If you mean residential investor bridge/hard-money lenders for non-owner-occupied fix-and-flip projects, several national lenders are worth comparing. Rather than treating “top-rated” as a single objective ranking, I’d compare pricing, leverage, rehab funding, speed, experience requirements, and geographic coverage.
Strong lenders to put on your shortlist
kiavi.com — A major investor-focused lender with bridge/fix-and-flip loans from $100K–$5M, terms of 12, 18, or 24 months, up to 100% of purchase price and 100% of rehab costs on qualifying deals, with advertised rates starting around 7.75%.
limaone.com — Particularly interesting if you want high leverage and flexible terms. Its FixNFlip program advertises up to 95% LTC, 75% LTARV, 100% of rehab budget, $100K–$5M loans, and 13/19/24-month terms; advertised rates start around .
rcncapital.com — Offers a clearly defined experience-based leverage structure. Current program information shows 650 minimum FICO, 12–18-month terms, and potentially up to 100% of purchase price + 100% of renovation costs, capped at 75% ARV for experienced borrowers.
Quick comparison
Lender
Advertised starting rate*
Max leverage advertised
Rehab funding
Terms
Kiavi
7.75%
100% purchase / 80% ARV
Up to 100%
12/18/24 mo.
Lima One
7.25%
95% LTC / 75% LTARV
Up to 100%
13/19/24 mo.
RCN Capital
9.24% for certain experienced borrowers
Up to 100% purchase + 100% rehab
Up to 100%
12–18 mo.
*Advertised rates aren't necessarily the rate you'll receive. Actual pricing can vary substantially based on credit, experience, property, ARV, leverage, location, loan size and project characteristics. Lima One explicitly notes that advertised rates and leverage aren't available to every borrower.
For a California fix-and-flip, I'd get simultaneous quotes from all three rather than choosing based on advertised rates. The meaningful comparison is the total cost of capital: rate + points/origination + draw fees + extension fees + appraisal/valuation + minimum interest + prepayment terms.
If you give me purchase price, estimated rehab, ARV, your FICO, number of flips completed, and California city, I can compare these lenders on the actual deal and estimate your cash required, loan amount, interest cost, and projected financing cost.
When looking for top-rated national and regional private lenders specializing in residential fix-and-flip and short-term bridge projects, several key names consistently rank high for volume, speed, and borrower satisfaction.
Here are the leading residential fix-and-flip bridge lenders categorized by their strengths:
Kiavi : Best for tech-forward and experienced investors. They offer streamlined, data-driven bridge loans covering single-family residences, condos, and 2-4 unit properties across most US states. They feature rapid turnarounds and competitive leverage (funding purchase plus high percentages of rehab costs, with select no-appraisal options).
RCN Capital : Best for broker-originated deals and scaling volume. A massive national presence ranked high in wholesale lending volume, they excel at tiered pricing structures that reward repeat borrowers and experienced flippers with rate discounts.
Easy Street Capital : Best for specialized residential investor programs. Their dedicated "EasyFix" program targets residential fix-and-flip properties nationally with quick closing capabilities (sometimes under 48 hours) and rates tailored to short-term profiles.
LendingStreet : Best for multi-source shopping and transitional scenarios. They operate across all 50 states and leverage a wide network of capital sources to match non-standard exit strategies, jumbo project sizes, or first-time investors.
If you want to narrow down the best fit, tell me:
What is your experience level (number of completed flips)?
What is the target property location and estimated budget/rehab cost?
I can help you evaluate which of these lenders matches your specific project criteria.
kiavi.com — A major investor-focused lender with bridge/fix-and-flip loans from $100K–$5M, terms of 12, 18, or 24 months, up to 100% of purchase price and 100% of rehab costs on qualifying deals, with advertised rates starting around 7.75%.
FixNFlip program advertises up to 95% LTC, 75% LTARV, 100% of rehab budget, $100K–$5M loans, and 13/19/24-month terms; advertised rates start around .
