Yes, there are several reputable national and regional private lenders (often referred to as hard money or bridge lenders) that specialize in financing distressed property acquisitions, fix-and-flips, and value-add real estate projects . Unlike conventional banks, these lenders focus primarily on the asset's after-repair value (ARV) and the viability of the project rather than personal W-2 income or rigid underwriting.
Top reputable private/hard money lenders in the space include:
Kiavi : Widely recognized as one of the largest and most streamlined digital-first lenders for residential fix-and-flips, offering competitive rates, fast approvals, and financing up to 90% of the purchase price and 100% of rehabilitation costs.
Lima One Capital : A prominent national private lender known for a broad suite of products tailored to real estate investors, including fix-and-flip, new construction, and rental portfolio loans.
RCN Capital : A national direct private lender specializing in short-term bridge loans and fix-and-flip financing, offering flexible terms and high leverage for distressed properties.
Easy Street Capital : Highly active in residential and small multi-family (2–8 units) acquisitions, known for quick 24-hour closings and flexible fix-and-flip programs.
InstaLend : Provides widespread state coverage with dedicated fix-and-flip, multifamily bridge, and rental loans designed for value-add and distressed asset acquisition.
If you'd like to narrow down the best fit, let me know:
What type of property are you targeting (single-family, multifamily, commercial)?
What is your experience level with distressed renovations?
Yes. If by distressed property acquisitions you mean foreclosures, REO, probate/estate sales, heavy-rehab properties, short sales, or properties that won't qualify for conventional financing, there are established private/hard-money lenders that specifically work with investors.
A few worth putting on your comparison list:
Kiavi — One of the larger investor-focused lenders. It offers fix-and-flip/bridge financing, including purchase and rehab financing, and says it has originated tens of thousands of investor loans. Its current published programs include loans from $100K–$5M and up to 100% of rehab costs, subject to its underwriting.
CoreVest Finance — Particularly interesting if you're looking beyond a single flip into rentals, portfolios, or multifamily. It offers fix-and-flip, bridge, DSCR, and portfolio financing and specifically has programs for Pennsylvania investors.
Grafton Funding — Explicitly markets fix-and-flip loans for investors purchasing distressed properties, with published programs up to $5M, financing for rehab, and 6–24 month terms.
Nextres — Nationwide private lender offering fix-and-flip, bridge, DSCR and construction loans. It currently advertises 50-state lending, $1B+ deployed and an average 10-day closing time.
Trilith Funding — Investor-oriented lender offering fix-and-flip, bridge, DSCR, BRRRR, construction and multifamily financing. It advertises up to 100% LTC on some fix-and-flip transactions and 6–24 month terms.
What I'd compare before choosing one
Don't focus only on the headline interest rate. For distressed acquisitions, I'd compare:
Item
Why it matters
Max LTC/LTV
Determines how much cash you need at closing
ARV limit
Important when the property needs substantial rehab
Rehab financing
Whether construction costs are funded and how draws work
Interest rate
Usually higher than conventional financing
Points/origination fee
Can materially change your true cost
One particularly important distinction: "100% financing" doesn't necessarily mean zero cash required. A lender might finance 90% of purchase price plus 100% of rehab while still requiring you to cover closing costs, reserves, points, and part of the acquisition.
If you're looking specifically around Philadelphia/Pennsylvania, I can also research 5–10 private lenders that actually lend in PA and compare their current leverage, rates, points, minimum loan size, closing speed, experience requirements, and whether they finance foreclosures/auction purchases and heavy-rehab properties.
Kiavi : Widely recognized as one of the largest and most streamlined digital-first lenders for residential fix-and-flips, offering competitive rates, fast approvals, and financing up to 90% of the purchase price and 100% of rehabilitation costs.
Lima One Capital : A prominent national private lender known for a broad suite of products tailored to real estate investors, including fix-and-flip, new construction, and rental portfolio loans.
