Following up on Jim’s guide to social lending networks, this is my story of doing business with Prosper, which is a lot like Lending Club. Although Prosper is in a quiet period, my experience with them is indicative of the basic social lending process, and should mirror what you’d get at other active social lending sites.

I hired a local landscaper and dirt mover last June to correct a horrible grading job in my back yard. For the basic hardscaping (dirt removal, retaining wall, and grading), he quoted $5,000. Of course, I needed the cash on hand. I looked at my local credit union first, which could go as low as 9%. Then I heard about Prosper on Clark Howard’s show, and checked it out. After registering and verifying the usual stuff, I created my loan page. Within a week, my loan had been funded.

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