California · Single Family & 1-4 Unit
California single family investment property loans.
Bridge, fix and flip, renovation and DSCR on houses and 2-4 unit property held for investment. $1M to $5M, business-purpose, term sheets in 24 to 48 hours, for US investors and investors based abroad alike.
By David Hodara · ·
$1M-$5M
Loan range
1-9
Units
24-48h
Term sheet
~2 weeks
Clean-file close
California single family & 1-4 unit market context
California residential investment is priced on value rather than on yield, which changes what a lender underwrites. At coastal prices a house rarely carries a DSCR loan at meaningful leverage, so the exit is usually a sale after renovation, or a hold at lower leverage. We size bridge (up to 80% LTV) and fix and flip or renovation (up to 90% of total cost) against that exit.
Two California rules belong in every plan. Under Proposition 13 a purchase resets the assessed value to the price paid, after which annual increases are capped at 2%. And a rental house owned by a corporation, or by an LLC with a corporate member, does not get the single-family exemption from the statewide rent cap (AB 1482), which matters to anyone holding through an entity. Timeline risk is permitting: anything touching the footprint or adding an ADU moves at the pace of the local planning department.
Non-US investors borrow on the same terms as US investors, through a US LLC, with no US credit history required and a remote closing.
Typical loan products for California single family & 1-4 unit
Each deal gets routed to the product structure that fits. Most single family & 1-4 unit deals in California use one of the following.
Bridge loans
Purchase, refinance or cash-out on residential investment property, interest-only, up to 80% LTV. Underwritten on the property and the exit rather than on tax returns.
Fix and flip loans
Purchase plus rehab in one loan for a resale exit, up to 90% of total cost, with the rehab budget released in draws against completed work.
Renovation loans
Value-add on a property you plan to keep: purchase and renovation budget in one facility, up to 90% of total cost, then a refinance once it rents.
DSCR loans
The hold or the exit: long-term financing qualified on the property's rent rather than personal income, up to 80% LTV.
Buying California single family & 1-4 unit from outside the US
We finance single family & 1-4 unit in California for investors based outside the United States as readily as for US borrowers. The loan is made to a US LLC rather than to an individual, which keeps it business-purpose, and the underwriting looks at the property rather than at a US credit profile a non-resident has no way to build.
That means no US credit history, no US income documents, no foreign-national rate premium, and no requirement to travel to the United States to close. If you do not yet have the entity, forming one is a step in the process rather than a prerequisite you have to solve alone.
California single family & 1-4 unit FAQ
Can I get a bridge loan on a California investment house?
Yes, from $1M to $5M on 1-4 unit residential held for investment, interest-only, up to 80% LTV. Business-purpose only: a property you live in is outside what we do.
Does an ADU project qualify for renovation financing?
Yes, as a renovation or construction file depending on scope. With permits issued it is ordinary value-add work; with permits still in review, a bridge carries the property until they are issued.
Why does DSCR often not work on a California house?
At coastal prices the rent rarely covers debt service at meaningful leverage. The loan is then sized to a sale or to lower leverage, which is the most common reason a California file that works on paper changes in underwriting.
What does the financing cost upfront?
Nothing. There are no upfront fees. Our fee is 1 to 2% of the loan, paid at closing, and the rate is set on the term sheet by leverage, the business plan and the sponsor's completed projects.
Can a foreign national finance single family & 1-4 unit in California?
Yes. We lend to a US LLC rather than to an individual, and we underwrite the property rather than a US credit profile, so a non-resident with no US credit history and no US income documents borrows on the same terms a US investor receives. You do not have to travel to the United States to close.
Other California asset classes
Got a California single family & 1-4 unit deal? Send it over.
Term sheet inside 48 hours, or a fast no so you can move on. Business-purpose investment property financing only.