What Exactly Is A Bridge Loan?

Posted on June 18, 2008
Filed Under Business Loans |

by Alan Harding

A bridge loan is basically a short term loan — one that is repaid in under a year. A bridge loan helps the borrower to get the cash quickly while waiting for a long-term loan or other financing to come through. The instant money allows the borrower to pay for outstanding financial obligations while still waiting for a deal or contract.

Bridge loans have high interest rates and need to be backed by collateral. What they do, as their name suggests, is to bridge the gap between a time when the borrower has the more permanent loan or financing that he’s seeking and the present with its immediate financial needs. Bridging finance is used in many different financial situations.

Business owners may apply for bridge loans to finance their needed working capital for an investment while their equity financing deal is still in the process, which usually take several months to complete.

People often resort to bridge loans when they are planning to sell a home. The real estate market in a specific area can move slowly at times, or a home can just be difficult to sell. People who purchase a new home before selling their existing home may take out a bridge loan so that they can pay for their expenses and financial obligations until a sale is finalized on the existing home and they have access to the proceeds. A bridge loan may also be used as “chain breaking”, meaning a borrower may use it to purchase a new house even while their old house is still on the market.

Another useful aspect of bridge loans is they can be used to boost credit scores. Bridge loans may be used by borrowers to pay outstanding debts, thus making a positive credit score and enabling the borrower to apply for other loans that are more permanent and larger in amount. These loans also help bridge the gap between leaving one job and starting another. Similarly, bridge loans may be useful to finance relocation costs when someone moves because of their job.

Bridging finance can be done in less than a day, as the high interest rates, short duration, and collateral backing allow for less stringent credit and background checks.

About the Author:
Learn more about bridging finance and short term funding by going to Alan Harding’s website

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