Loan Programs → Bridge and Fix-and-Flip

Capital for Acquisition, Renovation, Construction, and Transition

Real-estate investment projects often require financing built around the property, project budget, experience, liquidity, timeline, and exit strategy. Northgate Mortgage helps qualified investors explore fix-and-flip, bridge, rehab-to-rent, ground-up construction, private-money, portfolio, and blanket financing through participating lenders.

Short-term business-purpose financing for eligible non-owner-occupied property.
Acquisition, renovation, construction, stabilization, refinance, and portfolio strategies.
Asset-based and experience-based underwriting through private and institutional lenders where available.

Apply Today Submit an Investor Scenario Request Terms Speak With an Investor Specialist

Program Overview

Fix-and-flip and bridge loans are generally short-term business-purpose loans. The lender may focus on the purchase price, current value, after-repair value, rehabilitation or construction budget, borrower experience, liquidity, credit, property type, market, timeline, and documented exit strategy.

Loan proceeds may be divided between acquisition funding at closing and controlled construction or renovation draws after verified work is completed. The borrower is generally responsible for interest, taxes, insurance, utilities, permits, security, maintenance, cost overruns, and all project obligations.

An anticipated sale or refinance is an exit strategy, not a guarantee. The project must be underwritten with enough liquidity and contingency planning to address delays, market changes, construction issues, or a lower-than-expected completed value.

Loan Options We Offer

Fix-and-Flip Purchase Loan

Short-term business-purpose financing for an investor purchasing and improving an eligible property for resale. The lender evaluates acquisition price, as-is value, after-repair value, renovation scope, budget, timeline, credit, experience, liquidity, and exit strategy.

Fix-and-Flip Refinance

An investor who already owns a project may refinance existing debt and, where eligible, obtain additional rehabilitation funds. Title seasoning, current work, liens, appraisal, budget, cost basis, equity, and lender requirements apply.

Acquisition and Rehabilitation Loan

The loan may fund a portion of the purchase at closing and hold approved renovation proceeds in a controlled draw account. Draws are released according to completed work, inspections, lien controls, budget categories, and lender procedures.

Heavy-Rehabilitation Loan

Financing for a major renovation that may include structural work, additions, system replacement, reconfiguration, or extensive code compliance. Plans, engineering, permits, contractor qualifications, contingency reserves, and detailed inspections may be required.

Light-Rehabilitation Loan

Financing for a project focused on cosmetic or limited repairs such as flooring, paint, kitchens, bathrooms, fixtures, or minor systems. The lender still reviews the complete scope, budget, timeline, value, and contractor or borrower experience.

Bridge Loan

A bridge loan provides short-term financing to acquire, refinance, stabilize, lease, renovate, or reposition an eligible property before sale or permanent financing. The lender requires a credible, documented exit strategy.

Bridge-to-DSCR Loan

An investor may acquire or stabilize a rental property with bridge financing and later apply for long-term DSCR financing after repairs, leasing, seasoning, and property requirements are satisfied. Some lenders offer coordinated programs, but the refinance remains a separate approval.

Rehab-to-Rent Loan

A rehab-to-rent strategy combines renovation financing with a plan to hold the completed property as a rental. The investor should evaluate construction costs, completed rent, operating expenses, DSCR, refinance proceeds, reserve needs, and long-term management.

Ground-Up Residential Construction Loan

Business-purpose financing for an investor constructing one or more eligible residential properties. The lender reviews land basis, plans, permits, builder or general-contractor experience, budget, draw schedule, contingency, market demand, presales when applicable, and exit strategy.

Infill or Small Development Loan

Financing for an eligible small residential development, townhome, condominium, or subdivision project may be available through specialized lenders. Entitlement, zoning, infrastructure, environmental, engineering, budget, absorption, presales, and developer experience are critical.

Land Acquisition Bridge Loan

Short-term financing may be available to acquire eligible land with a defined entitlement, construction, sale, or refinance plan. Raw land is higher risk and generally requires substantial equity, strong liquidity, due diligence, and a credible development strategy.

Private-Money or Hard-Money Loan

A private-money lender may prioritize collateral, equity, project, liquidity, and exit strategy over standard agency documentation. Speed and flexibility may be greater, but rates, points, fees, reserves, default terms, and prepayment provisions can be more expensive or restrictive.

Investor Cash-Out Bridge Refinance

An eligible investor may refinance a property and access equity for renovation, acquisition, business liquidity, or another approved purpose. Title seasoning, cost basis, current value, liens, cash-out seasoning, purpose, reserves, and exit strategy apply.

Rental Portfolio Bridge Loan

A short-term portfolio loan may finance or refinance multiple rental properties while an investor completes repairs, resolves title issues, leases units, or prepares for permanent financing. Global cash flow, collateral concentration, release terms, and liquidity are reviewed.

Blanket Investor Loan

A blanket mortgage uses multiple properties as collateral. The investor should carefully review cross-default, cross-collateralization, release price, substitution, curtailment, prepayment, and cash-management provisions.

Non-Recourse or Limited-Recourse Investor Loan

Certain entity-based investment loans may limit personal recourse, subject to lender approval and carve-outs for fraud, misrepresentation, environmental liability, bankruptcy, waste, prohibited transfers, and other bad acts. Terms vary significantly.

Fix-and-Flip Loan for an Experienced Investor

Lenders may offer improved leverage, pricing, draw terms, or documentation to an investor with a verified record of completed comparable projects. Experience must be documented and does not replace liquidity, credit, project, property, and exit review.

Fix-and-Flip Loan for a Newer Investor

Some lenders consider qualified newer investors at lower leverage or with stronger liquidity, a licensed contractor, experienced partner, or simpler project. The lender may require additional equity, reserves, oversight, and documentation.

Who This Program May Fit

A real-estate investor acquiring an eligible property for renovation and resale.
An investor buying, repairing, and retaining a property as a long-term rental.
A borrower needing short-term bridge financing before permanent debt or sale.
An experienced builder or investor completing ground-up residential construction or a small development.
A portfolio owner refinancing multiple properties or accessing approved business-purpose equity.

What Borrowers Should Prepare

Entity documents, ownership schedule, guarantor information, identification, credit authorization, and experience resume.
Purchase agreement, settlement statement or cost basis, title, liens, payoff statements, taxes, insurance, and property schedule.
Detailed scope of work, line-item budget, contractor bids, plans, permits, engineering, and project timeline.
Evidence of completed projects, before-and-after records, settlement statements, references, or contractor experience when required.
Bank and investment statements showing down payment, closing costs, reserves, interest carry, contingency, and cost-overrun capacity.
Exit strategy analysis, including projected sale, completed value, rent, DSCR refinance, marketing period, and alternative plan.

How the Mortgage Process Works

1
Initial consultation: We discuss the borrower's goals, property, occupancy, timing, available funds, income, assets, credit profile, and existing mortgage obligations.
2
Program comparison: We identify potentially eligible loan structures and compare the major differences in payment, cash required, mortgage insurance, rate structure, closing costs, and long-term strategy.
3
Application and documents: The borrower completes a mortgage application and provides documents required for the selected program and lender.
4
Processing and underwriting: The lender reviews credit, income, assets, liabilities, property, title, insurance, appraisal, and program compliance.
5
Closing: After final approval and satisfaction of all conditions, the borrower reviews the closing documents and completes the transaction.

Important Considerations

These are generally business-purpose loans for non-owner-occupied property.
Short terms can create maturity risk if construction, leasing, sale, or refinancing is delayed.
The borrower remains responsible for cost overruns, taxes, insurance, security, maintenance, utilities, permits, and project management.
After-repair value and future sale price are opinions, not guarantees.
Extension fees, default interest, draw fees, inspection fees, points, exit fees, and prepayment provisions may apply.
Permanent DSCR or conventional refinancing requires a separate approval and may be affected by seasoning or market changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is after-repair value?

After-repair value is an appraiser's opinion of the property value after completion of the specified improvements. It is not a guaranteed sale price or refinance value.

Are renovation funds given to the borrower at closing?

Usually not in full. Approved funds are commonly held in a controlled account and released through draws after inspections and required documentation confirm completed work.

Can I live in a fix-and-flip property?

Business-purpose fix-and-flip and bridge loans are generally for non-owner-occupied investment property. The borrower must accurately disclose occupancy and cannot use a business-purpose product to avoid consumer mortgage rules.

What happens if the project takes longer than expected?

The borrower remains responsible for the loan. An extension may be available at the lender's discretion and may require a fee, updated appraisal, progress review, additional equity, or other conditions. Extension approval is not guaranteed.

Is the DSCR refinance after renovation guaranteed?

No. The borrower must separately qualify under the lender's current DSCR program after repairs, leasing, seasoning, appraisal, credit, reserves, title, and property requirements are met.

Does viewing this page mean I am approved?

No. Website information is not an approval, preapproval, commitment to lend, or guarantee of terms. A lender must review a completed application and all required documentation.

Are all of these options available in every state?

No. Availability depends on Northgate Mortgage licensing, participating-lender guidelines, property location, loan purpose, occupancy, and current investor requirements.

What determines my rate and closing costs?

Pricing may depend on market conditions, loan program, credit profile, loan amount, property type, occupancy, loan-to-value ratio, documentation method, lock period, points, lender credits, and other transaction details.

What is the first step?

Speak with a Northgate Mortgage loan specialist to review the goal and complete an application when ready. Qualification depends on the complete borrower, property, transaction, and lender review.

Submit the Property, Budget, and Exit Strategy

Northgate Mortgage can help qualified investors compare acquisition, rehabilitation, bridge, ground-up construction, portfolio, and long-term exit options.

Call (888) 433-1448 Email Us Get Pre-Approved

Northgate Mortgage LLC is a mortgage broker and is not making a commitment to lend. All loan programs are subject to borrower and property eligibility, credit review, income and asset verification, appraisal, title review, underwriting approval, investor requirements, occupancy requirements, geographic restrictions, and applicable state licensing. Program availability, guidelines, rates, annual percentage rates, fees, loan limits, and terms may change without notice. Not all applicants will qualify, and not all programs are available in every state. This information is for educational and advertising purposes only and is not legal, tax, investment, or financial-planning advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Fix-and-flip, bridge, construction, and investor loans described on this page are generally business-purpose loans for non-owner-occupied property. Rates, points, fees, draws, extensions, prepayment terms, and default provisions vary by lender.

Projected after-repair value, rent, sale proceeds, construction completion, and future refinance availability are not guaranteed.

Northgate Mortgage LLC | NMLS #2791086 | (888) 433-1448 | support@northgatemtg.com | northgatemtg.com