Mortgage & Refinancing Information

Bridging Loan Basics


A Bridging Loan is a short-term loan used as a way to provide funding for the purchase of a new property while the borrower awaits the sale of an existing property. Unless all the stars are in perfect alignment, it's tricky to coordinate the sale of one property and the purchase of another property in such a way that the transactions occur simultaneously.

A Bridging Loan or "Bridging Finance" as it is also commonly known, makes such transactions possible. They keep the borrower from getting stuck in a rough financial corner, which typically means being forced to pay two mortgages at the same time. Bridging Loans can be used either for commercial or personal reasons.

Short term in nature, the application process for a Bridging Loan is similar to that of a standard loan. Most importantly, it's advisable to work with a lender that is experienced with this type of loan. Plus, as the need for a Bridging Loan often arises with little advance notice, being pre-approved for such a loan is a smart move.

Bridging Loans are usually interest only meaning that the borrower pays only the interest on the loan each month. The borrower continues with this repayment plan until the property the loan is being used for is sold. When the sale finally does occur, the proceeds of that sale are used to repay the principal. The principal payment typically is in the form of a one-time, lump-sum payment.

The lender need not be too concerned about default because the borrower is required to put up collateral to secure the loan. This is typically in the form of another piece of property. But rest assured the lender will still thoroughly review the credit history of the applicant, the business and any partners or others with an ownership interest to assess the level of risk it is undertaking. Poor credit however need not be an obstacle.

The interest rate on a Bridging Loan is based on several key factors: the potential risk associated with the loan, the current interest rates and a premium added by the lender. As Bridging Loans are short-term, generally not longer than two years, and in most cases only a metter of months, the lender has only a short time to make a profit on the deal. The profit is derived from the interest rate.

Expect to pay a higher rate of interest for a Bridging Loan. And remember, the monthly payments are generally interest only. You should also expect to pay off the Bridging Loan in full, usually as a one time payment, as soon as the property is sold.

In the off chance that the property is not sold before the Bridging Loan matures, it can usually be converted to a conventional loan without a payment penalty. But as ever you should not assume this is the case and be sure to check with your lender that this is an option if circumstances call for it.

About the Author
Need a Bridging Loan Fast? Commercial Lifeline, Commercial Bridging Loan and Commercial Mortgage specialists can help.

This article comes with reprint rights. Feel free to reprint and distribute as you like. All that we ask is that you do not make any changes, that this resource text is include, and that the link above is intact.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Washington Times

The Truth About Mortgage Refinancing Revealed By Connecticut ...
SBWire (press release), WI - 18 hours ago
Westport, Connecticut based Mortgage Broker Don Caiati reveals mortgage refinancing secrets at a new web site that is full of free reports, a home buying ...
Refinancing suddenly booms Honolulu Advertiser
Lenders Backlogged By Refinancing Rush Washington Post
Low Mortgage Rates Bring Refinancing Boom MSNBC
Forbes - Modesto Bee
all 23 news articles


Xinhua

Average Mortgage Rate Hits 5%, Lowest in Decades
New York Times, United States - 10 hours ago
Of course, buying a home is a more lengthy process than simply calling up a mortgage broker to refinance, and activity typically slows during the holiday ...
US Banks Offer Mortgages Below 5% After Fed Action Bloomberg
Long-Term Mortgage Rate Falls Again Wall Street Journal
Mortgage rates fall to record low again Forbes
Boston Globe - Baltimore Sun
all 862 news articles


Cardoza proposal could aid housing crisis
Stockton Record, CA - 3 hours ago
Under the Cardoza plan, the payment on that mortgage refinanced to 4 percent fixed rate would drop to $1194 a month. Contact reporter Bruce Spence at (209) ...


REFILE-UPDATE 1-US mortgage demand dipped before Fed move-MBA
Reuters - Jan 7, 2009
The jump in applications during December may have been driven by homeowners already "on the fence" and prepared to refinance on a drop in mortgage rates, ...
Mortgage applications down in latest survey Forbes
Week-to-week mortgage applications down 8.2% MarketWatch
Fewer apply for home loans; credit line delinquencies increase Los Angeles Times
KVOA.com - Kansas City Star
all 63 news articles


Boston Globe

Fed’s Rosengren Calls for ‘Concerted’ Fiscal, Monetary Policies
Bloomberg - 5 hours ago
... to purchase or refinance homes,” Rosengren said. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped for a 10th week to 5.01 percent yesterday, ...
Rosengren sees path to recovery Boston Globe
Fed's Rosengren says recession more severe than thought Reuters
all 51 news articles


AFP

Congressional Press Release on Mortgage Deal
Wall Street Journal - 10 hours ago
"Despite efforts by Congress to address this issue, not enough lenders have come to the table to help borrowers with bad mortgages refinance into new, ...
Citigroup reaches agreement with key senators on mortgage ... Minneapolis Star Tribune
Citigroup agrees to allow judges to help modify some mortgages IdahoStatesman.com
all 558 news articles


TopNews

Question & Answer on mortgage refinancing
Boston Herald, United States - Jan 1, 2009
If I refinance the mortgage on my current house, will I hurt my chances for getting a loan for a new place later on? A: No. Refinancing a loan shouldn’t ...
MORTGAGES: 30-year Mortgage Rate Falls For Ninth Straight Week To ... CNNMoney.com
Mortgage Rates Hit 37-Year Low Poynter.org
Home-Mortgage Rates' Next Stop: Below 5% Wall Street Journal
Ventura County Star - Wall Street Journal
all 457 news articles


Refinancing shoots through the roof
Plano Star Courier, TX - 16 hours ago
“Quite a few people have remortgaged,” said Craig Jarrell, loan officer with Pulaski Mortgage. “Most people who refinance are new homeowners as recent as ...


Mortgage refinancing skyrockets
Cincinnati.com, OH - Jan 3, 2009
... 2009 With US mortgage rates the lowest in 30 years, local lenders say they've seen a strong surge in loan applications as homeowners seek to refinance ...
Waco banks seeing a boom in mortgage refinance applications Waco Tribune Herald
Borrowers seeking to refinance may face challenges WTOP
As mortgage rates slide, refinancing applications take off Dallas Morning News
all 15 news articles


The very good reasons to refinance
Boston Globe, United States - 15 hours ago
When I wrote about the hidden cost of the additional years of mortgage payments, several people wrote in with very good reasons to refinance anyway. ...

mortgage refinance - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.