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Don Konipol
Managing Partner

Don Konipol

MBA in Finance from the University of Michigan. B.S. in Economics from City University of New York.

Formed Managed Mortgage Investment Fund LP in 2002, managing private mortgage lending.

Worked for Societe General De Survalliance S.A., Geneva, Switzerland in investment banking (1975-1978).

Commercial realtor at First Equity Company, Houston TX (1978-1984). Formed Investment Realty Group in 1984 specializing in distressed real estate.

Published in Commercial Investment Real Estate (CCIM), Scottsman Guide, Niche Report, Houston Business Journal. Author of "Investing in High Yield Trust Deeds After the Real Estate Meltdown."

Insights & Articles

Articles by Don

55 articles

May 13, 2025

Great Month for Hard Money Loans

Skating Rink / Day Care Center, Houston, Texas $ 950,000

Mar 3, 2025

Another Option to Consider For An Almost Impossible Deal

If you’re about to give up on trying to obtain new financing for your borrower because of any or all of the following: 1\.

May 1, 2024

Stop Spinning Your Wheels. Take a New Path

Like most people, I thought exceptional success in a sales field was due to a unique ability of an individual to somehow “connect”, “convince”, or “persuade”…

Jan 25, 2024

Better Loan Closings for 2024

5 –UNDERSTAND YOUR BORROWER’S NEEDS AND DESIRES COMPLETELY. This has to do with the Borrower’s Motivation .

Oct 16, 2023

Looking for Financing 2nd Quarter 2023?

The following are properties we financed First Quarter 2023 Commercial Bldg/ Dance Studio

May 4, 2023

What Borrowers Say…….. And What They Really Mean?

Hard Money Lenders | Private Mortgage Lenders We lend in all 50 states 1\. I’m not going to pay any upfront fees……I won’t pay for an appraisal, title report…

Feb 5, 2023

Are you a Mortgage Broker or Creative Financing Specialist?

About 90% of the new loans we finance, and all of the existing loans we buy, are brought to us by “financial intermediaries”.

Oct 11, 2022

New Lower Rate Good for 45 Days

While interest rates have gone through the roof, WE DECREASED OUR RATE to 9.75% on Hard Money commercial property loans! This rate is good for 45 days.

Aug 28, 2022

We Have Lowered Our Interest Rate!

New Interest Rate Based on Hard Money Lending Criteria We now offer our best borrowers 10% interest on true hard money lending criteria. - Loans are one to…

Jun 20, 2022

Traditional Lenders Find Better Alternative

Do you have one or more commercial mortgage notes you would like to remove from your portfolio for liquidity and profitability reasons?

May 11, 2022

Need a Loan, Fast?

Small businesses are still feeling pains from the pandemic. They now have to face high inflation — while still finding it challenging to get approved for a…

Jan 16, 2022

WE LEND WHEN EVERYONE ELSE SAYS NO!

Private Mortgage Financing Partners, LLC provides short-term private mortgage financing (hard money loans) secured by investment and commercial real estate.

Nov 30, 2021

LOANS WE FUNDED 2021

LOAN AMT PROPERTY TYPE PURPOSE 2,050,000 WAREHOUSE REFINANCE MATURING NOTE

Oct 28, 2021

Low Credit Score?

If you are an investor with poor credit, many traditional funding sources are not valid options as most banks and mortgage companies do not offer loans to…

Sep 28, 2021

MAKING OF A COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN

1\. Borrower with 520 FICA score and vacant restaurant building in a town of 5,000 people in South Dakota contacts a mortgage broker with the idea that he…

Sep 22, 2021

HOW MANY MORTGAGE BROKERS DOES IT TAKE TO FINANCE A LOAN?

First, let me state two important disclosures. We are private, hard money commercial mortgage direct lenders, and 90% of our loans originate through mortgage…

Aug 31, 2021

How Hard Money Helps

Private Mortgage Financing Partners, a “Hard Money” lender differs from traditional financial institutions.

Jul 25, 2021

When Should You Consider A Hard Money Loan?

When Hard Money Makes Sense You may be surprised to learn why many investors select the private lending path for their commercial financing needs and how…

Jun 27, 2021

Can a Mortgage Broker Help a Borrower Who’s Upside Down in His Property, AND Still Earn a Success Fee?

Loan request situations where the borrower owes more than the maximum available LTV for his situation and type of property can actually be the MOST…

Jun 16, 2021

Difference between APY and APR

As hard money lenders, we are often asked, “What is the difference between APY and APR.” Both are used to calculate interest for investment and credit…

Apr 1, 2021

Getting Back to “Normal”

With the U.S. trying to get back to a more normal economic basis, and COVID-related SBA loans, loan forgiveness, and foreclosure moratoriums are likely to…

Mar 23, 2021

Are You Dealing with a Broker Disguised as a Direct Lender?

In the hard/private lending business, as in the mortgage business as a whole, there are brokers, there are lenders, and there are brokers who attempt to…

Mar 8, 2021

Commercial Bridge Loans

Like their name implies, bridge loans are used to “bridge the gap” until long-term financing can be secured for the commercial property.

Feb 24, 2021

The Top Five Documents Provided To Me By Borrowers That Automatically Killed Their Loan Request

5\. Five year projection with all revenue and expenses at 0. 4\. Last two years tax returns showing loses of over $1 million each year

Feb 15, 2021

SBA 7(a) Loan

The Small Business Administration’s flagship loan, the 7(a) loan, can be used to purchase land or buildings, construct new property, or renovate existing…

Feb 1, 2021

Loans, Loans and more Loans

A variety of commercial real estate loans exist from bank loans to SBA loans to bridge loans. We take a look at some of these options in a series of posts.

Jan 18, 2021

Economic Recovery and Hard Money

PMF Partners believes that during COVID-19 and the subsequent time it will take for our economy to recover, hard money loans for commercial real estate will…

Dec 21, 2020

Borrowers are now looking into Hard Money more than ever!

The expectation among many is that lenders are actively looking to make new loans or refinance existing ones, but that is not the case.

Nov 24, 2020

Should Commercial Borrowers Utilize the Services of a Mortgage/Loan Broker?

Once you have determined the loan characteristics most important to you, you will have to choose whether to use the services of a mortgage broker or go…

Nov 12, 2020

A Lingering Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a serious disturbance in the commercial real estate market. This problem may remain for some time to come.

Sep 17, 2020

The more you know….

September 18, 2020 Featured, News, recent post Loan requests from borrowers or brokers?

Aug 20, 2020

What is a “Hard Money” Loan?

What is a “hard money” loan? Conventional lenders utilize what has become known as the “5 C’s” in determining whether to make a loan.

Aug 5, 2020

“Soft” Hard Money?

What is “Soft” Hard Money? It’s a hybrid type of commercial mortgage financing. It attempts to fill a gap between conventional ‘five c’s’ financing, and…

Jul 13, 2020

Beware!

Beware! There are many mortgage brokers who disguise themselves as lenders. Read the fine print, some terms advertised are “not available” for the loan you…

May 18, 2020

Borrowers Still asking Crazy Questions During Pandemic

5\. “It says you lend nationwide. Does that include all 50 states or just the 13 colonies?” 4\. “Can I get a loan if I don’t have a name?”

Feb 16, 2020

In Real Estate, Is Cash Still King?

Or is so much cash readily available that having cash to make real property purchases no longer hold the cache it used to?

Jan 11, 2020

A Sudden Increase for Hard Money

PMF Partners have noticed an influx of new applications from borrowers who normally wouldn’t use hard money.

Oct 29, 2019

How Our Business has Changed in 20 years

How most loan applications are submitted 1999\. – Fax

Sep 29, 2019

The Top 5 Things Commercial Mortgage Brokers Can Do to Increase Their Income

5\. Work only on doable loans …. stop working on loans with little or no chance of being financed and spend the time saved on more productive pursuits, like…

Aug 29, 2019

Why Most Borrowers Should Use Mortgage Brokers – Part 2

As a direct lender, I am constantly told by “consultants” that I need to change my business from utilizing mortgage brokers for deal flow to operating…

Jul 29, 2019

What Are They Thinking? Crazy Questions from Borrowers

1\. “How much does my property have to be worth to borrow how much”? 2\. “Can I borrower under an assumed name”?

Jul 1, 2019

The 5 Biggest Lies About Financing Told By Real Estate Gurus

1\. That you can buy real property with no income, bad credit and no money. 2\. That you can “over leverage” a property and obtain financing for more than…

May 19, 2019

Why Crowdfunding has NOT Been Effective for Commercial Mortgage Loans

Why Has Crowdfunding NOT Been Effective For Commercial Mortgage Loans? 1\. Disconnect between ability to raise capital and ability to generate deal flow…

Apr 21, 2019

The Most Ridiculous Loan Packages I Ever Received

5\. A list of loan requests copied and pasted from Scotsman Guide with the broker adding a note to include 3 points for his “referrals”. 4\.

Apr 7, 2019

Five Top Signs that You Should Not Waste Time With a Borrower

5\. The first thing he tells you is that the last four brokers he worked with were crooks 4\.

Mar 13, 2019

Rents can “Easily be Raised”?

Almost every seller out there says that he’s renting his property below market and “rents can easily be raised”.

Feb 3, 2019

HOW COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE BROKERS CAN EARN $250,000 (or more) ANNUALLY

After 20 years as a private mortgage/hard money direct lender, I have dealt with over one thousand commercial mortgage brokers.

Jan 27, 2019

MORTGAGE BROKERS: Most Productive Use of Your Time

Mortgage Brokers: MOST Productive use of your time: 1\. Speaking with QUALIFIED borrowers

Dec 14, 2018

EDUCATING POTENTIAL BORROWERS

I feel like commercial mortgage brokers and commercial mortgage lenders need to do a better job of educating potential borrowers about what is required to…

Nov 26, 2018

THE TOP 5 CRAZY BORROWER QUESTIONS ASKED IN 2018

5\. If I use your capital and pay the interest, will you fill out my tax return? 4\.

Aug 23, 2018

How Mortgage Brokers Can Salvage a Deal When the Borrower Owes More than the Property will Support

1\. Negotiate a reduced payoff with the current lien holder(s) 2\. Ask the borrower if he has other property he owns free and clear to add as additional…

Apr 2, 2018

Breaking through the Loan Approval Nonsense

Many lenders seem to be afraid to approve a commercial mortgage loan. Their requests for ever more exotic and marginally relevant information, documents…

Feb 28, 2018

Beware Hidden Fees

TICS (Tenants in Common), 1031 exchanges, REITS, Real Estate Mutual Funds, LLCs, Limited Partnerships.

Feb 28, 2018

Private Mortgage Loans Provide a Short-Term Financing Alternative

Private mortgage loans are made by private lenders instead of traditional financing sources such as banks,lending institutions, or government agencies.

Feb 26, 2018

How a direct private lender can support a changing retail landscape

Retail is one of the industries hardest hit by the digital revolution. Traditional storefronts have taken a big hit in recent years, creating a pool of eager…

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Hard money loans nationwide, secured by commercial and investment real estate. Close in as fast as 48 hours.