Updated
Investors searching Kiavi vs Lima One are comparing two of the most visible national hard money brands — both scale across many states, both publish experience-based programs, and both appear in almost every “best hard money lenders” thread.
This page is a neutral head-to-head between two competitors. Jaken Finance Group is cited as focus-market context when geography and property type matter — not as a winner-by-default.
Author: Jason Taken, Principal · Jaken Finance Group head-to-heads: Jaken Finance Group vs Kiavi · Lima One vs Jaken Finance Group
Methodology & disclosures
- How we compare: Public positioning and investor deal-flow patterns as of 2026. Not live rate scraping. Not endorsements.
- Not financial advice. Verify term sheets directly.
Kiavi vs Lima One — side-by-side (2026)
| Factor | Kiavi (formerly LendingHome) | Lima One Capital |
|---|---|---|
| Brand positioning | Tech-forward fix-and-flip platform | Rental + fix-and-flip portfolio lender |
| National scale | Yes | Yes |
| Fix-and-flip | Core product | Core product |
| Rental / DSCR | Bridge-to-hold, rental products | Strong rental portfolio heritage |
| Research / data | Fix-and-Flip Market Pulse, platform analytics | Published program grids by experience |
| UX | Platform-first origination | Institutional portal + grids |
| Best for | Market-agnostic SFR sponsors who value data + UX | Experience-tier grids + rental portfolio scale |
When Kiavi may fit better
Technology and market selection — Kiavi’s platform and market pulse research help sponsors who are market-agnostic and want data-driven MSA comparison.
Platform continuity — Teams already in Kiavi’s ecosystem for repeat bridge may prefer not adding another national relationship.
SFR-heavy pipeline — Straightforward single-family light rehab across many states.
See also: Kiavi alternatives · Jaken Finance Group vs Kiavi
When Lima One may fit better
Rental portfolio depth — Sponsors building large rental books nationally may prioritize Lima One’s rental brand and portfolio programs.
Published experience tiers — Investors who want predictable LTC/LTV matrices by score without negotiating every file.
Flip + hold under one national brand — Repeat bridge with clear grid documentation.
See also: Lima One vs Jaken Finance Group
Hypothetical file — Kiavi vs Lima One on the same acquisition
File: $285K Atlanta SFR, $48K cosmetic rehab, ARV $355K, sponsor with 6 documented flips.
| Question | Ask Kiavi | Ask Lima One |
|---|---|---|
| LTC at my experience tier? | Platform tier quote | Published grid tier |
| Draw inspection vendor | Kiavi network | Lima One network |
| Rental refi after hold? | Bridge-to-hold products | Rental portfolio programs |
| Market selection data? | Fix-and-Flip Market Pulse | Less emphasis — grid focus |
If both quotes are within 0.5 points and 2% LTC, pick the portal your team already uses. If the file is not Atlanta SFR — e.g. Charlotte duplex BRRRR — compare Jaken Finance Group focus-state comparison before defaulting to either national brand.
What both national platforms share
| Shared trait | Investor implication |
|---|---|
| Experience tiers | First deals get lower leverage — plan cash in |
| Milestone draws | Rehab funded in inspections, not day-one lump sum |
| SFR template bias | Complex multifamily may slow underwriting |
| Variable local nuance | Chicago two-flats, DC row homes, FL coastal insurance |
When local economics dominate, compare a focus-market lender:
| Scenario | Why national grids struggle |
|---|---|
| Chicago two-flat BRRRR | RLTO, shared systems, ward comps |
| DC row home flip | TOPA, HP review, row-home comps |
| Tampa coastal DSCR | Wind/flood insurance by parcel |
| Indianapolis duplex BRRRR | Per-unit rent rolls vs SFR templates |
Jaken Finance Group focus-market alternative: Hard money lender comparison — focus states · Best hard money lenders 2026
Rate and points — compare the same file on both
Ask Kiavi and Lima One on one hypothetical acquisition:
- Interest rate — IO bridge
- Origination points
- LTC cap — your experience tier
- Extension fees
- Minimum interest months
- DSCR exit — seasoning if BRRRR
Tools: Fix and flip calculator · DSCR calculator
Other national names investors compare
| Lender | Angle |
|---|---|
| RCN Capital | Portfolio experience-score bridge |
| Renovo Financial | Chicago HQ national flip + rental grids |
| Anchor Loans | Institutional SFR fix-and-flip |
| CoreVest | DSCR rental portfolio |
| Jaken Finance Group | Focus-market bridge + DSCR |
Repeat borrower economics — after five documented exits
National platforms reward track record with higher LTC and faster repeat pricing. Compare what changes on your sixth file:
| Metric | Kiavi / Lima One (national) | Jaken Finance Group (focus-market) |
|---|---|---|
| Rate within 8.99%–13.5% band | Often top of band unless negotiated | Repeat pricing in IL/IN/NC/GA/FL/SC/DC |
| Draw release | Platform SLA — verify inspection vendor | 3–5 business days typical on documented GC files |
| Comp review | MSA-level template ARV | Ward/county comps within 0.5 miles |
| BRRRR DSCR exit | Often separate rental desk | 5.75%–10.5% same relationship |
Run identical scope on Kiavi and Lima One term sheets first. If geography is binding — Chicago two-flat, DMV row home, Tampa coastal insurance — add Jaken Finance Group vs Kiavi or Renovo Financial vs Jaken Finance Group to the comparison set.
Finish the Atlanta illustration before you pick a portal
The hypothetical file above is a $285,000 Atlanta purchase, $48,000 of cosmetic rehab, and a $355,000 after-repair value. The sponsor has six documented flips. All-in cost is $333,000. These are example inputs, not a claim about Atlanta sale prices.
Seventy-five percent of $355,000 is $266,250. One hundred percent of cost is $333,000. On a Jaken Finance Group fix-and-flip file the loan is the lower number, $266,250. Cash still required for project cost is $66,750, before points and reserves. The rate band is 8.99%–13.5% interest-only. The term is 6–12 months. A complete file closes in 7–10 business days.
Six months of interest-only carry at 11% on $266,250 is $14,643.75. Sell at $355,000 with selling costs of 8% ($28,400). Cash left before points:
$355,000 − $28,400 − $266,250 − $14,643.75 = $45,706.25.
An experience grid that quotes 85% of cost would be $283,050. That figure is above 75% of after-repair value. Ask Kiavi and Lima One whether their loan-to-cost quote is also cut by an after-repair cap. A higher percentage on cost is not extra proceeds if value caps the loan first.
Jaken Finance Group bridge loans, as distinct from fix-and-flip, go up to 90% of the purchase price and run 12–24 months, still at 8.99%–13.5% interest-only. Do not paste the flip cap onto a no-rehab bridge, or the bridge cap onto a heavy rehab.
A materials reprint is not a new budget
The construction-materials producer price index was 375.908 in August 2026 and 341.458 in August 2025. It is 10.1% above the year-earlier month and is not seasonally adjusted. The series page is FRED WPUSI012011.
The $48,000 cosmetic budget in the example includes labor. The index does not. Rebid the material lines. Leave the labor lines alone unless the contractor changed them. Either national lender can reorder the draw schedule when the bid moves. So can Jaken Finance Group.
The buyer’s loan is a different rate
For the week of October 1, 2026, Freddie Mac’s 30-year fixed average was 7.28%. The September 24 week was 7.03%. Cite FRED MORTGAGE30US.
That print matters when the exit is a retail buyer. It is not the interest-only coupon on your bridge. If the plan is to hold, price a DSCR loan at 5.75%–10.5% instead. Purchase leverage on that product goes up to 85%, cash-out up to 80%, and rate-and-term up to 85%, in select markets for qualified borrowers. Allow about 14 business days for that closing. The flip clock stays 7–10 business days.
The U.S. FHFA purchase-only index was 443.52 in July 2026, up 2.6% from 432.40 in July 2025. Seasonally adjusted. January 1991 equals 100. This Atlanta sketch does not use a local price index. Do not treat the national index as an Atlanta appraisal.
What to demand from both portals
Ask Kiavi and Lima One for the same exhibits:
- Loan amount, and whether an after-repair cap reduced it.
- Interest rate, points, and any months of guaranteed interest.
- Extension fee and the day it starts.
- Draw vendor and the business days from a passed inspection to the wire.
- Whether the rental refinance is the same company or a handoff.
If the two national quotes land within a half point and the loan amounts match, keep the portal your draws already use. If the property is a Chicago two-flat, a Washington row home, or a coastal Florida rental, add a focus-market term sheet. Jaken Finance Group lends in all 50 states and writes the longest local notes in its focus markets.
Phone (833) 264-7776 if you want that third quote on the same scope. Bring the bids. A portal screenshot of a rate is not a scope.
Points change the Atlanta net
The $45,706.25 left in the example is before origination points. Jaken Finance Group does not publish a single point schedule on this page. Read the points off each term sheet and do this math.
Example. Two points on the $266,250 loan equal $5,325. One point equals $2,662.50. Subtract the actual points from $45,706.25 before you compare Kiavi with Lima One. A lender that is 0.25% cheaper on rate and one point more expensive can still cost more on a six-month hold.
Also ask whether points are charged on $266,250 or on a larger commitment that includes an undrawn rehab holdback. Two points on the full $333,000 cost would be $6,660, which is the wrong base if the funded loan is $266,250. Match the point base to the note amount before you celebrate a lower rate.
A minimum-interest clause can erase a fast sale
Ask if the note earns three or four months of interest even when you sell sooner. On the $266,250 example at 11%, one month of interest is $2,440.63. Four months is $9,762.50. Sell in month two and a four-month minimum still bills the extra two months, $4,881.25, beyond the interest that actually accrued. A lower rate with a longer minimum can cost more than a higher rate you can pay off in month three. Get that clause from Kiavi and from Lima One before you pick the portal.
Bottom line
Kiavi vs Lima One is not a universal winner — it is platform + data vs rental portfolio grids. Both win on national SFR scale. Neither replaces focus-market underwriting when local details change the pro forma.
Run your file through both if eligible — then compare a regional lender if geography is binding.
Pre-Qualify with Jaken Finance Group · (833) 264-7776
Kiavi and Lima One Capital are separate companies. This page is published by Jaken Finance Group for investor education only. Jaken Finance Group only finances non-owner occupied investment properties.