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Investment property loans · Hawaiʻi County, HI

Hard money, fix and flip and DSCR loans in Hilo, HI

Hilo is the county seat of Hawaiʻi County and the largest town on the Big Island, but it has no city government of its own: zoning, permits and property tax all run through the county. Investors buy single-family houses here to renovate or to hold as long-term rentals, in a town that is home to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College. The lava hazard zone, the flood zone and the county tax class all belong in the numbers before an offer.

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Where investors buy

Neighborhoods investors look at in Hilo

Hilo is mostly lower-density housing that spreads upslope from Hilo Bay into Waiākea-Uka on the volcano's flanks, with older commercial blocks downtown. The 2020 Census counted 17,732 housing units in the Hilo census-designated place.
Downtown HiloRoughly between the Wailuku River and Kapiʻolani Street, downtown has shops, theaters and the farmers market, beside a bayfront that tsunamis struck hard in 1946 and 1960.
Waiākea and Waiākea-UkaLow-lying land on the Waiākea peninsula became parks such as the Wailoa River State Recreation Area after the 1960 tsunami, while Waiākea-Uka stretches upslope with much of Hilo's housing.
KaumanaOn Hilo's western, upslope edge along Route 200, Kaumana sits largely on Mauna Loa's 1881 lava flow, which reached inside today's town limits.
North of the Wailuku RiverThe part of Hilo north of the river lies on Mauna Kea's lower slopes, which USGS places in lava hazard Zone 8, a lower-hazard zone than the Mauna Loa side.

Loan programs

Loans for Hilo 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 Hilo

30-year loans for Hilo 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 Hilo

Buy and renovate in Hilo 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 Hilo

Close quickly on a Hilo 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 Hilo

Financing for new builds in Hilo, 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 Hilo

Financing for Hilo 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 Hilo

Local rules and costs that change a deal's numbers or closing date in Hilo and Hawaiʻi County. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
  • Check the USGS lava flow hazard zone for the parcel. Hilo south of the Wailuku River is in Mauna Loa's Zone 3, and the part north of the river is in Zone 8. Ask your insurance agent how the zone affects the quote before you set a price.
  • Check which county tax class the property will fall in. For July 2026 to June 2027, Hawaiʻi County taxes the Residential class at $11.10 per $1,000 on the first $2 million, the Long-Term Rental class at $7.75 and the Homeowner class at $5.75. The rental class has its own eligibility rules, so confirm them with the county Real Property Tax Office.
  • Look up the parcel on the state DLNR Flood Hazard Assessment Tool, which maps FEMA flood zones. Flood insurance purchase is mandatory in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and the county floodplain manager can tell you about building permit rules there.

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Have a Hilo 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 Hilo: common questions

Do you offer hard money loans in Hilo?

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

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 Downtown Hilo, Waiākea and Waiākea-Uka and Kaumana, among other parts of Hilo.

How much can I borrow for a Hilo 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 Hilo?

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

Hawaii

More places we lend in Hawaii

Sources (6)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. USGS: Volcanic and Seismic Hazards on the Island of Hawaii (General Interest Publication)
  2. USGS: Mauna Loa, history, hazards and risk of living with the world's largest volcano (Fact Sheet 2012-3104)
  3. City and County of Honolulu, Real Property Assessment Division: Real property tax rates for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (all counties, including Hawaiʻi County)
  4. State of Hawaii DLNR: Flood Hazard Assessment Tool
  5. FEMA: Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) glossary
  6. Wikipedia: Hilo, Hawaii