Bridging Finance

Bridging loans guide

Bridging loans are a short-term funding option for property transactions.

What are bridging loans and how do they work?

Bridging loans are designed to help people complete the purchase of a property before selling their existing home by offering them short-term access to money at a high-rate of interest.

As well as helping home-movers when there is a gap between the sale and completion dates in a chain, this type of loan can also help someone planning to sell-on quickly after renovating a home, or help someone buying at auction.

However, rates can be high and there can be hefty administration fees on top.

If you take out a bridging loan, typically, you could face costs of up to 1.5% a month - meaning 18% a year.

Bridging loans are designed to help people complete the purchase of a property before selling their existing home by offering them short-term access to money at a high-rate of interest.

Who are bridging loans aimed at?

Generally speaking, bridging loans are aimed at landlords and amateur property developers, including those purchasing at auction where a mortgage is needed quickly.

When should you use bridging loans?

Bridging loans can be used for a variety of reasons, including property investment, buy-to-let and development.

However, more recently, there has been a growing trend among borrowers to use bridging loans because high street and private banks are taking longer to process applications for larger home loans.

Some borrowers are also viewing bridging loans as a simple alternative to mainstream lending.

While a bridging loan may sound tempting, if you're thinking about taking one out, you need to think carefully about your exit strategy. This might, for example, involve getting a mainstream mortgage or a buy-to-let mortgage, or selling the property altogether.

The problem is, you may not have any guarantee of being accepted for a mortgage with a mainstream lender after having taken out a bridging loan. This could put you at risk of losing your home.

Bridging loans should not be viewed as an alternative to mainstream lending.

Where can you get a bridging loan?

Professional Mortgage Services has access to numerous sources of bridging finance and you will need to contact us to discuss your options.