7 Best Hard Money Lenders in Oregon

Oregon sits on the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Northwest region of the country. It is one of the most diverse states from a geographical per specific because it’s home to evergreen forests, volcanoes, numerous bodies of water, high deserts, and much more. It’s also a state with a strong economy that’s based on technology, agriculture, fishing, and hydroelectric power. A number of large companies call Oregon home, including Nike, Inc., and Intel. Some of the largest cities here include Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Bend, offering a significant amount of home styles. Communities like Hillsboro feature residentially- dense communities, whereas in Bend, there’s a significant amount of larger properties and remote areas.

Homes in Oregon range in price but remain far more affordable than the state’s neighbors to the north or south. The average sale price of a home in Oregon is $289,900, according to government records, which is slightly above the average for the U.S. Overall, the housing community here ranges from high-end, luxury communities, especially near Portland and the waterfront, to more affordable and lower priced, even urban cities in areas of Portland, Gresham, and Salem. A bit more upscale and with a higher cost of living, Oregon offers a competitive real estate market that’s hard to overlook for investment purposes.

One key area of interest is in rental properties here. The U.S. Census Bureau states that 67.3 percent of people in the state own their home and 32.7 percent rent their homes. That’s a high level of rentals in some areas. Also, just 3.3 percent of rental properties in the state are vacant. That could indicate there are some areas that may benefit from additional rental housing options. That could create an opportunity for many investors to purchase at competitively low prices and rent out.

How hard money loans work

A hard money loan is a type of asset-based loan. In this type of financing, the value of the home helps to secure the property for the lender. The borrower receives the money needed to purchase the property minus any down payment made. The lender is often a private investor or an investment firm that offers loans at a slightly higher interest rate to borrowers looking for competitive financing for sometimes hard-to-finance loans. Hard money lenders in Oregon are taking on a higher level of risk in offering these loans because they are often on fix and flip properties, rental properties, bridge loans, or other types of higher risk commercial real estate loans that other lenders are less likely to fund.

Additionally, hard money loans provide borrowers with a way to borrow more than what is traditionally available. That is because some hard money loans in Oregon are based on the after repair value (ARV) of the home rather than its current value. That is an important component of these loans since those types of homes can be in significant need of repair. Some lenders offer up to 70 percent of the property’s ARV, and others will lend based o the total value of the property, including the land.

Keep in mind that these are secured loans. If the borrower stops making payments on them, the lender can pursue steps to foreclose on the loan, forcing the sale of the property no matter how much the borrower has put into that project. Because there is a higher risk, most lenders charge a higher interest rate on these loans than would be found on a traditional loan. Yet, many of these loans would not be available through traditional lenders.

7 Top Oregon hard money lenders

If you’re in the market for a real estate investment project in Oregon, consider these hard money lenders that are available for projects in the state.

1. Northwest Private Lending

Northwest Private Lending is a family-run company with 30 years of lending experience primarily servicing the Oregon, Idaho and Washington areas. Located in Lake Oswego, they provide fix and flip loans, rehab and refinance loans, bridge loans, commercial loans, construction loans and 1031 loans.

We contacted Northwest Private Lending to learn more about their private lending business and here are some of the highlights:

• Loan origination fee is 3 points or a $2,500 minimum fee
• Loan amounts range from $50,000 to $2 million
• Loan terms are 1 month to 10 years
• Interest only
• No property appraisal required
• No prepayment penalty

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

2. Gregory M. Russell

Started by Greg and Rachel Russel, this is a brokerage shop in Oregon that can take out some of the legwork for you in Oregon if you’re looking for private money loans for fix and flip, commercial, lot or mobile home loans.

We contacted Gregory M. Russell to learn more about their private lending business and here are some of the highlights:

• Hard money loans on any type of Oregon property
• Loan amounts of $25,00 to $250,000
• Loans up to 1/2 of the property value
• Interest only loans to fully amortizing loans
• No prepayment penalty
• Properties cannot be owner-occupied

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

3. Easy Street Capital

East Street Capital is based in Austin, Texas but lends nationwide except in North and South Dakota. Founded by Stephen Hagerman in 2016, Easy Street Capital has over six years of experience in the real estate investing world.

We reached out to Easy Street Capital to learn more about their hard money loans and this is what we found:

• Interest rates range from 6.9% – 10.9%
• Points range from 2-3
• There is a $1495 document fee
• No minimum credit score required
• Down payments of at least 10% required
• Renovation financing ok
• Fix and Flip loans do not typically have prepayment penalties

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

4. EquityMax

EquityMax is based out of Florida and most of its business in the state but is able to lend throughout the United States. Founded by Brad Emmer in 1990, EquityMax has decades of experience as a hard money lender.

We reached out to EquityMax to learn more about their hard money loans and these are the key highlights that you need to know:

• Single Family Homes
• 1-4 Multi-Unit Properties
• Condos and Townhomes ok
• Commercial property and Industrial Warehouses OK
• Direct lender that has decision making over financing deals.
• Can originate loans to individuals, LLCs, corporations, land trusts and self-directed IRAs.
• No prepayment penalties
• No minimum credit score required

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

5. Stratton Equities

Stratton Equities is a nationwide direct hard money lender for real estate investors. Founded by Michael Mikhail in 2017, Stratton Equities has over five years of experience in the private lending market.

We reached out to Stratton Equities to get more information about their hard money lending program and here are some highlights:

• Loan amounts from $100,000 up to $5 million
• Investment properties only
• Single-Family, Condos, Townhomes, Multi-Family, Commercial, Mixed-Use, Office, Retail, Industrial and Warehouse are all ok
• Up to a 75% LTV
• Rates start at 7.25%
• Interest only payments
• Loan terms are 9-24 months
• Foreign nationals are eligible
• No prepayment penalty option is available

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

6. LendSimpli

LendSimpli is a hard money lender based in Tampa, Florida. They can lend nationally in most states but may not be able to lend if the property is in a rural area. Founded by Brenden Crampton and Matthew Davies in 2018, they have nearly four years of experience in the private lending real estate investing market.

We reached out to LendSimpli to get more details about their bridge loan product and this is what we found:

• Loan amounts up to $5 million for 1-4 unit properties
• Loan amounts up to $20 million for 5+ unit properties
• Single family (1-4 units)
• Multifamily (5-20 units)
• No owner-occupied properties
• Loan terms 12-24 months
• Interest-only payments with rates starting at 8.50%
• Max LTC is 90% of project costs
• Minimum credit score is 660
• Prefer that you have at least two transactions in the past three years

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

7. HouseMax Funding

HouseMax Funding is based out of Austin, Texas but has a national footprint when it comes to real estate industry lending. Started by Jeff Fetcher and Alex Morris, HouseMax provides asset-based loan financing to investors for real estate transactions.

We reached out to HouseMax to learn more about their hard money lending program and here is what we found:

• Minimum loan amount is $75,000
• Lends up to 75% of the after-repair value (APV)
• 1-3 points origination charge
• 3 months reserves required
• Direct lender that approves loans internally and funds using their own private capital.
• Lends in urban and suburban communities in all 50 states.
• Goal is to close loans in 10 days or less.
• Specializes in fix & flip loans, construction and rental loans
• Multi-family and commercial properties are ok

When you’re ready to connect with a loan officer, use our form to quickly match with eligible loan programs based on your specific circumstances.

Pros/Cons of Oregon hard money loans

There are numerous reasons to choose a hard money loan over other types of loans. Here’s a look at some pros and cons for doing so.

Pros

Oregon hard money loans are available to borrowers who may not have a proven history of working with rental properties. They are also available with lower down payment requirements in many situations, which can open the door for more investors who would not qualify for traditional loans that may require up to 20 percent down. In short, these loans are more accessible than many would find with traditional lenders.

Additionally, they offer a higher value because the loans are based on ARV. That makes it possible for borrowers to obtain funds on property that really needs a lot of work to bring it up to a quality standard. For many borrowers, this is critical to helping to secure any loan.

The terms of these loans are often set by private investors with less oversight from the government. That means lenders may be more willing and able to offer more flexible lending options and conditions to fit the individual needs of the situation. They may also be able to process the loans faster and get the borrower ownership sooner. A private money lender may be the right choice if you have a strong track record with investments made in other real estate. If you’re looking into all your options, a private lender may help you bridge the gap in terms of loan types. It’s common sense to look at all the different factors upfront and to speak with mortgage brokers about specifics if you want to buy more residential real estate or other property types.

Cons

The biggest downfall of these loans is that they do have a higher cost associated with them. Interest rates range from 8 to 15 percent and could be higher and lower based on borrower qualifications. There are also often higher fees associated with these loans. Verify loan rates and origination fees for these short-term loans so that you know your total requirements when buying any residential properties.

The loans are also only for up to five years, which means the borrower needs to refinance or sell the property within that period of time. This ends up being a benefit for many borrowers in fix and flip properties.

Looking for a hard money lender in a different state?

If you want to find the best hard money lenders in other states, click on your state below.