| Type | What it is |
|---|---|
| Mortgage notes | A loan secured by real property, held to maturity |
| Hard money loans | Short-term financing for fix-and-flip or rehab projects |
| Business loans | Capital lent to a business for growth or operations |
| Personal loans | Loans to individuals, often secured by a vehicle or other titled asset |
| Micro-lending | Smaller loans, frequently to entrepreneurs, often pooled across borrowers |
| Non-performing notes | Distressed debt purchased at a discount |
| Peer lending platforms | Pooled or fractional loans sourced through a marketplace |
What are the main types of private lending?
Mortgage notes are the most straightforward form of private lending. Your plan lends money secured by a mortgage or deed of trust against real property and collects principal and interest payments on a set schedule until the note matures or the property is sold or refinanced. These notes can be originated directly with a borrower or purchased, whole or in part, from another lender.
Hard money loans are short-term, higher-rate loans that fund real estate investors and developers who need capital quickly, typically for a fix-and-flip project or a rehab a conventional bank won't finance on the borrower's timeline. Terms usually run months rather than years, and the property being improved secures the loan.
Business loans extend capital to a company rather than to a real estate deal, funding equipment purchases, expansion, or working capital. These loans can be secured by business assets or, less commonly, made on an unsecured basis, and they diversify a lending portfolio beyond real estate-only exposure.
Personal loans, such as loans secured by a vehicle, boat, or other titled asset, let your plan lend directly to an individual rather than a business or real estate investor. These loans tend to be smaller and shorter in duration, and the collateral, when there is any, gives the plan recourse if the borrower stops paying.
Micro-lending involves smaller loan amounts, often to entrepreneurs or borrowers with limited access to conventional credit, made directly or through a platform that pools capital across many small loans. Individual loan sizes are modest, but spreading capital across many borrowers can offset the risk of any single default.
Non-performing note purchases involve buying distressed debt, loans where the borrower has stopped paying, at a discount to face value. The appeal is the gap between the purchase price and what the note can ultimately recover, whether through a loan modification, a negotiated payoff, or foreclosure. This category carries meaningfully more risk and more hands-on work than a performing note.
Peer lending platforms connect investors with borrowers through a marketplace, letting a plan participate in loans, often in smaller, fractional pieces, without originating or servicing them directly. This can be an efficient way to diversify across many borrowers with a smaller capital commitment per loan than a directly originated note requires.
Does secured or unsecured status still matter across these types?
Yes. Every one of these lending types can be structured as secured or unsecured, and that distinction shapes the note's risk and rate regardless of category. Regardless of type or structure, the borrower still has to be someone your plan can legally lend to, which is a fixed, rule-based boundary rather than a judgment call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my plan use more than one type of lending at once?
Yes. Many lenders diversify across categories, holding a long-term mortgage note alongside a shorter-term hard money loan or a handful of peer lending positions, rather than concentrating in a single type.
Do these lending types require different plan structures?
Not inherently. What matters more is the risk profile of the specific lending activity than which category it falls into.
Which of these is the easiest entry point for a first-time lender?
Peer lending platforms and mortgage notes obtained through a broker tend to have the lowest learning curve, since the platform or broker handles much of the origination and servicing work and the plan doesn't need to originate the loan itself. Hard money and non-performing notes typically reward more hands-on experience.
Next Steps
An investor ready to explore private lending can use the Plan Finder to confirm the right plan structure.