Rates as Low as 11%
70% CLTV
Trusted 5-Star Rating on Google
Anywhere in California
Direct Lender, Not a Broker
$200K to $2M
No Upfront Fees
Self-Employed or Foreign National
Pre-Approval in Hours, Funding Within Days
We are California’s premier 2nd lien private money lender. We have served the Golden State for over 2 decades with both 1st and 2nd position loans.
With over 20 years of experience, we’ve helped thousands of real estate investors secure fast, reliable financing on 2nd positions when traditional lenders couldn’t deliver.
Our deep understanding of California’s real estate market allows us to structure loans quickly and efficiently, without unnecessary red tape.
Whether you need a first lien loan to acquire a new property or a second lien for a cash-out refinance, we move fast to get your deal closed.
From Los Angeles to San Diego, and Sacramento to San Francisco, our team has helped investors close with confidence.
As 2nd position private money lenders, we like to see a combined loan-to-value (the value of the 1st position loan + the 2nd position loan) below 70%, to protect the lender from any downside in an unstable economy.
High rate of approval, lots of equity
Typically would be approved, but depends on the property type and region
This is very unlikely to qualify, as there is not enough equity in the property.
Hard money second trust deed loans, also known as second-position hard money loans, are a financial instrument that allows California real estate investors to unlock capital from their property without refinancing their first mortgage, which is often a low-interest, long-term loan they want to keep in place.
The exact property secures these second-position loans as the first mortgage, but the lender is in a subordinate position, meaning they are repaid only after the first lien holder has been paid in full in the event of a sale or foreclosure. Because of this added risk, second lien loans typically come with higher interest rates and shorter terms, but they offer a fast and flexible solution for accessing equity.
At Crescent Lenders, we specialize in providing second-position hard money loans to experienced real estate investors and property owners across California. Whether you're looking to fund renovations, bridge a short-term gap, or tap into equity for your next investment, our second trust deed financing can be the strategic tool you need to pull cash out without disturbing your existing mortgage.
A 2nd lien position loan is a type of hard money financing that’s secured by a property that already has an existing mortgage or loan on it (called the first lien). If the borrower defaults or the property is sold, the 2nd lien lender is only repaid after the first lien is satisfied.
The main difference is who gets paid first. A 1st lien lender gets paid first in the event of a foreclosure. A 2nd lien lender only gets paid if there’s enough equity left after the 1st lien is covered. Because of this increased risk, 2nd lien loans often come with higher interest rates and a more complex underwriting process.
Second-position hard money loans are ideal when:
We typically lend on:
Loan amounts depend on the property's value and the combined loan-to-value (CLTV) ratio.
At CrescentLenders, we will fund up to 60–70% CLTV.
For example, if your property is worth $1 million and you owe $600,000 on a first lien, you might qualify for a 2nd lien loan of $50,000 - $100,000.
Yes — many of our clients already have traditional mortgages and use 2nd position loans to access cash quickly without refinancing their first loan.
The main risk is that if the property declines in value or is foreclosed, the second lien lender (and potentially you, the borrower) may not recover the full loan amount. That’s why we carefully evaluate the property's equity before lending.
If the borrower defaults or goes into foreclosure, the investor in the second position gets paid only after the first lien holder has been paid in full, often resulting in a partial or total loss for the borrower in the second position.
As a result, 2nd trust deed interest rates can be as high as 15% or greater, depending on the risk profile of the deal, i.e, property type, borrowers' credit score, and location of the property.
Depending on the amount of the 2nd, loans are $50K–$300K, and smaller loans often carry higher rates to justify underwriting costs.