Los Angeles County Hard Money Lenders
Hard Money Lenders in Los Angeles County, CA
Call Independent Lending 949.830.3151
If you’ve been looking into Los Angeles County hard money lenders, private money loans, or asset-based property financing, why not contact Independent Lending? We have a range of flexible lending options structured for speed and a clear path to funding. In such a competitive market as Los Angeles County, borrowers often look into private money (hard money) loans when they need a quick close, want to avoid a long wait for bank funding, or finance a property when they can’t qualify for a conventional bank loan. Independent Lending has a quick and efficient approval process, offers a variety of loan programs, and provides excellent customer support with clear communication.
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40 Years Combined Mortgage Experience
Zillow 5-Star Approved Direct Lender
Poor - Excellent Credit
A+ Rating with BBB
No Upfront Fees
YOUR TRUSTED LOS ANGELES County HARD MONEY SPECIALIST
Independent Lending funds hard money loans across every corner of Los Angeles County—from the South Bay to the San Fernando Valley, the Westside to the Santa Clarita Valley, and the San Gabriel Valley to the Gateway Cities. As a direct, asset-based lender with over $500 million funded and more than 40 years in California real estate finance, we close deals other lenders can’t—in 12 to 15 business days, secured by property rather than credit history.
Whether you’re acquiring a fix-and-flip in Long Beach, bridging a purchase in Pacific Palisades, settling a trust property in San Pedro, or refinancing an investment property in the Valley, this page connects you to our local lending expertise across all of LA County. Find your city below, or call 949.830.3151 for a term sheet.
WHAT SETS US APART
Trust
Testimonials-
136 Zillow 5 Star Reviews
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5 Star Google Reviews
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A+ Rating with BBB
Experience
Loans Funded-
40 Years Mortgage Lending
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Poor - Excellent Credit
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Several Programs
Service
Average Days to Fund-
No Upfront Fees Ever!
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Same Day Approval
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Direct Lender
Los Angeles County Hard Money Loans — Financing Built for the Fastest Market in California
Los Angeles County is the largest and most varied real estate market in the country, and no two corners of it move the same way. The Westside carries luxury coastal estates in Malibu and the Palisades; the San Fernando Valley runs on dense multi-family and workforce housing; the San Gabriel Valley and the Gateway Cities churn active fix-and-flip inventory; Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley add new construction and entry-level value; and the harbor holds industrial and mixed-use along the ports. A lender who treats a Downtown loft, a Compton duplex, and a Calabasas estate as the same file misses most of what makes this county work.
That is where asset-based lending earns its place. Independent Lending has funded private money loans across California for more than 40 years, with over $500 million placed since 2013—and in LA County that experience means we underwrite the deal in front of us, on the property’s value and equity rather than tax returns or a credit score. When a well-priced listing draws competing offers in days and a conventional loan needs 45 to 60 days to close, the borrower who can move in 12 to 15 business days is competing in a different lane. Whether you are acquiring, bridging, cashing out, or settling an estate, we evaluate your scenario against its submarket and move at the speed LA real estate actually demands.
What Is a Hard Money Loan in Los Angeles County?
A hard money loan is a short-term loan secured by real estate equity rather than by your income, tax returns, or credit score. Instead of the documentation gauntlet a bank runs, a hard money lender looks first at the property—its value, the equity position behind it, and a clear plan to repay. Across a market as varied as Los Angeles County, where a teardown lot in Boyle Heights and an oceanfront home in Malibu price on entirely different fundamentals, that asset-first approach is what lets a borrower move in days rather than weeks. Because approval rests on the property, hard money works for the borrowers that banks routinely decline: self-employed owners, investors with several financed properties, buyers with a past credit event, and families settling a trust or probate estate who still hold real equity.
How Fast Can You Close a Hard Money Loan in Los Angeles County?
Most LA County borrowers receive a term sheet within 24 to 48 hours of the first conversation, and funding typically completes in 12 to 15 business days. When a purchase contract or a court date sets the deadline, the file is built backward from that date. Compare that to a conventional LA County mortgage, where 45 to 60 days is common, and the advantage in a multiple-offer situation is obvious: the borrower who can close in two weeks is competing in a different lane than the one waiting on a bank’s underwriting queue. What compresses the timeline is preparation—knowing your payoff amounts, giving the appraiser access, and holding a clear picture of your exit. What extends it is almost never us; it’s a slow payoff demand from an existing lender or a title surprise on a property that changed hands informally within a family.
Recently Funded Los Angeles County Hard Money Loans
Torrance
HARD MONEY 2ND TRUST DEED—$55,000
Pacific Palisades
HARD MONEY 2ND MORTGAGE—$160,000
San Pedro
HARD MONEY 1ST TRUST DEED—$175,000
Santa Clarita
HARD MONEY 1ST TRUST DEED—$283,000
Granada Hills
PRIVATE MONEY 2ND TRUST DEED—$120,000
Santa Monica
HARD MONEY 1ST TRUST DEED—$670,000
Long Beach
HARD MONEY 2ND TRUST DEED—$167,000
Whittier
HARD MONEY 2ND MORTGAGE—$62,500
Bellflower
PRIVATE MONEY 2ND MORTGAGE—$60,000
NEED A LOS ANGELES COUNTY HARD MONEY LOAN?
Where We Lend In Los Angeles County
Independent Lending funds residential and commercial hard money loans in every neighborhood and district throughout the greater LA metropolitan area and across Los Angeles County. Select your community below to learn about hard money lending in your area:
San Fernando Valley
The county’s highest fix-and-flip volume. 1950s tract stock trading on renovation spreads.
- Burbank
- Chatsworth
- Encino
- Glendale
- Granada Hills
- North Hollywood
- San Fernando
- Sherman Oaks
- Sun Valley
- Valley Village
- Van Nuys
- Woodland Hills
South Bay / Harbor
Beach-city scrapes and port-adjacent industrial areas, from Torrance down through Long Beach.
- Carson
- El Segundo
- Gardena
- Hawthorne
- Hermosa Beach
- Long Beach
- Manhattan Beach
- Rancho Palos Verdes
- Redondo Beach
- Rolling Hills
- San Pedro
- Torrance
Westside / Coastal
Our largest average loan size. Bridge and cash-out against high-basis coastal property.
- Bel-Air
- Beverly Crest
- Beverly Hills
- Brentwood
- Culver City
- Malibu
- Mar Vista
- Marina del Rey
- Pacific Palisades
- Santa Monica
- Venice
- Westwood
San Gabriel Valley
Deep owner-occupant demand and steady ADU construction lending from Pasadena east.
- Alhambra
- Arcadia
- Claremont
- Diamond Bar
- El Monte
- Hacienda Heights
- Monterey Park
- Pasadena
- Pomona
- Rosemead
- Temple City
- West Covina
Gateway / Southeast
Entry-price inventory and strong rental yields across the southeast corridor, from Downey to Whittier.
- Bellflower
- Cerritos
- Compton
- Downey
- Huntington Park
- Inglewood
- La Mirada
- Norwalk
- Paramount
- Pico Rivera
- South Gate
- Whittier
North County / Antelope Valley
Santa Clarita and the high desert. Land, entitlement and ground-up construction.
- Acton
- Agua Dulce
- Antelope Acres
- Green Valley
- Lancaster
- Leona Valley
- Littlerock
- Palmdale
- Quartz Hill
- Santa Clarita
- Sun Village
- Valencia
Central / Eastside
Value-add multifamily and adaptive reuse, including rent-stabilized buildings.
- City Terrace
- Eagle Rock
- East Los Angeles
- Echo Park
- Downtown LA
- Highland Park
- Hollywood
- Lincoln Heights
- Los Angeles
- Los Feliz
- Montecito Heights
- Silver Lake
Don't See Your City?
We lend on property anywhere in Los Angeles County. Send us the address and we will quote terms the same business day.
Loan Programs
Bridge Loans
Close on your next LA County property before selling the current one. A bridge loan frees the equity in a property you’re about to sell, so you can move on a Westside or South Bay purchase without waiting for the first to close.
Fix & Flip
Fast acquisition-plus-rehab capital for LA’s active flip corridors — the San Gabriel Valley, Gateway Cities, and the Valley. We underwrite on the property’s after-repair value, not your tax returns, so you can win competitive bids and close on schedule.
Trust & Probate
Cash-Out
Pull equity from a property you already own for your next deal — a renovation, an ADU, debt consolidation, or an acquisition — without the income-verification hurdles of a conventional refinance.
Investment / DSCR
Qualify a rental on the property’s income rather than your personal tax returns — a natural fit for building an LA County rental portfolio near the county’s major employment centers
What Property Types Qualify for Hard Money in Los Angeles County?
Independent Lending funds across the full range of LA County real estate. On the residential side, that includes single-family homes, condos, and townhomes from the San Fernando Valley to the South Bay, as well as duplexes, triplexes, and small multifamily properties. On the commercial and mixed-use side, it includes retail, office, industrial, and mixed-use assets along corridors such as the Miracle Mile, DTLA, and the Gateway Cities, as well as medical properties. And on the investment and special-purpose side, it covers fix-and-flip and value-add projects, land and transitional parcels, and trust-held, probate, and estate properties throughout the county. If the property has real equity and the deal has a clear exit, there is usually a program for it.
Los Angeles County Residential and Commercial Hard Money Loans
Los Angeles County Residential Hard Money Loans
- Borrow up to 65% Loan to Value
- Direct Lender - No Middleman
- Rates From 7.99% for Qualified Borrowers
- Pre-Approval In Minutes NOT Days
- Ultra Fast Closing Time
Los Angeles County Commercial Hard Money Loans
- Borrow up to 60% Loan to Value
- Direct Lender - No Middleman
- Rates From 7.99% for Qualified Borrowers
- Quick and Easy Application Process
- Ultra Fast Closing Time
NEED A LOS ANGELES COUNTY HARD MONEY LOAN?
What credit score do you need for an LA County hard money loan?
There is no minimum credit score requirement. Approval is based on the equity in the property, not your FICO. Several recent LA County closings involved no credit review at all—when the equity position is strong enough, underwriting simply doesn’t need it. That is the practical difference between asset-based lending and a bank’s scorecard: a past foreclosure, a divorce that bruised your credit, or a business setback does not disqualify a deal that has real equity and a workable exit. We underwrite the property and the repayment plan in front of us, not the paperwork history behind you.
Can self-employed borrowers qualify?
Yes, and they are among the borrowers; hard money serves best. Los Angeles County’s economy runs on entertainment-industry freelancers, small-business owners, gig and 1099 professionals, and entrepreneurs whose real income never fits neatly on a bank’s documentation checklist. Because Independent Lending qualifies the property rather than the paycheck, a self-employed borrower with equity and a clear repayment plan stands on equal footing with a W-2 employee—sometimes better, because the file stays lean and moves faster. A strong tax-return write-off strategy that frustrates a bank underwriter is simply not the deciding factor here.
Loan Terms At A Glance
Rates
9–13.99% annually (7.99% floor)
Funding timeline
12–15 business days
Loan-to-value
Up to 65% res · 60% commercial
Loan basis
Asset-based (property equity)
Property types
SFR · condo · multi-family · mixed-use · commercial
Los Angeles County Real Estate Market — What Hard Money Borrowers Should Know in 2026
Los Angeles County’s defining feature for a lender is its value spread. The countywide median sits near $890,000 as of mid-2026—roughly flat year over year—but that single number hides an enormous range. The City of Los Angeles proper runs closer to $1 million, entry-level neighborhoods in the eastern and northern counties trade well below the median, and a handful of coastal enclaves like Pacific Palisades and Hidden Hills clear $5 million, often within a short drive of each other. For a hard money lender, that spread is the opportunity: it means a single county holds both the affordable fix-and-flip inventory investors want and the high-equity coastal property that supports large asset-based loans.
The 2026 market is also slower and more deliberate than the frenzy of recent years. Homes are averaging well over 50 days on market, inventory has improved, and prices have plateaued rather than climbed—a market that rewards buyers and investors who can move decisively when the right property appears. That is precisely where financing speed becomes a competitive advantage: when a listing sits long enough to negotiate but the right deal still draws multiple offers, the borrower who can close in 12 to 15 business days is operating in a different lane than one waiting on a 45-to-60-day bank timeline. Independent Lending underwrites LA County deals against this market as it actually is—submarket by submarket, on equity and exit rather than on a countywide average that fits no single neighborhood.
Countywide median price
~$888,000 (mid-2026, roughly flat YoY)
City of LA median
~$1 million
High-end submarkets
Pacific Palisades & Hidden Hills clear $5M+
Days on market
50+ days (up from the prior year—slower, more deliberate)
Properties with 50%+ equity
1.5 million+ countywide
LOS ANGELES COUNTY HARD MONEY LOANS—FAQS
Most borrowers come to hard money with the same handful of questions—how fast it funds, what it costs, whether credit matters, and which properties qualify. The answers below reflect how Independent Lending actually underwrites across LA County today: on the equity in the property and a clear repayment plan, not on tax returns or a credit score. If your situation isn’t covered here, call 949.830.3151 and ask directly—the unusual scenarios are most of what we do.
How is a hard money loan different from a traditional loan in Los Angeles County?
A traditional loan qualifies you—your income, tax returns, debt-to-income ratio, and credit score. A hard money loan qualifies the property. Independent Lending looks first at what your LA County real estate is worth and how much equity sits behind it, then structures a short-term loan around that. The difference shows up in speed and flexibility: a bank in this market typically takes 45 to 60 days and can still decline a self-employed borrower or an unusual property, while a hard money loan funds in 12 to 15 business days and approves on equity. The trade-off is rate—hard money costs more than a bank—which is why it fits short-term needs with a clear exit, like a flip, a bridge, or an estate settlement, rather than a 30-year hold.
What is the typical timeline for a hard money loan in Los Angeles County?
Most LA County borrowers receive a term sheet within 24 to 48 hours of the first conversation, and funding is completed in 12 to 15 business days. When a purchase contract or court date sets the deadline, we work backward from that date to build the file. The single longest step is usually the appraisal—standard residential moves fastest, while a unique asset like a Hollywood Hills view property or a mixed-use building in DTLA can take a few extra days to value properly. Title, escrow, and loan documents run in parallel, so preparation on your end—payoff amounts, property access, and a clear exit—is what lands you at the front of that range.
What rates, terms, and requirements are typical for Los Angeles County hard money Loans?
Rates run higher than a bank’s in exchange for speed and flexibility, and terms are structured for the short term around your exit rather than as a long amortization schedule. Residential loans go up to 65% loan-to-value and commercial loans up to 60%, and the main requirement is meaningful equity plus a realistic repayment plan—a refinance once a rental stabilizes, a sale after renovation, or proceeds from another transaction already in motion. We quote the specific rate, points, and term on the first call, so there are no surprises later. What we don’t build the approval around is your tax returns or credit history.
Can I qualify with bad credit in Los Angeles County?
Yes. A past foreclosure, a divorce that damaged your credit, or a business setback does not disqualify a deal that has real equity and a workable exit. Because approval is asset-based, several recent LA County loans closed without any credit review. Owner-occupants with recent credit events also have a path here. What matters is a property we can value with confidence, an equity position within our loan-to-value guidelines, and a clear plan for how the loan will be repaid—bring those three things, and the conversation is usually short.
Why do borrowers choose Independent Lending in Los Angeles County?
Three reasons come up most often. First, we’re a direct lender—the person who evaluates your file is the person who can approve it, with no broker chain adding fees and days and no end investor renegotiating your terms mid-escrow. Second, the track record is verifiable, not just claimed: over $500 million funded since 2013, 40+ years of combined mortgage experience, and 130-plus five-star Zillow reviews, all backed by real funded LA County deals with real photos and real numbers on this page. Third, in honest terms—we tell you on the first call whether a deal works, what it costs, and if a bank would genuinely serve you better; we say so.
Can I use a hard money loan to pull cash out of my Los Angeles County property?
Yes. A hard money cash-out refinance accesses the equity in a property you already own without the income-verification requirements of a conventional refinance. It’s a common move for long-tenured LA County owners sitting on substantial appreciation who need capital for a renovation, an ADU, debt consolidation, a business purpose, or the next acquisition. If you’re holding a low-rate first mortgage, you would rather not disturb it; a hard money second can free up capital while leaving that first exactly where it is.
Does Independent Lending fund trust and probate properties in Los Angeles County?
Yes, it’s one of our core specialties. We work with heirs, trustees, and administrators across LA County and can often fund without first moving the property out of the trust it already sits in. LA County’s long-tenured homeowner base means estate and trust situations come up constantly: an heir buying out a sibling’s share, an administrator needing funds before a sale closes, and a family settling a property with significant accumulated equity. These are precisely the files conventional lenders handle poorly, and we handle them every month.
What's the difference between a hard money loan and a bridge loan in Los Angeles County?
A bridge loan is one type of hard money loan—specifically, one that covers the gap between buying and selling. It lets you access the equity in a property you’re about to sell so you can move on to the next purchase without waiting for the first to close, which matters in an LA County market where the right listing draws competing offers fast. All bridge loans are short-term and equity-based, but not all hard money loans are bridges—hard money also covers fix-and-flip, cash-out, DSCR rentals, and estate financing. The right structure depends on the actual purpose of the money.
NEED A LOS ANGELES COUNTY HARD MONEY LOAN?
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Direct lender · Closes in 12–15 business days · $500M+ funded since 2013
Los Angeles County Hard Money Loan Reviews
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Ready to Put Your LA County Property to Work?
If you have a Los Angeles County property in mind — or one you already own with equity sitting idle — the fastest way to know your options is a single conversation. Call Independent Lending at 949.830.3151, tell us about the property and what the money needs to do, and in most cases, you’ll know on that first call whether the deal works, with a term sheet to follow within 24 to 48 hours. No application fee, no upfront cost, no obligation—just a direct answer from the people who actually fund the loan.
Related Articles
Asset-Based Lending | Bad Credit Loans | Bridge Loans | Cash Out Refinance Loans | Fix and Flip Loans | Hard Money 2nds | Hard Money Purchase Loans | Investment Property Loans | DSCR Loans | Owner-Occupied Loans | Probate & Estate Loans | Trust Loans | Long Beach Hard Money Lenders | Torrance Hard Money Lenders | Pasadena Hard Money Lenders | Santa Monica Hard Money Lenders | Glendale Hard Money Lenders
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