Investment opportunities can grow your wealth long-term, but choosing the right asset is half the battle. Knowing who to trust to host your investment is yet another hurdle that trips up potential investors.
If you’ve chosen to invest in real estate but aren’t sure where to start, Fund That Flip (FTF) could be your solution. One of many real estate investment entities out there, Fund That Flip has become increasingly popular as a crowdfunding investment opportunity. But is it really a legitimate way to invest your money for long-term gains?
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what kind of opportunities Fund That Flip offers investors, as well as borrowers. After going through the particulars in terms of main features, potential returns, and associated fees, we’ll answer your questions regarding security and if it’s even worth the trouble.
Let’s begin with the company itself. What do you know about Fund That Flip?
What is UpRight (formerly Fund That Flip)?
Founded in 2014 by Matt Rodak, Fund That Flip capitalizes upon the JOBS Act of 2012 to bring real estate investing to the masses. Crowdfunded investments are the name of the game when it comes to Fund That Flip’s claim to fame. A hybrid of hard money lender and private loan company, FTF focuses solely on real estate investments in order to pay dividends.
Fund That Flip works with both investors as well as borrowers to fund real estate transactions across the country. Currently providing over $1 billion in financing to hundreds of developers, Fund That Flip boasts a 93% return borrower rate. Plus, there are some respectable gains to be had if you get the chance to invest with them as well (more on that later).
How Does Fund That Flip Work?
Built upon a passive real estate investing model, Fund That Flip offers a variety of loan types, all associated with real estate. For example, the most common type of loan is the “fix and flip,” which typically runs anywhere from three to 18 months. This type of loan includes acquisition and construction components to fund a project from purchase through the subsequent sale.
Fund That Flip also offers loans for wholesaling, fix-to-rent, build-to-rent, and build-to-sell.
Borrowing
If you enter into a relationship with Fund That Flip as a borrower, you can take advantage of loan rates as low as 7.49%. In order to qualify for these bridge loans, however, you’ll have to navigate quite a rigorous application process.
Initially, prospective borrowers can apply in less than five minutes in order to speak with a representative within the following 24 hours. After discussing an outline of your goals and desires in terms of the loan details, the representative will follow up, either with a refusal or an offer. If you do receive an offer, all parties agree to the terms, you make your deposit per the terms, and then you close within five to seven business days.
Ideal candidates for Fund That Flip loans have completed at least three major projects before seeking funding. Leveraging a network of real estate agents, lawyers, and contractors, these prospective borrowers must submit a full package of supporting documentation that details nearly all aspects of their renovation. This includes inspections, appraisals, statements of work, etc.
Properties must also meet requirements in terms of associated costs. For instance, the loan to value of the property should be less than 70% of the after repair value, and Fund That Flip will only offer clients up to 90% of the loan to cost or 75% of the after repair value. As you can see, Fund That Flip requires you to have your ducks in a row when it comes to justifying your property as an investment opportunity.
Investing
Speaking of investing, let’s look at things from the other side for a moment. Rather than facing a stack of paperwork that needs to be filled out to impress investors, you’re now on the other side of the table, reviewing proposals from potential borrowers.
Let’s talk numbers here: Fund That Flip advertises returns up to 10.5% annually when you invest in their real estate portfolio. They have already invested over $800 million and earned their partners over $46 million in interest over the years. The best part is that you only need $5,000 in order to start investing.
Fund That Flip Features
As an investment opportunity, Fund That Flip offers potential partners a platform upon which to really get to know the projects and associated individuals for whom their money is going to work.
It all starts with a “deal page.” This particular page stores all the information Fund That Flip has on that investment opportunity. Sections include the following:
- Photos and captions
- Investment summary
- Use of proceeds
- About the property
- Market overview
- Project strategy and documents
- Previous projects (if applicable)
- Risk
Basically, all the elements of the application (minus a few) are listed on this deal page. You can learn as much or as little as you want about a property and choose to invest in it right then and there if you want. Investors can also decide between pulling out their profits at the end of a project or reinvesting them in another project.
Borrowers are able to take advantage of this same system in order to attract potential investors. The dashboard keeps track of all your details, including any past projects you’ve successfully completed. These projects are visible to investors so they can see your track record of getting the job done.
Fund That Flip assigns a dedicated account manager to their developers.This allows for efficient communication throughout the process, from application to offer to completion. Borrowers have access to loans from $100,000 and up, with rates starting at 7.49%.
Loan originations start at 1% and the required down payment is 10% of the purchase price. However, you do have access to the entire loan amount for renovation if necessary. Amortization is interest only for developers, who can take advantage of loan term lengths of anywhere from three months to 24 months.
Fund That Flip Fees?
Working with Fund That Flip as both an investor or a borrower doesn’t require anything of your wallet in the beginning. Investors can sign up and browse potential projects for free, and borrowers are able to apply in a few minutes without once entering a credit card.
However, FTF does collect a spread on each loan. Interest rates listed on the deal pages are what you’ll be paid as the investor, but know that Fund That Flip is charging the developer 1-2% more in order to cover their costs of servicing the loan.
The fees associated with borrowing from Fund That Flip are determined by the terms of each case. They are commonly outlined in the agreement shared with the borrower during the application process. However, loan extensions are common enough that Fund That Flip establishes fees in that instance as well. The profit from these fees is also shared with investors for that particular project.
What are UpRight (formerly Fund That Flip) Pros and Cons?
Like any other investment opportunity, there are benefits and risks associated with working with Fund That Flip. We’ve summarized the main points for you below.
Pros
When it comes to investing with Fund That Flip, there’s a lot of potential for return, especially when you consider the minimal $5,000 minimum investment required. It’s also a great tool for investors looking to put a face to the recipient of their money, since you’re able to pick which opportunities you’d like to fund.
For borrowers, Fund That Flip can provide a network of accredited investors. Plus, any completed projects are saved on your dashboard for future investors to see. The more projects you complete successfully, the better your application looks in the eyes of the investors.
Cons
All that said, there are steep odds to conquer for both borrowers and investors. In catering to lenders, Fund That Flip admits that less than 8% of applicants are approved for funding. That means for every 100 applications they receive, they may only grant approval of a handful or less projects.
In terms of investing, it’s not just $5,000 that will get you in the door. You’ll also have to demonstrate your status as an accredited investor, which is required under SEC Rule 506(c) of Regulation D. Accredited investors are defined as individuals who (a) earn more than $200,000 per year alone, or $300,000 with a spouse for two consecutive years or (b) have a net worth of over $1 million.
Is My Money Safe?
When it comes to your money, Fund That Flip offers FDIC-insured accounts to keep your investments safe. Most investors see their principal repaid within 10 months or less on average.
In the event Fund That Flip goes belly up, you do have somewhat of a safety net. Your investment is protected by the value of the real property as well as the borrower’s 15-20% equity.
At the same time, you are the holder of a Borrower Dependent Note (BDN). The BDN is unsecured because it relies on the underlying note held by Fund That Flip in order to earn interest. All rights to the property go to the underlying note holder (FTF) first before any BDN holder(s).
Is it Worth It?
In terms of investing, Fund That Flip is as risky as any investment. Some may rest on the fact that Fund That Flip only approves a handful of applicants out of the hundreds they receive. Those requirements do their part to weed out those investments that may be more risk than reward.
That said, if something goes awry, the investor is stuck holding a ticket second in line. The direct claim to property and any profit goes to Fund That Flip first due to the stipulations of their agreement.
For borrowers, Fund That Flip’s requirements for applying for a loan may seem strict. After all, you’ve basically got to prove that your investment is worth the risk by supporting your projected profits with pictures, appraisals, comps, etc. It’s a lot of leg work to do before potentially being rejected for a loan.
On the other hand, this can only be beneficial to your success. If you’ve set up all that information for Fund That Flip and do receive the money, the majority of your goals and hurdles are laid out. If you are rejected, however, you have enough information to apply for a loan from another company, most likely with similar requirements.
How Do I Open an Account?
Opening an account with Fund That Flip is relatively easy.
For investors, the process begins with creating a profile and adding in banking information. The bank account will be verified with micro deposits before you can actually add your $5,000 (or more) investment to your FTF account. You’ll then have to verify your accredited investor status through a third party before you can put your money into action.
Potential borrowers will need to apply for pre-approval before they can create an account. They will receive a call from a Fund That Flip representative within 24 hours of applying to discuss their qualifications. Depending on the results of that conversation, the Fund That Flip representative will direct you in regards to setting up an account.
Final Take
Fund That Flip provides new opportunities for accredited investors to provide capital for developers looking to improve and profit upon real estate. Following a tried-and-true method of application, review, and funding, Fund That Flip continues to be a source of income for both borrowers and investors alike.
We hope you’ve found this review of Fund That Flip useful. When it comes to investing, it pays to know what you’re getting yourself into, so research is key to future success. Whether you choose to invest with Fund That Flip or not, you should have a better idea of how to make money with real estate, even if it’s only with $5,000.
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