Skip to main content
Fidelity Residential home
Fix and flip · bridge · ground-up

Fix and flip loans for real estate investors.

Short-term financing to buy and renovate a property, then sell it or refinance it into a long-term loan. Renovation money is released in draws as the work is done. For business purposes only.

Prefer to talk? Call 732-686-9999

  • Licensed mortgage lender
  • NMLS #103098
  • Equal Housing Lender
FIDELITY RESIDENTIAL No credit pull
Licensed Mortgage Bank & Direct Lender · NMLS #103098
  • Licensed mortgage lenderNMLS #103098. Check our licences on NMLS Consumer Access.
  • Renovation money in drawsReleased as the work is done and inspected.
  • Terms in writingA term sheet for your deal, signed online.
  • A licensed loan officerA real person sizes the deal with you.
The basics

How a fix and flip loan works

A fix and flip loan, also called a residential transition loan, is a short-term loan to an investor who buys a property, renovates it, and then sells it or refinances it into a long-term loan.

It has two parts. The money to buy the property is paid out at closing. The money for the renovation is held back and released in draws as the work is finished and an inspector confirms it.

You pay interest only each month, and the balance is repaid at the end of a term measured in months, when you sell or refinance; you can ask for an extension if you need more time. The loan is sized on what the property is worth before and after the work, not on your personal income.

At a glance

  • Business purpose: you usually borrow through a company
  • Never your home: the property is an investment
  • One to four units, townhomes and condos
  • Generally no prepayment penalty when you sell or refinance
Strategies

Four ways investors use it

Purchase or refinance. Terms depend on the strategy and on your record of completed projects.

Buy, renovate, sell

Fix and flip

Buy a property that needs work, renovate it with money released in draws, and repay the loan when you sell.

Buy, renovate, rent

Fix and hold

Renovate and keep the property as a rental. Once it is rented, a long-term rental loan based on the rent can replace the short-term loan.

DSCR rental loans
Build new

Ground-up construction

Buy a lot and build, or build on land you already own, to sell or keep as a rental. A feasibility report, contractor details and plans or a permit are part of the file.

Construction and renovation loans
Little or no work

Bridge

Short-term financing on a property that needs little or no work, while you sell, lease it up or arrange a long-term loan.

How it works

From deal to draws

Everything happens online, on a computer or a phone.

  1. Submit your deal

    The address, the purchase price, the renovation budget and the value you expect after the work, in the quote form above.

  2. Get your terms

    We size the loan for your deal and send a term sheet you can sign online.

  3. Apply and send your rehab budget

    Apply online, then list your renovation costs line by line. You can save it and finish later. See how it works

  4. Close and draw

    The purchase money funds at closing. Renovation money is released in draws as the work is done and inspected.

Deal snapshot

See your leverage before you call.

Plug in your own deal and see how it pencils on our program. Your exact numbers come back with your quote.

Estimated loan amount $345,000

Loan at 69% of ARV — inside the 75% ARV cap

Est. equity into deal~$30,000
Loan to cost92.0%
Max loan (75% ARV)$375,000

Illustrative estimate for a 700+ credit score and 3 or more completed projects in the last 3 years: up to 90% of purchase, 100% of rehab, 92.5% of total cost and 75% of ARV. Not an offer or approval; excludes points, closing costs and interest reserves. Subject to underwriting.

Get my exact numbers →
Renovation money

How draws work

Before closing you list the renovation line by line: site work, structure, systems, finishes, exterior and a cushion for surprises. That budget becomes the plan for the draws.

As work is finished you ask for a draw. A third-party inspector confirms how much of each line is complete, and the lender reimburses the completed work. Materials bought but not yet installed are not paid for.

Good to know

  • Plan your cash to pay for each stage before its draw
  • Interest is paid monthly
  • Changes to the budget can be made after you submit it
Be ready

What you will need

Have these handy and we can move quickly. Not sure you have everything? Request a quote anyway and we will guide you.

  • The application and credit and background authorization
  • Company documents: formation papers, operating agreement, tax number
  • Photo identification
  • Recent bank statements
  • Your track record: the properties you have bought, renovated, sold or kept
  • The purchase contract
  • The rehab budget, filled in online (see how)
  • Insurance and title, arranged before closing
Questions

Common questions about fix and flip loans

Do I need a company to borrow?

Usually, yes. These are business-purpose loans, so you normally borrow through a company such as a limited liability company. We tell you which company documents to send.

Do you work with first-time investors?

Terms depend on your record of completed projects. First-time investors are considered for purchases, on tighter terms. A loan officer can tell you where your experience puts you.

What properties can I finance?

Residential properties of one to four units, townhomes and condos that nobody on the loan will live in, including properties that need a lot of work.

Is there a prepayment penalty?

Generally no. You can repay the loan when you sell or refinance. If you need more time, you can ask for an extension while the loan is current.

What if I decide to keep the property?

Once it is renovated and rented, a long-term rental loan based on the property’s rent can replace the short-term loan. See our DSCR rental loans.

How do I send my rehab budget?

Right after your application, you list your renovation costs line by line on our site, on a computer or a phone, and sign it online. You can save it and finish later, and change it after you submit. See the step by step guide.

What does a term sheet look like?

Your term sheet shows the loan amount, rate, term, payments, leverage and closing costs for your deal, and you can sign it online. See a sample term sheet.

Have a deal to size up?

Request a quote, apply online, or talk the deal through with a licensed loan officer.

This page is general information, not a commitment to lend. Programs, terms and eligibility depend on the property, your experience, credit and underwriting review and are subject to change without notice. Business purpose investor loans are for investment property only.