Hard money
Hard money loans for real estate investors
Short-term, asset-based loans to buy, renovate, build or bridge investment property. Sized on the deal, not your paycheck, with up to 90% of the price and 100% of the rehab.
- Up to 90% of purchase and 100% of the renovation
- A straight answer before you pay for an appraisal
- Licensed company, NMLS #2817729, published guidelines
Got it. Thank you.
We’ll review your deal and call you back. If it’s urgent, call 310-654-1577.
Hard money loan terms
- Programs
- Fix and flip, construction, bridge
- Purchase price financed
- Up to 90% fix and flip
- Rehab or construction budget
- 100%, released in draws
- Loan amount
- $50K – $3M
- Term
- 12 months, interest only 18–24 months for builds and additions
- Prepayment penalty
- None
- Credit score
- From 660 680 for a first flip
- Where
- Many states including California, Florida, Texas
Program maximums for non-owner-occupied 1–4 unit investment property. Not a commitment to lend. Program guidelines current as of November 2026.
What is a hard money lender?
A hard money lender makes short-term loans secured by investment real estate and sized mainly on the property and the deal: the price, the renovation budget and what the property will be worth when the work is done. Credit and experience still count, but there are no tax returns or pay stubs, and the loan is paid back when you sell or refinance, usually within 12 months.
Our hard money loans are fix and flip, ground-up construction and bridge loans under published guidelines, closed in your LLC or corporation. Deal in Los Angeles or elsewhere in California? See hard money loans in California at West Coast Capital Mortgage.
Which hard money loan fits your deal?
Start with what you’re doing with the property.
| Your deal | Loan | Maximum | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buying a house that needs work | Fix and flip | 90% of price + 100% of rehab | 12 months |
| Building on a lot or a teardown | Ground-up construction | 75% of land + 100% of construction | 12–24 months |
| Finished, listed or leasing up | Bridge | 70% of value | 12 months |
| Done and rented, keeping it | DSCR rental (the long-term exit) | 80% LTV | 30 years |
How to get a hard money loan
One contact from your first call until the loan is paid off.
- Send the dealThe address, the price, the budget, the sale price or rent, and the projects you’ve done. Send it by form or call; there’s no application at this point.
- Get a straight answerWhich loan fits and roughly how much it covers, before you spend money on an appraisal. If the deal doesn’t work, you’ll hear that too.
- Written termsWe run a soft credit check that doesn’t affect your score and send a term sheet. Then we order the appraisal and coordinate title, insurance and your company documents.
- Close in your LLCFunds go to escrow at closing. Rehab and construction money is released in draws as the work is done.
Hard money vs. bridge vs. DSCR
A hard money loan is the short-term money that buys and fixes or builds. A bridge loan is short-term money on a finished property: it buys time while the property sells or leases up. A DSCR loan is the long-term exit: once the property is rented, it refinances the hard money loan into a 30-year loan qualified on the rent.
Unlike a bank mortgage, a hard money loan doesn’t need tax returns or W-2s, can close on a property that needs work, and funds the renovation as part of the loan.
Hard money questions
What is a hard money lender?
A lender that makes short-term loans secured by investment real estate and sized mainly on the property and the deal, rather than your personal income.
How do hard money loans work?
Part of the price is funded at closing, the renovation budget is held back and released in draws as the work is done, and you pay the loan off when you sell or refinance, usually within 12 months. Payments are interest only.
Do hard money lenders check credit?
Yes. Our programs start at 660, or 680 for a first flip. Terms are based on a soft pull that doesn’t affect your score.
How much down payment do I need?
Usually 10% to 25% of the price plus closing costs. The rehab is financed at 100%.
Do you require an appraisal?
Yes, it sets the as-is and after-repair values. We size the loan with you first, so you know where you stand before paying for one.
Do hard money lenders need to be licensed?
It depends on the state and the loan. West Coast Capital Mortgage holds California DRE corporation license #02440065 (NMLS #2817729), which you can verify on NMLS Consumer Access.
How do I get out of a hard money loan?
Sell the property, or refinance into a 30-year DSCR loan once it’s rented. If the sale takes longer, a bridge loan can pay off the rehab loan.
Can I get a hard money loan for my first flip?
Yes. With 680+ credit you get 75% of the price, up to 90% with 740+, plus 100% of a light or moderate rehab. See loans for first-time investors.
Can I get a hard money loan with no money down?
No. Plan on at least 10% of the price plus closing costs. The renovation itself can be financed at 100%.
Which states do you lend in?
Many states. California, Florida and Texas are our main markets; for a property anywhere else, check availability: tell us the state and the loan you need, and we’ll confirm what’s available.
Other loan programs
Have a deal that needs hard money?
Send the address, the price, the budget and what it will be worth when it’s done. You’ll hear how much the loan covers before you pay for an appraisal.