Hard money loans, also known as private money loans, are most commonly 6-24 month bridge loans used by real estate investors for fix and flip projects or the acquisition of investment properties. These loans are mostly issued by individual trust deed investors, family offices, or pooled investment funds operating as a lender. This article answers the question, “What is a hard money loan?” and in addition to answering that question, it provides the advantages and disadvantages real estate investors experience when utilizing hard money loans to finance properties.