Quick funding for house flipping projects in the Myrtle Beach market.
Fix-and-flip investing on the Grand Strand benefits from structural market conditions that make the strategy consistently viable: a large and growing inventory of pre-1990 housing stock throughout Horry County that has not been updated to meet current buyer expectations, a buyer pool that includes equity-rich retirees arriving from high-COL Northeast markets ready to pay quality premiums for renovated homes, and a secondary STR-investor buyer pool that pays income-based premiums for turnkey vacation-rental properties in permissive HOA communities. These demand conditions create meaningful spread between distressed acquisition prices and renovated ARVs in a way that markets without the Grand Strand's retirement-migration and tourism-economy dynamics simply don't replicate.
Hard Money Lenders of Myrtle Beach provides fix-and-flip loans purpose-built for the house-flipping business model. We close in 5 to 7 business days — competing with cash buyers for distressed acquisitions. We fund both acquisition and renovation in a single loan based on ARV, eliminating separate financing coordination. We structure interest-only payments during the renovation period so you're not making amortizing payments on a non-income-producing property. We impose no prepayment penalties so early sales generate maximum net profit. And we bring actual Grand Strand market knowledge to ARV analysis — we know what renovated homes sell for in Cherry Grove versus what they sell for in Longs, and we evaluate your comps accordingly.
Loan amounts reach 70 percent of ARV, with terms of 6 to 12 months covering the typical Grand Strand flip cycle from acquisition through renovation and sale. Our program serves investors from first-time flippers in the Conway market through experienced operators executing luxury flips in Pawleys Island and North Myrtle Beach oceanfront communities.
Single-family home flips throughout Horry County represent the core of our fix-and-flip portfolio. In Conway's established neighborhoods, mid-century homes selling at $140,000 to $200,000 with cosmetic renovation needs have ARVs of $195,000 to $265,000 after 30-to-90-day renovation timelines — generating gross flip margins of $30,000 to $60,000. In North Myrtle Beach's Windy Hill, Ocean Drive, and Cherry Grove neighborhoods, larger renovated homes carry ARVs of $350,000 to $550,000 for 1,800-to-2,500-square-foot properties that appeal to retirement-migration buyers and second-home purchasers from the Northeast. We finance flips across this full price range with loan amounts sized to the specific deal's ARV support.
Vacation-rental-optimized flips target properties in STR-permissive HOA communities in the Grand Strand's strongest short-term rental markets — Cherry Grove and Ocean Drive in North Myrtle Beach, Garden City and Surfside Beach, and the golf-front communities near TPC Myrtle Beach and Heritage Club. These flips renovate to STR standards (durable finishes, optimized sleeping configurations, coastal aesthetic) and sell to STR investor buyers who pay income-based premiums above owner-occupant comparables. An Ocean Drive condo renovated specifically for STR use can achieve $50,000 to $90,000 in annual gross STR revenue, supporting investor-buyer valuations 15 to 30 percent above comparable owner-occupant-oriented units. Understanding this pricing differential is essential to accurately underwriting STR-market flip ARVs.
Post-hurricane and storm-damage flip acquisitions arise from the Grand Strand's Atlantic coast weather exposure. Properties damaged by storm surge, wind, or flooding in named storm events create acquisition opportunities for investors who can move quickly on insurance-total or motivated-seller transactions. We maintain standing pre-approval capacity for distressed-asset buyers targeting storm-damaged property acquisitions in the immediate aftermath of named storm events — when competition is lowest and acquisition discounts are deepest.
Luxury flips in Pawleys Island's Litchfield by the Sea and DeBordieu Colony communities, North Myrtle Beach's premium waterfront neighborhoods, and Murrells Inlet's upscale waterfront sections require larger capital commitments ($500,000 to $2 million in renovation loan amounts) but can generate six-figure net flip profits when properly positioned. We finance luxury flips with loan amounts exceeding $1 million for experienced investors with documented track records in high-value renovation projects.
ARV overestimation is the most common profit-destroying error in Grand Strand fix-and-flip investing. The coexistence of STR-investor buyers (who pay income-based premiums in STR-permissive communities), retirement-migration owner-occupants (who pay quality and location premiums in established neighborhoods), and entry-level workforce-housing buyers (who are strictly price-constrained) means that the appropriate buyer pool for a specific property is critical to ARV determination. Applying STR-investor comp premiums to a property in an HOA that prohibits STR use is a systematic overestimation error. Applying retired-migration buyer premiums to a property in a school-district or neighborhood that doesn't attract this demographic is another. We review ARV methodology and correct these mismatches before loan commitment.
Coastal renovation cost underestimation is the second major profit erosion factor. Wind-zone structural requirements, potential FEMA substantial-improvement triggers, salt-air-corroded systems in older properties, and the humidity-management requirements of coastal construction all add costs that out-of-market contractors and investors unfamiliar with Grand Strand construction don't anticipate. We review renovation scope-of-work estimates with coastal construction knowledge and flag budget gaps before they become mid-project overruns.
Market timing affects exit velocity significantly on the Grand Strand. The spring and early summer peak selling season (March through June) generates the most active retail buyer traffic and the fastest absorption of renovated inventory. Flips completing renovation in late fall or winter may need to carry inventory through the slower winter period before peak-season buyer traffic generates sale velocity. We discuss renovation timing and completion milestones at loan origination so that exit strategy timing aligns with the Grand Strand's seasonal sales calendar.
Our fix-and-flip lending process is optimized for the speed and analytical precision that Grand Strand flippers need. We provide preliminary loan terms within 24 hours of receiving the property address, proposed acquisition price, renovation scope and budget, and your ARV supporting comparables. If our ARV analysis or renovation cost assessment differs from yours, we share the discrepancy clearly and specifically before you're committed to the acquisition.
Once under contract, we move quickly: property inspection within 24 to 48 hours, title review initiated immediately, and closing within 5 to 7 business days when title is clean. Renovation draws are processed within two to three business days of inspection — standard practice for us, not an expedited service we charge extra for. No prepayment penalties at any point in the loan term. We remain accessible throughout the renovation period for project-specific questions about pricing, contractor management, and exit timing.
Our fix-and-flip financing serves investors throughout the Grand Strand region including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach (Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Crescent Beach, Windy Hill), Conway (historic district and established neighborhoods), Surfside Beach, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, Little River, Socastee, Pawleys Island, and all surrounding South Carolina communities.
We lend up to 70 percent of ARV. For experienced flippers on well-structured deals, this typically covers 85 to 100 percent of the acquisition price plus 100 percent of renovation costs. For example: a Garden City cottage with a $310,000 ARV post-renovation, acquired for $185,000 with $50,000 in renovation, has a total project cost of $235,000. We can lend $217,000 (70 percent of $310,000 ARV) — covering the full acquisition and renovation plus leaving the borrower with modest contingency. First-time flippers typically require 25 to 35 percent personal equity in the deal.
Standard closings take 5 to 7 business days from executed purchase contract and complete application documentation. For time-critical situations — auction purchases, 1031 exchange deadlines, motivated-seller close requirements — we can occasionally compress to 3 to 5 days when title is confirmed clean and documentation is complete and in order. We do not sacrifice title examination or property inspection to compress timelines — we simply run those processes concurrently rather than sequentially.
Yes — and this distinction is one of the most important value-adds we provide for Grand Strand fix-and-flip underwriting. STR-permissive communities where investor buyers dominate the buyer pool (Cherry Grove, Ocean Drive, Garden City, Surfside Beach) produce ARVs based on income-multiple pricing that can run 15 to 30 percent above owner-occupant comps. Communities with HOA STR prohibitions are priced purely on owner-occupant comparables regardless of how well the renovation is executed. We identify the correct buyer pool for each property before finalizing ARV — this prevents both overestimation errors (applying STR premiums where STR is prohibited) and underestimation errors (applying owner-occupant comps where STR investor buyers dominate).
Prior Grand Strand or comparable-market flipping experience is beneficial but not required. First-time flippers qualify when they present: a detailed renovation scope from a licensed SC contractor; conservative ARV documentation from genuine comparable sales; adequate personal liquidity to cover a 15 to 20 percent cost overrun without disrupting the project; and a clear exit strategy (resale to retail buyer or STR investor). First-time borrowers typically receive 65 percent LTV rather than the 70 percent maximum available to experienced flippers. Starting with a cosmetic flip rather than a full gut-rehab is our consistent recommendation for new investors.
Our fix-and-flip loans carry terms of 6 to 12 months with extension options available when the project is on track and the market situation warrants patience. If your renovated property hasn't sold before loan maturity, we discuss options based on the specific situation: a price-reduction strategy if the property is priced above market, a price-hold extension if the property is appropriately priced and market absorption is the only constraint, or a conversion to a rental-refinance exit if buyer demand for the specific property type has softened. We work toward solutions rather than forcing distressed sales that destroy value for both parties.
Get started today and receive multiple competitive loan offers from verified hard money lenders experienced with your property type.