Commercial Mortgage
Commercial property investment generally requires a larger investment than seen in the home investment sector, which is why it is important when brokering a commercial mortgage that you have researched all the options available to you for financing and completing the deal.
There are plenty of reasons for investing in commercial property, most of them to do with money. But there are also some advantages in applying for a commercial mortgage. In particular commercial mortgage lenders look at the revenue that can be realized from the property itself, rather than checking your credit score, when determining how much to lend on a deal. A commercial mortgage can also be a non-recourse type of loan. This means that if for some reason you do neglect to pay your mortgage payments on the property, that you are not sued personally for the money as the commercial mortgage lender will take your property and sell it as a foreclosure to recover their money. This means your personal credit score is not affected in any way.
There are different types of commercial mortgage available and it is a good idea to check out the rates, terms and eligibility criteria for each type. Most commonly used are banks and financial institutions however there are also Conduit Lenders and Life companies that offer long term fixed rate financing that is traditionally non-recourse; credit companies that offer long and short term loans with variable rate financing and is often used for construction loans; government sponsored initiatives such as the FHA HUD 223(f) that are backed by the government for people looking to purchase properties that have 5 plus units and who may not qualify for other forms of finance.
Determining which type of commercial mortgage best suits your investment needs does require some research into what is available based on the type of property you are considering investment in. Some of the factors that need to be clarified are whether or not the commercial project is a development or fully developed unit; what type of investment return are you looking for – short or long term; what type of interest rate best suits your plan for the investment and whether or not you are considering to refinance the loan to aid future development.
As a general rule portfolio commercial mortgages are ideal in development project investment while Conduit loans are better for properties that have a stable tenant history. Conduit loans are not usually suitable for refinancing at a later stage and lenders under this type of loan typically charge high early payment penalties. Conduit loans also take quite a long time to process and approve the loans, sometimes from 4 to 6 months on the one transaction, so they are not really suitable for use in a fast turnover situation. The best advice you should heed when considering a commercial mortgage is to find a reputable commercial mortgage broker who can advise you on the type of mortgage that will suit your commercial investment needs.