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Investment property loans · Sebastian County, AR

Hard money, fix and flip and DSCR loans in Fort Smith, AR

Fort Smith sits on the Oklahoma line where the Arkansas and Poteau rivers meet, and it is one of Sebastian County's two county seats. Investors renovate older houses in Belle Grove north of downtown, buy rentals near the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, and build or buy in Chaffee Crossing, the redevelopment of the former Fort Chaffee army post. The city had 89,142 residents and 40,327 housing units in 2020. The Arkansas River set its record crest at the nearby Van Buren gauge in June 2019.

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Where investors buy

Neighborhoods investors look at in Fort Smith

Belle Grove, north of downtown, built up mostly from about 1870 to 1930 and holds late 19th- and early 20th-century houses, with the Greek Revival John Rogers House from about 1840 as its oldest building. Chaffee Crossing adds newer stock, with more than 2,800 housing units reported by its redevelopment authority. The 2020 census counted 40,327 housing units citywide, 10.1% of them vacant.
Belle GroveA 65-acre, mostly residential National Register district listed in 1973, bounded by North 4th, North 9th, North B and North H streets, with houses built mostly from about 1870 to 1930.
Chaffee CrossingA 7,000-plus-acre redevelopment of the former Fort Chaffee, in Fort Smith and Barling, run by the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, with World War II-era buildings next to new neighborhoods.
Near UAFSThe University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, founded in 1928 as Fort Smith Junior College and part of the University of Arkansas System since 2002, sits on a 168-acre campus with 5,887 students in fall 2022.
Riverfront lowlandsLow ground along the Arkansas River and Lee Creek floods first: the National Weather Service lists parts of Kelley Park, northwest of downtown, flooding at 24 feet on the Van Buren gauge, so check the flood zone on any nearby lot.

Loan programs

Loans for Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith

30-year loans for Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith

Buy and renovate in Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith

Close quickly on a Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith

Financing for new builds in Fort Smith, 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 Fort Smith

Financing for Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith

Local rules and costs that change a deal's numbers or closing date in Fort Smith and Sebastian County. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
  • Check FEMA flood zones and river history for any property on low ground near the Arkansas River or Lee Creek: the National Weather Service gauge at Van Buren, across the river, set its record crest of 40.79 feet on June 1, 2019, and NWS notes say some residential subdivisions in the floodplain around Fort Smith begin to flood at 31 feet, the major flood stage.
  • Check whether the house sits in a Fort Smith local historic district: Fort Smith is one of 22 Arkansas Certified Local Governments with a Historic District Commission, and in a local district most exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before the city will issue a work permit.
  • If you buy land from the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority at Chaffee Crossing, plan for its review steps: the Real Estate Review Committee and the FCRA Board review the sale, and after closing the Design Review Committee checks building elevations, site layout and design against the Master Development Guidelines.

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Have a Fort Smith property in mind?

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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 Fort Smith: common questions

Do you offer hard money loans in Fort Smith?

Yes. United Lending LLC offers private real estate financing for investors in Fort Smith and the rest of Sebastian 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 Fort Smith?

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 Belle Grove, Chaffee Crossing and Near UAFS, among other parts of Fort Smith.

How much can I borrow for a Fort Smith 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 Fort Smith?

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 Fort Smith or have a Arkansas 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 Arkansas, your loan officer will tell you what's needed before closing.

Arkansas

More places we lend in Arkansas

Sources (8)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. NOAA National Water Prediction Service: Arkansas River at Van Buren gauge (VBUA4)
  2. NOAA National Water Prediction Service API: VBUA4 gauge record (flood categories, crests, impacts)
  3. Arkansas Heritage (Arkansas Historic Preservation Program): Certified Local Government
  4. Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority: Chaffee Crossing
  5. Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority: Chaffee Crossing Master Development Guidelines (PDF)
  6. Wikipedia: Fort Smith, Arkansas
  7. Wikipedia: Belle Grove Historic District
  8. Wikipedia: University of Arkansas-Fort Smith