If you’re investing in real estate, whether flipping a distressed property, developing land, or building new construction, you already know time is money. In fast-moving markets like Oregon and Southwest Washington, speed matters. The faster you secure financing, the sooner you can focus on what you do best: building wealth through real estate.
That’s where private lending comes in. At Cetan Funds, we offer flexible, common-sense lending solutions for investors who don’t have time for bank bureaucracy. Our underwriting decisions typically take 1-2 business days, with closings in as little as 3-5.
But speed still requires substance. Private lenders move faster than banks, but we still have to evaluate risk and that means relying on you to provide clear, timely information.
At Cetan, we focus on your project, your character, and your experience. Creditworthiness matters too. By law, we must assess your financial capacity, capital, and ability to repay.
Here’s what private lenders really look for and what you can do to get funded faster.
#1. Have a Clear Project Plan
Before we talk numbers, we need to understand your strategy. Whether you’re flipping, developing, or refinancing, we want to see that you’ve thought through the project from start to finish. No full-fledged business plan required, just clarity, logic, and realism.
We’ll want to know:
Timeline: Include major milestones like permitting, construction, and sale/refinance.
Market Awareness: Are your numbers aligned with local comps and demand?
Exit Strategy: Will you sell, refinance, or use other capital to repay the loan? What’s your backup plan?
#2. Present a Solid Property
The deal starts with the asset. We assess each property on its own merits, including:
Location: Is it in a desirable area or a growing market? We love seeing deals in places like Portland, Eugene, Salem, Medford, and along the I-5 corridor.
After-Repair Value (ARV): What will it be worth when finished? Support your estimate with data.
Loan-to-Value (LTV): Most private lenders offer 65-75% of ARV. For land or rural projects, it may be closer to 50%.
Exit Potential: Will it sell or refinance quickly when the work is done?
Stronger value and demand = faster yes.
#3. Stay Responsive and Organized
The #1 reason deals stall? Delayed communication. If we’re chasing down documents or waiting days for a reply, it slows everything.
Once you’re in process, respond promptly and provide documentation without delay. At Cetan, we customize every loan, but here’s what we typically need:
- A completed loan application (online form we provide)
- Personal financials:
- Personal financial statement
- Schedule of real estate owned
- Recent bank statements
- Proof of income (W-2s, 1099s, tax returns, business P&Ls, etc.)
- Project-specific documents:
- Purchase agreement
- Budget and scope
- Leases or pro forma (if applicable)
- Photos or past project examples
- Purchase agreement
- A short summary: property address, deal overview, value estimates, loan request, timeline, and exit strategy.
Having these ready upfront helps us issue decisions faster, often in a day or two.
#4. Know Your Numbers
If your numbers don’t pencil out, the deal won’t either. We expect your budget, scope, and timeline to make sense for the market and the asset.
If someone claims they’ll renovate a fourplex in 30 days for $20K, we’re going to pause. This isn’t our first flip.
We look for:
- A detailed, line-item budget
- Contingency reserves (because surprises happen)
- Realistic timelines and profit margins
You don’t need perfection. You need preparation.
#5. Bring Skin in the Game
We want to see that you’re invested. At Cetan, we typically expect borrowers to contribute at least 10% of total project costs, either as cash or existing equity.
It shows commitment and keeps incentives aligned. No capital? You might use equity from another property or bring in a partner. Be transparent about what you have. If the deal works, we can often help solve the rest.
#6. Share Your Experience
We don’t just underwrite the project. We underwrite you.
If you’ve flipped, rented, built, or developed before, great. That strengthens your application. If not, that’s okay. What matters is honesty, planning, and the team around you.
We regularly fund first-timers who bring the right mindset and support. Whether it’s a mentor, a GC, or a project manager, show us how you’ll execute.
Experience isn’t just your resume. It’s your readiness to manage budgets, permits, and people.
#7. Show Financial Stability
We don’t fixate on credit scores, but we do look at credit history and the story behind it.
Key things we review:
- Do you pay your debts on time?
- Any bankruptcies, tax liens, or legal judgments?
- Are there signs of financial stress?
If your credit isn’t perfect, don’t panic. We’ve funded many borrowers with bruised credit when the deal made sense and the plan was sound.
We’ll also verify that you can cover loan payments during the term, especially if you’re running multiple projects. We never want to be the reason a borrower over-extends. If you’re juggling a portfolio, be ready to talk strategy and sustainability.
Bottom line: Be prepared, be honest, and be responsive. That’s how you get funded faster.
At Cetan Funds, we’re based in Oregon so we know the zoning rules, permitting timelines, and market dynamics across towns big and small throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Whether you’re building in Bend, flipping in Eugene, or converting a duplex in Salem, we’ve likely seen a deal just like yours. That local knowledge means fewer delays and faster funding.
When you’re ready to move forward on your next investment, we’re here to make the lending process simple, fast, and transparent. Contact us or visit our Loan Programs page to see how Cetan Funds can help you build wealth through real estate.
Loan Inquiry
For more information on how Cetan Funds can finance your real estate project, please fill out our inquiry form below. We will respond in two business days.
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Broker Inquiry
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BORROWER FAQs
What is a Private or Hard Money Loan?
Private and hard money loans come in many variations, but most are short-term loans provided by an investor or group of investors when conventional financing is unattainable or undesirable.
Most private lenders and hard money lenders, like Cetan Funds, finance projects like fix and flip rehabs, rental properties, commercial bridge loans, land development, and many other unusual or unconventional properties and projects. A private or hard money loan can help real estate investors, developers, builders, and small businesses grow their portfolios and businesses faster than they could on their own.
Here at Cetan Funds, we empower people to build wealth through real estate.
Why choose hard money vs. bank loans?
Hard money (or private) loans are built for speed and flexibility. Banks often require months of paperwork, strict borrower qualifications, and rigid underwriting standards. At Cetan Funds, we base our lending decisions primarily on the value and potential of the property, not just the borrower’s financial profile. This means we can finance properties and projects banks typically decline due to condition, complexity, or unusual circumstances.
Hard money loans are ideal for time-sensitive opportunities like fix-and-flip projects, new construction, or land development.
Where Does the Money You Lend Come From?
Cetan Funds offers two pooled private equity fund investments for Oregon residents who qualify and accredited investors. Our two funds, called Cetan Income Fund and Cetan Opportunity Fund, serve as the primary source of capital for the loans that Cetan Funds originates.
Rather than matching individual investors to individual loans, or borrowing capital from banks or Wall Street as many hard money lenders do, at Cetan Funds, we manage our own pool of funds. The investors own shares of their fund limited liability company and the principals of Cetan Funds manage the portfolio of loans owned by the fund. All loans are serviced by Cetan Funds. To learn more about the advantages of this structure, please contact us.
What Types of Loans Does Cetan Funds Finance?
We can lend on most commercial and residential property in Oregon and SW Washington if the loan is for business or investment purposes. We provide short-term financing for bare land, land development, new construction, rehabs, and residential and commercial bridge loans.
Do You Lend on Primary or Secondary Residences?
No. We can only lend for business or investment purposes and do not lend on owner-occupied residential properties. Check out our blog to learn more about what we do and what we don’t do.
Where Do You Lend?
We lend exclusively in Oregon and SW Washington because we know the market well and are committed to helping grow our local market. We lend primarily in Western, Southern and Central Oregon with an occasional loan in Southwestern Washington.
Do You Only Look at the Property/Collateral?
While we are primarily a “collateral-based lender,” we do not solely look at the property/collateral. In our experience, who you lend to is just as important as what you lend on.
We strive to build long-term relationships with our borrowers, and we cannot achieve that if we focus solely on their real estate. So, we also take into consideration character, capacity, capital, and other conditions.
Weighing these important factors, which are often overlooked by other private and hard money lenders, helps us accurately measure risks for both our borrowers and our investors while allowing us to offer better all-around results for our clients.
Do You Have Minimum or Maximum Loan Sizes?
How Long Are Your Loans?
We offer loans as short as 3 months and as long as 60 months; however, most of our loans are for 6 to 12 months. Plus, we build in automatic extensions to every loan to ensure borrowers have time to deal with unexpected events and circumstances.
What Are Your Application and Underwriting Requirements?
Cetan Funds loans are customized to fit each specific scenario. Therefore, application and underwriting requirements can often vary depending on the situation. Typically, we require the following:
For Applications:
- Cetan Funds Business Loan Application (online form, link provided by your loan officer)
- Personal financial statements for all loan guarantors (form provided)
- Property/project description
- Summary of construction or investment experience (if applicable)
For Underwriting:
- 2 years of tax returns for all loan guarantors
- 3-6 months of bank statements
- Project/property-specific documentation (such as purchase/sale agreements, lease agreements, business financials, etc.)
- Detailed rehab or construction plans and budgets (if applicable)
Please contact us for more information on the application and underwriting requirements for your specific scenario.
How Fast Can I Get a Loan Decision?
How fast is funding?
We pride ourselves on moving quickly. Loan decisions are typically made within 1–2 business days, and pre-approval can often be issued just as fast. Once approved, we can close and fund in as little as 3–5 business days, depending on the project and documentation. That speed lets you secure capital and act on opportunities without the delays common with traditional lenders.
Can I Get Pre-Approved?
How Fast Can You Fund and Close a Loan?
As quickly as 3-5 days.
What is Your Minimum Down Payment?
What Are Your Interest Rates?
Rates vary depending on the project. Typically, annual interest rates are 10-12%. Interest is only charged on the outstanding balance. Therefore, interest is not charged on construction or rehab funds until they are drawn. So, for most of our short-term construction and rehab loans, borrowers actually incur far less than 10-12% in interest expense. For more information, please contact us.
What Are Your Loan Fees?
Origination fees vary depending on the project. Typically, origination fees are 2-4% of the loan amount. We also charge a $995-$1,495 administrative fee at closing.
Can I Live in the Property While I Have This Loan?
Unfortunately, no. Our borrowers cannot live in the residential properties we finance for them.
The only exception is in very specific commercial loan scenarios. If you wish to get a loan on a property you would like to live in now, or in the future, please contact us so we can help you find a lender for that. We are happy to help.
Can I Pay Off My Loan Early?
Do You Fund Rehab and Construction Loans?
On Rehab or Construction Loans, Do You Charge Interest on the Full Loan Commitment?
No. Interest is only charged on the outstanding balance.
How Do Construction Draws Work With Your Loans?
Construction draws are typically disbursed for work completed, materials purchased, or subcontractor invoices ready to be paid. Borrowers work directly with their loan officer, their main point of contact from start to finish on the project, to submit draw requests up to twice per month.
We do not charge fees for construction draws. Draw requests include a breakdown of the items awaiting reimbursement or payment, evidence showing the completed work or materials on site, and copies of subcontractor invoices or receipts over $2,500-5,000. Draws are typically processed in 24-48 hours.
Do You Fund Loans on Bare Land?
Yes, we provide bare land loans. Each situation is different. Please contact us for details.
Do You Finance Mobile or Manufactured Homes?
What is “Cetan”?
Cetan comes from the Lakota language and means “hawk spirit.” We chose it to represent the values we bring to lending: vision to see opportunities, loyalty in building long-term relationships, and speed in delivering funding when it’s needed most.
Supporting local organizations like the Cascades Raptor Center also helps us honor that connection to hawks and our beautiful raptors in the Pacific Northwest while giving back to the community.