In 2010, and in response to the financial crisis that we now know as the Great Recession, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law. The law places strict regulations on lenders and banks in an effort to protect consumers and prevent another all-out economic recession. It was this act that outlined a set of rules around higher priced vs. high cost mortgage rates.

While buying a house, choosing a private lender over a full-fledged financial institute for a mortgage loan is a great option. One of the many benefits of doing so is that private lenders approve loans much quicker than other financial institutions, such as banks.

Best of all, the majority of hard money lenders do not look into a borrower's credit history. Private lending is a flexible process that makes it easier for almost everyone to own a home or invest in real estate.