Where we finance

Hard Money Loans in Wisconsin

Apex Capital Advisors arranges hard money and other business-purpose financing for Wisconsin investors, from Milwaukee Polish flats to Madison near-campus houses, Green Bay Fox River homes and Kenosha lakeshore streets. We offer fix and flip, DSCR rental, bridge and new construction loans, with term sheets in 12-24 hours.

Discuss your deal All 36 states and Washington, D.C.

Fix & Flip
DSCR Rental
Bridge
New Construction

The lay of the land

Investing in Wisconsin

Wisconsin investing splits into a few regions. Southeast Wisconsin centers on Milwaukee, with Racine and Kenosha on Lake Michigan and Waukesha inland. Madison, the capital, is anchored by state government, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW Health and Epic Systems in nearby Verona. The Fox Valley and Green Bay run on paper, packaging, health care and logistics. In the west, Eau Claire and La Crosse have universities and hospitals, and towns near Minnesota draw Twin Cities commuters. Door County, the Northwoods and the Wisconsin Dells draw tourists to cabins and cottages.

Housing is older in the cities and newer at the edges. Milwaukee has Cream City brick, Polish flats and brick bungalows. Madison has older houses near downtown and campus and new subdivisions in Sun Prairie and Waunakee. Long winters are hard on foundations, masonry and roofs, and older basements take on water. Investors typically renovate older houses, hold duplexes as rentals or build at the metro edge.

Loan programs

Loan Programs in Wisconsin

Four ways to finance an investment property in Wisconsin, each sized to the deal rather than a fixed product.

Short-term project capital

Fix and Flip Loans in Wisconsin

Wisconsin flips usually start with an older house and a long systems list. A Milwaukee Polish flat can come with a wet basement, old wiring and aging heat, and a long winter puts the roof and waterproofing at the top of the budget. For houses and duplexes, the state dwelling contractor credential is what lets a business obtain building permits, so ask each bidder about it.

Our hard money fix and flip loans fund up to 92.50% of total cost and up to 100% of the rehab budget. The minimum FICO is 650, with lower scores considered case by case, and first-time investors are welcome.

Newbies are welcome
Up to 92.50% Loan to Cost (LTC)
Up to 100% of rehab budget

Fix and flip loan details

Long-term rental financing

DSCR Rental Loans in Wisconsin

Rental demand follows universities, hospitals, state government and large employers. Common DSCR properties include Milwaukee duplexes and Polish flats, Madison houses near campus, Kenosha homes with a rail link to Chicago, and Northwoods and Door County cabins rented by the week.

Our DSCR loans are qualified on the property's cash flow, with no traditional employment verification. Ratios as low as 0.75x are considered, loan amounts run from $100K to $3M+, and 30-year fixed and ARM options are available. Cash-out refinancing goes up to 80% LTV, and long-term and short-term rentals are both eligible. Reaching the full 80% takes a stronger DSCR and credit score than the program minimums, so leverage on each file is set by its DSCR and credit.

Qualified on the property's cash flow, not your personal income
No traditional employment or personal-income verification
Cash-out refinance LTV up to 80%

DSCR rental loan details

Interim financing

Bridge Loans in Wisconsin

A hard money bridge loan fits Wisconsin deals where timing is the problem: a vacant Milwaukee duplex that needs work before a bank will lend, a Madison house bought before your last flip sells, a Fox Valley estate sale that has to close fast, or a lake cabin you buy before the season and renovate afterward.

Terms are set deal by deal, and first-time investors are welcome. The usual exit is a sale, or a refinance into a DSCR loan once the property is renovated, leased and stable. Put winter heat into the holding budget.

Structured for transactions that cannot wait
Property in transition, lease-up or repositioning
Terms set deal by deal rather than to a fixed product

Bridge loan details

Ground-up construction

New Construction Loans in Wisconsin

New houses in Wisconsin go up mostly at the edges of metro areas: Sun Prairie, Waunakee and Verona near Madison, the Milwaukee suburbs and the villages around Green Bay. Footings go below the frost line and winter slows concrete and framing, so aim to close in before the snow. Near lakes and rivers, shoreland zoning limits where you can build.

Our hard money construction loans fund up to 100% of the construction budget, assess lot cost and build budget together, and release capital in stages against construction progress. Budget for winter heat and protection on concrete pours.

Up to 100% of the construction budget
Land or lot cost and build budget assessed together
Capital released in stages against construction progress

New construction loan details

Program terms are general guidelines, not a quote or commitment. Every loan is subject to underwriting and approval and is for business purposes only.

Local markets

Where We Finance in Wisconsin

Apex offers loans statewide. These markets are a starting point, not a limit.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee sits on Lake Michigan where the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic rivers meet. Expect Cream City brick, brick bungalows and Polish flats, stacked duplexes built by raising a cottage and adding a lower unit. Bay View, Walker's Point and the East Side are known for renovation work. Marquette University, UW–Milwaukee and employers such as Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation and Fiserv support rental demand. On a Polish flat, check the foundation, drainage, ceiling height and exits in the lower unit before you count it as rentable, and ask the Department of Neighborhood Services about permits early.

Madison

Madison is a capital and university city on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The University of Wisconsin–Madison, UW Health and state government are its anchor employers, with Epic Systems in nearby Verona and American Family Insurance adding private-sector jobs. Older houses in neighborhoods such as Marquette on Williamson Street and Dudgeon-Monroe sit close to the lakes, and near campus they are commonly rented to students. Sun Prairie, Middleton, Fitchburg and Waunakee keep adding new subdivisions. Rental owners must register an emergency contact with the city's Building Inspection division, so plan for it.

Green Bay

Green Bay sits where the Fox River meets Lake Michigan. Paper made the city's name, and health care, logistics and food processing now carry much of the work, with hospital systems and Schneider National among its employers. The Packers, Lambeau Field and the Titletown District bring visitors, so some investors look at short-term rentals nearby. Check local rules and the state license first. UW–Green Bay is in the city and St. Norbert College is in De Pere. Older neighborhoods need the usual cold-climate work, while newer subdivisions have grown in Howard and Bellevue.

Kenosha

Kenosha is a Lake Michigan city on the Illinois line, between Milwaukee and Chicago. It grew around the Nash and American Motors auto plants, and the old lakefront plant site is now HarborPark, with homes, a marina and parks. Carthage College sits on the lakefront, UW–Parkside is just north, and Metra commuter rail links the city to Chicago. Older brick and frame houses sit in the downtown and uptown neighborhoods, so a typical flip means roofs, basements, windows and mechanicals. Lake weather is hard on exteriors, so budget for siding and paint as well.

Before you buy

What Investors Should Know About Wisconsin

Foreclosure process

Wisconsin mortgage foreclosures are court cases. After judgment, the owner keeps the property through a redemption period and can stop the sale by paying the full debt. The period depends on when the mortgage was signed and whether the lender waives a deficiency. A sheriff's sale follows, and the court must confirm it.

Construction liens

Contractors, subcontractors and suppliers can file a lien on a home they improved. A prime contractor must give the owner written notice of lien rights with the contract, and a subcontractor must give written notice soon after starting. A lien claim must be filed within a short window after the last work. Collect lien waivers before final payment.

Dwelling contractor credentials

The dwelling contractor credential is the state certification used to obtain building permits for one- and two-family dwellings. It is held by a business, and a separate qualifier credential exists for the person tied to it. The Uniform Dwelling Code sets construction standards and inspection procedures for these homes. Local inspectors enforce it where the municipality has been delegated authority, and the state handles permits and inspections elsewhere. Ask each contractor to confirm the credential before you sign a bid.

Landlord and tenant rules

State rules require a landlord to disclose known code violations that threaten health or safety before a lease or deposit. Deposits must be returned on time, with an itemized statement of deductions. A landlord cannot lock out a tenant or cut off utilities, and evictions need written notice and a small claims case.

Short-term rentals

Renting a house or cabin to tourists generally needs a state tourist rooming house license, after an inspection. State law also limits local rules. Counties cannot ban rentals of a week or longer, though they can require a local license and, within limits, cap the total rental days for stays shorter than a month.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Laws and rates change; confirm the details with a licensed attorney or tax professional in Wisconsin.

Questions

Wisconsin Hard Money Loan FAQs

Not answered here? Call +1(551) 321-5995 or read the full FAQ.

Do you make hard money loans for Milwaukee rehabs?

Yes. Our fix and flip loans fund up to 92.50% of total cost and up to 100% of the rehab budget, and first-time investors are welcome. The minimum FICO is 650, with lower scores considered case by case. Bring a detailed scope and contractor bids.

Can I take over a Wisconsin foreclosure right away?

Usually not. Foreclosures go through court, and after the judgment the owner has a redemption period before the sheriff's sale. A court hearing then confirms the sale. Build that wait and the cost of holding the property into your plan before you bid.

Can I use a DSCR loan on a Wisconsin lake cabin rented by the week?

Yes, short-term rentals are eligible. A cabin rented to tourists generally needs a state tourist rooming house license, and your town or county may require its own. State law limits county bans on stays of a week or longer, so check local rules before you buy.

Does my contractor need a license to flip a house in Wisconsin?

Ask. In Wisconsin, the dwelling contractor credential is the state certification used to obtain building permits for one- and two-family dwellings, and it is held by a business. Confirm it before you sign a bid, and keep permits and lien waivers in your file for every project.

Do you lend outside Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Kenosha?

Yes. Apex offers loans statewide, including Racine, Waukesha, Appleton, Oshkosh, Eau Claire, La Crosse, Wausau, Janesville, the Northwoods and Door County. Term sheets go out within 12 to 24 hours, and qualified deals with complete documents can fund in as fast as 15 days.

Beyond the state line

Nearby States We Serve

Investing on both sides of the border? The same programs and the same team cover the states around Wisconsin.

All 36 states and Washington, D.C.

Next step

Financing a Property in Wisconsin?

Send us the property, the plan and the timeline. We will tell you what is realistic and what we need to issue a term sheet.

Discuss your deal +1(551) 321-5995