Having a friend or loved one in jail can be a very distressful situation for many people. If you would like to see him or her be able to come home while awaiting their court date, you will need to bail them out. Oftentimes, people find that the amount of the bail is much more than they can afford to pay on their own. This is when they turn to a bail bond agent. Here are some things you will need to know about agreeing to sign a bail bond: 

You Will Still Need Some Cash Of Your Own

Most of the time, the bail bond agent will need you to put up a certain amount of your own money. While each bail bondsman is allowed to set their own rules, many tend to ask for at least ten percent of the total amount of the bail. This has to be provided by you in cash and the bondsman will cover the rest.

You May Need To Give Some Collateral

Depending on the total amount of the bail and possibly the type of crime that the defendant is accused of, you may be asked to put something up as collateral. This way, if the person you are bailing out of jail does not appear at all of the scheduled hearings or actually skips state, the bail bondsman will be able to collect the collateral in order to get his or her money back. Most of the time, it is a vehicle or even a home that is used. Therefore, there is a lot on the line so it is not a decision that you will want to take lightly.

Your Home Could Be Subject To Searches

Just a couple of missed phone calls could cause the bail bondsman to get a little worried and want to check in with the client, or defendant, in person. Since you are the signer of the bail bond, there is a good chance the bondsman could show up on your door and ask to have a look around inside, even if you state that the person they are looking for is not there. This type of inconvenience is why you will want to have total confidence that the person you intend to bail out will follow all of the rules and the requirements of their bond.

If after careful consideration of all of the previously mentioned points, you still want to obtain a bail bond, you will want to get in touch with a company like Fausto's Bail Bonds.