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UNITEDLENDING

Investment property loans · Franklin County, OH

Hard money, fix and flip and DSCR loans in Columbus, OH

Columbus investors range from restorers of 1800s red-brick homes in German Village, where exterior work goes before the German Village Commission, to landlords buying 1920s houses in Linden and single-family and two-to-three-family homes on the Hilltop. Franklinton opened up for new building once its floodwall was finished in 2004, and a citywide rental registry that starts in January 2027 adds a new line to every rental budget.

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Where investors buy

Neighborhoods investors look at in Columbus

German Village is packed with red-brick homes and cottages from the 1800s set close together on narrow lots, and the Short North's tightly packed brick buildings date to at least the early 1900s. Linden's housing is largely from the 1920s, while South Clintonville has many pre-1930 homes, including Sears and Montgomery Ward kit houses.
German VillageA city historic district since 1960 and listed on the National Register, German Village has red-brick homes on narrow lots and brick streets, and the German Village Commission reviews exterior changes.
Olde Towne EastMore than 1,000 homes, some from the 1830s, show dozens of architectural styles; many large houses were split into apartments after the 1950s, and renovation and new businesses have since spread along Parsons Avenue and Main Street.
FranklintonMost houses here went up after levees were built in 1889, and the floodwall finished in 2004 lifted the floodplain limits on building, which led to mixed-use development in East Franklinton.
LindenMost of Linden's housing dates to the 1920s, after residents voted to join Columbus in 1921, and the city named it a Community Reinvestment Area in 2002.
HilltopA large west-side neighborhood bounded by I-70 and I-270, the Hilltop is mostly single-family houses, with two-to-three-family homes in the interior blocks and apartments along West Broad Street and Sullivant Avenue.
ClintonvilleA streetcar suburb along North High Street, Clintonville has pre-1930 single- and multi-family homes with alley garages in the south and 1910s to 1950s houses with driveways in the north.

Loan programs

Loans for Columbus 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 Columbus

30-year loans for Columbus 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 Columbus

Buy and renovate in Columbus 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 Columbus

Close quickly on a Columbus 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 Columbus

Financing for new builds in Columbus, 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 Columbus

Financing for Columbus 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 Columbus

Local rules and costs that change a deal's numbers or closing date in Columbus and Franklin County. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
  • Plan for the city's new rental registry: the first registration is due between October 1 and December 31, 2026, the program starts in 2027 at $15 per unit per year capped at $1,500 per complex, a Preventative Education Inspection follows every three years, and owners of ten or more units must name a local operator.
  • Check whether the property sits under the German Village, Italian Village or Victorian Village commission or the Historic Resources Commission; exterior alterations, demolition and new construction in those areas can need review for a Certificate of Appropriateness.
  • File the Franklin County Auditor's rental registration within 60 days of notice of the transfer and after any change in contact details; a missing filing carries a $150 fine per property per tax year.
  • Budget for Franklin County's conveyance fee of $3 per $1,000 of the sale price ($1 state, $2 county) on parcels in the Franklin County part of the city, and check with the Delaware or Fairfield County auditor for parcels there.

Get your terms

Have a Columbus 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 Columbus: common questions

Do you offer hard money loans in Columbus?

Yes. United Lending LLC offers private real estate financing for investors in Columbus and the rest of Franklin 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 Columbus?

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 German Village, Olde Towne East and Franklinton, among other parts of Columbus.

How much can I borrow for a Columbus 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 Columbus?

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 Columbus or have a Ohio 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 Ohio, your loan officer will tell you what's needed before closing.