Why owner-occupied hard money is rare
Consumer-purpose lending on a primary residence carries regulatory requirements most hard money lenders avoid, so the industry defaults to investment properties only.
It fits a borrower with strong equity, an urgent timeline or an unusual file, who lives in the home. It's offered in Oregon, Washington and California through licensed, compliant channels. Elsewhere, the alternatives are a 5-Day HELOC, a home equity agreement, or a cash-out refinance.
The program in plain numbers
- Primary residences
- Oregon, Washington and California
- Investment properties
- All 50 states
- Loan range
- $75,000 – $5,000,000
- Purchases
- 10% down with 700+ credit (carries 3.5 discount points); 15% down below 700
- Qualifying
- Asset-based — the property and the equity carry the file
- Foreign national / ITIN
- Yes, on investment properties — passport or visa ID, no U.S. credit history required, LLC closing OK
- Fix and flip
- Generally no — the exception requires a $300K+ purchase price and 700+ credit, at 3.5 points, with the down payment and closing costs out of pocket
- Hard credit pull to see options
- Not required
Straight talk on fix and flip
It's generally not offered. The single exception is a purchase price of $300,000 or more with 700+ credit, at 3.5 discount points, with the down payment plus closing costs out of pocket and disclosed up front. Buy-and-hold investors usually fit the DSCR program better.
Good to know.
Can I get hard money on my primary residence?+
Yes, in Oregon, Washington and California. Elsewhere, a HELOC, a home equity agreement, or a cash-out refinance is the route.
What credit score do I need?+
It's asset-based, so credit sets the terms rather than the answer: 10% down at 700+ (with 3.5 points), or 15% down below 700.
Do you lend to foreign nationals without U.S. credit?+
Yes, on investment properties, for purchases and refinances. A passport or visa works for ID, an ITIN works, and closing in an LLC is fine.
Do you do fix and flip?+
Generally no. The exception is a $300,000+ purchase price and 700+ credit at 3.5 discount points.
How fast can it close?+
The timeline depends on the property and the title work. You'll get a date on the first call.
Does checking my options hurt my credit?+
No. It's a soft review only, with a hard inquiry later and only with your permission.