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UNITEDLENDING

Investment property loans · Polk County, IA

Hard money, fix and flip and DSCR loans in Des Moines, IA

Des Moines investors buy single-family houses and duplexes to rent across the city, from older neighborhoods near downtown and Drake University to Beaverdale's brick houses and the South Side. Sherman Hill, Owl's Head and River Bend are local historic districts, so exterior work there goes before the Historic Preservation Commission. Every rental needs a city rental certificate before anyone moves in.

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Where investors buy

Neighborhoods investors look at in Des Moines

Neighborhoods near downtown have Victorian and early-1900s houses, with Sherman Hill holding many late-1800s homes, and Beaverdale is known for its 1920s-1940s brick houses.
Sherman HillA local historic district just west of downtown with Victorian houses, many converted to apartments.
DrakeThe neighborhood around Drake University, with older houses and many student rentals.
River BendNorth of downtown along the Des Moines River, a local historic district with early-1900s houses.
BeaverdaleA northwest neighborhood known for its brick houses from the 1920s to the 1940s.

Loan programs

Loans for Des Moines 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 Des Moines

30-year loans for Des Moines 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 Des Moines

Buy and renovate in Des Moines 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 Des Moines

Close quickly on a Des Moines 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 Des Moines

Financing for new builds in Des Moines, 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 Des Moines

Financing for Des Moines 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 Des Moines

Local rules and costs that change a deal's numbers or closing date in Des Moines and Polk County. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
  • Get a city rental certificate before a tenant moves in: inspections carry fees, and a property with no violations at its first inspection gets a certificate for 3.5 years if it has one or two units, or 2.5 years with three or more.
  • In the Owl's Head, River Bend and Sherman Hill local historic districts, get a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission before any exterior alteration, demolition or new construction.

Get your terms

Have a Des Moines 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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  • Investment property only

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Your contact details

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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 Des Moines: common questions

Do you offer hard money loans in Des Moines?

Yes. United Lending LLC offers private real estate financing for investors in Des Moines and the rest of Polk 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 Des Moines?

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 Sherman Hill, Drake and River Bend, among other parts of Des Moines.

How much can I borrow for a Des Moines 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 Des Moines?

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 Des Moines or have a Iowa 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 Iowa, your loan officer will tell you what's needed before closing.

Iowa

More places we lend in Iowa

Sources (4)Checked November 10, 2026

United Lending's loan terms are its published program limits. The local rules and costs on this page come from the public sources below, checked on the date shown; confirm them with the city, county or your closing attorney before you rely on them.

  1. City of Des Moines Neighborhood Inspection: Schedule of Fees, Dec 2024 (PDF)
  2. City of Des Moines: Ordinance 15,746, rental certificates (PDF)
  3. City of Des Moines: Council communication on historic district parcels (PDF)
  4. Wikipedia: Des Moines, Iowa