ADU Financing · Marina del Rey, CA
ADU Financing in Marina del Rey — HELOC, Cash-Out, Renovation & Construction Options
Financing an ADU in Marina del Rey isn't one loan — it's a choice: a HELOC or HELOAN on your equity (keeping your first-mortgage rate), a cash-out refinance, or a renovation/construction loan that lends on the home's after-completion value if you have little equity. Save Financial (NMLS #377740), a local broker at 13763 Fiji Way, Suite EU2, matches the build to the right financing. Call (310) 759-4757.
ADUs have quietly become the Westside's favorite way to add value and income — a backyard cottage in Mar Vista, a garage conversion in Venice, a granny flat behind a Culver City home. The build is only half the project; paying for it is the other half, and there's no single ‘ADU loan.’ The right choice depends on your equity, whether you want to keep your current first-mortgage rate, and the size of the ADU: a HELOC or HELOAN taps existing equity while preserving your rate; a cash-out refinance rolls it into one loan; and if you have little equity, a renovation or construction loan lends on the home's value after the ADU is finished.
Looking for ADU Financing Near You in Marina del Rey?
Our Westside home office lets a homeowner sit down with a licensed loan officer, weigh equity versus after-completion-value options, and pick the ADU financing that fits the build — not a distant call center.
Save Financial — Marina del Rey office
13763 Fiji Way, Suite EU2, Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Phone: (310) 759-4757
Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM–2:00 PM (Sunday closed) PT
The office is just off Fiji Way near the main channel of the marina, with convenient parking and quick access from Lincoln Boulevard and the 90 Marina Freeway. We serve Westside homeowners from our Marina del Rey office across the neighborhoods below.
Areas We Serve Near Our Marina del Rey Office
Here is how ADU financing tends to fit for homeowners across the areas we cover from Marina del Rey:
- Marina del Rey: condo and small-lot owners adding value with permitted ADUs where possible.
- Venice: garage conversions and backyard cottages for rental income.
- Playa del Rey: homeowners financing detached ADUs for family or rent.
- Playa Vista: owners exploring JADUs within the existing home.
- Santa Monica: high-value homes adding ADUs on strong equity.
- Culver City: granny flats and garage conversions near the studios.
- West Los Angeles: owners using HELOCs to build ADUs while keeping their rate.
- Mar Vista: backyard cottages financed on after-completion value.
- Westchester: Kentwood homeowners adding rental ADUs.
These are service areas of our Marina del Rey office, not separate offices.
How ADU Financing Works
An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a self-contained second home on your lot — the backyard cottages, casitas, granny flats, and garage conversions going up all over the Westside. A JADU (junior ADU) is a smaller unit carved out inside the existing house, usually up to 500 square feet. There's no single ‘ADU loan’: the right one turns on your equity, whether you want to protect your current first-mortgage rate, and how big the ADU is.
| Way to finance an ADU | How it works | Best when | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash-out refinance | Replaces your mortgage and takes equity out as cash — a single loan | a Westside owner has equity and current rates sit near their existing one | Cash-out refi |
| HELOC | A revolving line — draw as bills arrive, interest only on the balance used; your 1st mortgage stays put | You want flexibility on a phased build and to protect a low first-mortgage rate | HELOC |
| HELOAN | A fixed lump sum drawn against your equity; your 1st mortgage is untouched | Your budget is set and you want a fixed, certain payment | HELOAN |
| Renovation (HomeStyle / 203k) | Lends against the home's value after the ADU is finished | Your current equity is thin or nonexistent | ADU financing |
| Construction-to-permanent | Staged draws on the projected finished value, converting to one mortgage at completion | You're putting up a large, detached new-build ADU | Construction |
If you have equity and want to keep your low first-mortgage rate, a HELOC or HELOAN is often ideal — a HELOC lets you draw as bills come due and pay interest only on what you use. Little or no equity? A renovation loan (HomeStyle or 203k) lends on the home's after-completion value, and for a big detached build, a construction-to-permanent loan funds staged draws on the projected value. Garage conversions are usually cheapest to build; detached new-construction ADUs cost the most.
Here's a bonus most Westside owners miss: a permitted ADU's rent can help you qualify. Several programs credit the actual or market rent from a permitted ADU or JADU toward your qualifying income on a cash-out refinance — DSCR and certain conventional and non-QM programs bend the furthest (usually only part of the gross rent counts). There is no single “ADU loan” — the right structure depends on your equity, your current rate, and the ADU’s size. Renovation programs that use FHA 203(k) are not affiliated with or endorsed by the FHA. All loans subject to credit approval and property review. Save Financial, NMLS #377740, DRE #01875766, Equal Housing Opportunity.
Common ADU Scenarios in Westside
- A Venice owner financing a garage conversion with a HELOC, keeping their low first-mortgage rate.
- A Mar Vista homeowner building a detached backyard cottage with a construction-to-permanent loan.
- An owner with little equity using a renovation loan that lends on the after-completion value.
- A homeowner doing a cash-out refinance and using the ADU's projected rent to help qualify.
- An owner adding a JADU (under 500 sq ft) inside the existing home.
Which ADU Financing Is Right for You?
- You have strong equity and want to keep your first-mortgage rate — HELOC or HELOAN.
- You'd rather have one loan and rates are near your current one — cash-out refinance.
- You have little equity — a renovation loan on after-completion value.
- You're building a large detached ADU — construction-to-permanent financing.
Compare Your ADU Financing Options
Here are the five paths again, side by side — we'll price the ones that fit your build and equity:
| Way to finance an ADU | How it works | Best when | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash-out refinance | Replaces your mortgage and takes equity out as cash — a single loan | a Westside owner has equity and current rates sit near their existing one | Cash-out refi |
| HELOC | A revolving line — draw as bills arrive, interest only on the balance used; your 1st mortgage stays put | You want flexibility on a phased build and to protect a low first-mortgage rate | HELOC |
| HELOAN | A fixed lump sum drawn against your equity; your 1st mortgage is untouched | Your budget is set and you want a fixed, certain payment | HELOAN |
| Renovation (HomeStyle / 203k) | Lends against the home's value after the ADU is finished | Your current equity is thin or nonexistent | ADU financing |
| Construction-to-permanent | Staged draws on the projected finished value, converting to one mortgage at completion | You're putting up a large, detached new-build ADU | Construction |
The best option comes down to equity, your current rate, and the ADU's size and cost. We'll model each so you can see the trade-offs.
Why Work With a Local Marina del Rey Mortgage Broker?
ADU financing spans five different loan types, each from different lenders with different rules — and using rental income to qualify adds another layer. As a broker, we compare them all and structure around keeping your first-mortgage rate where it helps. Our office is in Westside, so we know local lot sizes and condo rules and how to package the file.
Bring your ADU plans and your mortgage details, and we'll map the options. Call the Marina del Rey office directly at (310) 759-4757. There is no single “ADU loan” — the right structure depends on your equity, your current rate, and the ADU’s size. Renovation programs that use FHA 203(k) are not affiliated with or endorsed by the FHA. All loans subject to credit approval and property review. Save Financial, NMLS #377740, DRE #01875766, Equal Housing Opportunity.
How to Finance Your ADU with Save Financial
- Tell us your home's value, your mortgage balance/rate, and the ADU you're planning. Start online or call (310) 759-4757.
- We compare HELOC, HELOAN, cash-out, renovation, and construction options against your equity.
- We shop lenders for the best structure — and check whether the ADU's rent can help you qualify.
- You build; we fund the option you chose, through draws where the loan calls for them.
Serving Marina del Rey: Save Financial arranges these loans in Marina del Rey and across Westside Los Angeles from our Marina del Rey office. We are a California-licensed mortgage brokerage (NMLS #377740, DRE #01875766), Equal Housing Opportunity, and shop multiple lenders for your best terms. This page is informational and not a commitment to lend; all loans are subject to credit approval, income and property review, and program availability. Call 310-759-4757 or apply online.