- St. Louis's two best-known local flip lenders both charge 12% interest only and collect the origination fee from the sale: One West 2–4% on a 12-month term, FasterFunds 3% on a 6-month term. Minnow Loan publishes 10.99–13.99% with 2–3 points and a $1,500 document fee.
- On a $215,000 St. Louis County flip with a $270,000 lender valuation, the published leverage rules leave you bringing $12,500 to $33,000 for price and rehab, before closing costs, up-front points and interest.
- The house's location decides the inspection. The City requires a Certificate of Inspection before a buyer moves in after a sale; St. Louis County inspects at each change of occupant in unincorporated areas and contracting municipalities, and many of its 88 municipalities run their own programs.
- Fit the plan to the term. ATTOM's national average from purchase to resale was 165 days in early 2026, about five and a half months, which leaves little slack in a 6-month loan.
A fix-and-flip loan in St. Louis works the way it does elsewhere: the lender funds part of the purchase and most or all of the renovation, releases the rehab money in draws as work is finished, and is repaid when the house sells. The local details are what change the math. Typical values differ by almost $200,000 between the City and St. Charles County, two of the busiest local lenders take their points out of your sale instead of your closing, and the occupancy inspection your buyer needs depends on which of dozens of local governments the house sits in.
Three markets under one name
The metro moved quickly in 2026. Zillow's data show a median sale price of $289,000 in August, up 7.3% from a year earlier, a median of 11 days from listing to pending sale in September (8 a year before), and 43.1% of August sales closing above list price. Under those metro figures sit very different flip markets:
| Area | Typical value | Change from Sep 2025 | Typical rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis City | $176,514 | −0.4% | $1,287 |
| St. Louis County | $285,675 | +2.8% | $1,490 |
| St. Charles County | $372,123 | +2.2% | $1,664 |
| Jefferson County | $291,892 | +4.3% | $1,582 |
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Inside St. Louis County the range is wider still. Zillow's typical value was $195,065 in Florissant, $269,128 in University City, $466,230 in Kirkwood and $571,219 in Chesterfield. Leverage caps and loan minimums matter far more in the City and North County than in West County; RCN Capital, for one, won't fund a single-family flip with an ARV below $100,000. More on the local market is on our St. Louis lending page.
What St. Louis flip lenders publish
| Lender | Rate and points | Fees | Leverage | Term | Other terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One West Hard Money (St. Louis) | 12% interest only; 2–4% origination due at the sale closing | $750 application fee at purchase; $295 per draw; no appraisal fee | Up to 70% of ARV (65–70% in its FAQ) | 12 months, with renewal | No credit score minimum; closes in 7 days; City plus St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln and Warren counties |
| FasterFunds Lending (O'Fallon) | 12.00%; 3.00% origination charged at the back end | No appraisal; a property walk-through instead | Up to 100% of purchase and construction, up to 75% of ARV | 6 months, interest only | Missouri only, no Illinois; no flood-plain properties; pre-approval before it reviews a property |
| Minnow Loan (Columbia; lends in St. Louis County) | 10.99–13.99%; 2–3 points | $1,500 document fee | Up to 85% of purchase + 100% of renovation, up to 70% of ARV | 6–18 months | Loans from $30,000; draws processed in as little as 3 days |
| RCN Capital (national) | From 9.49% (10.74% for new investors); interest on the outstanding balance | Not published | 80–95% of purchase + up to 100% of renovation, 70–75% of ARV | 12–18 months | $100,000 minimum ARV on single-family; 650 minimum FICO |
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HardMoneyHome, a directory listing 50 private lenders that serve St. Louis, reports local averages of 11.2% interest, a 3.4% origination fee, 76% loan-to-value and a 13-month term. United Lending's fix-and-flip loans cover up to 95% of the cost at the start (initial loan-to-cost) and 100% of the construction holdback, the rehab budget, on 12- to 18-month terms, interest only, with no prepayment penalty; its rate is quoted per deal. Treat all of these as starting terms that are set deal by deal.
Cash to close on a St. Louis County flip
Take a brick ranch in south St. Louis County bought for $165,000 with a $50,000 renovation, $215,000 all in, and a lender valuation of $270,000 after the work. Each lender lends the lower of its cost-based amount and its ARV cap:
| Leverage rule | Cost-based amount | ARV cap | Loan | Your cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FasterFunds: 100% of cost, up to 75% of ARV | $215,000 | $202,500 | $202,500 | $12,500 |
| One West: up to 70% of ARV | Not published | $189,000 | $189,000 | $26,000 |
| Minnow: 85% of purchase + 100% of rehab, 70% of ARV | $190,250 | $189,000 | $189,000 | $26,000 |
| RCN new investor: 80% + 100%, 70% of ARV | $182,000 | $189,000 | $182,000 | $33,000 |
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Then add the cost of the money. The table below assumes a six-month hold with interest on the full loan the whole time, which overstates it while rehab dollars are still undrawn.
| Lender | Interest, 6 months | Points and lender fees | Total | When the points are due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FasterFunds: 12%, 3% back end | $12,150 | $6,075 | $18,225 | At the sale |
| One West: 12%, 3%, $750 application, 4 draws at $295 | $11,340 | $7,600 | $18,940 | At the sale; the application fee at purchase |
| Minnow at its low end: 10.99%, 2 points, $1,500 document fee | $10,386 | $5,280 | $15,666 | Not described as deferred |
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Back-end points don't make a loan cheaper; they change when you pay. FasterFunds and One West take their origination from the sale proceeds, which leaves more of your cash for the rehab while the house is torn up. Minnow's low end is the least expensive of the three on these assumptions, but it also lends less, so you'd bring $13,500 more up front than with FasterFunds.
How draws get paid
The lender keeps the rehab budget in a holdback and releases it in stages once each stage of work is done and inspected, so you or your contractor pay for every phase first. Local lenders differ mostly on speed and cost: One West charges $295 per draw request, Minnow says it processes draws in as little as 3 days, and FasterFunds runs digital draws through Sitewire. Before you sign, ask what the inspector checks, how long it takes from request to money, and whether interest runs on the whole rehab budget or only on what's been drawn.
- Float the first phase. Demolition, roofing and rough-ins usually have to be paid before the first draw comes back. Hold that cash on top of your cash to close.
- Group the line items. Size each draw so it's worth an inspection and a draw fee, and match it to how your contractor bills.
- Keep permits with the file. Work an inspector can't tie to a permit is the easiest reason for a draw to be held.
Permits, historic districts and occupancy inspections
Two kinds of local review decide more St. Louis flip timelines than any lender does.
Exterior work in a City historic district
In the City's local historic districts, such as Soulard, Lafayette Square and Benton Park, the Cultural Resources Office reviews exterior changes. A permit is required for all exterior work except painting wood trim, even work the Building Division wouldn't otherwise permit, such as replacing windows and doors, repointing and new gutters. The office says most permits are approved within 5 working days, and some, like fences, rear decks, trim repair and repointing, can be approved over the counter. Each district has its own standards, so read them before you price new windows or a porch into the budget.
Occupancy inspections when the house sells
In the City of St. Louis, the Building Division requires a Certificate of Inspection before a buyer occupies a home after a residential sale. A certificate is valid for 12 months, and an expired one with a new owner means a new inspection.
In St. Louis County it depends on the municipality. The county runs occupancy inspections at each change of occupant in unincorporated areas and in the municipalities that contract with it: $80 for a single-family home in unincorporated county and $95.50 in a contracting municipality. An inspector contacts the applicant within 48 business hours to schedule, deficiencies must be corrected within 90 days or the application lapses, and the home can't be occupied until the permit is issued. Many of the county's 88 municipalities run their own programs and fees, so call the city hall before you list.
Apply for the inspection as soon as the rehab is done rather than after you accept an offer, and price its likely findings into the original scope. A failed item that surfaces after your buyer's financing is set can push the sale past your loan's maturity date.
A realistic St. Louis flip timeline
| Stage | What sets the pace | Published figure |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-approval | Your credit, cash and entity documents | FasterFunds won't review a property until you're pre-approved |
| Contract to purchase closing | Title, insurance and the lender's valuation | 3–5 day closings (FasterFunds); 7 days (One West) |
| Permits | Building Division, plus the Cultural Resources Office in historic districts | Most historic-district permits approved within 5 working days |
| Rehab and draws | Your contractor and the draw turnaround | Draws processed in as little as 3 days (Minnow) |
| Occupancy inspection | The City's or municipality's program | County inspector contact within 48 business hours; 90 days to correct deficiencies |
| Listing to pending sale | Price and condition | Metro median 11 days, mean 29 days (Sep 2026) |
| Purchase to resale, all in | Everything above | 165 days on average nationally, Q1 2026 |
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A 165-day national average is close to the end of a 6-month term like FasterFunds'. One West's 12 months with renewal, Minnow's 6 to 18 months and RCN's 12 to 18 months leave more slack. Whichever you pick, get the extension fee and rate in writing before closing, and see closing a flip loan fast in Missouri for the paperwork that keeps the front end of this timeline short.