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UNITEDLENDING

Investment property loans · Lehigh County, PA

Hard money, fix and flip and DSCR loans in Allentown, PA

Allentown gives investors three distinct housing belts: Victorian and terraced rowhouses in Center City, many of which were converted into apartments decades ago; 1920s to 1940s houses on the West End's tree-lined streets; and 1940s to 1960s singles and twins on the East and South Sides. That spread supports buy-and-hold rentals in Center City conversions as well as rehab-and-resell work on the outer neighborhoods' detached and twin homes.

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Where investors buy

Neighborhoods investors look at in Allentown

Center City has Victorian and terraced rowhouses plus loft apartments in converted mills and brick factory buildings, West Park mixes Victorian and Craftsman homes, the West End was built mostly between the 1920s and 1940s, and the East and South Sides are largely singles and twins from the 1940s to 1960s with some older Victorians.
Old Allentown Historic DistrictA Center City district between 8th and 12th Streets, set up by city ordinance in 1978, with Federal, Italianate, Eastlake and Victorian houses; exterior changes need historic review.
Old FairgroundsBuilt up after the county fair moved to its current grounds in 1889, this Center City area of mostly Victorian houses became a city historic district in 1981.
West ParkA historic district around a park Harry Clay Trexler founded in 1908, known for its Victorian and Craftsman-style houses.
West EndTree-lined streets of houses built mostly between the 1920s and 1940s, near Muhlenberg College and the 19th Street theater district.
East SideAcross the Lehigh River, mostly single and twin homes from the 1940s to 1960s, with larger detached houses in Midway Manor near the Bethlehem line.
South SideSouth of Little Lehigh Creek toward Emmaus, a mix of singles and twins from the 1940s to 1960s with some older Victorians; check flood exposure close to the creek.

Loan programs

Loans for Allentown real estate investors

Pick the loan that fits the deal: short-term money to buy, renovate or build, or a long-term loan to hold the property. Published limits are subject to appraisal and underwriting.
Long-term

DSCR rental loans in Allentown

30-year loans for Allentown rentals of 1–4 units, fixed or adjustable, qualified on the rent with no personal income verification: up to 85% of the price on a purchase, with loans from $75,000.

Purchase LTV up to85%
Term30 years
Income docsNot required
Loans from$75K

Subject to appraisal and underwriting.

DSCR loans: terms and requirements
Short-term

Fix and flip loans in Allentown

Buy and renovate in Allentown with up to 95% of the price and 100% of the rehab budget, on a 12–18 months interest-only loan with no prepayment penalty when the house sells.

Purchase price up to95%
Rehab funded up to100%
Term12–18 months
Prepayment penaltyNone

Subject to appraisal and underwriting.

Fix and flip loans: terms and requirements
Short-term

Bridge loans in Allentown

Close quickly on a Allentown property with up to 95% of the cost financed and a 12–18 months interest-only term, then sell it or refinance onto a long-term loan. No prepayment penalty.

Leverage up to95% LTC
Term12–18 months
PaymentsInterest only
Prepayment penaltyNone

Subject to appraisal and underwriting.

Bridge loans: terms and requirements
Short-term

Ground-up construction loans in Allentown

Financing for new builds in Allentown, from spec homes built to sell to rentals built to hold. Every project is quoted on its plans, budget and builder.

Quoted on your deal.

Construction loans: get a quote
Long-term

Multifamily and commercial loans in Allentown

Financing for Allentown apartment buildings of five units or more, mixed-use and commercial property, quoted on the building's income.

Quoted on your deal.

Multifamily and commercial: get a quote

Good to know

Before you buy in Allentown

Local rules and costs that change a deal's numbers or closing date in Allentown and Lehigh County. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
  • Budget for Pennsylvania's 1% realty transfer tax plus the local share, which state rules let local governments split between the municipality and the school district; confirm the combined Allentown rate with the Lehigh County Recorder of Deeds before you set closing costs.
  • Check whether the property is inside the Old Allentown or Old Fairgrounds historic districts, both created by city ordinance and certified by the state: under Pennsylvania's Historic District Act, owners need a Certificate of Appropriateness before altering or demolishing a building in a certified district.
  • Check flood exposure near the Little Lehigh and Jordan creeks: National Weather Service gauge notes say Martin Luther King Jr. Drive near Lehigh Street starts flooding at minor flood stage on the Little Lehigh, and Jordan Park starts flooding even before Jordan Creek reaches flood stage.
  • Plan for federal lead rules on the pre-1978 rowhouses and conversions that make up much of Center City: sellers and landlords must disclose known lead paint and hand over the EPA pamphlet, and paid work that disturbs paint must be done by an EPA-certified firm.

Get your terms

Have a Allentown property in mind?

Contact details first, then single-tap answers on the property, the amount and when you need to close. A loan officer phones you back with terms.
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United Lending LLC offers business-purpose financing secured by non-owner-occupied investment real estate. We do not offer loans for personal, family or household purposes, or loans on owner-occupied primary residences.

Questions

Loans in Allentown: common questions

Do you offer hard money loans in Allentown?

Yes. United Lending LLC offers private real estate financing for investors in Allentown and the rest of Lehigh County: fix and flip and bridge loans sized on the deal, and DSCR rental loans sized on the rent. We're headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, and lend nationwide.

Do you offer DSCR loans in Allentown?

Yes. Our DSCR loans are 30-year loans on 1–4 unit rentals, fixed or adjustable, qualified on the property's rent against its monthly payment with no personal income verification, up to 85% loan-to-value on a purchase and loans from $75,000. Investors use them for rentals in Old Allentown Historic District, Old Fairgrounds and West Park, among other parts of Allentown.

How much can I borrow for a Allentown flip?

Up to 95% of the purchase price and up to 100% of the rehab budget, on a 12–18 months interest-only loan. Those are maximums, subject to appraisal and underwriting: the property, your experience and the comps set what your loan gets.

Is there a prepayment penalty on a loan in Allentown?

There's no prepayment penalty on fix and flip or bridge loans. DSCR rental loans come with a choice of prepayment terms, from none up to five years, set out in your written terms before you commit.

Do I need to live in Allentown or have a Pennsylvania LLC?

No. You can borrow in your own name or through an LLC, wherever you live; many of our borrowers invest outside their home state. If your LLC was formed outside Pennsylvania, your loan officer will tell you what's needed before closing.

Pennsylvania

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