East side Detroit is Wayne County’s yield stack — interior streets where side-by-side doubles trade $75K–$130K as-is and stabilized gross rents reach $2,400–$2,900/mo after honest mechanical scope. It is not one neighborhood — it is a block-selection discipline spanning Jefferson-Chalmers edges, Mack corridor pockets, and residential streets north of I-94.
Hard money loans on Detroit’s east side fund auction wins, tax-sale acquisitions, and 4-unit reposition files that need 7-day proof of funds and draw schedules through roof, boiler, and panel upgrades.
Metro: Detroit hard money · Michigan DSCR · Compare: Corktown / Midtown · Rankings.
Who invests on the east side
| Profile | Playbook |
|---|---|
| Duplex BRRRR operator | Sub-$180K all-in → DSCR at 70%–72% LTV → stack door two |
| SFR flipper | $72K–$95K buy + $45K–$65K rehab → $165K–$195K ARV |
| Small MF sponsor | 4–8 unit reposition — per-door basis under $65K all-in target |
Volume operators recycle capital every 10–14 months when title and block diligence are repeatable.
2026 economics
| Asset | As-is | Rehab | ARV / rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFR value-add | $55K–$95K | $35K–$65K | $145K–$195K resale |
| Duplex heavy | $75K–$130K | $45K–$75K | $185K–$245K; $2,400–$2,900/mo |
| Four-unit | $140K–$220K | $90K–$150K | $7,000–$9,500/mo gross stabilized |
Do not use Corktown or Indian Village comps on interior east-side files — appraisers cut 15%–25%.
Worked example: duplex BRRRR (from hub math)
Acquisition: $88,000 side-by-side — one unit occupied at $725/mo, shared panel, roof end of life
Rehab: $52,000 — roof, dual panels, kitchens/baths, exterior paint
All-in: $140,000
Hard money: 89% LTC · 8-day close · 10.75% IO
Stabilized rent: $1,350 + $1,275 = $2,625/mo gross
Appraisal: $198,000
DSCR refi: 72% LTV → ~$142,560 permanent debt — equity recycled to second acquisition
Water account and delinquent tax cleared pre-wire.
Worked example: interior SFR flip
Acquisition: $72,000 estate — 12-day close
Rehab: $48,000 HVAC, kitchen, bath, windows
All-in: $120,000
Sale: $178,000 at 5 months — net ~$22,000 after carry and selling costs
Worked example: four-unit reposition
Acquisition: $185,000 courtyard four-unit — two occupied below market, one vacant, one illegal basement
Rehab: $128,000 — roof, boiler, unit-by-unit kitchens/baths, legalize basement or remove from pro forma
All-in: $313,000
Stabilized gross: $7,200/mo at market leases
Hold exit: DSCR at 68%–72% LTV — flip spread thin on 4-unit unless per-door basis under target
Experienced sponsors only — 12–18 month timeline common.
Block walk protocol
- Count boarded structures both directions — above 25% facing vacancy haircuts rent
- Verify DWSD water and tax status on city portal
- Quiet title on auction and heirship deeds
- Certificate of compliance path for rental exit
- Three sold comps same corridor — not cross-freeway imports
- Insurance quote on vacant vs. stabilized policy
Auction and tax-sale notes
Wayne County auctions reward 7–10 day hard money closes — conventional financing rarely competes. Budget quiet title attorney and redemption period analysis on tax deeds before modeling resale date.
Loan terms (2026)
| Parameter | Range |
|---|---|
| Rate | 8.99%–13.5% IO |
| LTC | Up to 90% |
| Close | 7–10 business days on clean title |
| Term | 12–18 months |
Carry math — east-side duplex
A $140K all-in duplex at 89% LTC and 10.75% IO accrues roughly $1,120/mo during rehab and lease-up. A 7-month hold to DSCR refi adds ~$7,800 interest — still clears on $198K appraisal when rent is documented. Flip files at $120K all-in need $178K+ resale within 6 months to beat carry drag.
Jefferson-Chalmers and Mack corridor notes
Water-adjacent blocks near Jefferson-Chalmers carry different insurance and flood diligence than interior residential streets — verify FEMA and quote before LOI. Mack Avenue commercial adjacency can help or hurt residential rent depending on tenant mix — walk the block at weekday and weekend hours.
First-time sponsor path
Start with one interior SFR flip under $145K all-in with six months IO reserved — not a four-unit reposition. Graduate to duplex BRRRR after one clean title and one clean block walk. Compare premium corridors only after east-side mechanics are repeatable: Corktown · Indian Village.
Duplex utility and fire separation
Shared-wall doubles require fire-rated separation documentation and separate meters before draw two on both-unit rehab scope. Unpermitted basement units fail Michigan DSCR refi — legalize or remove from pro forma before acquisition.
East side — block-selection file gates (2026)
East-side files fail when Corktown ARV comps price interior street basis, or when block vacancy above 25% is ignored on the walk. Highest Wayne County yield bands — highest block-selection risk.
- Basis: $55K–$130K duplex/SFR — match scope to $145K–$235K ARV ceiling on same corridor
- Title: Water shutoff liens and quiet title before wire — non-negotiable on auction files
- Carry: Reserve 6–9 months IO on 4-unit reposition — $90K–$160K rehab common
- Exit: BRRRR at $1,200–$1,450/side or flip to investor buyer — thin O-O pool on interior blocks
Bridge 8.99%–13.5% IO · Detroit rankings · (833) 264-7776.
Analyzing an east-side duplex or four-unit reposition? Pre-qualify for hard money or call (833) 264-7776 for proof of funds before your next Wayne County auction.
Underwriting anchor: All-in: $140,000 — model East Side Detroit sold comps and reassessment on this parcel before IO term. Rates, terms and conditions offered only to qualified borrowers and are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to full underwriting. Jaken Finance Group only finances non-owner occupied investment properties.