Hard Money Lender for Los Angeles Investors and Owners

If you are looking for a hard money lender in Los Angeles, the practical answer is a licensed private lender that underwrites the property's equity and your exit, can move on a timeline a bank cannot, and understands the kinds of properties and ownership structures common in the area. US Lending & Company is a licensed California private money broker based in Torrance, in business since 2002, and we lend across California, including Los Angeles County.

This article is about how private financing fits Los Angeles-area deals in general terms. We are not citing local market statistics, because the right answer depends on the specific property and the specific plan.

Deal situations that often call for private financing

Los Angeles-area investors and owners bring a wide range of properties, and a few situations come up repeatedly:

• Value-add and renovation: a property that needs work before it qualifies for long-term financing. Banks often will not lend on it as-is, while a bridge loan can fund the purchase and a plan for the work. See fix-and-flip financing.
• Mixed-use and small commercial: properties with retail or office alongside residential units, which can fall outside a conventional lender's standard box.
• Apartment buildings: multifamily acquisitions and repositionings, where income, occupancy and unit mix matter. See our apartment loan program and our guide to multifamily bridge loans.
• Luxury residential: higher-value homes where private money and bridge loans can be structured around equity.
• Time-sensitive purchases: deals with a short closing window, an auction-style process, or a seller who wants certainty.
• Refinance of a maturing or problem loan: where a borrower needs time to reposition.

Ground-up and heavy rehab

For ground-up construction or major rehabilitation, our construction program offers financing up to 90% of construction cost, with loan amounts to $75 million, and converts to a permanent loan at conventional rates on completion. Minimal or no-doc options may be available where the deal supports it. Permitting and entitlement timelines vary and should be researched with the relevant city or county, as we do not speak to specific local rules here. For how construction financing works in general, see ground-up construction financing.

Entity ownership is common

Many investors in the area hold property through LLCs or other entities. That is workable. We will ask for formation documents, an operating agreement and authority to borrow; see our guide to borrowing through an LLC. Make sure the entity named on the contract, the loan and the title report all match.

How a Torrance-based California lender works with an LA-area file

Los Angeles County is part of our normal lending footprint. In practice, that means:

1. You describe the property, the plan and the timeline, by phone or through the application.
2. We review the file individually, looking at equity, capacity to make payments and exit.
3. We order or review valuation and title, which are central steps for any file.
4. If it fits, we issue terms and work toward closing with you, your title company and your escrow.

We can offer approval in as little as 24 hours and funding in as little as seven days, subject to a complete file, underwriting, title review and property valuation. That is a best-case path, not a guarantee, and a missing document or title issue will extend it.

Rent control and local rules

Residential investors in the region should be aware that rent regulation and tenant protections can affect an income property, and they can differ by city. We do not give legal advice on this. Speak with an attorney or an experienced property manager before you rely on projected rents, because lenders will test whether the income in your plan is realistic.

What to prepare

• The purchase contract, or current loan statement for a refinance.
• A rent roll and operating statements for income property.
• A scope of work and budget for any renovation.
• Entity documents and a preliminary title report; see title reports explained.
• A one-page exit plan, with a backup.

Our full document checklist covers the rest, and the valuation guide shows how we think about worth.

Have a Los Angeles-area deal to discuss? Call (800) 943-1314 or apply online. Approval is not guaranteed, and this is general information only.