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

Hard Money Lenders inHilo, Hawaii

Fix and flip, DSCR rental and new construction financing for Hilo 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 a Hilo deal

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

Reviewed by Micah Foster, Founder & CEO, October 2026

Price a Hilo deal right now

Prefilled with a realistic Hilo deal. Change any number and it reprices on the programs that lend in Hawaii, 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 Hilo

Hilo is the wet, working side of the Big Island: the county seat, a university town and the island’s main port and hospital. It is far less touristy than Kona, and prices reflect it. The flip stock is single-wall and post-and-pier plantation-era houses, 1950s to 1970s homes in Waiakea and Kaumana, and newer homes up the hill toward Waiakea Uka. Many are well built for the climate and simply worn out after decades of rain.

The Hilo flip is decided by water and wood. The town gets well over a hundred inches of rain a year, so rot, mold and termite damage are behind most walls, and the scope has to start with roof, gutters, siding and framing. Then check the land status. Keaukaha and Panaewa are Hawaiian Home Lands, where houses sit on leases that only qualified Native Hawaiian beneficiaries can hold, so those are not flips for most investors. Fee simple lots elsewhere in town are the market.

What a Hilo deal looks like on paper

Hilo example: $340,000 purchase, $75,000 rehab, $560,000 after repair value, 700 credit, first flip. The engine puts that borrower on the Best Rate program at 9.49%. Say a 1960s Waiakea Uka plantation-style house on post and pier, fee simple: termite and rot repair, a new metal roof, rewiring, a kitchen and a bath, and a cesspool check before listing. Every number below is what the instant term sheet prints for that deal, so the picture cannot contradict the page.

Loan amount$364,000
Cash to close$68,383
Proof of funds to show$104,405
Where the $68,383 goes
  • Down payment (15% of the purchase)You$51,000
  • Origination (0.5%)Lender$2,000
  • Lender fees (flat)Lender$1,989
  • Broker fee (1%)Broker$3,640
  • Title and closing (estimate at Texas rates)Title$4,134
  • Prepaid interest (15 days)Lender$1,127
  • Property insuranceInsurer$3,943
  • AppraisalAppraiser$550

Interest while you rehab: $2,286 a month on the $289,000 funded at closing, $2,879 once every draw is out. Proof of funds is cash to close plus $18,750 of rehab reserve and $17,272 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 Hilo

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
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
  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 Hilo prices sit right now

Before we price a Hilo 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 Hilo median sale price at $479,000 for the three months ending September 2026, down 18.2% from a year earlier, with homes selling after 92 days on the market on average.

Median sale price, Hilo (Redfin, 3 months to Sep 2026)$479,000
Change from a year earlier (Redfin)-18.2%
Average days on market, Hilo (Redfin)92

Sources: Redfin, Hilo housing market

How a Hilo file actually gets priced

Hilo comps move slowly, and an appraiser often reaches back several months. We match by construction type first, single-wall or framed, then by elevation and neighborhood, because a house in Waiakea near the bayfront is a different product from one up in Kaumana. Lava zone matters too. The Puna side, Keaau and Kurtistown, sits in higher hazard zones that change what insurers charge and some lenders will lend, so we check the zone on every file.

Downtown Hilo and the bayfront were wiped out by tsunamis in 1946 and 1960, and the low areas are still in mapped evacuation and flood zones, so check before you buy near the water. Lava hazard zones climb toward Puna and Mauna Loa and affect insurance. Many older homes still run on cesspools, and state law requires them to be upgraded or converted in the coming decades. Permits go through the County of Hawaii, which has had long review times on anything beyond cosmetic work.

Who buys your finished Hilo deal

The finished Hilo house sells to local families, university and hospital staff, and some retirees moving from the mainland who want space and green. Houses here take longer to sell than on Oahu, so plan your carry for it. Buyers want a dry, sound house with a new roof and no termite history. Rentals near the university and the hospital are steady, and a DSCR refinance is a reasonable fallback at Hilo prices.

What happens after you apply

Apply once and the whole Hilo 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 Hilo

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 Hawaii →

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 Hawaii →

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 Hawaii →

Where we lend in Hilo

We broker deals across the whole Hilo market. The submarkets investors ask us about most are Waiakea and Waiakea Uka (96720), Kaumana (96720), Downtown and Puueo (96720), Puainako and Sunrise Ridge (96720), Keaau (96749) and Kurtistown (96760).

How long does a Hilo 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 Hawaii, and the rate, origination, leverage and cash to close come back side by side. 5-14 days to fund. We stay on title and the lender through funding.

Hilo hard money FAQ

Do you lend hard money in Hilo?
Yes. Capital Kings is a broker, not a direct lender, so we shop your Hilo 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 Hawaii, and the numbers come from the same engine that prices our instant term sheet.
Which fix and flip programs apply in Hilo?
As of October 2026: Best Rate (15% down, from 8.99%); 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). 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 a Hilo hard money loan close?
Most Hilo fix and flip files fund in 5-14 days once the file is complete. 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 a Hilo flip?
The worked example on this page is a $340,000 Hilo purchase with a $75,000 rehab and a $560,000 after repair value at 700 credit, first flip: $51,000 down (15% of the purchase) and $68,383 total cash to close, with $104,405 of proof of funds to show the lender. The lowest down payment for a first flip in Hilo 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 Hilo?
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 a Hilo fix and flip loan?
The lowest credit floor among the Hilo programs is 620, on 100% financing (under 70% of ARV) with 2+ completed flips. A first flip needs 660 or higher. The lowest rate here, 8.99%, needs 760+ credit. Depending on the program, rates step down at 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 a Hilo flip into a rental loan?
Yes. That is the BRRRR exit, and it is the most common way a Hilo 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 flip a house in Hilo with a hard money loan?
Yes, on a fee simple house. In Hawaii a first flip can be priced at 15% down with 700+ credit (from 8.99%) or 10% down with 660+ credit (from 9.99%). The worked example is a first flip with strong credit. Budget more time than you would on the mainland: county permits and island trades both run slower, and every month of carry costs interest.
Does the lava zone affect a Hilo flip?
It can. Most of Hilo town sits in a moderate zone, but the Puna side runs into higher hazard zones where insurance is harder to find and costs more, and some buyers’ lenders get cautious. Look up the zone for the address, get an insurance quote early, and price it into your exit.
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 Hilo: Kailua-Kona and Honolulu. More Hawaii city guides: Kahului and Pearl City. Or see everything we fund in Hawaii.

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