Interim financing

Bridge Loans

Short-term capital to hold a position while the longer-term plan comes together.

Offered Term Sheet within 12-24 hours

A span holding a position between two finished buildings

What a Bridge Loan Is

A bridge loan covers the gap: a purchase that has to close quickly, a property in transition, a lease-up period, or a value-creation plan that needs time to play out before permanent financing makes sense. Because these situations rarely look alike, bridge terms are set deal by deal.

A bridge loan is a short-term hard money loan that carries a property from one stage to the next. You might need to close before a bank can, hold a building while it fills with tenants, or buy the next property before the last one sells. The bridge pays for that window, and a sale or a long-term loan pays it off at the end.

Banks and long-term lenders want a property that is already stable: leased, in good condition, with a history of income. Many good deals are not there yet. A bridge loan looks at where the property is going and how you plan to get it there, which is why these loans are used for property that does not yet fit conventional criteria.

Because the situations vary so much, Apex sets bridge terms deal by deal rather than fitting the deal to a fixed product. You still get a term sheet within 12 to 24 hours, and qualified deals with complete documents can fund in as fast as 15 days.

Key Highlights

Structured for transactions that cannot wait
Property in transition, lease-up or repositioning
Terms set deal by deal rather than to a fixed product
Bridges the gap until permanent financing makes sense
Experienced and first-time sponsors both considered
Transparent, competitive rates — no hidden fees

How a Bridge Loan Works, Step by Step

01
Define the gap
Be specific about what the loan is bridging: a fast closing, a lease-up, repairs before a refinance, or time to sell another property. The clearer the gap, the clearer the terms.
02
Define the exit
Every bridge loan is paid off by something: a sale, a refinance into long-term financing such as a DSCR rental loan, or another source of funds. The loan is structured around how believable that exit is.
03
Send the scenario
Share the property, the price or current value, what you plan to do and the timeline. A term sheet comes within 12 to 24 hours.
04
Underwriting
The property is valued as it stands, the plan is reviewed, and your credit and documents are checked. Experienced and first-time sponsors are both considered.
05
Close and carry out the plan
With funding in place you close on time, then do the lease-up, repositioning or sale you planned.
06
Pay off the bridge
When the property is stabilized or sold, the long-term loan or the sale proceeds repay the hard money bridge loan.

Who It Suits

Buyers who need to close faster than conventional timelines allow
Owners repositioning or stabilizing a property
Sponsors working through a lease-up period
Borrowers waiting on permanent financing to become available

Common Uses

Closing a purchase on a deadline a bank loan cannot meet
Buying the next property before the current one sells
Carrying a property through lease-up until the rent supports a DSCR loan
Repositioning a property with light work before refinancing
Holding a property while permanent financing becomes available
Buying a property that does not yet qualify for conventional financing

When Another Loan Fits Better

If the plan is a full renovation and resale, a fix and flip loan is built for that, with up to 100% of the rehab budget funded through draws.

If the property is already leased and stable, you may not need a hard money bridge at all. A DSCR rental loan can finance it for the long term now.

Bridge loans here are business-purpose financing for investment property, not for a home you will live in.

What We Look At

Bridge deals are reviewed one at a time, by a person. These are the questions that shape the terms.

01

Speed Where It Counts

Structured for transactions that cannot wait.

02

Transitional Assets

Property that does not yet fit conventional criteria.

03

Terms To Suit

Set against the specific situation rather than a fixed product.

Terms at a glance

Terms: Set deal by deal, not to a fixed product
Term sheet: Within 12–24 hours
Funding: As fast as 15 days, subject to required documents
Sponsors: Experienced and first-time sponsors both considered
Typical exits: Sale, or refinance into long-term financing such as a DSCR loan
Purpose: Business-purpose investment property only

Useful to have ready

A bridge request moves fastest when the plan is on paper. These are the items that answer most first questions.

The purchase contract, or the current loan statement for a refinance
The property address and a short description of its condition
The current rent roll or leases, if the property is partly occupied
The plan and budget for any work, with a timeline
The exit: who refinances or buys, and roughly when

A Sample Bridge to a DSCR Refinance, Worked Through

Bridge loan amounts and terms are set deal by deal, so the bridge figure below is an assumption, not a maximum. The refinance uses the DSCR program's stated maximum of 80% LTV.

Purchase price (property partly vacant): $400,000
Bridge loan (assumed for this example): $300,000
Your cash at purchase, before costs: $100,000
Value after lease-up (assumed appraisal): $500,000
DSCR refinance at up to 80% LTV: Up to $400,000
Bridge payoff: $300,000
Cash back at the refinance, before costs: Up to $100,000

The refinance only works if the rent supports the new payment. If the leased-up property rents for $4,000 a month and the new PITIA is $3,300, the DSCR is 1.21x. That clears the 1.00x needed for maximum DSCR leverage, which also calls for a 700 FICO.

Interest, points and closing costs on both loans come out of the numbers above, and time matters. A lease-up that runs long means more months of interest on the bridge, so build slack into the plan.

If the property does not lease up as planned, the exit changes. Work out a backup, such as a sale, before you close.

All financing programs, rates, leverage, terms, and closing timelines are subject to lender guidelines, underwriting approval, property eligibility, satisfactory due diligence, and borrower qualifications. A preliminary review or quote is not a commitment to lend.

Bridge Loan FAQs

Is a bridge loan a hard money loan?

For investors, usually yes. Investor bridge loans are short-term hard money or private money loans. They are based mainly on the property and the plan for it, and they are repaid by a sale or a refinance rather than over 30 years.

How long does a bridge loan last?

Hard money bridge loans are short by design, usually measured in months rather than years. The term on your loan is set deal by deal around the time your plan needs, and it is shown on the term sheet.

How much can I borrow on a bridge loan?

Bridge loan amounts are set deal by deal. The main inputs are the property's current value, its condition and income, your plan and how solid the exit looks. The term sheet, which comes within 12 to 24 hours, gives the exact figure.

How fast can a bridge loan close?

A term sheet comes within 12 to 24 hours. Qualified deals with complete documents can fund in as fast as 15 days. If you are working against a contract deadline, tell us the date up front.

What is the difference between a bridge loan and a fix and flip loan?

Both are short-term. A fix and flip loan is built around a renovation: it funds up to 100% of the rehab budget through draws and is usually repaid by a sale. A bridge loan is built around time, holding a property through a closing deadline, a lease-up or a transition, and it is usually repaid by a refinance or a sale.

What exit do I need for a bridge loan?

A clear one. Most bridge loans are repaid by refinancing into long-term financing, such as a DSCR rental loan once the property is leased, or by selling. Work out the numbers for that exit before you apply, and have a backup if the first one slips.

Do first-time investors qualify for bridge loans?

Experienced and first-time sponsors are both considered. A newer investor's file leans more on the property, the plan and the exit.

What are bridge loan rates?

Rates depend on the deal and are set case by case. We do not publish a rate sheet. Send the scenario and you will see the rate and terms on a term sheet within 12 to 24 hours.

Application

Tell Us About The Deal

The more detail you give, the faster we can come back with something useful. Everything is reviewed by a person.

Bridge Loans by State

We offer bridge financing in every state below. Each state page covers the main investor cities, local rules worth knowing and how this loan fits there.

See all markets on the map

Other Loan Programs

01

Bridge Loans

What a Bridge Loan Is

Key Highlights

How a Bridge Loan Works, Step by Step

Define the gap

Define the exit

Send the scenario

Underwriting

Close and carry out the plan

Pay off the bridge