Hard Money Loans Help Avoid Bankruptcy

When being bogged down by a mountain of unpaid debt, it can oftentimes feel as if bankruptcy is the final and only available option to regain your financial security. But many people are reckless in filing bankruptcy, taking it as an easy way out. Bankruptcy is a serious action, the results of which can stay attached to your credit file for an entire ten years in some cases, haunting you as you attempt to get the loans that you need, rent an apartment, buy a house, or even obtain insurance at a reasonable rate.

And since more and more potential employers now check the credit record of their prospective employees, a bankruptcy notation on your credit file can even lower your chances of getting the dream job that you have been working so hard for. For this plethora of good reasons, smart borrowers are turning to consolidation of their debts via private party loans in lieu of the drastic measures of bankruptcy.

What Are Hard Money Loans?

Hard money loans are loans that are made using the funds of private lenders, and many borrowers are having an easier and more hassle free time securing loans for consolidation of unpaid debt than other more traditional options. Being approved for this type of loan is easier than traditional loan products because approval is based more upon assets than on credit history.

Private lenders are not held to the strict lending and underwriting practices that govern bank lending, and this allows them the freedom to loan money to a greater number of borrowers, even those with bad credit.

Advantages Of Hard Money Loans

Hard money loans can allow you some relief from your debt much faster than a conventional loan can. Although every borrower is different, those borrowers who take advantage of these loans can find themselves free of debt with a few years; traditional debt consolidation can take a decade or longer. This is due in large part to the deflated rate of interest that is found in hard money lending, which puts your debt at a more manageable level and allows you to pay more of the total principle that is owed on your debt each month.

Hard money loans are better for your credit than bankruptcy, obviously, but perhaps even better than loan consolidation with a typical lender. Why, you may ask? Simply put, many of the debt consolidation companies out there only worsen the situation that borrowers are facing. Hard money loans allow you to build positive payment history by actually paying off the debt you owe faster, without falling behind.

Before you take a hard look at bankruptcy, consider a hard money loan. Bankruptcy can leave a stigma on your credit record that takes a big part of your lifetime to overcome. Bankruptcy demonstrates in one of the harshest ways possible that you are more than willing to walk away from your debt, and your responsibilities. Hard money loans can give you freedom over your finances once and for all, while avoiding bankruptcy.

Debt Consolidation For Bad Credit Borrowers

If you are like most Americans, you have a mountain of debt, and perhaps have extended your finances to the point that you have been late on payments or even defaulted on some of your existing loans. A few financial missteps can often have dire consequences when it comes to your credit report and score, but debt consolidation can allow you to slowly rebuild your borrowing history to a more favorable position while you get yourself out of debt, once and for all.

How Debt Consolidation Works

In debt consolidation, a servicer will pay off all of your existing debts and you, in turn, will make just one payment each month to your new lender, usually at a much reduced rate of interest. The lender will place a lien against your home until you have completely repaid them for the amount of money extended on your behalf to pay off your previous lenders.

It is important that you know the risks of debt consolidation when placing your home up as collateral to secure funding; if you default, your lender can foreclose upon your home to receive payment. For this reason, many folks elect to go for unsecured debt consolidation, which does not involve pledging collateral. However, for the bad credit borrower, it is hard to be approved without giving the bank something to hold on to as security.

When you decide to go forth with debt consolidation, always do some comparison shopping to determine which lender offers the best deal. Never agree to a payment that is beyond the reach of your budget. Pay special attention to the interest rate that you will be charged during the process - even a half-point difference can save (or cost) you thousands of dollars in future payments.

Ideally, your debt consolidation should have a term of five years or less, although there are some borrowers who extend it for up to ten years. The idea behind it is to become debt-free, and that is most easily accomplished when you have a term that is short and allows you to see the fruits of your efforts in the least period of time.

Changing Your Spending Habits After Debt Consolidation

Your previous behavior as a borrower has resulted with you having a less than stellar credit score. Debt consolidation will allow you to pay off your existing debts, including those that are costing you outrageous amounts of interest. However, any credit card balances that you had will now be brought back down to zero, which often causes the borrower to start accruing more debt.

Your best bet: close all of your credit card account except for the oldest and most established one that you have. Use this one credit card to purchases necessities that you must have, and pay it off each month other than running one-third of the available credit line as a balance. This will add points to your credit score. Avoid impulse buys or splurges, and become a good steward of your available credit in order to improve your financial outlook.