All Forum Posts by: Deborah Wodell

Rehab Loans only are possible for this. 

Hey Maurice, thanks for sharing! You're not alone—DTI limits with traditional banks can be a roadblock, even with strong cash-flowing rentals.

A few ideas to consider:
• Look into portfolio lenders or private lenders who underwrite based on asset performance, not personal income.
• Some DSCR lenders will allow cross-collateralization or seller carrybacks to reduce your cash outlay.
• You might also explore bridge financing or short-term solutions while you stabilize rents or increase income.

You’re in a good position with great credit and cash flow—just might need a more creative approach than conventional banks allow.

Hey Charles, I saw your post and totally get what you're saying. It's a tough choice between getting a few cash-flowing rentals or doing a BRRRR to try and stretch your money.

One thing to think about — if you go with the BRRRR route, you can use hard or private money upfront so your own cash isn't fully tied up. That way, after the rehab and refi, you may still have funds left to jump into another deal sooner.

But if steady income feels more secure right now, picking up 2–3 rentals could be a great start, even if it slows your pace a bit.

Either way, you’re thinking about it the right way — just depends on your timeline and comfort with taking on a project vs. buying something ready to go.

Hope that helps a bit!

Hey John — sounds like you’ve got a solid deal with great upside, even if things feel slow right now. With those numbers, I’d say you're still in a strong position — just need to adjust the process to match your long-term goals.

A few thoughts based on what you shared:

Your trades are skilled but stretched. That’s common with lower hourly rates — good work but limited availability. At this point, it might be worth pulling in a second crew for specific tasks (drywall, flooring, windows) so your core team can stay focused on plumbing/electrical.

Think like a GC. You’ve already taken on demo, materials, and design — now’s the time to level up into a true project manager role. Break the scope into manageable parts and delegate. If you're learning to tile, maybe knock out one bathroom yourself and hire out the rest. Time is your most valuable asset.

Offer completion bonuses. If your current guys are juggling multiple jobs, a modest bonus for finishing by a certain deadline can go a long way. That $500–$1k incentive could speed things up more than you think.

Don't let one slow project delay your next move. If even 1 or 2 units can be finished and rented soon, it’ll relieve some pressure and bring in cash flow — which gives you more freedom to look ahead.

You’re doing a lot right: great numbers, hands-on involvement, solid vision. It’s just time to transition from “doing the work” to running the project. That shift is what will free you up to BRRRR more properties without burning out.

Keep going — this one's worth finishing strong. 💪

Is it a double wide or single wide? That can make a difference for some lenders

Hey Dustin, thanks for sharing — definitely a common challenge, and you're not alone in this. Most hard money lenders won’t touch a primary residence due to lending regulations, and unfortunately, SBA loans aren’t an option either, since they’re strictly for business purposes (not personal use or fixing up your own home).

That said, you might still have a few options:

If you've got enough equity, a HELOC or home equity loan could work (depending on your credit).

A bridge loan from a private lender may be possible—some are willing to lend short-term against the home’s equity to help with repairs.

You could also consider partnering with an investor to fund the rehab in exchange for a profit split.

Or even selling as-is to a cash buyer if you’d rather avoid the upfront rehab and move on.

Is there rehab involved? There are tons of options, you can check several lenders or talk to a broker to get options. 

Haven't used or know of them. But if you'd like to know more investors lending their own funds, best to join a local group, you can try finding them on facebook or other sites if there is one. 

Great question, Tolise! I’ve found that having a few go-to lenders already lined up before going under contract makes a huge difference—especially in today’s market where timing and lender consistency are everything.

For my clients, I usually help line up options early based on their strategy (fix & flip, DSCR, BRRR, etc.), so we're not scrambling once the deal is signed. That way, if one lender backs out or changes terms, there's a backup ready to step in.

Biggest tip I’d share: don’t wait until you’re under contract to start your funding search. Having a “plan B” lender is just as important as your primary one.

 This is 100% true. We always base arv from sold comps.