Hard Money Lenders in Athens, GA | Fix & Flip | Capital Kings LLC
Capital Kings LLC · Non-QM Mortgage Broker

Hard Money Lenders inAthens, Georgia

Fix and flip, bridge and purchase only, DSCR rental and new construction financing for Athens investors. We do not lend our own money, we shop your deal across a 400+ lender network and come back with real terms you can compare on total cost.

Get a term sheet →Price an Athens deal

Prefer to talk it through? Call or text Micah at (281) 636-5682.

Reviewed by Micah Foster, Founder & CEO, October 2026

Price an Athens deal right now

Prefilled with a realistic Athens deal. Change any number and it reprices on the programs that lend in Georgia, with the same math as our term sheets.

Sizing your flip on the same terms as the term sheet. Get a real term sheet →

Financing a deal in Athens

Athens is a college town first. The University of Georgia sets the rhythm, and the hospitals and a growing set of manufacturers add jobs on the edges. Athens and Clarke County share one government. Flips here split between older houses near downtown, in Normaltown, Boulevard and Five Points, and 1970s and 1980s split levels and ranches on the east side.

The Athens deal is shaped by Oconee County. Families who want the Oconee school system cross the line to Watkinsville and Bogart, so Athens-Clarke owner-occupants tend to be faculty, hospital staff and young professionals who want to live close in. That buyer pays for walkability and character near downtown. Out east, a clean renovated split level competes on price. We size the after repair value to the buyer who actually shops your street.

What an Athens deal looks like on paper

Athens example: $210,000 purchase, $60,000 rehab, $390,000 after repair value, 700 credit, first flip. The engine puts that borrower on the Best Rate program at 9.49%. Think a 1970s split level on the east side with a dark kitchen, two baths from the original build, an old deck and a basement that needs drainage work. Every number below is what the instant term sheet prints for that deal, so the picture cannot contradict the page.

Loan amount$238,500
Cash to close$45,199
Proof of funds to show$72,716
Where the $45,199 goes
  • Down payment (15% of the purchase)You$31,500
  • Origination (0.5%)Lender$2,000
  • Lender fees (flat)Lender$1,989
  • Broker fee (1%)Broker$2,385
  • Title and closing (estimate at Texas rates)Title$3,514
  • Prepaid interest (15 days)Lender$696
  • Property insuranceInsurer$2,565
  • AppraisalAppraiser$550

Interest while you rehab: $1,412 a month on the $178,500 funded at closing, $1,886 once every draw is out. Proof of funds is cash to close plus $16,200 of rehab reserve and $11,317 of interest reserve. Sample borrower, sample address; the sheet is issued by the same engine as the borrower’s instant term sheet.

Fix and flip programs in Athens

Swipe the table for rates, credit and terms →

ProgramDown paymentMin creditExperienceRateOriginationMax loanTermClose
Best Rate15% of purchase700+First flip OK8.99% to 9.49%0.5%70% of ARV12 months5-14 days
New Investor Program12.5% of purchase700+First flip OK9.75%1%75% of ARV12 months72 hours
First Flip, 10% Down110% of purchase + rehab660+First flip OK9.99%2%75% of ARV12 months21-30 days
7.5% Down, 3+ Flips27.5% of purchase + rehab660+3+ completed flips9.99%1.5%75% of ARV12 months21-30 days
5% Down, 5+ Flips35% of purchase660+5+ completed flips9.99% to 10.99%2%75% of ARV9-24 months10-14 days
100% Financing, 2+ Flips40% (100% financing)620+2+ completed flips9.50% to 12.00%2.5%70% of ARV9 months7-14 days
Fastest Close (3 days)10% of purchaseNo minimumFirst flip OK11.99%2%75% of ARV6 months72 hours
  1. Rate 9.99% with 2% to 2.25% origination by credit; more origination buys the rate down as far as 8.99%. Loans under $150,000 add 0.5% to the rate and 0.5% to the origination, under $100,000 1.5% and 1%. Under 680 credit the loan caps at 87.5% of cost. Standard interest, charged only on funds drawn. The loan is capped at a share of purchase plus rehab, the full rehab held back for draws, and the ARV must be at least 1.25 times purchase plus rehab. Processing $500, legal $1,495 and underwriting $795.
  2. Rate 9.99% with 1.5% to 1.75% origination by credit; more origination buys the rate down as far as 8.99%. Loans under $150,000 add 0.5% to the rate and 0.5% to the origination, under $100,000 1.5% and 1%. Under 680 credit the loan caps at 90% of cost. Standard interest, charged only on funds drawn. The loan is capped at a share of purchase plus rehab, the full rehab held back for draws, and the ARV must be at least 1.25 times purchase plus rehab. Processing $500, legal $1,495 and underwriting $795.
  3. Rate is set per file from 9.99%; origination about 2% plus a $995 processing fee.
  4. Needs 2 completed flips in the last two years and about $75,000 in verified liquidity. Rate 9.5% to 12% with 2% to 3% origination, set per file. Purchase plus rehab must fit under 70% of ARV.

Origination has a $2,000 minimum on most programs (a few lenders set a higher one, noted above) and our broker fee is 1% with a $2,000 minimum and a $10,000 maximum. These are the numbers our term sheets use as of October 2026. Strong credit, cash and a track record can price lower through specific lenders in the network.

Where Athens prices sit right now

Before we price an Athens flip, we look at where sales in the city sit today. Your block can run well above or below these numbers, so treat them as the starting point, not the answer.

Redfin puts the Athens-Clarke County median sale price at $369K for the three months ending September 2026, up 12.9% on a year earlier, with homes selling in around 44 days. The median price per square foot is $215.

Median sale price (Redfin)$369K
Change from a year earlierup 12.9%
Days on market (Redfin)44
Median price per square foot$215

Sources: Redfin, Athens-Clarke housing market

How an Athens file actually gets priced

Prices rose fast in Athens this year, so we use recent closed sales, not last year’s, and we keep Oconee County sales out of an Athens-Clarke file. Appraisers here separate the in-town historic neighborhoods from the subdivisions east of the Loop. If the best comp near campus was a rental sold to an investor, we check whether it really reflects what an owner-occupant will pay.

Before you plan a student rental, know that Athens-Clarke single-family zoning sharply limits the number of unrelated people who can share a house, and the county enforces it. The North Oconee River and Trail Creek carry floodplain, and older in-town houses bring termites, crawl space moisture and old wiring. Cobbham, Boulevard and several other in-town neighborhoods are local historic districts where exterior changes need approval first.

Who buys your finished Athens deal

The finished Athens house sells to a UGA employee, a medical worker, a young family or a parent buying for a student. Most finance conventional, so a clean inspection matters. Near campus, check the occupancy rules before you count on renting by the room. A long-term rental on a DSCR loan to a single household or a couple is the realistic hold.

What happens after you apply

Apply once and the whole Athens loan lives in the borrower portal: the term sheet you can accept and sign in the browser, where the loan stands, one place for documents, and the list of what the lender is still waiting on. These are real screens from the portal.

Capital Kings borrower portal: Welcome to your file
Welcome to your fileSign in and the term sheet is waiting, with every fee and who it goes to.
Capital Kings borrower portal: Where the loan stands
Where the loan standsApplication, appraisal, title, underwriting, clear to close.
Capital Kings borrower portal: Run the deal again
Run the deal againThe analyzer priced off your real numbers, before and after the appraisal.
Capital Kings borrower portal: What the lender still needs
What the lender still needsEvery open condition, what clears it, and who it is waiting on.

The full walkthrough is on how it works, and you can tour the borrower portal before you apply.

What we fund in Athens

Fix and flip

10%down on a first flip
Rates
from 8.99% at 760+ credit
With experience
0% down with 2+ completed flips, purchase plus rehab under 70% of ARV
Rehab
100% funded, paid in draws
Fix and flip loans in Georgia →

Rental (DSCR)

7.00%rates from, 30-year fixed
Qualify on
the rent, no W-2s or tax returns
Down
from 20% at 700+ credit
Good for
buy-and-hold, and the refinance when a flip becomes a rental
DSCR loans in Georgia →

Bridge and purchase only

12.5%down at 700+ credit, no rehab in the loan
Rates
from 9.75% at 680+ credit
Close
in 5-14 days
Good for
auction buys, off-market deals and 1031 timing

New construction

95%of cost with a financed interest reserve, after 1 completed build
Rates
from 8.49% with 5+ completed builds
First build
85% of cost with a GC who has 5+ builds
Builds
single family to small multifamily
New construction loans in Georgia →

Where we lend in Athens

We broker deals across the whole Athens market. The submarkets investors ask us about most are Normaltown (30606), Boulevard and Cobbham (30601), Five Points (30605 / 30606), Eastside (30605 / 30607), Winterville (30683) and Bogart edge (30622).

How long does a Athens loan take to fund?

You send the address, purchase price, rehab budget and your ARV, which takes about five minutes and no credit pull. We take it to the lenders in our network that fit it and are licensed in Georgia, and the rate, origination, leverage and cash to close come back side by side. 5-14 days to fund, as little as 72 hours on the fastest programs. We stay on title and the lender through funding.

Athens hard money FAQ

Do you lend hard money in Athens?
Yes. Capital Kings is a broker, not a direct lender, so we shop your Athens scenario across a 400+ lender network and bring back real terms instead of one lender’s rate sheet. The programs on this page are the ones whose lenders are licensed in Georgia, and the numbers come from the same engine that prices our instant term sheet.
Which fix and flip programs apply in Athens?
As of October 2026: Best Rate (15% down, from 8.99%); New Investor Program (12.5% down, from 9.75%); First Flip, 10% Down (10% down, from 9.99%); 7.5% Down, 3+ Flips (7.5% down, from 9.99%, 3+ completed flips); 5% Down, 5+ Flips (5% down, from 9.99%, 5+ completed flips); 100% Financing, 2+ Flips (100% financing when purchase plus rehab fits under 70% of ARV, from 9.50%, 2+ completed flips); Fastest Close (3 days) (10% down, from 11.99%). Rehab is funded 100 percent in draws on every one of them, and we shop the file against the rest of the network before anything is signed.
How fast can an Athens hard money loan close?
As little as 72 hours. Most Athens fix and flip files fund in 5-14 days once the file is complete, and the 72-hour programs close that fast when title and insurance are ready. The First Flip, 10% Down program and the 7.5% Down, 3+ Flips program close in 21-30 days. The biggest delays are usually title issues or missing borrower documents, so getting those started early makes a big difference.
How much do I need to bring to close on an Athens flip?
The worked example on this page is a $210,000 Athens purchase with a $60,000 rehab and a $390,000 after repair value at 700 credit, first flip: $31,500 down (15% of the purchase) and $45,199 total cash to close, with $72,716 of proof of funds to show the lender. The lowest down payment for a first flip in Athens is 10% down from 9.99% at 660+ credit. Investors with a track record can go to 0% down (100% financing) from 9.50% at 620+ credit with 2+ completed flips, when purchase plus rehab fits under 70% of ARV, and you still bring the closing costs in cash. Rehab is funded 100 percent through draws in every case. Run your own numbers in the calculator above, or send us the deal and we will price it.
Do you fund the rehab budget in Athens?
Yes, 100 percent of the rehab is funded, but it is a holdback released in draws rather than cash at closing. You pay for each phase, request a draw, an inspector verifies the work, and the lender reimburses. That means you need working capital to float the first phase, which is the single most common thing new investors miss on their first deal.
What credit score do I need for an Athens fix and flip loan?
One Athens program has no credit floor at all, it is priced on speed rather than credit. The lowest rate here, 8.99%, needs 760+ credit. Depending on the program, rates step down at 700 and 760 credit and origination steps down at 700 and 740. Credit matters less here than on a conventional loan because the deal carries the file, but it moves your rate and your leverage, so know where you stand before you make offers.
Can I refinance an Athens flip into a rental loan?
Yes. That is the BRRRR exit, and it is the most common way an Athens flip becomes a hold. A DSCR loan qualifies on the property’s rental income rather than your W-2, so once the rehab is done and it is leased, you refinance out of the short-term hard money loan into 30-year financing. Worth deciding before you start, because it changes what finish level makes sense.
Can I rent an Athens flip to students?
Carefully. Athens-Clarke single-family zoning limits how many unrelated people can live together, and the limit is low. That caps how many bedrooms you can lease to separate students. Multifamily zoned parcels work differently. Check the parcel’s zoning before you buy if a student rental is part of the plan.
Do Oconee County sales count for an Athens flip?
Not usually. Oconee County has a different school system and draws a different buyer, so its prices run higher. Appraisers will look for Athens-Clarke sales first. Price your after repair value on renovated sales in the same Athens neighborhood.
Micah Foster
Micah Foster
Founder & CEO, Capital Kings LLC
Micah brokers Non-QM and hard money loans for real estate investors across 38 states from his base in Texas. He founded Capital Kings to give investors a broker who shops the market on their behalf instead of pitching one lender product.

What to read before you sign a term sheet

Hard money near Athens: Atlanta, Macon, Augusta and Greenville. More Georgia city guides: Alpharetta, Columbus, Pooler and Savannah. Or see everything we fund in Georgia.

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