Home > Blogs > Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI 623-582-4444 > Dennis Dahlberg's Blog

Risks and Benefits of An Arizona Bridge Loan

By Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI 623-582-4444

Mortgage and Lending with Level 4 Funding NMLS 1018071 AZMB 0923961

August 25, 2015 02:35 PM

An Arizona bridge loan is a specialized type of short term loan designed to help borrowers get cash fast and can be used to help you purchase a home. Knowing the risks, benefits, and ins and outs of bridge loans can help you make a smart decision.

An Arizona bridge loan is a common way for home buyers to come up with a down payment when they are buying a new home while concurrently selling their current home. Most buyers rely on the sale of their current home to come up with the down payment for their new home, however, it is not always feasible or ideal to close on the current home first. In a perfect world, you close on your home at 9:00 a.m., have funds available by 10:00 and close on your second home before noon. But it very rarely works this way. More often, you close on your current home and have to find a short term rental for a month or two before you close on a new home. This is not only expensive, but it causes you to have to move twice and you are literally throwing money away by renting.

One solution to the problem is an Arizona bridge loan. A bridge loan bridges the gap by lending you the down payment for a new home that you then pay back once your home sells. The bridge loan is secured to the buyer's existing home. The funds from the bridge loan are then used as a down payment on the new home. Bridge loans are gaining in popularity as a down payment option because they offer flexible terms and are relatively easy to qualify for. Also, many lenders will not allow you to take out a home equity loan on a home that is listed for sale, so in many cases a bridge loan is the only option to come up with cash for a down payment.

5 Things to Know About an Arizona Bridge Loan

Like any loan, a bridge loan has certain risks and benefits. Knowing all your options and going into it fully informed will help you risk less and benefit more. Here are five important things to keep in mind if you are thinking about getting an Arizona bridge loan.

1. Qualification is usually an easy and painless process. Most lenders do not have set FICO scores or debt to income ratios for bridge loans. Instead, qualification is based on a complete picture of your finances and whether it makes sense to purchase a home before you sell your current one.

2. You will pay a higher interest rate. Like many short term loans, bridge loans have higher interest rates than 30 year loans. You usually have a grace period of 1 to 4 months depending on your loan terms and if you pay the loan back with proceeds from your home sale, you can usually avoid paying a lot of interest.

3. You have to be able to qualify for two mortgages. A bridge loan can help you with a down payment, but you will still need to qualify for two mortgages and be able to make monthly payments on both if push comes to shove. However, most mortgages don’t require a payment for the first month so if you sell your home quickly, you can usually avoid double payments.

4. Bridge loans can help you sell your current home more quickly. A home that is lived in is always harder to sell than one that is vacant and staged. By moving into your new home, you will give yourself the best chance of selling your existing home quickly and for top dollar.

5. You can find your new dream home without the stress of having to sell your existing home first. You don’t have to wait or make unattractive contingency offers. You can purchase your new home immediately which will usually get you a better price and help make sure you get the home you want.

If an Arizona bridge loan sounds like a good option for you, find a broker or private lender today to get the process started today!

At Level 4 Funding we specialize in bridge loans and other short term loan types. Call our office today to schedule a consultation to find out if a bridge loan is a good option for you. Don’t wait on a slow market to buy your next dream home. Use a bridge loan to get into the home you need today.