Buying first investment with newbie partner

Buying first investment with newbie partner

Real Estate Broker · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2016 · 96 posts · 31 votes

Hello BP community,

I have a question about financing a down payment. I am a newbie looking to buy my first property, specifically a multi family. I have a partner who has the same real estate dreams and we have a great relationship in our personal lives. My partner has much more financing ability then I do and we agreed that she would help finance our first property or first few to help our business get started.

My question is; If I find a multifamily that I want to purchase and she lends me the money for the downpayment, will I still be able to get a loan for the property? Say that I find a property for 250k and i get 50k from my partner and then get the loan under my name. I have read that it is difficult for banks to give a loan when the downpayment is borrowed and you could be committing loan fraud if you lie about where the downpayment money came from?

I also am unsure about the best way that my partner would be reimbursed for this. Or even when someone gets several people to go in. What is the best method to ensure they get that money back. I know if the property needs work you can rehab and then refinance. But what if the property does not need that much work?

Any thoughts and advice on this would be appreciated. 

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  • Chris MasonPro Member
    Moderator
    Lender · CA · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    9y

    No down payment gifts, or unsecured borrowed funds, are allowed to be used for investment property purchase mortgages.

    • Secured borrowed funds, however, can be used. Provided they are secured by some other property, like your primary residence. Official mortgage, recorded, notarized, and everything. People use HELOCs and cash out refinance proceeds for this purpose all the time.
    • As a one-off and not a habitual thing, and if it's someone you have an existing relationship with, most folks say you can be a private mortgage lender without any licensing stuff, but that is not strictly speaking my area of expertise, and of course you should speak with a lawyer before getting out of the bed in the morning, and certainly here too. 

    See if you can put those two things together and find a solution. Waiting for the light bulb in 5...4...3...2... :)

  • Real Estate Broker · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2016 · 96 posts · 31 votes
    9y

    I feel like I read all the time about people that "gather other investors" to help come up with a down payment or private money helps them to put a down payment on a property. If I have a little skin in the game, does that make a difference? Say I am able to put 5k or 10k into the down payment?

    If my partner was on the loan with me, would it be ok if they put the down payment on.

    I have also read that if you create an LLC, you can buy the property under the LLC and the partner can put their money into the LLC?

  • Lender · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2015 · 121 posts · 28 votes
    9y

    @Daniel Jodrey

    There are lenders that allow for joint ventures and 2nd position loans. Happy to talk to you about it.

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