Florida is not just a market we serve. It is our home. Arbitrust Lending is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, and our team has deep roots in the Florida real estate market spanning decades of investment, development, and lending experience. When you work with us on a Florida deal, you are working with lenders who understand the nuances of this unique market from the ground up.
Our founder, Andrew Shader, has built and managed a real estate portfolio exceeding $120 million, with a significant portion of that experience coming from Florida properties. This operator perspective informs every loan we underwrite. We understand the challenges and opportunities specific to Florida because we have navigated them ourselves as investors.
Florida Real Estate Market Overview
Florida remains one of the most dynamic real estate investment markets in the United States. The state's combination of population growth, favorable tax environment, and diverse economy creates consistent demand across virtually every property type and investment strategy.
Population Growth Driving Demand
Florida continues to experience substantial population growth, with thousands of new residents arriving monthly from higher-tax states. This migration creates sustained demand for housing at all price points, from workforce rentals to luxury properties. For real estate investors, this population growth translates directly into tenant demand, buyer pools, and appreciation potential.
The state added over 400,000 new residents in recent years, making it one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. This growth shows no signs of slowing, providing a strong fundamental backdrop for real estate investment.
Strong Rental Markets Across the State
Florida's major metropolitan areas offer compelling rental market fundamentals:
Miami: A global gateway city with diverse employment drivers including finance, healthcare, technology, and international trade. Strong demand from both domestic migrants and international investors keeps rental rates robust.
Tampa Bay: One of the fastest-growing metros in the country, with a diversified economy and relatively affordable housing compared to other major Florida markets. Rental demand consistently outpaces supply.
Orlando: Tourism drives the economy, but the region has diversified significantly into healthcare, technology, and professional services. Population growth and limited housing supply support strong rental fundamentals.
Jacksonville: Florida's largest city by land area offers affordable entry points for investors with solid cash flow potential. The port, healthcare sector, and financial services provide employment stability.
Fix and Flip Activity
Florida's combination of older housing stock and constant demand from new residents creates abundant fix and flip opportunities. Properties built in the 1970s through 1990s often need updating to meet current buyer expectations, and the spread between distressed and renovated values can be substantial in the right submarkets.
Vacation Rental and Short-Term Rental Opportunities
Florida's tourism industry supports a thriving short-term rental market. From beachfront condos to properties near Orlando's theme parks, vacation rentals can generate significantly higher returns than traditional long-term rentals in the right locations. However, investors must navigate local regulations, which vary significantly by municipality.
Our Florida Lending Programs
Arbitrust Lending offers comprehensive financing solutions for Florida real estate investors. Our programs are designed to provide the speed and flexibility that active investors require.
Bridge Loans
Our bridge loans provide acquisition and transitional financing for properties that do not qualify for conventional lending. Whether you are acquiring an off-market opportunity, purchasing a property in need of stabilization, or need to close quickly on a competitive deal, our bridge loans deliver.
Fix and Flip Financing
For investors focused on renovating and selling properties, we provide acquisition and rehabilitation financing with draws available as work progresses. Our team understands construction timelines and can structure loans that align with your renovation schedule.
DSCR Loans for Rental Properties
Debt Service Coverage Ratio loans qualify based on the property's income rather than your personal tax returns. These loans are ideal for investors building rental portfolios who want to avoid the documentation burden of conventional financing.
Portfolio Financing
For investors with multiple properties, we offer portfolio loan solutions that can simplify your debt structure and provide more favorable terms based on overall portfolio performance.
Florida-Specific Considerations
Lending in Florida requires understanding several state-specific factors that affect both property values and lending decisions.
Hurricane Insurance Requirements
Florida properties require adequate wind and hurricane coverage. Insurance costs have increased significantly in recent years, and availability has tightened in some coastal areas. When underwriting Florida deals, we factor insurance costs into our analysis and require borrowers to maintain coverage throughout the loan term. We can provide guidance on insurance requirements based on property location and type.
Flood Zone Considerations
Much of Florida lies within designated flood zones. Properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) require flood insurance, which can significantly impact carrying costs. We evaluate flood zone status for every property and ensure appropriate coverage is in place. Our familiarity with Florida flood maps helps us quickly assess properties and structure loans appropriately.
Condo Association Requirements
Following the Surfside building collapse in 2021, Florida implemented new requirements for condominium buildings. Buildings over three stories or 30 years old must undergo structural inspections and maintain adequate reserves for major repairs. These requirements have created both challenges and opportunities for investors.
When financing condos in Florida, we carefully evaluate the building's inspection status, reserve levels, and any pending special assessments. Our local knowledge helps us identify well-managed buildings versus those with potential issues.
Property Tax Considerations
Florida has no state income tax, but property taxes can be significant, particularly in high-value coastal areas. Additionally, homestead exemption rules affect how taxes change upon property transfer. We account for realistic property tax projections in our underwriting to ensure deals cash flow as expected.
HOA Rental Restrictions
Many Florida communities, particularly condos and single-family HOA neighborhoods, have rental restrictions that limit investor activity. These may include minimum lease terms, tenant approval requirements, or caps on the percentage of units that can be rented. We verify rental eligibility for all properties before funding.
Florida Markets We Serve
As a Florida-based lender, we serve investors throughout the entire state. Our local presence provides advantages across all major markets.
South Florida
Miami-Dade County: From downtown Miami high-rises to single-family neighborhoods in Kendall, Coral Gables, and beyond, we understand the diverse submarkets of Miami-Dade.
Broward County: Our home base of Fort Lauderdale and surrounding communities including Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, and Coral Springs.
Palm Beach County: From West Palm Beach through Boca Raton, Jupiter, and the wealth corridor along the coast.
Tampa Bay
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area offers strong fundamentals and relative affordability. We actively lend throughout Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
Orlando and Central Florida
The Greater Orlando area continues to grow, supported by tourism, healthcare, and an expanding technology sector. We serve Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and surrounding counties.
Jacksonville
Northeast Florida offers value-oriented investment opportunities with solid rental demand. We serve Duval County and the surrounding Northeast Florida region.
Southwest Florida
Naples, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and the surrounding Lee and Collier County markets offer both seasonal and permanent resident demand.
Additional Markets
We also actively lend in Gainesville, Tallahassee, the Space Coast, Treasure Coast, and other Florida markets. If you have a deal anywhere in Florida, we want to hear about it.
Why Work with a Florida-Based Lender
Choosing a lender headquartered in your investment market provides distinct advantages.
Local Market Knowledge
We know Florida real estate because we invest here ourselves. We understand which neighborhoods are appreciating, which submarkets have regulatory challenges, and how seasonal patterns affect different property types. This knowledge enables faster, more informed lending decisions.
Faster Due Diligence
Our familiarity with Florida properties, title companies, appraisers, and local practices accelerates our due diligence process. We can often evaluate Florida deals more quickly than lenders unfamiliar with the market.
Established Relationships
We have cultivated relationships with Florida title companies, closing attorneys, insurance agents, and appraisers over many years. These relationships facilitate smoother, faster closings.
Understanding of Florida-Specific Issues
From hurricane insurance to condo regulations to flood zones, we understand the issues that affect Florida real estate. You do not need to educate us on local market dynamics.
Get Started in Florida
If you have a Florida investment opportunity that requires fast, flexible financing, we would welcome the opportunity to review it. Our team responds to all inquiries within 24 hours, and we can provide preliminary term sheets within 48 hours for deals that fit our criteria.
Contact us today to discuss your Florida deal. Submit your deal through our website or call us directly. As fellow Florida investors, we understand the opportunities in this market and have the capital to help you capitalize on them.
FAQ: Private Lending in Florida
Do you lend in all Florida counties?
Yes, we provide financing for investment properties throughout Florida, from Miami-Dade to Escambia, and everywhere in between. While our strongest market knowledge lies in South Florida, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Jacksonville, we actively lend statewide. We evaluate each deal on its individual merits regardless of county location.
How do you handle hurricane and flood insurance requirements?
Insurance is a critical component of any Florida real estate loan. We require borrowers to maintain adequate wind, hurricane, and flood coverage (where applicable) throughout the loan term. Our team can provide guidance on coverage requirements based on property location and type. We factor realistic insurance costs into our underwriting to ensure deals make economic sense with current insurance market conditions.
Can you finance condos in Florida?
Yes, we finance condominiums in Florida, though we conduct additional due diligence given recent regulatory changes. We evaluate the building's structural inspection status, reserve levels, and any pending special assessments. Well-managed buildings with adequate reserves and clear inspection reports are excellent candidates for financing. Buildings with deferred maintenance issues or inadequate reserves require case-by-case evaluation.
What makes Florida lending different from other states?
Florida presents unique considerations including higher insurance costs, flood zone designations across much of the state, condo inspection requirements, and seasonal market dynamics in some areas. Working with a Florida-based lender means partnering with a team that understands these factors intimately. We have navigated these issues as investors ourselves, and we bring that experience to every loan we underwrite.
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All loan terms subject to underwriting approval. Interest rates, loan-to-value ratios, and other terms may vary based on borrower qualifications, property characteristics, and market conditions. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a commitment to lend.
