LendingHome Review (2023): Best For Real Estate Investors?

Updated On: November 27, 2023

Welcome to my LendingHome review. My goal is to answer common questions like: how much it costs, if it's a scam, and if you can actually make money with it. The end goal is to help you understand if it's a good fit for you personally, and if there are any better alternatives out there.
LendingHome Review

This LendingHome review has been throughly researched with information and testimonials that are available online to anyone in the public. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.

Table of Contents

Program At A Glance

What I liked
Pre-funded transactions reduce investor risk.
After investing in a platform note, you will receive immediate cash flow.
A diverse portfolio of investments across the United States.
What I Didn’t Like
Only accredited investors and high-net-worth individuals are eligible.
A minimum initial investment of $50,000 is required.
Unsecured platform notes could be dangerous for some strategies.

High net worth is required to become an accredited investor, with real estate making up the bulk of most people’s assets. If you don’t, you could be passing up a fantastic chance to spread your investments around.

This review will go over LendingHome to see if it really is the best lending platform out there.

You’ll learn whether hard money lending is the right online business for you.

Alright, so LendingHome doesn’t exactly fit into a nice category.

At the end of the day, money lending is a… unique way to think about making money.

It’s certainly possible to make money with off-the-wall businesses like this, but unless you’re interested in taking years out of your life to experiment with an unproven business model, I would look elsewhere.

My #1 personal recommendation if we’re talking about starting a fully-online business has got to be the Lead Generation & Ad Agency business models.

There are a handful of programs that teach you the ropes, but my #1 choice that combines both of those business models into one is the Digital Rental Method program

But, if you’re hard pressed to jump head-first into an off-the-wall business model, let’s continue on to my full breakdown of LendingHome.

LendingHome Overview

Overview

LendingHome’s ground-up technology simplified the loan process, allowing first-timers and seasoned pros alike to acquire capital, amass wealth, and launch successful ventures through real estate investing.

Since its inception in 2013, they have funded over $5 billion in loans across 23,000+ projects, making us the nation’s largest hard money lender. To date, LendingHome has raised $215 million in venture capital, amassed a team of over 300 employees, and been named twice to Forbes’ Fintech 50 list by combining cutting-edge technology with the expertise of industry veterans.

LendingHome is in a unique position to provide outstanding service in the real estate market, powered by the world’s most advanced real estate brokers platform.

  • ADDRESS: 315 Montgomery Street, Floor 16, San Francisco, CA 94104
  • OFFICE: (844) 415-4663
  • CELL: (844) 415-4663
  • WEBSITE: http://www.lendinghome.com

What Is LendingHome Funding Corporation?

You can’t compare LendingHome to other types of crowdfunding ventures. Because LendingHome invests independently, you don’t have to wait for a certain number of investors to join the pool to close a deal.

Lending Home is a “direct lender,” which means it funds loans with company capital rather than investor funds.

After a transaction is completed, LendingHome offers accredited investors and institutions the opportunity to participate in real estate investment. Institutions can purchase the entire transaction outright, or LendingHome will make it available to individual investors via “platform notes.”

The loans allow the company and investors to access the deal’s cash flow, allowing them to earn a passive income from their investment.

Individual accredited investors can access the company’s portfolio of investment opportunities via its website and select the deals they believe meet their investment criteria.

LendingHome requires a $50,000 minimum capital investment to use the retail platform. On the other hand, Platform Notes are available to investors for as little as $5,000.

Where Is LendingHome Available?

Only residents of the United States are eligible to use LendingHome. It’s closed to foreign investment, including Canadians.

Suppose you aren’t a US resident and would like to use a service like LendingHome. In that case, you could also try Streitwise, which accepts international investors.

Who Is LendingHome Designed For?

Who Is It For

Institutional and accredited investors can use the lending platform LendingHome. Therefore, you must satisfy the income and net worth requirements set forth for accredited investors.

LendingHome’s retail investor platform verifies all of its investors’ financial status before allowing them to join the platform. Suppose your status as accredited investor lapses at any point. In that case, the site will request that you reconfirm your accreditation to remain in the deal.

How Does LendingHome Work?

Bridge loans (hard money loans) are made available by the LendingHome funding corporation to accredited investors so that they can fix and flip properties. In addition to loans for properties the borrower owns, it also offers rental property loans for which the borrower does not have a title. LendingHome Funding Corporation issues platform notes, which are unsecured obligations tied to mortgage loans from the LendingHome platform.

If LendingHome fails to collect payments under the underlying mortgage loan, investors won’t be paid under the Platform Note. Defaulted or delinquent mortgage loans are serviced by LendingHome, and you are paid in full.

Investors can review property deals on the site actively seeking investment before investing directly in platform notes. Sign up for the site to begin searching for deals that meet your investment criteria, or use the auto-invest feature to build a portfolio of real estate investments based on your desired level of risk and return.

Bridge loans and rental loans are the two types of loans offered by LendingHome.

A bridge loan is a short loan used to fund real estate purchases that must be completed as soon as possible. This financing model is typically used to resolve financial acquisitions before locating permanent financing or selling the home. Investors looking for funding for their next real estate deal can use the LendingHome bridge financing program.

Landlords can borrow money for rental loans based on the property’s debt service coverage ratio (DSCR). The Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) assesses the property’s ability to pay monthly mortgage payments with cash generated from rental income. The minimum DSCR of 1.0x required by LendingHome requires rental income to cover total property expenses, including principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and association dues.

LendingHome Fees

Therefore, the coupon rate that investors receive on their Platform Note is reduced by 10% to account for LendingHome’s servicing fee; this reduction is based on the property’s risk profile.

LendingHome also charges a performance-based fee, which is deducted from the monthly interest payments made by its investors. Typically, the costs range from 1.15% to 2.6%.

LendingHome won’t charge the performance fee if the investment doesn’t perform as expected. These incentive fees help offset future losses.

How To Sign Up LendingHome Funding Corporation

How To Sign Up LendingHome Funding Corporation

You can join the company’s mailing list directly through their website if you are a qualified investor. After you sign up as an investor with LendingHome, they’ll check with outside agencies to make sure you’re who you say you are.

You have full access to the platform while LendingHome reviews your application. Examine the available investment opportunities and platform notes, and choose deals that meet your investment criteria.

To invest with LendingHome, you must link your bank account and designate a specific amount from your account that LendingHome will use to fund your chosen investment once your application has been accepted.

Once LendingHome has verified your account, you can purchase platform notes and begin earning cash flow from day one.

To open an account with LendingHome, follow these four steps.

  • Make an account on the website.
  • Check to see if you are an accredited investor.
  • Connect your designated bank account.
  • Fund the account, look over the platform notes and make your investment.

LendingHome Funding Corporation Pros & Cons

LendingHome Funding Corporation Pros And Cons

Pros

  • Pre-funded transactions reduce investor risk.
  • After investing in a platform note, you will receive immediate cash flow.
  • A diverse portfolio of investments across the United States.
  • The auto investment option tailors portfolios based on the investor’s desired level of risk and return.
  • Access to specialized investor assistance.
  • Platform notes can be purchased for as little as $5,000.

Cons

  • Only accredited investors and high-net-worth individuals are eligible.
  • To begin, a minimum investment of $50,000 is required.
  • Capital gains are taxed as interest income. (Interest income is defined as taxed at marginal rates, whereas net capital gains are taxed at a maximum of 20%.)
  • Unsecured platform notes could be dangerous for some strategies.

What About Investment Risk? (With An Underlying Mortgage Loan)

The Platform Notes issued by LendingHome Funding Corporation are limited-recourse, secured obligations collateralized by an underlying mortgage loan originated through the LendingHome platform.

LendingHome collects fees under the underlying mortgage loan and makes Platform Note payments “when, as, and if” net transaction costs. LendingHome will handle all servicing in the event of default or delinquency, and you will still receive a portion of the payoff.

LendingHome takes the following precautions to reduce the risks associated with investing in Platform Notes:

  • LendingHome establishes a first lien position against the underlying real estate asset for the loan amount. In the event of a default, this lien takes precedence over all other liens or claims on the property. At a weighted average loan-to-value of 70%, the borrower will lose significant equity before negatively impacting your loan.
  • For each loan, a title insurance policy from the lender is obtained to protect your financial interests from being harmed by defects in the title or third-party claims.
  • The Hazard Insurance policy names LendingHome as the first loss payee to protect your loan in the event of unintentional damage or destruction caused by fire, smoke, wind, hail, theft, vandalism, or another similar event. No subordinate liens may be recorded against the property to facilitate the special servicing process.
  • LendingHome offers loans to underserved — rehabbers who cannot obtain traditional loans promptly. The risk of default could be higher or lower; there is simply not enough historical data to know.

LendingHome claims that as of June 30, 2016, they had a 7.2% delinquency rate (60+ days), four foreclosures, and historical losses of less than 0.01% of the 3,500+ loans they had issued.

LendingHome currently provides loans in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

Is It Easy To Get Hard Money Loans?

Real estate investors seeking a hard money loan don’t want any surprises. They want quick cash loans with no hassle and a quick turnaround.

Fortunately, hard money loans are simple to find and even simpler to apply for.

Can You Make Money In LendingHome?

Digital Landlord Better Than Lending Home

Yes, you can!

But…

There’s a lot that comes along with hard money lending that many people struggle with.

Now, don’t get the wrong idea…

It’s not impossible to make money with hard money lending, but if you’re gonna put in the amount of grueling work to do this business (which, trust me, isn’t easy), you might as well bring in some REAL money while you’re learning the ropes.

The program that helped skyrocket many online businesses to over $40,000+ per month is so simple that making money really does become second nature.

Alternatives

  • Fundrise. An online real estate platform allows you to access private real estate transactions. Be wary of hidden fees.
  • PeerStreet. A real estate crowdfunding site allows accredited investors to invest in real estate loans.
  • Streitwise. A real estate investment website specializes in commercial real estate transactions. With a low minimum investment requirement, accredited investor status is not required for investing through this platform.
  • RealtyMogul. One of the most well-known platforms for real estate crowdfunding. You get deals at a variety of price points for both accredited and non-accredited investors. You can invest in either standalone property deals or diversified non-traded REITs.

Is LendingHome Legit?

Is It Legit

Yes, LendingHome is Legitimate. They are Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited with an A+ rating. However, in some reviews, they have some negative customer satisfaction in the BBB comment section.

But, when it comes to building a business, you have plenty of options.

Final Verdict – LendingHome Review

LendingHome is not suitable for everyone. Because investing in their platform notes requires accredited investor status, these are pretty complex and high-risk investment products. Real estate investors who fix and then resell their properties enlist the help of LendingHome to fund their projects. These are higher-risk investments that are not typically eligible for traditional mortgages. The repayment of a bridge loan (hard money loan) or platform note is contingent on the sale of the underlying property or the acquisition of permanent financing.

However, LendingHome’s investment model mitigates this risk by allowing investors to invest in short-term bridge loans, which have historically earned 8.75% over an average 7-month maturity. A diverse investment portfolio and a low minimum investment also help to limit your risk.

Are There Alternatives To LendingHome?

Other Business Models To Choose From

Yes, there are plenty of other business models to choose from if you want to pursue this making money online. Here are just a few:

Is LendingHome A Scam?

Is It A Scam

Time for the $1,000,000 question: is LendingHome actually a scam?

I wouldn’t technically call it a scam, though others might.

It’s technically possible to make money with this program, so in that sense, it isn’t a scam.

What I’m saying is: after buying, someone will in fact send you a login to a website where you can actually view their material. No one is riding off into the sunset with your money, leaving you empty-handed… technically speaking.

But the second, more important question is: is LendingHome actually worth the investment?

My honest answer is that for most people out there, probably not.

There are countless other business models that are proven & easily scalable, so why risk it for… not an incredibly huge payoff?

I’d rather have a program with thousands of successful students & plenty of room for others to join.

If you’ve followed my blog for long, you know I recommend a few different programs depending on your skills & goals.

My current top choice is using the Digital Rental Method, because you have a proven, systematic path to 6-figures, and you can do it from anywhere you want.

I’ve got friends in there posting deals from the middle of the woods in a camper-van with their pet pig… which is kinda cool.

What Is My Top Recommendation For Making Money Online In 2022?

Make Money Online With Digital Landlord

Alright, time for me to get real with my lovely readers for a moment:

I’ve personally tried all of the major online business models:

  • I’ve sold fidget spinners through Amazon FBA
  • I’ve drop-shipped a toilet bowl putting green on Shopify
  • I’ve sold women’s health supplements via Clickbank affiliate marketing

And I made money with all of them, so trust me when I say: there is no “perfect” business model.

THAT BEING SAID: I would at least recommend you implement something that is tried and true, because I’ve seen TOO MANY people (including friends and family) get burned by stuff like LendingHome.

They come out of left field with some random idea, make it seem attractive, and then make themselves a quick buck by luring in unsuspecting people.

I’m not saying LendingHome itself is a piece of trash, I’m just saying you need to be very, very careful.

This is a big reason why I only recommend proven, tried and true business models, like Lead Generation & Ad Agencies.

Read Our In Depth Breakdown Of The Top 5 OppOther Courses For 2024

Did LendingHome Make The List?

There are a bunch of programs out there that teach you those skills, but my top choice is the Digital Rental Method program.

Why? It has proven leaders with their own 7-figure businesses implementing exactly what they teach you.

I’ve also got over a dozen personal friends in there, so I feel comfortable telling you it works.

Whether you’re a complete newbie, or you’ve been around the block before but have never had that “big win” to propel you forward, their program works.

Here’s why:

1)Time: If you’ve got a spare hour-or-two each day, you can do this. If you want to drop everything and go all-in, you can do this. More time obviously means faster results, but even putting in a few hours per day is enough to see real success.

And because of that flexibility, you don’t need to trade your time for money. Once the income starts, it’s recurring (for the most part).

That means you can take a month off, travel the country, pursue a passion project, chill on the beach, or charter a boat across the world.

But you can only do that once you’ve created an income stream that doesn’t require YOU to be there all day, every day.

2)Big Margins: With most businesses, you’re often going to have really slim margins. That means you need to hit a serious scale to make serious money.

using the Digital Rental Method, your profit margin is nearly 100%. Watch here to learn how.

Just a reminder: these Digital Rental Properties are worth (at a minimum) $500/mo in semi-passive income. And each time you create another one, your income increases, and the effort put into creating the next property decreases.

Best-case scenario, you have properties bringing in over $3,000+/mo on “auto-pilot.”

3)It’s Effectively Copy-Paste: Here’s my favorite part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up, you can literally copy-paste another version of it and find another willing “renter” in a few days. DOUBLING your income doesn’t get much easier than that…

If you wanted to double your income with lending money, you would need to exert time and effort. And I can guarantee you, that’s a lot harder than a few clicks & a phone call.

4)You’re Helping REAL People: My biggest gripe with lending money is that you’re basically only helping yourself.

But With the Digital Rental Method, you’re helping solve REAL problems that people are ASKING for help with:

Small local businesses around the world need one thing: customers. Without them, their business would fall apart. If we can provide those customers, they’re going to be really happy – and they’re going to pay you for it.

You’re helping a struggling mother or father put food on the table for their families, put their kids through college, or simply live life a little bit more comfortably.

Having this type of impact on the world is what will help you sleep soundly at night.

So, the rest is up to you. You could keep looking at other off-the-wall business models like lending money and maybe hit it big one day.

You could keep researching and researching for the next few months (or few years), never making a concrete decision.

OR, you can look deep inside, think about those dreams, hopes, & desires, and make the decision to ACTUALLY make it happen, just like it has for thousands of other students before you.

Making a fortune while actually helping real people that need it.

If this sounds like you, click here to see how it all works.

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