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Hard Money Lenders in Boston, MA

Norfolk Capital is a direct hard money lender headquartered in Boston, lending our own capital to real estate investors since 2010. Fix and flip, bridge, rehab, multifamily and new construction loans, underwritten by people who know the block your property sits on.

What Is a Hard Money Loan in Boston?

A hard money loan is a short-term, asset-based real estate loan made by a private lender rather than a bank. Approval is driven by the property and the plan for it, not by tax returns or a debt-to-income formula, which is why Boston investors use hard money to close quickly on fix and flip deals, distressed properties, auction purchases and value-add multifamily buildings that a conventional lender would turn down or take months to fund.

Norfolk Capital is a Boston hard money lender in the literal sense: our office is here, our capital is our own, and our team has been buying, building and financing Boston real estate for decades. That lets us value a Dorchester triple-decker or a South End brownstone from experience, often without waiting on an appraisal, and close in days when the deal calls for it.

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2010Lending in Boston since
$100M+Funded in Boston deals
50+Combined years of Boston real estate and lending experience
DirectWe lend our own capital locally

Hard Money Loan Programs for Boston Investors

Because of our track record and partnerships, Norfolk Capital can lend across most loan and asset types in Boston: residential, multifamily, mixed use and commercial. Each program is structured around your project and your exit.

Fix and Flip Loans

Purchase plus renovation in one loan, with rehab funds released in draws as work is completed. Built for single-family, condo and small multifamily flips across Boston.

Fix and flip loans in Boston

Bridge Loans

Short-term capital to acquire or refinance quickly while you stabilize, lease up or arrange permanent financing. Terms from twelve months with longer options available.

Bridge loans in Massachusetts

Rehab Loans

Financing for gut renovations, cosmetic updates, condo conversions and BRRRR projects where the renovation budget is the heart of the deal.

Rehab loans in Massachusetts

Multifamily Loans

Acquisition and value-add capital for triple-deckers, small apartment buildings and mixed-use property throughout Boston's neighborhoods.

Multifamily loans in Massachusetts

New Construction Loans

Ground-up and infill construction financing for spec homes, condo projects and small subdivisions, with draws tied to build milestones.

New construction loans

DSCR Rental Loans

The exit for your flip or BRRRR: long-term rental financing that qualifies on the property's income, so you can refinance out of hard money and keep the building.

DSCR loans in Massachusetts
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Why a Local Boston Hard Money Lender Beats a National One

Search for hard money lenders in Boston and you will find plenty of national companies with a Boston landing page and a headquarters in another time zone. They may fund a handful of Massachusetts loans a year, and because they do not know the market they protect themselves with extra documentation: personal financials, multiple appraisals, architect letters. That is not hard money. It costs you time and money, and sometimes ends in a denial weeks into the process.

Boston is one of the trickiest cities in the country to value. Prices can swing block to block, and renovation costs run well above the national averages a remote underwriter is working from. A lender who has walked those streets and rehabbed those buildings can price the deal accurately on day one.

  • Local valuations. We know what a finished unit sells for in Jamaica Plain versus Hyde Park, which is why many of our loans close without waiting on an appraisal.
  • Our own capital. In Boston we lend our own money and hold the loan, so we have the flexibility to structure around your deal instead of a national program's checklist.
  • Boston renovation costs. Our budgets and draw schedules reflect what contractors actually charge here.
  • A partner, not just a lender. We visit projects, help solve problems mid-build and have mentored many first-time investors into full-time careers.
  • Best of both worlds. When a deal fits a national program better, we can act as your local expert and bring that capital to the table.
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Norfolk Capital lender reviewing a Boston investment project on site with a borrower

How a Hard Money Loan Works With Norfolk Capital

Banks typically need a month or more. When your file is ready, we can close in days. Here is the path from first call to funded loan.

1

Tell us about the deal

Address, property type, purchase price, renovation scope and your exit (sell or refinance). A few minutes on the application is enough to start.

2

Local review and terms

We evaluate the property and your experience the way an investor would, then structure terms around the project rather than a rate sheet.

3

Documentation and closing

Purchase contract, budget, bank statements, entity documents and a schedule of real estate owned. Respond quickly and closing follows quickly.

4

Draws, support and exit

Rehab funds are released as work is inspected. When the project is done, you sell or refinance into a DSCR rental loan.

Not sure which loan fits? Read our guide to bridge loans vs. hard money loans or the ten questions to ask any hard money lender.

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Boston Is Our Backyard

We lend nationwide, but Boston is where we started and where we lend our own capital. High home values, limited land and a deep buyer pool make this one of the best fix and flip markets in the country. It rewards investors who move fast with a lender who already knows the answer.

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Hard Money vs. a Bank Loan for Boston Investment Property

Hard money is not for every purchase, but for investment property on a deadline it usually wins. The comparison below is why most Boston investors keep a private lender on speed dial.

Norfolk Capital hard moneyConventional bank
UnderwritingProperty value, plan and experiencePersonal income, DTI and credit formulas
Time to closeDays when the file is readyTypically a month or more
Distressed propertyYes, including heavy rehabOften declined until repaired
Renovation budgetFunded through drawsUsually separate financing
Credit challengesNot a barrier on a strong dealFrequently disqualifying
BorrowerInvestors, entity-held propertyPrimarily owner-occupants

Hard money lenders in Boston are also often confused with private individuals lending informally. Massachusetts has no licensing requirement for private lending, so anyone can call themselves a lender. Norfolk Capital operates with defined programs, a real process and a reputation for working through problems with borrowers rather than racing to foreclose. See how we compare with private money lenders in Massachusetts.

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Real estate investors meeting with a Boston hard money lender to review a deal

Boston Hard Money Loan FAQs

How do I find a hard money lender near me in Boston?

Look for three things: a lender physically based in Boston with a local track record, a lender that funds its own loans rather than brokering them out, and a range of programs so your deal is matched to the right structure. Norfolk Capital checks all three. Our office is in Boston, we have lent here since 2010, and we lend our own capital in the local market.

How fast can a hard money loan close in Boston?

When your documentation is ready, Norfolk Capital can close in a matter of days. The most common delay is the appraisal, and because we know Boston valuations from experience, many of our loans do not require one. Respond quickly to document requests and have your purchase contract, budget and entity paperwork ready to keep the timeline short.

What do hard money lenders in Boston look for when approving a loan?

The property comes first: its current value, its after-repair value and how realistic the renovation budget is. Next is your exit strategy, whether that is a sale or a refinance into long-term rental financing. Then experience, liquidity to carry the project, and the overall structure of the deal. Personal credit is reviewed but rarely decides the outcome on a strong project.

Can I get a hard money loan in Boston with bad credit?

Yes. Hard money is asset-based, so the property and the plan carry more weight than a credit score. We will want to understand the story behind your credit and how you manage your finances, but borrowers with imperfect credit qualify for Boston hard money loans all the time.

Does Norfolk Capital lend its own money?

Yes. In the Boston market Norfolk Capital lends its own capital and holds the loan rather than selling it, which gives us the flexibility to solve problems and structure around your specific project. For loans elsewhere, or when a national program is the better fit, we draw on a network of capital partners while remaining your single point of contact.

What types of property do you fund in Boston?

Non-owner-occupied residential property with one to four units, multifamily buildings with five or more units, mixed-use buildings, condo conversions, new construction and commercial property. We fund purchases and refinances, and both flip and buy-and-hold strategies, throughout Boston's neighborhoods and the surrounding cities.

What documents do I need for a hard money loan?

Typical requirements are the purchase and sale agreement, a construction budget, recent bank statements, a schedule of real estate you own, a summary of similar projects you have completed, and your LLC operating agreement or articles of organization. Rental projects also include current rent rolls or leases. Requirements vary with the deal, and we will tell you exactly what applies to yours.

Do you lend on owner-occupied homes?

No. Norfolk Capital lends only on non-owner-occupied investment property held in a corporate entity such as an LLC. If you are looking for financing for a home you plan to live in, a conventional mortgage lender is the right fit.

What is the 70 percent rule in hard money lending?

The 70 percent rule is an investor guideline, not a lending requirement. It says a flipper should pay no more than roughly seventy percent of a property's after-repair value, minus the cost of repairs, so that financing, holding and selling costs still leave room for profit. It is a useful sanity check when you analyze a Boston deal, and our team evaluates each project on its own numbers rather than a fixed formula.

How do I pay off a hard money loan?

Most Boston investors exit one of two ways: selling the renovated property and paying the balance from the proceeds, or refinancing into long-term financing such as a DSCR rental loan once the property is stabilized. Payments during the term are typically interest only, and the remaining principal is repaid at the exit.

Have a Boston deal under contract? Apply now and hear back from a local lender fast.

Where We Lend in and Around Boston

From Dorchester to Charlestown, and from New Hampshire to Worcester down to Rhode Island, Norfolk Capital is the local hard money lender for Greater Boston. We also lend nationwide for investors who work beyond the region.

Boston neighborhoods

Dorchester Roxbury Mattapan Jamaica Plain South Boston East Boston Hyde Park Roslindale West Roxbury Charlestown Allston-Brighton South End

Surrounding cities

Cambridge Somerville Quincy Brookline Newton Medford Chelsea Revere Braintree Weymouth Milton Watertown

Statewide programs: hard money loans in Massachusetts and hard money loans in Rhode Island.

Make Norfolk Capital Your First Call

Boston's local hard money lender since 2010. Apply online or call to talk through your deal today.

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