

We look at the whole picture, using common-sense underwriting principles to examine the character, experience, and capacity of each borrower, and have flexible documentation requirements to help you get started on your project quickly.

Our fix and flip loans can typically cover up to 90% of the purchase price of the property and up to 100% of the rehab and construction cost. We lend on condos, multi-unit, and single family properties.

Ready to get started with a fix and flip loan?

The quickest and easiest way to get started is by getting pre-approved for your loan. Our online loan application takes only a few minutes to complete.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

5 Tips to Help You Find a Contractor that Won’t Burn You

Finding the right contractor for your job can be one of the most difficult aspects of your renovation project. The time and worry that goes into choosing the right guy or gal for the job can leave you exhausted before the real work even begins.

Finding the right contractor for your job can be one of the most difficult aspects of your fix and flip or renovation project. The time and worry that goes into choosing the right contractor can leave you exhausted before the real work even begins. We’ve compiled this list of tips to help ease the burden of vetting a contractor so that you can make an informed choice and save yourself the heartache of committing to the wrong contractor.

Verify Your Contractor’s License Info

Don’t get burned by a shoddy job from an unqualified contractor. Not only could it leave a hole in your budget, but it could have legal consequences. Always ask to see licenses and credentials of your prospective contractors. It can be the difference between a job well done and a future money pit.

Read and Re-read the Contract

We know you would never sign a contract without reading it, but giving it a second and third glance can ensure that you don’t miss any details the contractor may have tried to sneak in. Be sure to comb through your contract so you know exactly what you’re both committing to – and don’t be afraid to ask for revisions. If you get stuck with a shady contractor who slipped in a loophole or two and you signed the contract, you may not have many options when it comes to contesting incomplete or wrongly completed work.

Be Specific About What You Want

Knowing exactly what you want before you start looking for a contractor can help save you time and frustration. Be clear about your expectations and know what to ask for, so that when you find a contractor you’re ready to hire, there are no surprises. Spend a couple of days really thinking about what you want out of your relationship with your contractor, what your expectations are, how much communication and involvement you want to have, and what your time expectations are. Compile a list and have it ready before you meet with any contractors.

Check Out Their References and Reviews

One of the greatest perks (and pitfalls) of our mobile-first society is the culture of reviews. Use it as a tool to thoroughly examine a potential contractor’s prior job history. Don’t ignore bad reviews because of a good deal. You can also ask the contractor for references from prior clients. Any contractor that is serious about earning your trust and who has nothing to hide will be happy to put you in contact with people who can verify their work quality.

Be Realistic and Flexible With Your Schedule

We get it, you’ve got a strict timeframe for completing your project and getting it on the market, but if you want to ensure your property is ready to flip on your schedule, start vetting contractors early in your process. Discuss your expectations for project completion in your initial meetings when interviewing contractors and be flexible when contractors try to negotiate time commitments. Ideally you will find a contractor with the availability to fully commit to your project and is open and honest about their deadlines for project completion.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Draw Requests for Construction Loans

You’ve secured a loan for your Fix and Flip project, selected a contractor, and have completed your first items of work: now what? Here’s what to expect when submitting a Draw Request to your renovation or construction lender.

Once you’ve closed your fix and flip or new construction loan, the next exciting step is to start construction! As you complete work on your project, you’ll want to draw funds from your loan to pay for the work that you’ve done. To do this, you’ll submit a Draw Request to your lender.

Draw Schedule and Construction Budget

Prior to closing your loan, you or your contractor will provide your lender with an itemized schedule of work to be completed, along with the associated costs. This will be organized on a form called a Draw Schedule that will become the basis for submitting your future draw requests.

Most loans will permit you to take between three and six draw requests, though loans for more complex projects may allow more. If you anticipate needing to more take more draws, your lender may permit that, but with more fees charged (to offset the lender’s higher administrative costs).

Draw Requests

When you’re ready to submit a draw, you’ll complete a Draw Request form, listing the specific items of work you’ve completed and the associated cost. Some tips for completing your draw request:

  • You can only request draws for completed work. Most lenders will not reimburse you for materials purchases, contractor deposits, or similar items. Even if you’ve purchased and paid for those kitchen cabinets, don’t expect your draw request to be approved if they’re sitting on the floor – they must be fully installed.
  • You must submit your draw requests in accordance with your originally approved budget. Even if your costs go up, your lender will issue draws from your original Draw Schedule, though your lender may allow some flexibility to re-allocate your budget between items – if you can show savings in other areas. If you change your plan significantly, though (such as changing room counts or other significant alterations to your plan), don’t expect your lender to blindly approve your request. Significant changes to your construction budget can only be made with your lender’s approval and may require your loan to be re-underwritten.

Inspections

After receiving your Draw Request, your lender will schedule an inspection of your property. The purpose of this inspection is to obtain photos showing that the work you’ve listed on your Draw Request has actually been completed. This inspection will usually occur within two or three days of your Draw Request submission.

After receiving the inspection photos, your lender will determine the amount of work complete and issue your draw. If items you’ve requested are not complete, the amount paid to you will be reduced to match the amount of completed work. In such event, you can re-submit those items on a future Draw Request once they’re complete.

How Long Does the Process Take?

If there are no issues, most draws can be paid within three to five business days. You can help speed up this process by accurately completing your Draw Request and making sure that it matches to your original Draw Schedule and budget. This will make your lender’s job easier, meaning you can get your money more quickly.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Construction Loan Options for Builders and Investors

You have a new residential construction project planned out, but now you need to obtain financing. If you started this process by visiting a conventional bank lender, you probably left their office feeling a bit disappointed. Banks have strict lending requirements that prevent many construction projects from obtaining traditional financing. Fortunately, there are other ways to fund your project.

You have a new residential construction project planned out, but now you need to obtain financing. If you started this process by visiting a conventional bank lender, you probably left their office feeling a bit disappointed. Banks have strict lending requirements that prevent many construction projects from obtaining traditional financing. Fortunately, there are other ways to fund your project.

Here’s a look at five lending options for new residential construction projects:

Bridge Loans

Bridge loans may be an option if you have equity in another property that you can use while building your current project. Taking cash out of your other property can be a faster way of obtaining financing, as your lender won’t need to evaluate your construction plan or experience (since they’re lending on the completed property).

Construction to Permanent Loans

Construction to permanent loans are available through some banks and offer short-term construction financing, followed by a traditional 30-year loan. In order to qualify for this type of financing from a bank, the borrower must meet all of the requirements for a traditional 30-year loan. These loans are typically designed for homeowners who plan to live in the property after completion, and likely aren’t appropriate for investors looking to sell the property.

Private Construction Loans

Some private lenders, like LYNK Capital, offer loans specifically for investors looking to build new construction projects. This lending option can provide flexibility and fast funding, and lenders will typically underwrite these loans primarily based on the property value and your construction experience. Unlike banks, private construction lenders will not typically scrutinize your tax returns and calculate onerous debt-to-income ratios. Most private construction loans, including ours, are not available for owner-occupied properties. If you’re building a new home with the intention of occupying it yourself, this loan is not right for you. Investors and developers can benefit most from private construction loans.

Hard Money Loans

Many private lenders offer hard money loans. These are similar to private construction loans, but are tailored more for borrowers unable to qualify for other forms of financing. Interest rates on hard money loans are typically higher, but more flexibility may be offered in underwriting requirements. Just like private construction loans, hard money loans may not typically be used to finance owner-occupied properties.

Loans from a Private Investor

If you know an investor with cash available and are able to work with them on your new residential construction project, then great! Private investors can offer the most flexibility for your project if they’re willing to negotiate terms. However, unless you know someone who is an investor or someone who can put you in contact with an investor, financing your project with this option will be difficult.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Tips for Mortgage Brokers: Building Trust

Every relationship needs trust in order to grow and thrive. As a mortgage broker, the relationship you have with every client will help or hurt your business. Trust is a complicated thing to build. While there’s no foolproof method of building trust, we have some tips to help you on the road to creating stronger relationships with your clients.

Every relationship needs trust in order to grow and thrive. As a mortgage broker, the relationship you have with every client will help or hurt your business. Trust is a complicated thing to build. While there’s no foolproof method of building trust, we have some tips to help you on the road to creating stronger relationships with your clients.

Listen to Their Needs

It’s simple; listening builds trust. It shows that you care about your client’s concerns. Too many people consider listening to be a passive role. They use their ears, but not much else. Have you ever tried talking to someone who was looking at their cell phone? Sure, the person heard what you were saying, but did you feel that they were listening? Probably not. We have a few tips to help you engage in listening to your client in order to build a deeper relationship with them: make eye contact if talking to them in person, and nod your head and use phrases like “I understand” and “OK” to indicate you’re actively listening what they’re saying. Paraphrase parts of your client’s conversation to get clarity on their wants and needs, and avoid confusion. If your client is interested in rehabbing their third property this year, and you begin talking about a 203K loan, you may have misunderstood something they were trying to say.

Share Case Studies and Testimonials

A great way to establish trust and credibility in your industry is through case studies and testimonials. Clients want to know that you have successfully “been there, done that” for other clients. Case studies and testimonials demonstrate your credibility in a practical way. A case study is an analysis of a project. It can be created in the form of a webpage, blog post, one-pager, or other content format. The purpose of the case study is to identify a situation that your client encountered, the solutions that you offered them, actions that were taken, and the factors that led to the client’s success. Case studies work great to explain how you helped your clients with an unconventional problem with out-of-the-box thinking. A new client is more likely to trust you if they can see how you’ve gone above and beyond to help people accomplish their real estate and investing goals.

Be Knowledgeable About Your Industry

Today’s consumers are savvy shoppers. They take time to educate themselves by researching products and services that they’re interested in. For complex purchases, such as a mortgage, consumers can only do so much research on their own. At some point, they will need a knowledgeable and trustworthy broker to guide them through the process. New mortgage products are always popping up and underwriting guidelines seem to frequently change. Even an experienced real estate investor will need help from someone who has taken the time to thoroughly educate themselves about industry changes. For clients seeking financing for a construction or rehab project, it can be tough for brokers to know how to best help them. At LYNK Capital, we have specific loan programs to help your clients get the financing they need, while keeping you at the center of the relationship. You can learn more here on our brokers page.

Operate with Transparency

Why do people hate buying cars so much? An often-cited reason is the lack of transparency in the pricing of cars. Even though a price is listed on every car, it’s widely known that most dealers will sell the car for less – but how much less? Getting the best price on a car is a time-consuming, exhausting process designed to obscure the dealer’s true pricing. This has lead to an entire industry being encapsulated by the derogatory term “used car salesperson.” Would a client trust a “used car salesperson” to guide their investment strategy? Probably not! So forget all the slick sales techniques you’ve learned over the years to help you close a deal. Be as open and transparent as possible. Doing so will show that you are trustworthy, and relationships will naturally follow.

Own Up to Your Mistakes

Mistakes happen. How you address those mistakes and reconcile the situation can make or break your client’s trust. When a mistake happens, the first thing you should do is apologize. Even if the mistake wasn’t directly your fault, the situation may inconvenience your client and they deserve an apology for that. Secondly, with honesty and transparency (see above), explain how the mistake happened. Doing so gives you two opportunities to regain trust and show your client that: 1) the mistake was not caused due to negligence, and 2) you understand how to avoid making the mistake in the future. Owning up to mistakes is never easy. But with mistakes comes valuable lessons that help teach you how to build stronger relationships going forward.

Our Lending Experts are Here to Help

Thinking about a new project? Ready to get an approval? We want to make your life easier with our flexible process and knowledgeable staff. Get started with our online pre-approval and you’ll be one step closer to a fast closing.

Fix and Flip Tips – Staging Your Property

As a house flipper, you put in a lot of hard work updating your property. You’ve patched the holes, cleaned the grime, updated fixtures, and painted everything. You’ve made some great upgrades to your fix and flip property and now it’s time to list. Staging may seem like an added expense and a time-consuming task, but the right staging can really showcase the potential of your property or hide any lingering imperfections

As a house flipper, you put in a lot of hard work updating your property. You’ve patched the holes, cleaned the grime, updated fixtures, and painted everything. You’ve made some great upgrades to your fix and flip property and now it’s time to list. Staging may seem like an added expense and a time-consuming task, but the right staging can really showcase the potential of your property or hide any lingering imperfections.

In fact, staging your flip can increase your ROI by over ten percent, according to the National Association of Realtors.

When homebuyers search for properties, they want to be able to imagine themselves making your property their home, but not all buyers have the ability to see past an empty room. Sometimes you have to help them visualize life in the house.

It’s true. Unstaged homes, on average, spend 184 days on the market while staged homes sell in about 23 days according to a study by the Real Estate Staging Association.

There’s more good news – you don’t have to break the bank decorating with the most expensive furniture, area rugs, and wall hangings. Here are some tips that can help keep your budget down and sell your fix and flip property quickly.

Staging Tip 1: Light up the space.

If your property doesn’t have a whole lot of natural light, you’ll need artificial lighting with lamps and ceiling lights to show off all the work you’ve done. Using several well-placed lamps generally creates more pleasing lighting that overhead lamps, so be sure to have working lamps throughout the house (use LED bulbs to save on electricity in case someone forgets to turn them off).

Overall, as long as you avoid fluorescents, fresh, soft lighting will help improve the overall aesthetic of your property. The vast majority of homeowners prefer an inviting, bright and airy feel over a dark, gloomy home. The improved lighting can make your property feel bigger, especially in the bathrooms.

Staging Tip 2: Tidy up.

Now that you have the lighting set, do a walkthrough to make sure everything clean and tidy. Homebuyers can be put off by dirty rags on the counter, leftover tools on the deck, dust, fingerprints and smudges. They want to see a house that is move-in ready, not one that will require a deep cleaning before moving in.

Note: Although you and your crew are definitely capable of cleaning your fix and flip property, you may want to consider hiring a local professional. That way, you can focus on other tasks, and feel confident the home will be cleaned thoroughly. Also, don’t forget to periodically re-clean the house. Dirt will accumulate as showings occur and you want to keep the house fresh and clean for everyone to see.

Staging Tip 3: Decide which rooms you want to stage.

Here’s a pro tip our team has learned over the years: you don’t have to stage every room. Instead, ask yourself these questions to decide which rooms to stage:

  • What is the first impression you’re trying to make when a potential buyer walks in the front door?
  • Are there any features you want to accentuate?
  • What are the selling points?
  • Where might you hear objections?
  • Are there awkward or interesting spaces on the floor plan? This is your opportunity to show how the space can be used.

Here’s the bottom line – use staging to guide buyers through the house. You want to draw their eyes to the details you want them to see the most – and away from what you don’t want them to see. Another thing to consider when staging a property is who your clientele is. Are your potential buyers mostly families? Are they older or younger? What would they want to see in that space?

Staging Tip 4: Rent or lease your furniture.

If you are concerned about adding furnishings to your budget, consider renting or leasing furniture from a local established company. Many flippers do this because they simply don’t have space to store extra furniture between projects. Plus, every house and neighborhood are different. Staging your investment property with a furniture style that’s complementary can really pay off and help sell the house. Then, when the property sells, you can return whatever you used and pick out different furniture for your next project.

Note: Use the expertise of the company you are renting from, whether it’s a staging company or a furniture store. Those experts will know how to create a living room set for your aesthetic so you can be confident it will all match.

Staging Tip 5: Don’t over decorate.

Always remember to keep it simple. Whether you’re picking out furniture, wall hangings or table ornaments, a few well-placed pieces can make a room feel homey without appearing cluttered. Putting a little air between pieces can give the illusion of space, and leave a little room for the buyers to use their imaginations filling in the gaps with their own pieces. Pulling furniture away from the wall is a great trick to protect your fresh paint job and create the illusion of space.

Staging Tip 6: Stay away from flashy decorations.

It’s also important to keep the style simple. Over-decorating with bold colors, crazy patterns and lots of little knickknacks can distract from all of the hard work you’ve put into the house. Instead, stick with neutrals and complementary pieces to the style of the home. Speaking of flashy, do your best to keep scents down to a minimum. Strong scents can lead homebuyers to think you are trying to hide something and even deter them from wanting to live there.

Staging Tip 7: Don’t forget the outside.

If you are marketing that your property has an amazing yard, luxurious patio or relaxing deck, you should show it. Make sure the yard stays manicured and you’ve created an outdoor living area that truly showcases the space. Typically, outdoor areas are the last stop on the home tour so really end the showing with a bang. Just like indoors, homebuyers may not have the detailed imagination you do (as a real estate professional) to envision the possibilities of the space.

Note: It’s isn’t always necessary to hire a landscaping company, but should definitely be a consideration, especially if the surrounding houses have completely landscaped yards and gardens. You want your property to stand out.

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