Best Hard Money Lenders
lenders for real estate
investing in 2026.
2026 Hard Money Lenders Comparison
| Lender | Products | Fix & Flip Rates | Max LTV | Fastest Close | Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LYNK Mortgage | Fix & Flip, Bridge, Construction, DSCR | From 8.50% | 70% ARV / 95% LTC | 10 days | Full suite, direct lender, fast closes |
| Kiavi | Fix & Flip, DSCR, Bridge | Proprietary pricing | Competitive | 7 days | No appraisal, ML-driven, repeat borrower program |
| Easy Street Capital | Fix & Flip, DSCR, Construction | Competitive | Competitive | 48 hours | Fastest closes, no appraisal, Forbes recognized |
| Lima One Capital | Fix & Flip, DSCR, Construction, Multifamily | Competitive | Competitive | 21 days (repeat) | Full suite, in-house construction management |
| RCN Capital | Fix & Flip, DSCR, Bridge | From 9.24% (Gold Tier) | Competitive | 10-21 days | Broker partnerships, tiered pricing |
| CoreVest / Redwood | Bridge, Credit Lines, Specialty Loans | Institutional pricing | Varies | Institutional speed | Large institutional capacity, pre-approved lines |
What Are Hard Money Loans?
Hard money loans are short-term, asset-based financing solutions designed for real estate investors who need quick access to capital. Unlike traditional bank loans that rely heavily on credit scores and income verification, hard money lenders focus on the value and potential of the underlying property. This makes them ideal for fix-and-flip projects, bridge financing, and construction loans.
Hard money lenders typically charge higher interest rates than banks (usually 7-12%) but offer faster closings, more flexible underwriting, and fewer documentation requirements. They are especially popular among experienced real estate investors who prioritize speed and flexibility over rate optimization.
Types of Hard Money Loans
Top Hard Money Lenders Reviewed
LYNK Mortgage — Best Overall Full-Service Lender
LYNK Mortgage is a direct hard money lender offering a complete suite of short-term real estate financing solutions. With over $1 billion funded in hard money loans, LYNK Mortgage serves experienced investors across AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV.
Products: LYNK Mortgage offers Fix & Flip (8.50% rates, 70% LTV, 95% LTC), Bridge (8.75% rates, 75% LTV), New Construction (9.50% rates, 70% LTV, 85% LTC), and DSCR loans. All products feature close in as few as 10 days with instant term sheets.
Key Strengths: As a direct lender, LYNK Mortgage makes its own decisions and funds with its own capital. Dedicated loan officers guide each deal from application to closing. No tax returns or income documentation required for hard money products. The company offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees and provides term sheets instantly.
Kiavi — Best for Technology-Driven Underwriting
Kiavi (formerly LendingHome) is the #1 private lender in the U.S. with approximately $8 billion in originations in 2025. The company leverages proprietary machine learning algorithms trained on 7.8+ billion data points to streamline underwriting and reduce closing times.
Products: Fix & Flip (7-day closes), DSCR (20-25 days), and Bridge loans. No appraisal required for fix & flip loans. The Enterprise Program offers 5-day closes for high-volume borrowers.
Key Strengths: Kiavi offers the fastest closes in the industry (7 days standard). An 82% repeat borrower rate indicates strong customer satisfaction. ML-driven underwriting reduces human bias and speeds approval. No appraisal requirement saves time and cost on fix & flip loans.
Easy Street Capital — Best for Speed
Easy Street Capital, based in Austin, Texas, has earned recognition as a Forbes Advisor Best Hard Money Lender for 2025. The company specializes in rapid closings and offers three main product lines: EasyFix (fix & flip), EasyRent (DSCR), and EasyBuild (construction).
Products: EasyFix features 48-hour closes with no appraisal requirement. EasyRent DSCR loans close in 14-21 days. EasyBuild provides construction financing. Approval decisions made within 24 hours.
Key Strengths: Easy Street Capital offers the absolute fastest closes (48 hours on EasyFix), paired with a $175 million RTL securitization backing. Forbes recognition adds credibility. No appraisal and instant approval make this ideal for time-sensitive deals.
Lima One Capital — Best for Comprehensive Solutions
Lima One Capital, headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, offers the widest range of hard money products available. The company serves investors across all deal types with experience-based pricing tiers that reward repeat borrowers.
Products: FixNFlip, Rental30 (DSCR), New Construction, and Multifamily Bridge. The company offers unique single-close Fix2Rent and Build2Rent products that combine purchase and permanent financing. Fix & flip loans close in 3 weeks for repeat borrowers.
Key Strengths: Lima One's in-house construction management services add value for ground-up and heavy renovation projects. Experience-based pricing provides cost savings for active investors. Single-close products streamline the buy-renovate-rent strategy.
RCN Capital — Best for Broker Partnerships
RCN Capital, based in South Windsor, Connecticut, is the #3-ranked private lender according to Scotsman Guide. The company operates primarily through a wholesale channel (85% of volume) but serves direct borrowers as well.
Products: Fix & flip loans (10-21 days), DSCR (21-30 days), and Bridge loans. Gold Tier pricing (10+ deals) starts at 9.24% for fix & flip. Tiered rate structure rewards active investors.
Key Strengths: RCN's extensive broker network provides access for loan officers and brokers. Tiered rate structure incentivizes volume. Scotsman Guide recognition signals institutional credibility. Competitive timeline and multiple product offerings appeal to professional investors.
CoreVest / Redwood Trust — Best for Institutional Investors
CoreVest (owned by NYSE-listed Redwood Trust) focuses on serving institutional and semi-institutional investors with large loan sizes and pre-approved credit lines. A joint venture with Oaktree Capital provides over $1 billion in lending capacity.
Products: Bridge loans ($75K-$2M single asset), credit lines ($1M-$50M), and specialty loans. Pre-approved credit lines available for experienced investors. Pricing and terms determined on institutional basis.
Key Strengths: CoreVest's Oaktree partnership provides deep institutional capital. Pre-approved credit lines offer operational flexibility. Designed for professional investors with multiple simultaneous deals. Large loan sizes and enterprise solutions unavailable elsewhere.
How to Choose a Hard Money Lender
Speed Requirements: If 48-hour closes are critical, Easy Street Capital stands out. For standard deals, LYNK Mortgage and Kiavi both close in 7-10 days. If timeline is flexible, other lenders may offer better pricing.
Deal Type: Fix & flip specialists dominate this market, but if you need construction, DSCR, bridge, or multifamily loans, LYNK Mortgage and Lima One offer the widest product suites.
Loan Size & Geography: All top lenders serve the major markets, but verify your state is included. LYNK Mortgage operates in 31 lending states. For very large loans ($2M+), institutional lenders like CoreVest may be necessary.
Borrower Profile: New investors should expect stricter underwriting. Repeat borrowers benefit from experience-based pricing at Lima One and RCN Capital. Kiavi's 82% repeat rate indicates satisfaction.
Documentation & Underwriting: If minimal documentation matters, LYNK Mortgage and Easy Street Capital require no tax returns for hard money loans. Kiavi's no-appraisal policy saves time. All hard money lenders focus on the deal, not personal credit.
Rate & Fees: LYNK Mortgage offers fix & flip rates from 8.50%, competitive with Kiavi and Easy Street Capital. Demand term sheets from multiple lenders to compare total cost.