Dangers of Merchant Cash Advances

Merchant cash advances may seem like a quick and easy type of commercial loan, but do the benefits really outweigh the risks?

First what is a merchant cash advance? Broadly speaking it is a lump sum issued and then paid off with a percentage of future sales (most often credit card transactions). This means any time your customer pays with their credit card, a specific percentage of that transaction will go towards paying off the outstanding debt. Another feature of this type of loan is that you pay a factor, rather than an interest rate. A factor rate is a number multiplied by the amount borrowed, which gives you the total amount you owe. For example if you borrow 2,000 dollars on an MCA with factor rate of 1.5 then you owe 3000 dollars. This payment structure has very specific implications. But who would want to get an MCA in the first place?

This type of commercial loan can appeal to borrowers with bad credit, little in the way of collateral or those without an established business track record. Issuers of MCA’s often don't ask for the same amount of documentation and usually have a broader criteria of who can qualify for their loans than traditional lending sources. Getting an MCA is also faster and easier than getting traditional financing. Obviously, this model appeals to business owners who don't qualify elsewhere or those who need money quickly.

But consider the many downsides to this type of loan. MCA issuers don't have to abide by the same regulations as other lenders and therefore they can charge exorbitant interest. MCA’s can be very expensive and it is not unheard of for borrowers to pay triple-digits in the way of APR. The fact that the amount owed is fixed based on a factor rate, also means there is no benefit to paying off these types of loans early. You will always owe the same amount for an MCA ( i.e. amount borrowed x factor rate), regardless of when you pay it off. The unique payment structure of MCAs however presents the greatest risk to borrowers.

What are the implications?

Because MCAs are often paid off on the basis of credit card transactions, they can consistently eat away at your revenue streams. The lender could be entitled to as much as 45 percent (depending on the agreement) of your daily credit card sales. Therefore if this type of loan isn't paid off quickly, your revenue is deferred to paying back the loan rather than expanding your business (defeating the purpose of getting the loan in the first place). In the worse case scenario, you could find yourself trapped in a cycle of debt, taking out another advance just to pay off the previous one or getting new loans simply to continue operating your business.

Even though a Merchant Cash Advance may seem attractive if you have poor credit, consider the expense and risk involved in this type of commercial loan.

Considering the risks involved in Merchant cash advances you should probably consider them a last resort when seeking financing. While every business is different, the benefits of MCAs are few while the risks are numerous.

Dennis Dahlberg

Broker/RI/CEO/MLO
Level 4 Funding LLC  Private Hard Money Lender
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177
Dennis@level4funding.com NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027
111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701

About the Author:  Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true. Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

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Commercial Hard money Lenders: Lending a Helping Hand with Commercial Loans

Hard money loans lenders understand that even some of the most unlikely investment are still investments. You can even find commercial hard money lenders to fit all your needs! So, if you thought there was no way you could quickly find financing for a foreclosure or another unlikely investment property with your credit think again!

Dealing with commercial lenders is never a walk in the park. But, with the right tools and clear plan you can easily navigate them. For instance, if you are dealing with commercialhard money lenders, then you may already know that there are lenders that often deal exclusively in one property type i.e.  you will more than likely being dealing with niche lenders for hard money loans. Consequently, if you are actively looking for short-term commercial financing then it is clearly in the best interest of time to make sure that you are dealing with commercial hard money lenders in your particular market or property niche.

As previously suggested, hard money loans are ideal for such property types as foreclosures, land loan, construction loans, fix and flips, short sales, when you or your business need to move quickly and for when the potential buyer does not have the best credit or rather has certain credit issues. Moreover, lenders that typically offer these kinds of commercial loans are not banks. Thus, if you know ahead of time that you will not qualify for conventional financing, say yourself some time by not going through the lengthy process of applying for a bank loan.

So now that you know when to call on commercial hard money lenders and how to narrow down your potential list of lenders, let’s go over what to do if you are experiencing some difficulty actually finding a few good hard money lenders in your area and in your property niche.

 How to find your Hard Money Lenders

For starters, it almost goes without saying that doing your research is absolutely key to finding the right lender for you. But, nevertheless, you would be surprised how many quality hard money lenders you can find by doing a simple internet search. Moreover, if need more than a few online research hits to peak your interest most cities have real estate seminars and meetings that focus specifically on obtaining hard money financing. These kinds of regularly held seminars and meetings not only will provide you will direct exposure to local lenders that understand your needs, they will also provide you will valuable information on such things as regulations and hard money loan requirements. Lastly, you can mingle with real estate professionals who know the business inside in and out, which will allow you to expand your network and ask for hard money lender referrals.

Requirements and Regulations

Obviously, once you’ve found your commercial hard money lenders in your area that has reputable experience with your particular property niche it’s time to get down to business. Remember, most hard money lenders are concerned with the amount of equity you are bringing to the table and your overall plan for the property. So make sure that you actually have the necessary collateral, especially if you do not have stellar credit, and that you have a detailed plan in place of just how you intend to pay off your loan.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Bridge Loan and You: What You Need to Know

Dreaming of an Investment Property? Well, find out if a commercial bridge loan is your dream come true or a nightmare.

In any industry things can move quickly, commercial real estate or investment properties are no different. Sometimes, it is your best interest to move quickly with a purchase. For instance, say you are interested in a foreclosed property time is usually of the essence i.e. you need to move quickly in order to purchase said property before someone else does. This particular scenario is when most commercial buyers consider applying for a commercial bridge loan.  Other instances where many companies looking into bridge financing is when their current mortgage is due and they have yet to find or rather secure a replacement mortgage or if a company needs to cover shortfalls in regards to general capital say for an upcoming balloon payment.

If you are not quite sure what a bridge loan is? There’s no need to panic, as you will become very familiar with this kind of commercial loan, especially if you are interested in moving fast on future investment property. Thus, without further ado, a bridge loan, as suggested is a quick fix to financing. In essence, this particular type o f loan is a short-term loan (can over a period as short as two weeks or up to three years) and it essentially gets its name from bridging the gap between until long-term financing is secured.

Generally, a commercial bridge loan is not overly complicated or difficult to apply for.  Nevertheless, the real issue with this particular kind of commercial loan is that for all its advantages such as a possible lack of prepayment penalty, there are definitely some setbacks to this kind of financing options. Thus, it is important that you manage your expectations when looking for short-term financing.

Managing Your Expectations with a Commercial Bridge Loan

Of course, managing your expectations may sound daunting, but what this really means knowing what you are getting out a  commercial bridge loan.  In other words, you are getting short-term solutions at a higher and more expensive interest rate. Moreover, as previously mentioned, understand your definition of short-term financing. If you need short-term financing but do not fall within the standard timeframe, then it’s probably time to get creative versus applying for a bridge loan for your commercial property or business. Lastly, it is common practice to pay off or repay your short-term financing in full upon receiving your replacement loan-term capital (new mortgage loan, new tenants, refinancing or selling and purchasing) and by time the necessary improvements have been made. Clearly, this common practice of repayment in full as soon as possible makes perfect sense due to the higher interest rates and overall costs of utilizing a non-residential bridge loan.

Learn More

Ultimately, if you still have questions or think that a bridge loan i.e. short-term financing will work for your commercial needs then it never hurts to do your own research in addition to speaking with a lender that has experience with non-residential bridge loans for more details.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.