Fairfield Financial Services, Inc. - Private Money Loans, Lending & Borrowing

Posts Tagged ‘Oregon’

Small Is Beautiful

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Clay Sparkman

Generally speaking we are quite willing to consider small loans. We realize that we will never get rich doing small loans, but we also remember what got us where we are. The large loans can be quite fickle, coming and going as they please, but the small loans seem to be there when we [...]

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What’s Going On Out There?

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Clay Sparkman
With the decline of real estate prices and concern about the global economy, there is a lot of speculation regarding the timeline of this recession. In conversations with brokers, investors, and developers throughout the country, the topic often turns to one common question: what’s going on out there? I’ve heard what the experts say, [...]

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Everything you wanted to know about private money but were afraid to ask

Friday, January 6th, 2012

Clay Sparkman
Private money is often misunderstood. Many industry professionals know very little about it, and fallacies and misconceptions tend to dominate the collective wisdom. As you know, as a subscriber to this list, I have made it my mission to try to educate professionals regarding the realities of private money. In this capacity, I spend [...]

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Private Money Loan Simulator

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Clay Sparkman
I firmly believe that the best way to learn about anything complex is by doing.  The second best way is by example.  If I could provide you with a private money loan simulator I would, but I haven’t figured out how to do that yet (though I assure you, we haven’t given up on [...]

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A few useful and interesting resources for private money profesionals

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Clay Sparkman
These days–with uncertain markets—tools and resources which provide us with information and data are more crucial than quite possibly ever before.
I am always trying to find more resources that will be of use to both me and readers of this blog. Here are a few items that have popped up [...]

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Auction Buyers Take Note

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Clay Sparkman
Most likely you have clients who buy distressed properties from time to time–with the intention of making a profit–and need a source of funding to fuel their activities. There are three common ways to buy distressed properties: pre-auction, auction, and post auction (generally referred to as REO). Most investors are forced to buy either [...]

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Our sweet spot … our wheelhouse

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Clay Sparkman
There was November, 2007 and then there were the nearly 4 years now that followed. If you are an acting broker in this market it is because you are a survivor. Darwin’s theory—survival of the fittest—would have been more aptly named, survival of the most adaptable. If you are still here, then it is [...]

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Don’t Believe Everything You Hear About Private Money

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Clay Sparkman
This week I’d like to address some myths about private money, and hopefully correct some common misconceptions that seem to exist with regard to private money lending as an alternative mechanism for funding the refinance and acquisition of real estate.
Myth: As a broker, I should first try to use conventional bank financing, and if [...]

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Getting Unstuck with Private Money

Friday, August 26th, 2011

It is often quite difficult for professionals to get a sense of what hard money is all about and to know when it is the best option for putting a transaction together. I have found that the best way to teach is by example. So to that end I will profile several loans here that [...]

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Don’t get mad, get going

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Clay Sparkman
It is often quite difficult for professionals to get a sense of what hard money is all about and to know when it is the best option for putting a transaction together.   I have found that the best way to teach is by example.  So to that end I will profile some sample loans [...]

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Calling all rehabbers, short sale buyers and quick flip artists

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010

Kris Gillmore and Clay Sparkman
Over the past three years we’ve all watched real estate prices come crashing down, in many cases forcing lenders to foreclose and take back the property.  Although this is a sad misfortune for some, it is a tremendous opportunity for others.  With regard to quick-flip investment property, I have always been [...]

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What you will only learn on the streets about how to read an appraisal (and hopefully without the scars to prove it)

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Clay Sparkman
The crucial thing that you must understand about any appraisal (or other real estate valuation instrument) is that it is only as good as its logic.  So that—in other words—you must never accept an appraisal’s conclusion regarding value without looking beyond the surface to understand the logic that leads to the conclusion and without [...]

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Ignoring the experts

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Clay Sparkman
One thing I can tell you about private money is that the regular rules don’t work there.  And in fact, there aren’t really any rules that you can count on.  At best, there are guidelines and these vary greatly depending on the broad spectrum of particulars that define a particularly loan request.
With private money, [...]

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