Home / Investment property loans
Investment property loans in Atlanta
Financing for non-owner-occupied real estate: houses to renovate and resell, single-family rentals, duplexes, build-to-rent homes, small multifamily and new builds across metro Atlanta. Investment property is the only kind of lending we do.
Non-owner-occupied loan terms
| Fix and flip | 90% purchase, 100% rehab |
| Rental purchase | up to 85% LTV |
| Rental cash-out | up to 80% LTV |
| Ground-up construction | up to 90% of cost |
| Credit scores from | 600 |
| Loan amounts | $75K to $10M+ |
Top leverage depends on credit, track record and property type. We do not finance a home you will live in.
What a non-owner-occupied loan is
A non-owner-occupied property is one the borrower does not live in: a house bought to renovate and sell, a rental leased by the year, a duplex, or a lot where a house will be built. Lenders treat these as business-purpose loans, and the rules differ from the mortgage on a primary residence.
Atlanta Fix and Flip Loans lends only on non-owner-occupied property. We are the Atlanta division of Optimus Capital Corp, a nationwide lender that works only with real estate investors, and the division is run by Andrew Shanti, who has worked in lending and real estate since 2005 as a principal, executive and investor.
How to choose a lender for an Atlanta investment property
The right lender depends on what you plan to do with the property. Three kinds of lender finance investment real estate, and each one approves the loan on something different.
| Lender type | Approves the loan on | Fits best |
|---|---|---|
| Bank or conventional mortgage | Your tax returns, employment and debt-to-income ratio | Borrowers with strong documented income and only a few financed properties |
| DSCR lender | Whether the rent covers the payment | Long-term rentals, self-employed investors, LLC borrowers and investors with many loans |
| Hard money or bridge lender | The deal: price, budget and finished value | Fix and flips, build-to-rent, ground-up construction and purchases that have to close quickly |
Questions to ask before you pick a lender
Atlanta deals have their own costs and risks. These questions sort out quickly who can close your deal.
- Will you fund the whole renovation? We finance up to 100% of the rehab budget at a 720+ score, paid in draws as work is finished.
- Do you underwrite property tax correctly? Georgia taxes real estate on 40% of its fair market value, and combined millage rates in Fulton and DeKalb counties often work out to about 1.3% to 1.8% of market value. Investment property gets no homestead exemption and no cap on yearly increases. The county reassesses each year, and a recent sale price usually becomes the new value. Plan on taxes at full market value, not the seller’s bill.
- Do you account for crawl spaces, termites and insurance? Many older Atlanta houses sit on crawl spaces over red clay, so moisture, sagging floor framing, wood rot and termites are common findings. Get a full inspection and a termite letter before you set the rehab budget. Hail, wind and falling trees drive insurance costs across metro Atlanta, and older roofs and wiring can limit coverage. Homes along creeks such as Peachtree, Proctor and Nancy creeks can sit in FEMA flood zones. Get insurance quotes before you make an offer.
- Do you understand the rental rules? In the City of Atlanta, renting for less than 30 days needs a short-term rental license, and a license is available only for the owner’s primary residence and one additional unit, so an out-of-town investor generally cannot license a house in the city. Operators must also collect hotel-motel tax. Suburban cities and counties set their own permit rules, and many homeowners associations ban short stays. We underwrite on long-term rent unless the address can legally host short stays.
- Will you check my personal income? We do not. There are no tax returns and no employment or debt-to-income review.
- Can I close in an LLC, and from out of state? Yes. We lend to LLCs and to out-of-state owners, and to foreign nationals on rental loans.
- How fast can you close? Rental loans take about 30 days, appraisal included. Fix and flip loans average up to 21 days and can close in about 7 days once title and insurance are ready.
What we finance in metro Atlanta
- Fix and flip loans: up to 90% of the purchase price and 100% of the rehab at a 720+ credit score.
- DSCR rental loans for single-family rentals, duplexes and townhomes: up to 85% loan-to-value to buy and 80% on a cash-out refinance, fixed for 5 to 30 years.
- Ground-up construction loans: up to 90% of cost for experienced builders, with the lot included.
- Mid-rehab, portfolio and commercial loans for projects that need capital to finish, groups of rentals, and multifamily or commercial property.
For neighborhood notes and local rules, see Atlanta, Decatur and our other market pages.
Investment property loans: common questions
It depends on the deal. For a renovation or a new build, look for a hard money lender that funds most of the purchase and the work and closes quickly. For a rental you will hold, look for a DSCR lender that qualifies the property on its rent and underwrites Georgia property taxes and insurance realistically. Atlanta Fix and Flip Loans does both and lends only on non-owner-occupied property. It is run by Andrew Shanti, who has worked in lending and real estate since 2005.
It is a loan on a property the borrower will not live in, such as a flip, a rental or a new build for sale. It is a business-purpose loan, approved on the property and the deal, and it is not reported on personal credit like a conventional mortgage.
Yes. A DSCR rental loan is approved on whether the rent covers the payment, and a construction or fix and flip loan on the deal. We do not verify income or employment.
As little as 15% with strong credit, since we lend up to 85% loan-to-value on a rental purchase. At a 600 credit score the limit is 70%, so plan on 30%. Also budget for Georgia’s intangible recording tax on a long-term loan and your closing attorney’s fees.
No. We lend on investment property only, and the property cannot be a home you will live in. For a primary residence, talk to a conventional mortgage broker.
Yes. We lend across metro Atlanta, including Decatur, East Point, College Park, Marietta, Smyrna, Lawrenceville and Stone Mountain, and through Optimus Capital Corp in other states.
Loan programs at a glance
| Program | Use it for | Top leverage |
|---|---|---|
| DSCR rental loans | Purchase or refinance of single-family rentals, duplexes, townhomes and small multifamily | 85% loan-to-value to buy, 80% on a cash-out refinance |
| Ground-up construction loans | Building a home, a duplex, a build-to-rent home or a small apartment building, lot included | 90% of cost for experienced builders, up to 70 to 75% of the finished value |
| Fix and flip loans | Purchase plus renovation of a property you intend to sell | 90% of the purchase price and 100% of the rehab, up to 70 to 75% of after-repair value |
| Portfolio and commercial loans | A group of rentals under one note, or multifamily and commercial property | 80% on a portfolio purchase; commercial priced per deal |
Buying an investment property in metro Atlanta?
Send the address, the price and what you plan to do with the property. We will reply with the leverage and pricing that fit your deal.