How to find a reputable/trustworthy hard money lender

I’ve been in this business over 30 years and have funded hundreds of millions in loans and a common question I commonly get is “How do I know if a hard money lender is reputable?” 

It is a great question as unfortunately hard money can be the wild west of lending if you do not do your due diligence.  Here are 5 items to look for to identify a trustworthy/reputable hard money lender.

1. How long has the hard money lender been in business? This is a no brainer, you want to use a trusted provider who is proven in the market.  At Fairview, we have been in business for over 25 years riding through the various market cycles and continuing to lend throughout.  You can quickly find out by looking at the whois information on a website for example google whois FairiewLending.com.  Here is a screenshot and you can see this domain was registered in 2024.
   
2. Does the hard money lender actually lend their own money? Many brokers or correspondent lenders act like they are direct lenders when in actuality they are not the decision makers.  Don’t get me wrong mortgage brokers are a great resource, but they need to disclose this upfront.  At Fairview we are a direct lender and fund/hold everything and can tell you quickly yes or no on a deal as we are the decision makers – Fairview Commercial Lending Partner Profiles.  Make sure you look at the about us page on any hard money lender site to see who the actual decision makers are and always make sure you understand if you are working with a lender, a broker,  or a correspondent. 
3. Has the hard money lender been recognized in the industry as an expert? Trustworthiness increases rapidly when you confirm that their peers in the hard money industry recognize them as the experts.  At Fairview, we are the leader in hard money lending having been featured in Bloomberg News, Realtor.com, Mortgage Professional America, The Colorado Real estate journal, and various other major publications. 
4. Does the hard money lender website contain useful information or just keyword stuffing? Look at the Hard Money lender website. Is the whole site just an add to tout how they are the best and most trustworthy hard money lender, aka keyword stuffing to gain traction?  Shy away from these lenders.  On the other hand, Fairview publishes a weekly newsletter on important real estate topics that is read by over 35k real estate professionals throughout the country and is recognized as an expert in real estate lending. 
5. What do actual customers say about the hard money lender? This is a no brainer, you absolutely should look at the reviews the hard money lender has, but also take some of the reviews with a grain of salt, are these actual reviews? Do the hard money reviews sound like they are real customers?  Also what does an AI source say about the company.  Here is a snapshot of Fairview Lending, clearly overwhelmingly positive.
   

Use 5 tips for identifying a reputable/trustworthy hard money lender

If you are beginning a search for a hard money lender, it is critical that you locate a reputable/trustworthy hard money lender to ensure your loan is handled properly, timely, and you get the service you deserve. Use the 5 tips above to quickly vet hard money lenders ensure a smooth hard money transaction.

Denver, Colorado Office

1153 Bergen Parkway Ste I #227
Evergreen, Colorado 80439

Telephone: (303) 459-6061
Fax: (404) 634-0319
Email: info@fairviewlending.com