Are you considering building your first spec home? Securing spec home financing may be easier than you assumed.
Are you considering venturing into speculative building, also known in the industry as a “spec home?” This is a home that you build before the home is sold. What makes this speculative is the fact that the home is not sold before construction, making the loan one that is considered speculative. In the Arizona construction loan industry, the spec loans are only a small portion of the loans. If your project has strong possibilities and you are willing to do more work than a conventional loan, your chances of approval stand an excellent chance.
1. Find a lot that you can improve on: A spec loan is much more speculative or riskier than other Arizona construction loans because you have no committed buyer. Your chances of getting approved increases if you locate land that needs to be improved. Raw land which does not have roads, curbs, sewer lines or water (known as infrastructure) is not as valuable as improved land and more likely be far away from urban centers and you will be less likely to find a buyer.
2. Be able to complete your project quickly: Spec home financing is short term in nature. The loan will last only as long as the construction takes. The loan is paid out in stages of completion, also known as draws. To minimize the lenders risk, and if you are new to spec building, pick projects that can be completed quickly. The interest charged is based on the amount of money that has been disbursed. At the end of the project, the borrower ether gets another loan or pays off the balance.
3. Equity is in the land: Giving a lender equity in the land will maximize your chances of getting a loan. Some lenders will require you to do this. This also could be used as the down payment or a portion or combination of the two. The loan is considered secured and the lender’s position is secured in case of default and the lender will be able to recover the monies. A lender will most likely only credit 80% of the value of your land for the down payment on your loan.
Partners in the Deal
To improve your chances of getting approved for spec home financing, you can bring partners into the deal. A partner with better credit will improve your chances of getting approved. The partner could also help with the down payment. A partner can also improve the assets when applying for the loan. You’ll also
Tell a Compelling Story. The spec loan is a loan on a dream since there is no buyer lined up. The lender is buying into your dream.
The spec loan is highly risky. You will need to sell the idea to the loan officer or the lender. The project location is very vital in securing the loan. “Sell” your idea to the lender, explain the infrastructure, why you chose the location, and the development patterns. If there is a strong presence of rental units in the area, this is a good selling point. At Level 4 Funding, we work with hundreds of private Arizona Hard Money Lenders. Call us to see if we are the brokers that can fulfill your dream and find the right investor for your spec home financing.
Dennis Dahlberg
Broker/RI/CEO/MLO
Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel: (623) 582-4444
Texas Tel: (512) 516-1177
NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027
111 Congress Ave | Austin | Texas | 78701
About: 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 43 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.
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