Delaware fix and flip FAQ
Ten questions, asked by Delaware flippers.
Specific to Delaware. For broader hard money questions — FICO floors, BRRRR strategy, the 70% rule, application flow — see the 70% rule explainer, the BRRRR mechanics breakdown, or the full FAQ.
Do you lend in Delaware?
Yes. PML funds fix and flip loans in all 50 states, with active flipper books in Wilmington, Dover, Newark, and Bear. Single-family, duplex, triplex, and fourplex properties. Loan size from $100,000 to $5,000,000 per asset, with cross-collateralized facility lines available for sponsors running three or more concurrent Delaware projects. No state-line carve-outs on pricing or leverage; a New Castle County flip prices off the same rate sheet as a New Castle County flip.
Is PML licensed in Delaware?
Delaware does not require a separate state lender license for business-purpose loans on 1 to 4 unit non-owner-occupied investment property held by an entity. PML originates Delaware fix and flip loans under that posture, with closings handled through the customary Delaware closing process. Loans are not consumer mortgages; they cannot be used for a primary or secondary residence. The borrower is always an LLC, LP, or corporation, never a natural person.
What is the typical Delaware loan size and ARV range?
The bulk of Delaware fix and flip activity in our book lands in a $215,000 to $425,000 ARV band, with loans typically between $170,000 and $345,000 on a single asset. Wilmington and Newark skew toward the lower half of that band on entry-level cosmetic flips; Greenville and inner-Wilmington stretch to $795,000 plus on full-gut projects. We will write a Delaware loan as small as $100,000 and as large as $5,000,000.
How does title and escrow work in Delaware?
Delaware is an attorney-closing state. A licensed Delaware real estate attorney handles the closing in coordination with a title insurance underwriter; no escrow agent in the western-state sense. PML works with closing-attorney panels in every major Delaware metro and routes the deed of trust and closing protection letter accordingly. A clean Delaware file regularly closes 6 to 9 business days from term-sheet acceptance.
What transfer tax or recording fees apply in Delaware?
Delaware imposes a real estate transfer tax of 4% of consideration (the highest in the country among states that levy one), split equally between buyer and seller in most counties. PML’s quote on the HUD reflects the actual Delaware tax and recording schedule for the subject county; there are no lender markups on third-party closing costs.
Does Delaware weather or seasonality affect rehab draws?
Northern Delaware winters slow exterior trade work (roofing, siding, concrete) from late November through March, but they do not slow our draw cadence. Inspector clears within one business day, wire goes out within 48 hours, year-round. Plan rehab budgets with a 2 to 4 week seasonal cushion on cold-weather exterior scopes.
How long does foreclosure take in Delaware if the loan defaults?
Delaware is a judicial foreclosure state. A defaulted business-purpose loan moves through the courts in roughly 6 to 9 months from filed complaint to sheriff's or commissioner's sale — materially longer than non-judicial states like Texas or Arizona. As a sponsor this should never matter; as an underwriting input it is reflected in our Delaware risk pricing.
How quickly does New Castle County record a Delaware deed?
The New Castle County e-recording system normally posts a deed and deed of trust the same business day they are submitted. Other major Delaware metros (Dover, Newark and Bear) run similarly fast on e-recording. PML wires loan proceeds the day of close; the lien recording happens in parallel.
Do you fund foreclosure or auction purchases in Delaware?
Yes. Delaware foreclosure sales are court-ordered judicial sales conducted by the county sheriff or court-appointed commissioner, with the sale date set by the court after entry of the foreclosure judgment. PML can fund acquisitions from courthouse-step foreclosure sales when title is clean and judgment is final, with a binding term sheet inside four business hours. Plan additional time for confirmation-of-sale where the Delaware courts require it.
Can I close into a Delaware LLC formed after the property goes under contract?
Yes. PML can close into a newly-formed Delaware LLC even if you took the property under contract in your personal name. The closing party handles the deed transfer at closing — the property moves from your personal name into the new entity simultaneous with the loan funding, with the standard Delaware transfer-tax treatment applied at close. We do not lend to natural persons; the borrower is always an entity. We can help structure the entity if you do not yet have one in place.