Blanket Mortgages 101
You may obtain one mortgage loan which is secured by all of the property, with the right to sell off individual lots or units, without having a due-on-sale clause which would otherwise trigger the entire loan balance to be due.
In the past, this has been used as bridge or gap financing for those seeking to expand investment portfolios who may be equity rich, but cash poor. Or for offering increased security for a lender in exchange for better terms.
Now, new Buy to Rent investor loans offers access to the benefits of Blanket Mortgages for refinancing and expanding single-family rental home portfolios.
When to Use a Blanket Mortgage
Blanket mortgages make a lot of sense for today’s rental property investors. Many income investors have poured much of their liquidity into making acquisitions, and own property free and clear, but could use the additional flexibility of more cash on hand.
Those with 5 plus rental properties can use blanket mortgages to refinance, and access captive equity for making property improvements, covering holding costs, or simply taking advantage of low-interest rates and leverage while recouping precious cash stores.
Others will want to use these investment property loans for making acquisitions while asset prices are attractive. Some of these buy-to-rent loans will allow for bulk buying of single-family homes, or offer a credit facility for pooling property from different sources.
Whatever, the purpose, this is an ideal time to use blanket mortgages for residential property investors.
What to Look for in a Blanket Mortgage Lender
7 factors to look for when considering a blanket mortgage loan include:
- A lender experienced in making blanket mortgage loans
- An investor-friendly lender who actively wants to fund single-family homes
- Non-recourse loans if at all possible
- Corporate or business entity loans and title holding for privacy and reduced liability
- If there are pre-payment penalties, and how much they are
- Longer amortization schedules for lower payments and more flexibility and cash flow
- Clarity on partial releases for selling individual units in the future