There’s no right or wrong answer here, but most private hard money lenders are evaluating the borrower more so than the investment property.

Most private real estate investment lenders typically want to lend to a borrower who is experienced and savvy in the field; someone who makes good purchasing decisions and who completes improvement projects for resale as quickly as possible. They are more likely to feel comfortable in lending money to someone who is reliable, stable, and mature; someone who has regional ties and isn’t locally known for personal drama, abandoning projects, or making rash decisions.

Like any lender, they also like borrowers who have a dependable source of income and good credit, but unlike traditional lenders, these qualities can be substituted with working capital, relevant training, successful prior projects, or any other factor the lender may consider relevant.