The 5 Best Hard Money Lenders of 2025 (+ Interest Rates & Fees)

A hard money loan is a financing option for borrowers looking to invest in real estate, especially if they might have difficulty getting a traditional bank loan to do so. It can be a flexible, although expensive, alternative that offers short repayment terms in which the loan is secured by the real estate being financed.

If you’re looking for a hard money lender that has flexible qualifications and can offer quick access to funds for a new investment or fix-and-flip property, take a look at the lenders I’ve reviewed below.

• Kiavi: Best overall for favorable rates and terms
• RCN Capital: Best for investors with varying experience
• Lima One Capital: Best for various investment strategies
• New Silver: Best for instant loan approvals 
• Easy Street Capital: Best for quick funding speeds

The Close’s top picks for best hard money lenders

Kiavi: Best overall for favorable rates and terms

Visit Kiavi

Why I chose Kiavi

For fix-and-flip investors, Kiavi is a noteworthy contender to consider. It offers fix-and-flip financing and efficient loan processing that can get you access to funding for your investment quickly. You can close in as little as 7 days, allowing you to compete with cash buyers and tackle your project as quickly as possible. It keeps the process simple, with no application fees, appraisals, or income verification to get started.

Additionally, its starting rates are highly competitive, along with its flexible qualification requirements. You don’t even need prior flipping experience in order to be considered eligible, which is a great benefit for new investors working on their first few projects.

Additional features

• Prequalification: With just a soft credit pull, real estate investors can prepare to make quick offers on any opportunities that arise.
• Flexible loan amounts: With loans up to $3 million, Kiavi can accommodate a wide variety of project needs, from small renovations to large-scale projects.

RCN Capital: Best for investors with varying experience

Visit RCN Capital

Why I chose RCN Capital

Whether you’re a new, intermediate, or experienced investor, RCN Capital has financing options available for your project. It can fund large-scale development projects, multiple rental properties, and more since it offers high lending limits. That said, it determines the maximum loan value based on the loan program and the value of the real estate asset as collateral. Rates and LTV can vary based on your experience. However, rates, terms, and qualifications are quite competitive.

With RCN Capital, you only pay interest on the money you’ve actually borrowed, not the portion set aside for renovations. Since there are no penalties for paying early, you can wrap things up ahead of schedule and keep more cash in your pocket. It has a pretty standard application process that can be completed online and involves credit checks, background checks, bank statements, and property appraisals.

Additional features

• Rehab Budget Builder: This tool is available to help investors analyze their investments to understand cost, risk, ROI, etc.
• Video Library: It includes up-to-date videos that offer market updates, investment tips, and motivational content.

Lima One Capital: Best for various investment strategies

Visit Lima One Capital

Why I chose Lima One Capital

Lima One Capital offers multiple financing options, which can be used for a wide variety of investment uses, such as rentals, new builds, multifamily properties, and short-term rentals. Plus, it gives investors a range of different loan terms and structures depending on their specific investment needs. With repayment terms up to 24 months, it’s a great pick for experienced borrowers looking to finance and manage their projects quickly.

Its qualifications are pretty flexible, but rates, terms, and conditions will all vary based on your creditworthiness, experience, and investment goals.

Additional features

• Case studies: Detailed case studies on the website illustrate the strategies, financial figures, challenges, and outcomes of real-world property investments.
• Podcast: A podcast covers various topics relevant to real estate investing and provides ongoing education and industry insights in an easily accessible audio format.

New Silver: Best for instant loan approval

Visit New Silver

Why I chose New Silver

New Silver offers a streamlined loan application and approval process that’s fueled by AI. Real estate investors looking for a fix-and-flip hard money loan can benefit from its instant online approval, in which the application takes as little as 5 minutes. The closing timeline is also swift, and can be facilitated in as quick as 5 days.

The loans are secured by real estate and only require a soft credit pull and property value assessment to get started. There’s no income verification necessary, cutting down the need for paperwork and ultimately speeding up the time between application and accessing funds for your project.

Additional features

• Advantage Program: Enhanced loan terms and rates for repeat borrowers who have successfully completed previous projects with New Silver.
• The Lender Blog: An up-to-date blog covering various real estate topics such as strategy, market trends, and success stories.

Easy Street Capital: Best for quick funding speeds

Visit Easy Street Capital

Why I chose Easy Street Capital

Easy Street Capital offers fix-and-flip, rental, and construction loans, but its EasyFix program stands out for speed. With competitive starting rates and one of the fastest approval and funding timelines, it’s a strong pick if you need to close quickly or compete with other offers.

It’s also one of the most accessible options, with a low minimum credit score requirement. Loans are available nationwide (check their site for state availability) and can be used for residential properties with 2-10 units. Plus, there are no appraisal requirements or prepayment penalties, which helps keep costs down. The application is simple and light on documentation, and you’ll typically get a term sheet within 24 hours. You can apply online or reach out directly to a representative to get started.

Additional features

• Available investment properties: Listings provided on the website that showcase potential real estate investment opportunities to take advantage of. 
• Industry Insights: Articles that reference industry terms, trends, and insights for interested investors.

How to choose a hard money lender

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a first-timer, working with the right hard loan lenders is vital to the success of your project. It’s important to carefully consider your options and determine your budget and strategy. Keep these factors in mind when you’re on the lookout for the top hard money loan lenders:

• Lender reputation: Research the lender’s track record, customer reviews, and industry reputation to ensure they are reliable and fair.
• Loan terms: Fully comprehend all loan terms, including interest rates, fees, loan-to-value ratio, and repayment schedule.
• Speed of funding: Since time is often critical, assess how quickly the lender can process and fund the loan.
• Professional advice: Consider consulting with a financial advisor or real estate professional to help navigate the process and select the best lender for your unique needs.
• Compare multiple offers: Don’t settle for the first lender you meet. Compare different offers to find the best terms and rates.
• Transparency: Ensure the lender is transparent about all costs, fees, and any penalties associated with the loans.

Methodology: How I chose the best hard money lenders

We use a methodology focused on the most critical factors to find the top hard money lenders for real estate to create an unbiased review. I reviewed various lenders against multiple key factors to ensure I viewed them through the lens of what would be most important to a potential real estate investor. The detailed analysis then isolated lenders that support good, solid financial solutions and blend well with various investment strategies and goals.

Key factors involved with this process included the following:

• Interest rates and loan terms: Assessed the competitiveness and flexibility of each lender’s offerings.
• Speed of loan processing and funding: Evaluated how quickly each lender processes and disburses funds, a crucial factor for time-sensitive investments.
• Lender reputation: Examined customer reviews and industry feedback to gauge each lender’s reliability and overall customer satisfaction
• Transparency: Focused on how openly each lender communicates fee structures and loan conditions, ensuring no hidden costs exist.
• Geographical coverage: Considered the availability of services across different regions to accommodate investors in various locations
• Target audience suitability: Analyzed which types of real estate investors (e.g., fix-and-flippers, buy-and-hold investors, and commercial developers) best cater to them based on their product offerings and specialty areas

Alternatives to hard money loans

If you think a hard money loan might be too risky, there are some alternatives you can consider instead. This could include:

• Commercial Real Estate (CRE) loans: It might be worth considering a traditional CRE loan rather than a hard money loan. Whether you’re looking to purchase, renovate, or refinance, CRE loans have flexibility. These loans usually have more favorable rates and carry less risk than hard money loans. For some options, check our roundup of the best CRE loans.
• Business line of credit: A business line of credit can provide you access to funds on an as-needed basis. If you need flexibility to purchase a property on the fly, a business line of credit might be able to help you do it. You only pay interest on what you borrow, and you’ll have the ability to repay over time. 
• HELOC: A home equity line of credit can be used to finance the acquisition of a property, and its limit is tied to the value of your home. Similar to a business line of credit, you can use it as you need, and repay the balance over time. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Your Take

Choosing a hard money lender for your next investment and comparing rates, terms, and features can be an overwhelming process. I recommend using this guide as a starting point, as the best choice for you will not only finance your project but also support your strategy and overall investment goals. Be sure to choose the right lender that will set you up for success.