Investment property loans in Miami

What a non-owner-occupied loan is

A non-owner-occupied property is one the borrower does not live in: a house bought to renovate and sell, a rental leased by the year, a duplex, or a lot where a house will be built. Lenders treat these as business-purpose loans, and the rules differ from the mortgage on a primary residence.

Miami Fix and Flip Loans lends only on non-owner-occupied property. We are the South Florida division of Optimus Capital Corp, a nationwide lender that works only with real estate investors, and the division is run by Andrew Shanti, who has worked in lending and real estate since 2005 as a principal, executive and investor.

How to choose a lender for a Miami investment property

The right lender depends on what you plan to do with the property. Three kinds of lender finance investment real estate, and each one approves the loan on something different.

Questions to ask before you pick a lender

South Florida deals have their own costs and risks. These questions sort out quickly who can close your deal.

• Will you fund the whole renovation? We finance up to 100% of the rehab budget at a 720+ score, paid in draws as work is finished.
• Do you underwrite property tax correctly? Florida has no state income tax, and investment property gets no homestead exemption, so property tax is a large cost of holding a rental. Combined rates in Miami-Dade and Broward are often close to 2% of taxable value. On non-homestead property, the taxable value for most levies can rise no more than 10% a year, but the cap resets when the property is sold, so a buyer is taxed on full market value the next year. Voters approved Amendment 3 on November 3, 2026, which lowers that cap to 5% starting in 2027; school taxes are not capped.
• Do you account for insurance and the hurricane code? Windstorm and flood coverage drive insurance costs across South Florida. Many insurers ask for a four-point inspection on older homes and give credits for a wind mitigation report, and Citizens Property Insurance is the state’s insurer of last resort. Large parts of the region are in FEMA flood zones, and flood insurance is a separate policy. Get quotes before you make an offer. Miami-Dade and Broward are in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone of the Florida Building Code, so new roofs, windows and doors must carry approvals rated for it. Most South Florida houses are concrete block and stucco, which holds up well, but older roofs, windows and electrical and plumbing systems are what insurers look at first.
• Do you understand condos? Florida now requires a milestone structural inspection of condo buildings of three or more stories once they reach 30 years, then every 10 years, and a structural integrity reserve study every 10 years with reserves that can no longer be waived. Many older buildings face large special assessments as a result. Read the association’s budget, reserve study and any planned assessments before you buy a unit.
• Do you understand the rental rules? Short-term rental rules differ city by city across South Florida. Florida law bars cities from banning vacation rentals outright, but rules adopted before June 2011 still stand, and Miami Beach bans short-term rentals in single-family homes and most residential districts, and fines for illegal rentals are steep. In the City of Miami, short stays are allowed only where the zoning permits them, with a certificate of use and a business tax receipt, and every operator also needs a Florida vacation rental license and must collect state and county tourist taxes. Many condo associations ban short stays as well. Because the rules depend on the exact address and building, we underwrite on long-term rent unless the property can legally host short stays.
• Will you check my personal income? We do not. There are no tax returns and no employment or debt-to-income review.
• Can I close in an LLC, and from out of state? Yes. We lend to LLCs and to out-of-state owners, and to foreign nationals on rental loans.
• How fast can you close? Rental loans take about 30 days, appraisal included. Fix and flip loans average up to 21 days and can close in about 7 days once title and insurance are ready.

What we finance in South Florida

• Fix and flip loans: up to 90% of the purchase price and 100% of the rehab at a 720+ credit score.
• DSCR rental loans for single-family rentals, duplexes, townhomes and condos: up to 85% loan-to-value to buy and 80% on a cash-out refinance, fixed for 5 to 30 years.
• Ground-up construction loans: up to 90% of cost for experienced builders, with the lot included.
• Mid-rehab, portfolio and commercial loans for projects that need capital to finish, groups of rentals, and multifamily or commercial property.

For neighborhood notes and local rules, see Miami, Fort Lauderdale and our other market pages.