Investor Lending
Financing built for your next ten deals.
Every deal needs the right structure. I help investors match each property to the right loan, protect cash flow, and set up the next purchase before this one closes.
What's your plan for the property?
Fix and Flip
Buy it. Renovate it. Sell it. Do it again.
Short-term financing that covers the purchase and the renovation, so your cash stays free for the next project.
At a glance
Most flips don't fail on the renovation. They fail on the numbers going in. We stress test the deal before you sign, so the profit is built in on day one.
Mike Ratliff
Fix and Flip loan vs. paying cash or a conventional loan
| Fix and Flip loan | Paying cash or a conventional loan | |
|---|---|---|
| Rehab funding | ✓ Included and paid in draws | Out of your pocket |
| Property condition | ✓ Distressed properties welcome | Must be move-in ready for most loans |
| Closing speed | ✓ As fast as 2 to 3 weeks | 30 to 45 days, or all your cash |
| Your capital | ✓ Spread across more deals | Tied up in one property |
| Vesting | ✓ LLC or personal name | Usually personal name only |
How it works
- 1Tell me about the propertyThe address, what you're paying, the work it needs and what you want it to do for you.
- 2We run the numbersPurchase, rehab, after-repair value, holding costs and profit. If it doesn't pencil, you'll hear it from me first.
- 3Close and start workPurchase funds at closing. Rehab funds go into a draw account.
- 4Draw as you buildFinish a phase, request a draw, inspection confirms the work, funds are released.
- 5Sell and repeatPay off the loan at sale and roll your profit into the next one.
What you'll need
- ✓Purchase contract
- ✓Scope of work and rehab budget
- ✓Comps supporting after-repair value
- ✓Flip track record, if you have one
- ✓Proof of funds for down payment, closing costs and reserves
- ✓LLC documents, if closing in an entity
Fix and Flip questions
Do I need experience to get a fix and flip loan?
No. First-time flippers can qualify. Experience usually opens up more leverage, and we'll show you how to build your track record.
Can the loan cover 100% of the rehab?
Often, yes. Most programs fund the full renovation through draws, as long as the total loan stays within the after-repair value limit.
What is after-repair value (ARV)?
What the property should appraise for once the work is done. It's based on comparable sales and your scope of work, and it caps how much you can borrow.
How do draws work?
You complete a phase of work, request a draw, an inspector verifies it, and funds are released. A detailed budget up front keeps draws moving.
How fast can we close?
Often in two to three weeks once the contract, budget and appraisal are in. When possible, we start your file before you're under contract.
What if the project runs long?
Many programs offer extensions. We build a realistic timeline up front so you don't need one.
Fix and Rent
Renovate it. Rent it. Refinance it. Repeat.
The BRRRR approach. Buy and renovate with short-term financing, then refinance into a long-term rental loan based on the new value and pull your capital back out.
At a glance
BRRRR works when the refinance is planned before you ever buy. I line up both loans on day one, so you know what you're walking away with before you make the offer.
Mike Ratliff
Fix and Rent with a plan vs. figuring out the refinance later
| Fix and Rent with a plan | Figuring out the refinance later | |
|---|---|---|
| Exit strategy | ✓ Locked in before you buy | Hoping it appraises |
| Refinance timing | ✓ Mapped to the program's rules | Surprises at the finish line |
| Cash back out | ✓ Estimated before you make the offer | Unknown until the appraisal |
| Next deal | ✓ Funded by this one | Waiting on savings |
How it works
- 1Plan both loansWe run the deal through the rehab loan and the refinance before you make an offer.
- 2Buy and renovateShort-term financing covers the purchase and rehab, paid in draws.
- 3Lease it upPlace a tenant so the rent carries the long-term loan.
- 4RefinanceMove into a 30-year DSCR loan based on the after-repair value.
- 5RepeatUse the cash out to fund the next property.
What you'll need
- ✓Purchase contract
- ✓Scope of work and rehab budget
- ✓Comps supporting after-repair value
- ✓Expected market rent
- ✓Proof of funds for down payment and reserves
- ✓Signed lease, at refinance
Fix and Rent questions
What does BRRRR stand for?
Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. Fix and Rent is the financing that makes it work.
How soon can I refinance after the rehab?
It depends on the program. Some allow a refinance soon after the work is done, others want a few months of ownership first. We map it out before you buy.
Can I get all my cash back out?
Sometimes. It comes down to the after-repair value, your total cost in the deal and the refinance limits. We'll show you the expected number before you make an offer.
Does the property need a tenant before the refinance?
A signed lease helps, and some programs require one. Others can use market rent from the appraisal.
Which loan do I refinance into?
Usually a DSCR rental loan, so you qualify on the property's rent instead of your personal income.
Can I close both loans in my LLC?
Yes, in most cases. Keeping the same entity on both loans makes the refinance cleaner.
Rental (DSCR)
The property qualifies. Not your paycheck.
Long-term financing for rental properties that qualifies on the property's cash flow. Built for investors who want to keep adding doors.
At a glance
Your W-2 shouldn't decide how big your portfolio gets. If the property cash flows, it should qualify. That's how you go from one door to ten.
Mike Ratliff
DSCR loan vs. conventional investment loan
| DSCR loan | Conventional investment loan | |
|---|---|---|
| How you qualify | ✓ The property's rent | Your personal income and debt ratio |
| Paperwork | ✓ No tax returns, W-2s or pay stubs | Full income documentation |
| Vesting | ✓ LLC or personal name | Usually personal name only |
| Short-term rentals | ✓ Allowed on many programs | Usually long-term only |
| Number of properties | ✓ No hard cap | Limited by program and your income |
How it works
- 1Run the propertyRent, taxes, insurance and HOA. We calculate the DSCR before anything else.
- 2Pick the structurePurchase or cash out refinance, fixed or interest-only, LLC or personal name.
- 3Appraisal and rent scheduleThe appraiser confirms value and market rent.
- 4CloseNo income documents. Credit, reserves and the property drive the approval.
- 5Plan the next doorWe look at equity and timing so this one sets up the next.
What you'll need
- ✓Lease, or market rent from the appraisal
- ✓Credit report
- ✓Bank statements showing down payment and reserves
- ✓LLC documents, if closing in an entity
- ✓Insurance quote for the property
- ✓Purchase contract or current mortgage statement
Rental (DSCR) questions
What is a DSCR loan?
A rental property loan that qualifies on the property's income instead of yours. DSCR stands for Debt Service Coverage Ratio.
How is DSCR calculated?
Monthly rent divided by the full monthly payment, including taxes, insurance and HOA. $2,000 in rent on a $1,800 payment is a 1.11 DSCR.
What DSCR do I need?
Most programs look for 1.0 or higher, meaning the rent covers the payment. Some go below 1.0 with stronger credit or more down.
Is there a limit on how many rentals I can finance?
Not like conventional loans. That's why DSCR is the go-to for scaling.
Can I use short-term rental income?
Many programs can, using rental history or market data for the property. We'll confirm what your property qualifies with.
Can I do a cash out refinance with a DSCR loan?
Yes. It's one of the most common ways to pull equity from one rental to fund the next.
Is there a prepayment penalty?
Many DSCR loans have one. There are options to shorten or remove it, and we'll match it to how long you plan to hold.
Ground Up Construction
Build it from the dirt up.
Financing for new construction, whether you're building to sell or building rental inventory to hold.
At a glance
New construction is a long game with a lot of moving parts. The financing should be the one part you never have to worry about.
Mike Ratliff
Investor construction loan vs. owner-occupied construction loan
| Investor construction loan | Owner-occupied construction loan | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | ✓ Build to sell or rent | Build your own home |
| Vesting | ✓ LLC or personal name | Personal name |
| Qualification | ✓ Project, experience and liquidity | Personal income and debt ratio |
| Exit | ✓ Sale or DSCR refinance | Converts to your mortgage |
How it works
- 1Review the projectLot, plans, budget, builder and timeline.
- 2Structure the loanLand, hard costs, soft costs and the right term for your build.
- 3CloseFunds for the land at closing. Construction funds go into a draw account.
- 4Build in drawsEach stage is inspected and funded as it's completed.
- 5ExitSell it, or refinance into a DSCR loan and hold it.
What you'll need
- ✓Lot contract or proof of ownership
- ✓Plans and permits, or a timeline to get them
- ✓Detailed construction budget
- ✓Builder information and experience
- ✓Proof of funds for equity and reserves
- ✓LLC documents, if closing in an entity
Ground Up Construction questions
Can I use land I already own?
Yes. Land you own can often count toward your equity in the project.
Do I need building experience?
It helps. Without it, partnering with an experienced builder makes approval much easier.
Do I need permits before closing?
Many programs want approved plans and permits before closing or before the first draw. We'll set the timeline so it doesn't hold you up.
How do construction draws work?
The build is broken into stages. When a stage is done, an inspector confirms it and that portion of the loan is released.
Do I pay interest on the full loan from day one?
No. You pay interest on the funds that have been drawn.
What happens when the build is done?
You sell it, or refinance into a long-term DSCR loan if you plan to hold it.
Also in the toolbox
Ways to fund the next one.
Cash Out Refinance
Pull equity from a property you own to fund the next purchase.
HELOC and HELOAN
Use equity as a credit line or a lump sum for a down payment or rehab budget.
Bank Statement and P&L
For self-employed investors whose tax returns don't show the full picture.
How we work
It starts with you, not the loan.
Every investor I work with is building something different. My job is to understand what that is, then build the financing around it. This is a relationship, not a transaction.
Get to know you
Before we talk loans, I want to know where you are today, where you want to be in five years, and what's driving it.
Understand what you want
Cash flow, equity, more time, or something to pass down. Your why shapes every decision we make together.
Build your plan
A financing plan built around your goals, your timeline and your comfort with risk. Yours, not a template.
Grow it together
I'm with you deal by deal. As your goals change, the plan changes with you.
Have a property in mind?
Tell me about it and what you want it to do for you. I'll walk you through how I'd structure it.