Hard Money & Private Money Lenders in Florida

Hard money and private money lending in Florida solves two problems no long-term product solves: speed, and properties that are not yet financeable. In a market where competitive contracts are won on closing timelines and where storm damage and deferred maintenance are common, both matter more than in most states.

A DSCR loan qualifies you on the property, not on you. There are no tax returns, no W-2s, and no personal debt-to-income calculation — the lender compares the rent against the full monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA) and lends on that. What changes from market to market is what goes into that payment, and in Florida Hard Money the local factors below are the ones that move it.

What changes a coverage ratio in Florida Hard Money

Speed wins Florida contracts

In competitive Florida submarkets a seller frequently takes the offer that closes in ten days over the higher one that needs forty-five. Hard money is what makes the faster offer possible, and that is what the rate premium buys.

Condition tolerance matters in a storm state

Properties with roof damage, unrepaired storm damage, or failed systems cannot pass a conventional or DSCR appraisal. Private money underwrites the asset and the plan instead, which is why it is the entry point for most Florida value-add work.

Insurance still applies during the hold

Even on a short-term loan, Florida wind and flood premiums are payable across the hold period. Investors modelling only the interest rate consistently underestimate the carrying cost — quote the actual address.

The exit needs to account for Florida insurance too

If your exit is a DSCR refinance, the permanent loan's coverage ratio will include the insurance premium. A property that works on hard money can still fail the refinance — check the exit math before you buy, not after the rehab.

Submarkets we lend in

Fort Lauderdale · Miami · West Palm Beach · Tampa · Orlando · Jacksonville · Naples · Fort Myers · Cape Coral · Sarasota — and the surrounding communities.

We finance single-family rentals, 2–4 unit properties, condos, and short-term rentals where local rules permit, and we close in an LLC. If the property type is unusual — a condotel, a non-warrantable condo, mixed-use, or rural acreage — tell us at the outset rather than at appraisal, because leverage differs.

Programs available here

• DSCR rental loans — the core program, qualified on the property's rental income
• DSCR cash-out refinance — release equity from a stabilised rental to fund the next purchase
• Fix & flip and hard money — purchase plus rehab for distressed property
• Bridge loans — short-term financing when speed or condition rules out a long-term loan
• Other non-QM programs — bank statement, P&L, asset depletion, and foreign national financing

Before you make an offer

Three numbers decide most DSCR approvals: your credit score, your down payment, and the property's coverage ratio. The ratio is where local factors bite, because taxes and insurance sit inside it. Two checks are worth doing before you go under contract:

• Confirm your exit clears the permanent loan's coverage ratio including insurance, before you take the short-term loan.
• Budget Florida wind and flood premiums across the full hold, not just the interest rate.

Run your own numbers with our DSCR calculator and formula guide, or read the full Florida DSCR question set for the market-specific detail behind this page.

Related resources

• Florida DSCR FAQs
• DSCR loans in Florida
• Reserve requirements
• All DSCR questions by topic

Send us the Florida Hard Money scenario — the property, the rent, and what you are trying to do — and we will tell you where the ratio lands and what terms it supports before you are committed to anything.