Hard Money Calculator

North Carolina Hard Money Loan Calculator

Enter your deal to see how much you can borrow, your rate and points options, and the cash you'll need to close. Choose a project type for fix and flip, bridge, ground-up construction, or 30-year rental (DSCR) loans. Pricing based on current industry rates.

The project
You

Flips, ground-up builds, or rentals you bought, renovated, and sold or held.

Your middle score of the three bureaus. 650 minimum.

The numbers
$
$

Leave blank if it matches the purchase price.

$
$

Expected value once the work is finished, based on recent comparable sales.

Hard money loans for North Carolina real estate investors

This calculator is set to North Carolina. Pick a project type (fix and flip, bridge, ground-up construction or a 30-year rental loan), enter the property ZIP code and your numbers, and it prices the loan under current investor lending rules. You get the loan amount, rate and points options, monthly payment and cash to close. It covers single-family homes, 2–4 unit buildings, condos, townhomes and PUDs held as investments, from Mecklenburg, Wake, Durham and Guilford counties to Wilmington and the mountains.

How your credit score changes a Charlotte flip

Lenders cut leverage by 5 points for scores from 680 to 699 and by 10 points for scores from 650 to 679, and the rate rises with each step. Take a 1–4 flip investor buying in west Charlotte (28208) for $260,000, with a $90,000 rehab and a $450,000 after-repair value. With a 720 score the calculator lends $324,000: $234,000 at closing (90% of the price) plus the full rehab, so the down payment is $26,000.

With a 690 score the loan is $311,000, the closing advance drops to $221,000 (85%), and the down payment rises to $39,000. At 670 it is $292,500: $208,000 at closing (80%), $84,500 of the rehab, and you cover the other $5,500 of the work yourself on top of a $52,000 down payment. That's $31,500 less loan for the same house. If your score sits just under a tier, it can pay to fix it before you sign a contract.

What's different about investing in North Carolina

Due diligence money goes to the seller. The standard North Carolina offer form has the buyer pay a due diligence fee straight to the seller, and you usually don't get it back if you walk away. Budget it as money at risk, and finish your inspection, contractor bids and loan sizing inside the due diligence period.

Foreclosure auctions stay open for 10 days. North Carolina lenders foreclose under a power of sale after a hearing before the clerk of superior court. After the auction, any bidder can top the price by 5% within 10 days, and every upset bid restarts the period. Courthouse deals can be good flip inventory, but you need a bridge loan that can wait out the bidding.

Closing taxes are low. The state excise tax on a deed is $1 per $500 of the price (about $900 on a $450,000 resale), and it's normally paid by the seller. North Carolina has no mortgage or intangible tax on the loan itself.

Taxes follow the county revaluation, not your price. Counties reappraise every property at least every eight years. Mecklenburg and Wake both raised values sharply at their latest revaluations, so look up the current assessed value and the county's next revaluation date. On a rental hold, a jump in the tax bill comes straight out of your DSCR.

Insurance depends on where you are. Wilmington and the Outer Banks carry hurricane wind exposure, often through the state's Beach Plan, and western North Carolina has flood risk well away from the coast. Get a quote before you set the rehab budget so the premium shows up in your holding costs.

Which North Carolina loan fits your project

  • Fix and flip: purchase plus rehab paid in draws, sized against the after-repair value.
  • Bridge: short-term purchase or refinance with no rehab, handy for auction buys and quick closings. See the bridge loan calculator.
  • Ground-up construction: land plus build budget for infill lots in Charlotte and the Triangle suburbs. See the construction loan calculator.
  • DSCR rental loan: a 30-year loan qualified on rent instead of personal income, the usual exit when you buy, renovate, rent and refinance. See the DSCR loan calculator.

What drives your rate in North Carolina

The same things as anywhere else: experience, credit score, loan amount, property type and, for flips, how big the rehab is next to the price. The state doesn't change the rate by itself, and none of the large North Carolina markets fall under a special ZIP overlay. Enter the real ZIP code anyway, because the calculator still checks your after-repair value against typical home values there. If you plan to keep the property, size the refinance first with the DSCR loan calculator so you know it will pay off the short-term loan.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I get a hard money loan in North Carolina?

Yes. Fix and flip, bridge, ground-up construction and DSCR rental loans are available for 1–4 unit investment properties across North Carolina, including Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Wilmington and Asheville. Choose your project type and enter the property ZIP code to see pricing.

How much does my credit score change a North Carolina flip loan?

Quite a bit below 700. In the Charlotte example on this page, the same deal gets $324,000 with a 720 score, $311,000 with a 690 and $292,500 with a 670, and the rate options step up at each tier. The calculator prices the tier you enter, so run it with your real middle score.

What is the upset bid period at a North Carolina foreclosure sale?

After a foreclosure auction, anyone can raise the winning bid during the next 10 days by at least 5% (minimum $750), and each new bid restarts the clock. The sale only becomes final when a 10-day period passes with no new bid, so an auction purchase can take weeks to close. Keep your bridge loan approval current until it does.

Do I need an attorney to close in North Carolina?

In practice, yes. North Carolina treats title searches and closing as the practice of law, so a licensed attorney handles the title work, the deed and the loan documents. Most investors pick a closing attorney who already works with private lenders and draw schedules.

Does North Carolina have rent control?

No. State law bars cities and counties from regulating rents on private property, so a DSCR loan can be sized on market rent once the home is leased. The rent still has to cover the payment, taxes and insurance, so check it with the DSCR calculator before you buy.

Ready to lock in terms? Request a free quote.

Estimates are for planning only and are not a commitment to lend.