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Bird's Eye View of California Real Estate

Direct Private Money Lenders

Fast. Flexible. Funding.

Hard Money Direct Lenders

Rates as Low as 9.75%

75% LTV

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

Recently Funded

Direct Lender Loans in California

Your Premier Choice

California’s Direct Hard Money Lender

With over a decade of experience, Crescent Lenders has become the premier choice for California real estate investors in need of direct hard money loans.

Competitive rates, quick funding, and exceptional customer support have earned us a stellar reputation as one of the direct private loan lenders in the Golden State.

Whether you are an investor seizing a prime opportunity or a homeowner in need of a down payment on a new home while trying to sell your current home, we can provide the capital and support you need to close the deal and move forward with confidence.

See why we are a trusted partner with numerous California real estate investors, helping them complete transactions from San Diego to Sacramento and everywhere in between.

Use Cases

Direct Hard Money Lending in California

A direct hard money lender in California can provide real estate borrowers with unmatched speed and flexibility that banks and brokers can’t.

Whether you are executing a fix-and-flip on a property in Los Angeles, pulling cash-out of an investment property in San Diego, or investing in a commercial property in San Francisco, a direct lender hard money lender like Crescent Lenders can streamline the funding process.

Benefits of a Direct Hard Money Lender in California:

  • Quick Funding: In-house decisions mean loans can close in days, not weeks
  • Direct Access: You work directly with the lender, no middlemen involved
  • Costs: Avoiding broker fees makes financing more affordable
  • Market Expertise: Direct California hard money lenders understand property values and market trends

Direct California hard money lenders ensure quick funding, better transparency, and lower overall costs to real estate investors across the Golden State.

When given the choice between a broker or a direct lender, it is usually in the borrower's best interest to go direct.

The Difference

Broker vs Direct Hard Money Lender

Major Difference 

  • Broker: Matchmaker, connecting you to a lender with an additional fee attached
  • Direct Hard Money Lender: Initial and final decision maker, responsible for providing the capital to the borrower

Broker

  • Purpose: Serves as an intermediary between the borrower and private lenders
  • Operating Model: As a middleman, they shop your loan request to different hard money lenders, resulting in much higher fees
  • Benefit: Might be able to provide the borrower with a more competitive rate since they work with several lenders at once
  • Fees: Typically charges a fee of 1–3%, in addition to the lender’s fee, which is usually another 2-4%, resulting in a combined origination fee of 3-7% of the total loan value (high price to pay)
  • Time: Usually can’t fund as fast as a direct hard money lender since they need to secure approval from third-party hard money lenders
  • Best for: Borrowers who don’t mind paying a higher origination fee and want to shop for the best interest rate without having to contact multiple lenders 

Direct Hard Money Lenders

  • Purpose: Have access to capital in a fund they manage, their own private money, or reliable investors who are ready to provide cash to fund the loan
  • Operating Model: Direct lenders are the first and final decision makers. Once the required documents have been reviewed and approved, they send the funds directly to the borrower, allowing the borrower to receive the funds quickly.
  • Benefit: Lower costs, easier communication, more transparency, and the ability to adjust terms of the loan as needed
  • Fees: With no middleman involved, a direct lender’s origination fee can be roughly 50% lower
  • Time: Fastest option since the communication and funding decision comes from one entity 
  • Best for: Borrowers who want quick funding, direct communication, and fewer costs
Frequently Asked Questions

Direct Hard Money

How do direct hard money lenders work?

Hard money lenders provide short-term funding through asset-based loans rather than a borrower’s credit rating.

This means a borrower will put up a collateral asset while they are borrowing the money, pay a fixed interest on the loan, and then eventually repay the loan in full.

Because they carry more risk than a traditional loan, they often come with higher interest rates and fees.

Real estate investors often use them for leverage or as gap funding between deals.

What do direct hard money lenders require?

Hard money lenders typically require a down payment of 20–30% or sufficient equity in the property as collateral.

They also expect a clear exit strategy, such as a refinance or property sale, to ensure repayment.

Is it difficult to get a hard money loan?

Hard money loans, for the most part, all depend on the underlying value of the collateral property.

They are not like bank loans that can take 1 to 3 months to fund. Often, they are processed and underwritten in a relatively short time frame.

Contact Us Today

Fast. Flexible. Funding.


Between $200k and 2 Million Dollars
Direct California Hard Money Lender (Not a Broker, Avoid the Extra Fees)
Funding Private Money Loans Such as Purchase, Refinance, Rehab, Probate, 1031 Exchanges, Cash-out
Pre-Approval in Hours, Funding Within Days