Private money yields on Chicago real estate vary significantly by loan type, position, and borrower quality. Understanding the yield landscape helps deploy capital efficiently and compare opportunities across the market.
Performing first-position loans
Yields: 8-12% on stabilized rental property loans, 10-13% on short-term fix-and-flip and bridge loans, 11-14% on construction loans. Origination points (1.5-4) flow to the lender, increasing effective yield in year 1.
Second-position and gap loans
Yields: 13-18% reflecting higher risk and subordinate lien position. Second-position is harder to source for accredited investors — most are placed through experienced operator networks rather than open marketplaces.
Trust deed pool returns
Pool-based trust deed funds typically distribute 8-10% to investors net of fund management fees and reserves. Lower than direct lending but with diversification, professional underwriting, and no operational time.
Non-performing note returns
Variable — successful workouts can produce 20-40%+ annualized; failed exits can produce significant loss. NPN investing requires deep skill and is not appropriate for most private capital holders.
Comparison to other yield sources
High-grade corporate bonds: 4-6% currently. REITs: 6-9% with significant volatility. Stock dividends: 1-4% on S&P 500. Real estate first-position lending in this range produces fixed-income-style returns at 2-3x yields of comparable risk.
Chicago Private Lending Yields and Returns FAQ
8-13% depending on loan type, term, and borrower quality. Anything materially higher should be examined carefully for risk premium.
Points are interest paid upfront. On a 6-month loan with 3 points origination plus 11% interest, your effective annualized yield is approximately 17% in year one. On longer-term loans, points amortize over longer periods.
Interest income: yes, ordinary rates. Points received: yes, ordinary rates. Capital gains rates only apply on sale of property received through foreclosure (after a sufficient holding period).
Self-serviced loans avoid fees but require borrower payment processing, escrow management, default tracking, etc. Third-party loan servicers charge $25-75/month per loan plus default-handling fees, reducing net yields by 0.5-1.5%.
Well-underwritten Chicago private money portfolios with 5% annual default rates and modest loss-on-default produce realized yields of 9-11% on direct-lending strategies, 7-9% on pool-based strategies.
Chicago yields are competitive with national averages. Higher-yield markets exist (Florida, Texas non-QM markets), but Chicago's deep deal flow, established broker network, and reliable foreclosure process produce attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Educational content only. Private lending involves capital-at-risk and tax/legal complexity. Consult a licensed attorney and CPA before deploying capital.