Chelsea Hard Money Lenders

Boston Hard Money Money Insights from a Local Lender

Boston has become one of the most attractive cities in the U.S. for real estate investors seeking reliable returns — and hard money lending is playing a critical role in fueling the city’s redevelopment. From historic brownstones to mixed-use conversions, borrowers need fast, flexible capital to move at the pace of Boston’s competitive market. That’s where Cardinal Capital Group comes in. Below is a excerpt from our interview with their CEO, Briana Hildt.

In this clip, Briana Hildt highlights some of the most exciting neighborhoods and trends shaping Boston’s real estate development landscape. She begins with a personal favorite — the South End, where Cardinal Capital Group’s office is located. Known for its historic charm and proximity to Back Bay and Beacon Hill, the South End is filled with classic brick row houses, many of which are being modernized with high-end updates like rooftop decks. Alongside these historic gems are underutilized mixed-use buildings ripe for redevelopment, making it a vibrant area for both lenders and developers.

Hildt also spotlights East Boston, a neighborhood that has undergone a remarkable transformation. Once overlooked, East Boston has seen a surge in condo conversions and redevelopment activity, thanks to early movers triggering a wave of reinvestment. Now, it’s a hotbed for ongoing growth.

Another trend gaining momentum is the conversion of outdated commercial office buildings into residential units — a shift supported by city zoning boards and the mayor’s emphasis on increasing housing supply. Hildt embraces these projects despite traditional lender hesitance, arguing that if the city is backing such initiatives, lenders should consider them viable.

She also references Cambridge, where recent zoning changes have created opportunities to increase unit density — in some cases allowing developers to double their planned units. This reflects a broader pro-housing mindset across Boston’s urban core, which Hildt sees as one of the most exciting aspects of lending in the city: a constant push for growth, innovation, and creative use of space.

How Cardinal Became a Leading Private Lender in Boston

In this clip, Briana Hildt shares the origin story behind Cardinal Capital Group’s rapid ascent in the Boston private money lending space. Despite launching around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cardinal has grown into a high-volume lender with over $450 million in loan originations and more than 200 deals in 2024 alone — with 85% of those loans concentrated in the Boston metro area.

Hildt attributes much of this success to her local roots. Growing up in Massachusetts gave her an immediate edge in a state known for its strong local loyalty. “It’s such a patriot state — you’re either from here, or you’re not,” she notes, emphasizing how simply having a Massachusetts phone number made people more willing to pick up the phone. The market’s relationship-driven nature also worked in her favor; borrowers prioritize trust and execution over marginal rate differences, making reputation and reliability far more valuable than pricing gimmicks.

Cardinal’s growth has largely come through repeat business and referrals. As clients had positive experiences — impressed by the company’s speed, creativity, and structuring ability — they introduced new borrowers, creating a referral flywheel that drove sustained momentum. Hildt and her team leaned into that feedback loop, scaling by identifying what clients loved most and doubling down on those strengths.

Now, with a dedicated marketing team and additional sales staff in place, Cardinal is looking to expand beyond its referral-driven base and enter new markets more strategically. But at the core of it all, Hildt affirms, is the company’s commitment to relationships and client satisfaction — foundational values that have powered their rise to becoming one of Boston’s leading private lenders.

Cardinal Capital Group (CCG) has collectively facilitated over $900 million in funded loans and is one of the top private money lenders in New England. They offer a number of different loan products to serve the financing needs of real estate investors who focus on residential and multifamily properties: refinance bridge loans, fix & flip, rehab-to-rent, ground-up construction. Visit their profile to watch more short video clips, or watch the complete interview with Briana Hildt.

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Massachusetts Private Lending Loan Volume

According to SFR Analytics, here is the approximate quarterly volume of private mortgage loans secured by investment real estate in Massachusetts which were funded by private lenders from January 2025 to December 2025.

• Approximately $- of private money loans were funded in the 4th quarter of 2025 for - borrowers.
• Approximately $352,478,269 of private money loans were funded in the 3rd quarter of 2025 for 424 borrowers.
• Approximately $395,452,822 of private money loans were funded in the 2nd quarter of 2025 for 582 borrowers.
• Approximately $286,810,680 of private money loans were funded in the 1st quarter of 2025 for 490 borrowers.

Below are the approximate private money loan volume amounts for Massachusetts metropolitan areas:

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA

• 2025 Q4: $- for - borrowers
• 2025 Q3: $249,451,718 for 230 borrowers
• 2025 Q2: $281,161,025 for 306 borrowers
• 2025 Q1: $193,940,405 for 262 borrowers

Springfield, MA

• 2025 Q4: $- for - borrowers
• 2025 Q3: $13,563,303 for 42 borrowers
• 2025 Q2: $15,074,372 for 62 borrowers
• 2025 Q1: $22,069,157 for 65 borrowers

SFR Analytics provides advanced analytics for top-performing real estate investors and private lenders. Their platform provides nationwide, real-time property data, including market activity, ownership changes, and detailed buyer behavior insights. With custom dashboards and alerts, users can track active investor and lender activity, access rental market information, and analyze geographic and demographic trends. Their Private Lender Radar product gives lenders deep insights into borrower portfolios, lending activity, and verified contact details. For those needing bulk data, they supply updated daily records, including deeds, rental listings, demographic data, and building permits, to support informed decision-making across the residential real estate market..