My neighbor, Lisa, started investing in real estate part-time about a decade ago by buying a rental property in Decatur. Though the rent she charged more-than-covered her mortgage and operating costs, after weighing the pros and cons of being a landlord, she ultimately decided not to buy another rental. I get it. 

Personally, as a long-time real estate investor in the metro Atlanta area, I like having some diversification in my real estate portfolio. But, dealing with tenants and ongoing maintenance on a rental house simply isn’t for everyone. 

She started looking into buying houses to renovate and sell instead. But, getting the money to close on a house outright—and as fast as possible—was something she’d never done before. She knew there were reputable lenders who provided hard money to Georgia investors for the kind of projects she wanted to take on, but knowing which ones to trust to move quickly was a different story. So, over a late breakfast at the Flying Biscuit Cafe near my office in Roswell, I told her where I get my money.

Where to Get Hard Money in Georgia Fast

If you’ve been thinking about how you’re going to fund any of your real estate investment deals, let me give you the quick and easy 101 on hard money. First and foremost, hard money lenders are asset-based lenders. And, since they’re primarily concerned with the value of the asset or property you want to buy, you don’t necessarily need a high credit score or an impressive work history to qualify for a loan. You just need a house that can make the lender money should you default on payments and they decide to sell it.

For this reason, hard money lenders can offer the kind of terms that are ideally suited for real estate investors who need to be competitive, like fast approvals and interest-only payments. They aren’t afraid to lend on fixers, either—something that banks and credit unions often balk at. Short repayment schedules are also the norm as is the quick disbursement of funds. 

In fact, every one of the hard money lenders I recommended to Lisa can close on a deal in two weeks or less. And, in this business, being able to close fast so that you can quickly get a home back on the market after repairs gives you that competitive edge—with sellers and buyers.

So, where should you specifically go to get the money you need to fund your investment deals? To one of the best hard money lenders in the nation, of course. And, several of them provide funding right here in Georgia. Here they are:

Bay Mountain Capital

Bay Mountain Capital prefers to fund deals inside the metro Atlanta area, but that still covers a lot of ground for buying great investment homes. With neighborhoods like Brookhaven getting more hip, it could do you some good to give A-Town a go. Their minimum loans began at $50,000, but the max you can borrow may depend on the deal. What’s better is that they can lend the full cost to purchase and renovate a house—up to 70% of its After Repair Value (ARV). The interest you’ll pay on your six or 12-month loan could be less than 11%, too. And, provided you’ve got all of your ducks in a row, this lender can close in about one business day.

Of course, getting your paperwork lined up fast can take a little practice. But, once you’re investing like a pro, it’ll become second nature. Until then, you’ll still get money quickly and you’ll receive decent terms, too. And, that’s true whether you invest in single-family homes to rehab and sell or hold them as rentals like I sometimes do. If you’ve found a good deal, Bay Mountain Capital will want to provide you with funding. 

RCN Capital

RCN Capital loans hard money to real estate investors throughout the state and they offer some of the most competitive rates, too. Whether you just need $50,000 or as much as $2.5 million, they can loan you the money for your project fast—and at interest rates that start as low as 7.99%. In fact, they’ll fund up to 85% of your purchase and 100% of your repairs as long as it’s within 75% of your property’s ARV. And, since those long weeks of Georgia rain have the potential to put you behind on that large Savannah rehab, they’ll give you 12 months to pay it back and the option to extend for another six.

RCN Capital does prefer to work with investors who have some experience. That doesn’t mean you won’t get approved for a loan, especially if work with a team that’s got quite a bit of clout. But, it does mean you may not get the best rates until you’ve got a good reputation of your own. Either way, they’re a good local lender to go with as you build your investment property portfolio. They’ll even give you advice on how to do it if you need a bit of guidance.

Sherman Bridge Lending

Sherman Bridge Lending loans statewide and their hard money terms are some of the best that I’ve seen. You can borrow up to 70% of the investment property’s ARV in amounts ranging from $50,000 to one million dollars. Other terms, like the interest they charge, can vary depending on the loan—as well as the investor—but they make every effort to make most deals work. They’ll give you plenty of time to pay the money back, too. So, you don’t have to worry about pricey prepayment penalties or requesting an extension. Plus, you could find out in one day how fast they’ll fund your fixer, whether it’s in Athens, Augusta, or Macon.

Sherman Bridge Lending requires a little more than other lenders to qualify for most of their loans, however—like access to substantial liquid assets. And, the closer your credit score is to 700, the better your overall rates will be. But, because they offer so much flexibility within each funding option, it’s worth it to you to get ‘in’ with this lender so that they can help you get into more deals. 

I trust each of these lenders because I’ve used all of them. So, what you have to do—if you can—is get a hard money loan from the lender that gives you the best deal. And, the best way to do that is to get the fastest, and most reputable, lenders in town to compete for your business. Making that happen is easy, too—if you know how. 

How to Get Easy Access to the Fastest Lenders in Town

Back when I started my career as a professional real estate investor, I already had access to fast funds for all of my deals. That’s because I joined the HomeVestors® franchise team right out of the gate. And, as an independently owned and operated HomeVestors® franchisee, I automatically get access to the money I need to buy, renovate, and sell properties because HomeVestors® provides financing for qualifying purchases and repairs. But, that’s not all.

As a franchisee, I also get access to HomeVestors®’ proprietary software through which select hard money lenders compete to give me the best loan terms. Using this software, called UGVille^SM, is easy, too. I just enter the details about a deal once and wait for the loan terms to start rolling in. 

Then, I choose what works for me and the project I’m working on. It’s fast. It’s easy. And, it’s the single best way in town to get investment business done. Just ask Lisa. She’s closing on a deal with the help of one of these lenders right now.

Get easy access to some of the best hard money lenders that Georgia has to offer through UGVille^SM. Contact HomeVestors® to inquire about becoming a local franchisee today!

All lenders were current at time of publishing. Each franchise office is independently owned and operated.