Commercial real estate investors who need funding state have long relied on hard money loans, known for their speed because they focus on asset value instead of the borrower’s credit history.
But there’s a problem with the traditional arduous money lending process: It’s not always clear how lenders arrive at their valuations or determine the loan terms.
The good news? AI-powered CRE technologies are making the process much more objective and transparent.
By crunching vast amounts of data with machine learning and computer vision, AI tools can now provide CRE players with deeper data-driven insights into the market so that they can make faster and more scientific decisions.
It’s a win for both lenders and borrowers: lenders can manage risk more effectively, while borrowers secure funding more quickly and with more confidence that the terms are fair.
The growing use of AI in commercial real estate transactions
Did you know that investment in AI-powered property tech skyrocketed to $630 million in 2023?
According to PitchBook and JLL Research, AI companies are also expected to continue expanding their real estate footprint in the US to reach 1.9 million square meters by year-end.
Experts say that AI-driven property tech should create new markets and asset classes while modernizing investment and revenue models in the coming years.
These technologies—anything from online listing platforms to AI-powered property management software—can also make buying, selling, and managing commercial research real estate much more efficient.
If you’re a hard money lender or borrower wondering how AI can make your transactions more profitable, here’s what you need to know.
How AI is changing commercial hard money loans
As you know, hard money loans are short-term financial solutions secured by property. The loan amount is, therefore, based on the property’s value rather than the borrower’s credit score.
Ideal for investors who need to act quickly in competitive markets, hard money loans have always been faster than traditional CRE mortgages—and they’re about to become even faster, thanks to AI.
Critical features of AI-driven hard money loans
AI technology can enhance several critical aspects of the complex money-lending process:
Assessing a CRE property’s investment potential – Real estate AI can use neural networks to identify high-return potential in new market properties quickly.
This technology can help lenders allocate their resources more efficiently. It can also help borrowers secure financing for potentially lucrative properties that might be overlooked.
Estimating renovation costs—
AI can also automatically estimate the renovation costs that a property requires based on its condition, size, location, and other attributes. For lenders, this means better risk assessment because they have a more complete picture of the project’s total cost, and for borrowers, this means they can better plan their renovation budgets.
Automating valuation models –
Some of the latest AI-driven PropTech models can assess CRE properties’ current and potential post-renovation values. They make it much easier for lenders and borrowers to evaluate a CRE investment’s viability.
Calculating spreads and value gaps –
AI makes it easier to accurately calculate the difference between a property’s listing price and its potential value after renovations. This can help CRE players quickly pinpoint profit opportunities before competitors swoop on a great deal.
Assessing a CRE property’s rental potential—
AI can help predict key performance indicators such as potential revenue, cash flow, and return on investment for properties targeted as rentals. This information guides lenders in their funding decisions and allows borrowers to assess whether or not a property makes sense financially for their specific goals.
Benefits of AI in hard money lending
The CRE market runs on speed and opportunity—and if you have ever tried traditional financing before, then you know that the often-sluggish process can stop you from capitalizing on prime investments.
AI-assisted complex money loan processes offer many advantages for both borrowers and lenders.
Expediting the approval process –
Hard money loans only take around two weeks to process, but they’re about to become even faster. AI can shorten the time from application to funding. This means borrowers can quickly raise the funds they need to compete in the CRE market, while lenders can close more deals.
Making loan-to-value calculations more accurate–
With AI, it’s easier to ensure that LTV calculations match the project’s specifics and risk profile. This precision is crucial because hard money loans typically require a higher upfront investment from borrowers to give lenders security.
Tailoring interest rates—
Because they are often issued to borrowers who might not qualify for traditional financing, hard money loans are inherently riskier for lenders than traditional loans.
Hard money lenders typically charge higher interest rates to compensate for this risk. With AI-powered assessments, lenders can now get a much more precise picture of a project’s feasibility and potential for success.
This allows them to set interest rates more directly tied to the risk involved than generic LTVs. If AI analysis reveals a project’s relatively low risk, the lender can lower the interest rate.
Customizing repayment schedules –
Because complex money loan terms are short (typically just 1 to 3 years), borrowers need an exit strategy right from the start—they either need to refinance the loan or sell the property within that time frame.
Lenders can use AI-driven insights to set realistic repayment schedules, considering the project’s projected timeline, potential cash flow, and current market conditions.
This allows borrowers to plan their finances more strategically and ensure that they can meet their repayment obligations. Borrowers can also use AI tools to predict market trends and choose the best times to sell or refinance their properties.
Those who want to diversify can even use AI to identify additional CRE investment opportunities that align with their loan repayment goals and improve their portfolio’s overall performance.
Ideal use cases for AI-powered commercial hard money loans
Flipping properties –
Are you a CRE property flipper who needs fast access to capital to buy and renovate properties?
AI-driven hard money loans can help you get the funding you require even faster. Lenders who use AI can analyze market insights more extensively to see if your project is viable.
If it is, they can provide funds for acquisition and repairs until you can sell the property for a profit. You can also use AI tools to identify properties with the best potential returns.
Developing land –
Are you a developer ready to start a construction project as soon as possible? AI-assisted hard money lenders can streamline the funding process so that you can kickstart construction and reduce your project’s overall cost.
Saving distressed properties –
CRE properties that need significant renovations often don’t qualify for traditional loans.
Hard money is usually the best choice for CRE investors who want to purchase and rehabilitate such properties, enhance their value, and then quickly sell them at a higher price. AI assessments can give borrowers and lenders insights into potential renovations and outcomes to mitigate the risks.
Making loan evaluations fairer –
AI scoring models are designed to generate more inclusive and accurate insights. This helps lenders improve their risk assessment processes and improve loan approval decisions.
It can even help them develop financial products that address their market’s needs more effectively.
Fairer evaluations mean borrowers with strong projects can potentially qualify for lower interest rates and more attractive loan terms despite their credit history.
Explore hard money CRE solutions with a team of CRE experts.
Private Capital Investors—run by commercial property experts who genuinely understand the CRE market—offer fast and flexible hard money loans to help you seize fleeting opportunities.
Secure funding within two weeks to act quickly on time-sensitive deals. We focus on the asset’s potential, not just your credit history so that you can get approved with minimal documentation and fast closing.
We finance many CRE properties, including multi-family residential buildings, retail, office, luxury residential, self-storage, land, hospitality, industrial, and development projects.
- Need to acquire a new property? Our purchase loans can help you secure the capital you need.
- Want to improve an existing property? Our value-added financing can help fund renovations and improvements.
- Do you need to finance a pre-construction or repositioning project? We can provide the capital to get your project off the ground.
- Need to consolidate existing debt? We can help streamline your finances with debt consolidation options.
Are you planning a tenant improvement or partner buyout? We have funding solutions for those needs, too.
Private Capital Investors can provide hard money loans from $1 million to $50 million.
Our high loan-to-value ratios (reaching up to 85%) minimize your upfront investment, and our competitive interest rates (as low as 8.5%) keep your financing costs manageable. We offer interest-only payment options during the loan term to optimize your cash flow.
