Bridging Finance · Home Loans
Buy the next home before this one sells, with both numbers tested first.
A bridging loan covers the gap between buying and selling. We work out whether the bridge stacks up for you, what it costs, and say plainly if it does not.
$1.5b in settled lending
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What happens next
Why commercial through Evolve
Commercial is where we do our best work
Both numbers, tested
Peak debt is what you carry across two properties. End debt is what remains after the sale. We model both before you commit.
Deep lender relationships
Not every lender offers bridging, and those that do assess it differently. Deep working relationships with 15 to 20 lenders tell us who fits first.
One repayment, not two
Many bridging lenders add the interest to the loan rather than charging it monthly, so you are not carrying two repayments while your home sells.
Honest about not yet
If the bridge only works on a hopeful sale price, we say so and show the alternatives: longer settlement, deposit bond, or selling first.
Client outcome
A private loan of more than $6 million paid out, with two years to sell
A Sydney homeowner owed more than $6 million to a private lender against a property valued at more than $11 million, with three weeks to decide: roll over, with a fresh establishment fee and another year of capitalised interest, or face a forced sale. With no regular income, a mainstream refinance was off the table despite the equity. We structured a 24-month bridging facility secured against the home alone, with the sale as the exit. The private loan was paid out before the deadline, at around half the rollover’s establishment cost, with two years to sell on her own terms.
“After selling this house we reengaged and leveraged his services to purchase our new house. Les is prompt, professional, and a pleasure to work with. He has a great understanding of the market and provides exceptional guidance throughout the process.”
Repeat client, Sydney
“Our broker made the entire process smooth and stress-free, and his clear communication kept us informed every step of the way. His knowledge and dedication truly stood out, and we felt confident knowing he had our best interests in mind.”
Home loan client, Sydney
In plain terms
Bridging finance, explained without the panic
Bridging finance is a short-term loan that covers the gap between buying one property and selling another, so you can buy first and sell on your own terms. It is typically interest-only for six to twelve months, the interest can often be added to the balance, and the sale of your existing home repays it. It works well when timing is the only real problem.
Not every lender offers bridging loans, and those that do assess them differently, so we start with the two numbers that decide it: the peak debt you carry during the bridge and the end debt left after the sale. Our guide covers how bridging finance works in full. If a bridge is the wrong tool, we say so and look at deposit bond alternatives to cash or a longer settlement instead.
Tell us what you owe, what your home would realistically fetch and what you want to buy. The answer will be straight: it works, it works with changes, or not yet.
How it works
From first conversation to settlement
- Step
The first conversation
A call, usually within one business day, covering both properties, what you owe, what you want to buy and the timing you are working to.
- Step
Initial assessment and recommendation
Peak debt and end debt modelled against a conservative sale range, your income tested on what is left, then bridge, deposit bond, longer settlement or sell first recommended in writing.
- Step
Application prepared for signing
We prepare one application covering both properties for the chosen lender. You review and sign; nothing is lodged until you have.
- Step
Lodgement and lender approval
Lodged the same or next business day after signing. Most lenders approve in 3–7 business days, some in 1–2, a few take 10–15. Then we manage both settlements, the payout and the exit.
Understanding bridging
What borrowers ask before they bridge
How does a bridging loan work?
A bridging loan lets you buy your next property before your current one sells, by lending against both for a short period. The sale of your existing property repays it, and whatever remains becomes your ongoing home loan.
The loan is usually interest-only for six to twelve months. Many lenders capitalise the interest, adding it to the balance rather than charging it monthly, so you are not carrying two full repayments while you sell.
What are peak debt and end debt?
Peak debt is the total you owe during the bridge: your current loan plus the purchase and its costs. End debt is what is left once the sale proceeds come off, and it becomes a normal mortgage.
Lenders assess both. The equity across the two properties has to support the peak, and your income has to service the end debt. Get either wrong and the bridge does not settle, which is why we test them first.
Can you bridge with strong equity but little income?
Sometimes, yes. Where the equity is substantial and the exit is a sale rather than ongoing repayments, some lenders will assess a bridge on the security and the exit rather than on payslips. It is a smaller group of lenders and the structure has to be right.
This is also where a bridge can replace an expensive private or short-term loan, giving a realistic runway to sell or refinance instead of a rollover deadline. We have done it at the top end of the market.
What are the alternatives to bridging?
Selling first with a longer settlement, negotiating matched settlement dates, or using a deposit bond can solve a timing gap without a bridge. For some buyers, renting between properties costs less than months of capitalised interest.
Bridging earns its place when the right property is in front of you now, or when a forced or mistimed sale would cost more than the bridge does. That call depends on your equity, your income and your appetite for holding two properties.
Keep exploring
The purchase side of the move, bridge or not.
Secure the purchase without cash tied up in the sale.
When the end debt deserves a better loan.
Guide · Peak debt, end debt, costs and when to say no
Guide · When a private loan fits better than a bridge
Find out whether a bridge stacks up
Call 1300 112 355
Questions bridging borrowers actually ask
What is a bridging loan?
A bridging loan is a short-term finance facility designed to cover a temporary funding gap, most commonly when buying a new property before selling an existing one.
How long does bridging finance usually last?
It depends on the lender and the scenario, but bridging finance is generally intended to be short term. The exact timeframe should be considered alongside the likely sale timeline and exit strategy. The usual time period is 12 months.
Is bridging finance only for buying before selling?
No. That is the most common use case, but bridging finance can also be relevant in other short-term property-related funding scenarios where timing and exit strategy are clear.
Is bridging finance more expensive than a standard home loan?
It can be. Bridging finance often carries different pricing, structure and risk considerations than a standard loan. That is why the total position needs to be assessed carefully, not just the headline rate.
Can self-employed borrowers get bridging finance?
Sometimes, yes. It depends on the broader scenario, income position, equity, servicing and lender fit. Self-employed borrowers often need more careful structuring and lender selection.
What do lenders look at for bridging finance?
Lenders usually look at the total debt position, equity, servicing, the value and likely saleability of the existing property, the proposed new property, and the borrower’s exit strategy.
Do I need to have my current property sold first?
Not necessarily. In fact, bridging finance is often used specifically because the current property has not yet been sold. The important issue is whether the proposed plan is realistic and acceptable to the lender.
Is bridging finance always the best solution?
No. Sometimes it is the right answer. Sometimes another structure may be more appropriate. The best outcome depends on the borrower’s timing, equity, debt position and overall strategy.