Homeowners in Pennsylvania sometimes search for hard money when a bank says no or a deadline is approaching. A short-term loan secured by the home you live in can put that home at risk, and it is treated as a consumer loan with ability-to-repay protections. Use this page to understand those protections, the warning signs that call for caution, and alternatives such as non-QM, renovation and bridge options from licensed lenders.
Call to talk with a licensed loan officer. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Pennsylvania contractor licensing: Home Improvement Contractor Registration. The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act requires home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General's office and follow its consumer protection rules; the AG also offers a contractor verification lookup. Lenders funding renovation work often ask for the contractor's license and bid.
Where the numbers point in Pennsylvania
Counties with the most owner-occupied homes built before 1960:
| County | Owner-occupied homes built before 1960 |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | 71.8% |
| Delaware County | 62.2% |
| McKean County | 59.5% |
| Cambria County | 57.5% |
| Allegheny County | 56.7% |
| Lawrence County | 56.6% |
| Schuylkill County | 56.3% |
| Blair County | 53.9% |
| Beaver County | 53.6% |
| Northumberland County | 53.4% |
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Prefer to talk first? Call (888) 865-8230. Applying is not a loan approval or commitment to lend; programs vary by borrower, property and investor. ClearPoint Mortgage Advisors, NMLS #173855. Properties in FL, NY, NJ, PA, CT and VA only.
Hard Money Loans for a Primary Residence by city in Pennsylvania
- Aliquippa
- Allentown
- Allison Park
- Altoona
- Ambler
- Ambridge
- Ancient Oaks
- Archbald
- Ardmore
- Arlington Heights
- Ashland
- Audubon
- Baldwin
- Bangor
- Beaver Falls
- Bellefonte
- Bellevue
- Berwick
- Bethel Park
- Bethlehem
- Birdsboro
- Blairsville
- Blakely
- Blandon
- Bloomsburg
- Blue Bell
- Boothwyn
- Bradford
- Breinigsville
- Brentwood
- Brookhaven
- Broomall
- Butler
- California
- Camp Hill
- Canonsburg
- Carbondale
- Carlisle
- Carnegie
- Carnot-Moon
- Castle Shannon
- Catasauqua
- Chambersburg
- Chester
- Clairton
- Clarion
- Clearfield
- Clifton Heights
- Coatesville
- Collegeville
- Collingdale
- Colonial Park
- Columbia
- Connellsville
- Conshohocken
- Coraopolis
- Corry
- Crafton
- Cresson
- Croydon
- Darby
- Dickson City
- Dormont
- Downingtown
- Drexel Hill
- DuBois
- Dunmore
- Duquesne
- Eagleville
- East Stroudsburg
- East York
- Easton
- Economy
- Edinboro
- Elizabethtown
- Ellwood City
- Emmaus
- Enola
- Ephrata
- Erie
- Exeter
- Exton
- Fairless Hills
- Folcroft
- Folsom
- Forest Hills
- Fort Washington
- Fox Chapel
- Franklin
- Franklin Park
- Fullerton
- Gettysburg
- Gilbertsville
- Glenolden
- Glenshaw
- Glenside
- Greensburg
- Greenville
- Grove City
- Hanover
- Harleysville
- Harrisburg
- Hatboro
- Hazleton
- Hellertown
- Hermitage
- Hershey
- Hollidaysburg
- Homeacre-Lyndora
- Honesdale
- Huntingdon
- Indiana
- Jeannette
- Jefferson Hills
- Jersey Shore
- Jim Thorpe
- Johnstown
- Kennett Square
- King of Prussia
- Kingston
- Kittanning
- Kulpsville
- Kutztown
- Lancaster
- Lansdale
- Lansdowne
- Latrobe
- Lebanon
- Lehighton
- Leola
- Levittown
- Lewisburg
- Lewistown
- Linglestown
- Lionville
- Lititz
- Littlestown
- Lock Haven
- Lower Burrell
- Maple Glen
- McKees Rocks
- McKeesport
- Meadville
- Mechanicsburg
- Media
- Middletown
- Middletown
- Millersville
- Milton
- Monaca
- Monessen
- Monroeville
- Montgomery
- Montgomeryville
- Moosic
- Morrisville
- Mount Carmel
- Mount Joy
- Mount Pocono
- Mountain Top
- Muncy
- Munhall
- Murrysville
- Nanticoke
- Nazareth
- New Brighton
- New Castle
- New Cumberland
- New Freedom
- New Holland
- New Kensington
- Norristown
- Northampton
- Northern Cambria
- Northwest Harborcreek
- Norwood
- Oakmont
- Oil City
- Old Forge
- Olyphant
- Oreland
- Orwigsburg
- Oxford
- Palmerton
- Palmyra
- Paoli
- Park Forest Village
- Parkville
- Paxtonia
- Penn Estates
- Penn Wynne
- Perkasie
- Philadelphia
- Philipsburg
- Phoenixville
- Pittsburgh
- Pittston
- Pleasant Hills
- Plum
- Plymouth
- Plymouth Meeting
- Portage
- Pottstown
- Pottsville
- Progress
- Prospect Park
- Punxsutawney
- Quakertown
- Quarryville
- Reading
- Red Lion
- Richboro
- Ridley Park
- Roaring Spring
- Sanatoga
- Sayre
- Schuylkill Haven
- Scranton
- Selinsgrove
- Shamokin
- Shanor-Northvue
- Sharon
- Sharon Hill
- Shenandoah
- Shillington
- Shiloh
- Shippensburg
- Slippery Rock
- Somerset
- Souderton
- South Park Township
- South Williamsport
- St. Marys
- State College
- Steelton
- Stewartstown
- Stroudsburg
- Sunbury
- Swarthmore
- Swissvale
- Swoyersville
- Tamaqua
- Taylor
- Titusville
- Trooper
- Turtle Creek
- Tyrone
- Uniontown
- Village Green-Green Ridge
- Warren
- Washington
- Waynesboro
- Waynesburg
- Weigelstown
- Wescosville
- West Chester
- West Mifflin
- West View
- White Oak
- Wilkes-Barre
- Wilkinsburg
- Williamsport
- Willow Grove
- Willow Street
- Wilson
- Woodlyn
- Wyndmoor
- Wyomissing
- Yeadon
- York
Common questions
What should I read before signing a hard money loan on my home?
Read every disclosure and the note itself. Look for the full cost, including rate, points and fees, whether the loan ends with a balloon payment, the extension and default terms, and any prepayment charge. Ask for anything unclear in writing. Consider having an attorney or a HUD-approved housing counselor review the documents before you sign.
Can I say the home is a rental to get a hard money loan?
No. Misrepresenting occupancy on a loan application is mortgage fraud with serious legal consequences. If you will live in the home, the loan must be made as an owner-occupied consumer loan. A lender or broker who suggests otherwise is putting you at legal and financial risk. Look for a licensed lender who will make the loan honestly or point you to another option.
What are the risks of a short-term loan secured by my home?
The biggest risk is losing your home. Short-term loans often end with a large balance due, and if you cannot sell or refinance in time you may face extension fees, default or foreclosure. Costs are also higher than on a standard mortgage. Review every charge, ask what happens if your plan is delayed, and get independent advice if you are unsure.
Other investor loans in Pennsylvania
DSCR loansDSCR requirementsDSCR down paymentAirbnb / STR loansHard money lendersFix and flip loansInvestor bridge loansPortfolio lendersBlanket mortgagesInvestment property loansHELOC on a rentalInvestor cash-out refiSecond home loansInterest-only investor loansPrivate money lenders
Related guides
- Hard Money vs DSCR Loan: Which Fits Your Investment Property?
- DSCR Loan vs Conventional Investment Property Loan
- What Is a DSCR Loan? Meaning, the Ratio, and How It Works
Hard Money Loans for a Primary Residence overview · Pennsylvania investor loan overview
- Census ACS 2020-2024, table B25036