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Bridge Loans
Buy Your Next Home Before Selling the Current One. No Contingency Required
We use your existing home equity to fund the new purchase so you compete with cash buyers.
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INTRODUCTION
What is a bridge loan and how does it work in real estate?
A bridge loan is short-term financing — typically 6 to 12 months — secured by the equity in your current home. It provides funds for the down payment or purchase price of your new home before your existing home is sold. Once your current home sells, the proceeds pay off the bridge loan. During the bridge period you make interest-only payments. A bridge loan makes your new home offer non-contingent and lets you compete with cash buyers.
The house you want just listed. You are not the only interested buyer. And the seller will not accept an offer that is contingent on your current home selling first.
This is the move-up buyer’s dilemma. A bridge loan solves it by using the equity in your current home as short-term collateral — giving you the funds to make a clean, non-contingent offer on the new home before your existing home sells.
The seller sees a buyer who does not need a sale contingency. You see a path to the home you actually want. Access Financial coordinates the bridge lender, the permanent new mortgage, the title company, and both Realtors simultaneously so the timing works without a gap.
THE MOVE-UP BUYER MARKET IN 2026
Why Bridge Loans Are the Move-Up Buyer's Most Powerful Tool Right Now
The National Association of Realtors reports that 56% of repeat buyers sold their previous home before purchasing their next one in 2023 — often accepting a lower price on the sale because they were under pressure to close quickly. Buyers who used bridge financing to purchase first and then sell reported an average of $18,000 more in net proceeds from their sale because they could price the departure home correctly without a deadline. In competitive markets like Northern Virginia, DC Metro, and South Florida, non-contingent offers win at a rate 4 times higher than contingent offers.
| Bridge Loan & Home Purchase Insight | Value |
|---|---|
| $18,000 | Average additional sale proceeds when selling without a deadline — NAR 2023 |
| 4× | Improvement in offer acceptance rates for non-contingent offers versus contingent offers in competitive markets |
| 56% | Of repeat homebuyers in 2023 sold their current home first, often facing time pressure and pricing concessions |
Bridge Loan vs HELOC
Should I get a bridge loan or a HELOC to buy before I sell?
Choose a bridge loan when: you need the funds fast, you want to make a non-contingent offer, or your current home does not yet have a HELOC in place. Choose a HELOC when: you have time before the purchase, you want to preserve your existing first mortgage rate, and a HELOC is already in place or can be originated before you need the funds. A HELOC typically takes 3 to 6 weeks to originate. A bridge loan closes in 2 to 3 weeks.
The HELOC alternative fails in competitive markets because it takes too long to put in place. By the time your HELOC closes, the home you wanted is already under contract. A bridge loan is specifically built to move at the speed of a competitive real estate market.
THE 3 QUESTIONS MOVE-UP BUYERS ASK MOST
Most bridge lenders build extension options into the loan — typically 3 to 6 months at a monthly fee. If the bridge term expires without a sale, the lender may allow an extension or require full payoff. Access Financial structures bridge loans with explicit extension provisions and advises on pricing your departure home correctly from day one to ensure a timely sale — not a discounted one under deadline pressure.
Yes — bridge loan qualification evaluates whether your income can carry both mortgages simultaneously. For most borrowers, this is the primary qualification challenge. Access Financial structures the bridge to minimize the carry burden and uses departure residence income rules when applicable — which allows the anticipated rental or sale of the current home to offset its mortgage payment in the qualification calculation.
Typically 20 to 30% equity in your current home above the existing mortgage balance. If your home is worth $600,000 and you owe $350,000, the bridge can advance up to $130,000 — calculated as 80% of home value ($480,000) minus the existing mortgage ($350,000). That $130,000 can fund the down payment on your new home, making your offer non-contingent.
Stop Losing Your Dream Home to Contingency Rules. A Bridge Loan Changes Everything
The home you want does not care about your sales timeline. A bridge loan funds the purchase now using your current home equity — and the bridge is paid off when your current home sells on your terms, not under a buyer’s pressure.
Bridge Loan Questions Answered Directly
No. Bridge loans are structured residential financing products with underwritten qualification. Hard money loans are typically short-term high-rate loans for distressed properties with minimal qualification.
Bridge loans for move-up buyers use your home's equity as collateral and carry mortgage-level rates — typically 1 to 2% above standard mortgage rates for the short-term duration. Hard money loans are used for distressed property acquisition and rehab and carry rates of 10 to 14% or higher. Access Financial structures bridge loans as residential mortgage products — not hard money — with full underwriting and proper disclosure.
The borrower pays bridge loan closing costs — typically 1 to 2% of the bridge loan amount. These are often netted from the bridge proceeds rather than paid out of pocket.
Bridge loan closing costs include origination fees, title insurance, and recording fees. On a $150,000 bridge loan, closing costs typically run $2,000 to $3,000. These are commonly structured to come from the bridge proceeds at closing — meaning you do not bring additional cash to close the bridge. At sale of the current home, the bridge balance plus any fees are paid from proceeds.