How Fast Can You Close? What to Expect With a Private Real Estate Loan

By Huber Bongolan

Time kills all deals. And in real estate, sometimes the difference between winning and losing is just a few days.

At Flipside Lending, we get asked this question all the time:
“How fast can you close?”

The short answer? We’ve closed deals in as little as 5 business days. But the more honest answer is this—it depends and you should probably adjust your expectation for 2-4 weeks. Not just on us as the lender, but on everyone involved: the borrower, the title company, the appraiser, and yes, even the responsiveness of your replies.

Private Lending Moves Fast—If You’re Ready

Private real estate loans are built for speed. Unlike traditional bank financing, which can take 30 to 60 days and come with strict underwriting conditions, private money loans are designed to move quickly, especially for acquisitions and time-sensitive opportunities.

But speed doesn’t happen by accident. It requires preparation, communication, and alignment across the board.

The fastest closings we’ve ever done? They all had a few things in common.

The Borrower Was Ready

Deals that move quickly always start with borrowers who are ready. That means having your diligence items—LLC docs, rehab budget, entity agreements, insurance binder, contractor info—all organized and easy to review.

It’s not enough to just have the information. The key is delivering it in a way that makes it easy to review. Think: clear file names, one email instead of five, and answering questions before they’re asked.

Underwriting doesn’t slow deals down—chasing missing documents does.

The Third Parties Were Aligned

Speed doesn’t live in a vacuum. Even the fastest lender still relies on third-party reports like appraisals, title, and escrow to issue final approval and fund.

Want to close fast?

Order a rush appraisal from day one.
Work with title and escrow teams who understand urgency and are responsive after hours.
Avoid “mom and pop” shops who only work 9–5.

It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about lining everything up to move at the same pace.

The Communication Was Human

Here’s something borrowers often overlook:

The fastest way to close is usually while you’re on the phone.
The next fastest? Texting.
Then comes email.
And the slowest? Sending something “in the mail.”

It might sound obvious, but real relationships close real deals. There are humans on the other side of every phone call and inbox—and being pleasantly persistent goes a long way. A quick call to title, a nudge to the appraiser, a follow-up to the insurance agent—all of these can shave days off your timeline.

In the rush to close, don’t forget to be kind, clear, and communicative.

So... How Fast Can You Really Close?

If your deal is clean, your paperwork is in order, your third parties are responsive, and we’re all on the same page—we can close in 5 to 10 business days.

But the best closings aren’t just fast. They’re smooth.

Final Thoughts

Private money lending is built for flexibility. But fast closings don’t happen by default—they’re the result of proactive borrowers, strong partnerships, and clear communication.

At Flipside Lending, we don’t just move quickly—we move intentionally, making sure our speed doesn’t come at the cost of execution. Whether it’s your first deal or your fiftieth, we’re here to help you close with confidence—and on time.

Need to close fast? Email us at sales@flipsideloans.com to get started.

Good luck out there, my friends. I’m always happy to help so feel free to email me at hbongolan@flipsideloans.com.