8 Best Hard Money Lenders in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is an Upper Midwestern state that sits on the borders of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Its largest city is Milwaukee, with other large cities including Green Bay and Kenosha. It has a diverse geography with areas of deep plains to forests. It’s home to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The state has a thriving economy that is heavily focused on dairy production, agriculture, and information technology. It has also long had a strong manufacturing and healthcare industry. Over the years, tourism has also built up, especially near the shorelines. Home to about 5.6 million people, this isn’t a small state in size of population. It has a moderate cost of living, too.

Many of these factors help to make Wisconsin an ideal place to live. Its real estate market remains competitive, benefiting from low interest rates and limited availability of homes in some areas. Single family homes are most common here, but other property types, such as condos and townhomes, make up a component of the market as well. The median purchase price of a home in Wisconsin is $275,000 according to the Wisconsin Realtors Association. That’s about average or a bit higher for the country. That value has grown over the last decade at a consistent and steady pace.

Wisconsin is also a heavy homeownership state. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 77.8 percent of people here own their homes, and 22.2 percent rent them. That is much higher than most other states. It may be due to the affordability of homes in this region or simply because many people who live here remain here. Of the rental properties in the state, 7.3 percent are vacant, which is also a high percentage compared to other states.

How hard money loans work

A hard money loan is a type of real estate backed loan secured by the value of the property itself. Borrowers for these loans are typically investors who are unable to secure a loan for investment needs through a traditional bank or lender. These loans are more accessible overall because they are not regulated by the federal government in the same way.

Rather, hard money lenders in Wisconsin establish the terms and conditions they will accept for those they lend to. These loans are typically for fix and flip projects, rental income projects, bridge loans, or other types of investments in commercial real estate. These properties tend to carry a high risk level, which is why many other lenders do not offer them.

Hard money loans in Wisconsin are typically short term loans that last from one to five years. Lenders expect borrowers to sell the property (as is the case with a fix and flip home) or refinance the loan into a more affordable, longer term loan.

As short term loans, borrowers often benefit from less time for interest to accumulate on the loan. That is a good thing since most hard money loans have an interest rate that ranges from 8 to 15 percent, which is much higher than a traditional loan. This high rate helps to compensate lenders for the higher risk they are taking on to offer these loans.

Another factor to consider when comparing these loans is their value. Many lenders will use the after repair value (ARV) of the property rather than its current value when determining the value of the property. That’s important for investors who may be buying some high risk property that needs new foundations, significant upgrades, or a complete renovation to make them into profitable investments. This is another key reason some buyers turn to hard money loans over traditional loans, which typically do not offer those terms.

8 Top Wisconsin hard money lenders

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

1. BridgeWell Capital 

BridgeWell Capital got started in 2008 and, according to their website, has funded over $500 million in real estate investment deals. They lend throughout the midwest and eastern part of the country and offer the typical suite of private money financing.

We contacted BridgeWell Capital to learn more about their private lending business and here are some of the highlights:

• Rental loans require 25% down
• Residential and commercial properties ok
• No tax returns or income verification
• 5-year rental loan term
• Fix and flip loans can cover 100% of rehab costs
• Up to 75% ARV
• No interest on undrawn rehab funds
• No pre-payment 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. Lima One Capital

Lima One Capital is based in Greenville, South Carolina and founded by former Marines. They lend throughout the United States and offer typical private money lending products like Fix and Flip, bridge loans, construction loans, rental loans and multi-family loans.

We contacted Lima One Capital to learn more about their private lending business and here are some of the highlights:

• For Fix and Flip loans, up to 90% LTC and 70% LTV for loans from $75K to $3 million
• 12, 19 and 24-month terms available
• Interest only loans
• For Fix and Rent loans, can finance single properties or portfolio loans with 5, 10, 30-year term options available
• For rental property, can fund loans from $75K to $1 million up to 80% LTV on purchases and refinances.

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. 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.

4. Fund That Flip

Fund That Flip is a hard money lender based in New York that focuses on short term bridge loans for real estate investors looking to flip properties. Founded by Matt Rodak in 2014, Fund That Flip lends in most states.

We contacted Fund That Flip to learn more about their bridge loan program and here is what we found:

• Up to 80% LTC and 70% ARV ratios for your project
• Rates start at 9.99%
• Direct lender with discretionary capital
• Construction projects ok
• 10% down payment 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. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

How are Wisconsin hard money loans from other loans?

Hard money loans are different from traditional loans in a number of ways. First, consider that Wisconsin hard money loans are not as regulated as that of a traditional loan. That means lenders pick and choose the terms and conditions important to them. All set eligibility requirements, and they do not lend to just anyone. Borrowers need to be proven and established, often with a good credit score and a down payment. Yet, the difference here is that the lender remains in control rather than the bank.

Another big difference is that these loans are faster to close. Though they have more fees and conditions, they tend not to have as many steps for borrowers to jump through to get the funding they need. That allows the property buyer to secure the loan sooner, often within 30 days. Some conventional loans can take up to 90 days to close. Appraisals and inspections are often still needed.

Wisconsin hard money lenders offer loans based on the qualifications of the property but look at the ARV of the home instead of the current value. If a buyer purchases a single family home and converts it into two properties that generate income, that’s going to have a much different value than a property that is maintained by the owner.

Interest rates and fees are higher than traditional loans. And, as noted, the term for most of these loans is under 5 years. By comparison, most traditional loans are either a 15 year or a 30 year loan. That creates more flexibility for borrowers in various ways.

Looking for a hard money lender in a different state?

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