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Large Bridging Loan
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1. Understanding Bridging Finance (Brief Overview)
2. What Defines "Large" Bridging Finance?
3. Common Uses for Large Bridging Loans
4. Challenges in Large-Scale Bridging
5. Exit Strategies
6. Partnering with Clifton Private Finance
Bridging finance is a powerful funding tool that is used to seize opportunities in the UK property market.
With its rapid application-to-acceptance time, and qualification structure based on security and exit strategy rather than rental yield, business turnover, or personal income, bridging finance provides solutions that other traditional funding products cannot match.
Working with Clifton Private Finance means you have access to a team of bridging experts, able to solve these complex challenges to provide significant capital for developments and high-value property purchases. Read on to see how Clifton Private Finance can help you secure the funds you need for your project.
Bridging finance is short-term funding that’s designed to be paid off in full within 12 to 18 months. This is usually done by:
Understanding the basics of bridging finance, exit strategies, and security is essential. For more information read our comprehensive Guide to Bridging Loans.
Most bridging finance is between £100,000 and £1 million, and secured on two properties - the new purchase, and the old home. It is typically used to speed up the process of moving house by avoiding property chains, meeting auction deadlines, or freeing up tied capital.
Large bridging finance exceeds the £1 million mark, and can stretch as high as £50 million property development budgets. Many lenders specifically categorise anything over £2 million as ‘large bridging’, especially when it involves multiple securities or bespoke terms.
Large bridging finance can be used for any property purchase including:
Large bridging finance can often require multi-property securities, comprehensive business planning, and multi-faceted exit strategies. It can also be more flexible, with open-ended terms that do not have a defined exit deadline. Extremely high-value bridging may involve first- and second-charge financing developed as a package of security tied to multiple bridging finance products. Working with Clifton Private Finance is essential to make sure your large bridging finance deal is professionally structured and that the best terms are achieved.
Greater bridging sums are typically used for large-scale development projects, but they can also be used for non-property business requirements, provided the security exists and a clear exit strategy is in place. Example use cases for larger than £1 million bridging includes:
Buying UK property with high value can often benefit from bridging finance. Opportunities for the perfect home can be fleeting, making speed an essential component to a successful bid. Bridging finance can be in place within a couple of weeks, giving you the power of a cash buyer when viewing potential properties.
This can be especially beneficial for individuals considering property at auction, expats seeking to buy UK property from abroad, and those wanting to move on new properties before their current home has sold, providing the time to receive an offer at true market value.
Bridging finance is not limited to the property purchase price. Funding can be extended to include legal costs and fees as well as the costs of renovation and refurbishment.
Bridging finance is perfectly placed to secure property that’s off market, at a bargain auction price, or otherwise represents a clear opportunity for a significant return on investment. With the costs of renovations folded into the bridge, property can be flipped (bought, renovated, and resold in a short timeframe), or modernised with a view to maximising rental yield.
With the scope to provide substantial capital for large-scale conversions, bridging finance can be used for barn conversions, basement redevelopments, converting large family houses into HMOs or multiple dwellings, and other similar projects.
With tight requirements regarding planning permission, land type, and project cash flow forecasts, traditional lending can sometimes be too stringent or slow to meet the needs of those looking to invest in land, either for business development purposes or to undertake a substantial self-build.
Bridging finance allows you to move quickly to buy the land before other parties swoop in, leaving slower funding solutions such as development finance and mortgages, to become solid exit strategies once the land is secured and the strict lending criteria is met.
When inheriting high-value property, the inheritance tax can become a major problem, often forcing an unwanted property sale. Bridging finance is able to step in, clearing the inheritance tax quickly and providing the breathing room needed to form comprehensive long-term plans without losing the valuable home.
Inheritances are often complicated with multiple beneficiaries and can include legal issues and challenges that cause substantial delays to the smooth transfer of property. Bridging finance provides a clear solution that cuts through an often-emotional fog to allow you to proceed with a buy out or other agreed equity-split solution.
The finances during and after a divorce can be extremely complicated. Bridging finance provides a way to smooth the financial separation, giving you the power to:
Bridging finance can be especially effective for high net worth individuals lacking immediate liquidity, leveraging assets such as property and investments to facilitate a clean and rapid divorce settlement.
Business owners can use bridging finance to instantly fund advantageous business investments. The rapid application process for bridging finance means action can be taken when the window for opportunity is short. With business assets often illiquid, bridging finance provides the capital needed for expansion, time-sensitive investment, or acquiring discounted valuable assets from businesses in distress.
Bridging finance can also be used as part of a restructuring plan, for example, for landlords with extensive portfolios looking to refinance to improved rates.
For high-net-worth individuals (HWNI), large bridging finance offer liquidity without the need to sell long-term investments or have opportunities slip by while waiting for traditional finance. With speed, discretion, and flexibility essential for complex transactions, large bridging finance is perfectly placed to meet needs.
Examples include:
When the capital required is significant, it may be difficult to secure a single lender willing to absorb the full risk. Low LTVs and increased rates often form initial offers, making a single provider more expensive than a comprehensive multi-lender solution - known as syndicated lending.
Syndicated lending requires broker expertise and relationships with multiple lenders to complete a full plan for bridging finance.
Securities can also create challenges. It is rare that large scale bridging finance is secured against a single property, with full blended security often comprised of multiple assets. These may include:
Specialist professional valuation is necessary to provide lenders with the documentation needed for underwriting. Presenting the full portfolio of assets is another aspect of a large scale bridging finance solution that is handled best by an experienced broker.
Bridging finance is a short-term funding solution, designed for use for 3-to-12 months. Professionally structured, large bridging finance can be relatively flexible regarding exit strategies, with lenders offering open bridging finance with no fixed date for exits - allowing for delayed exits subject to circumstances up to 18 months.
Exit strategies provide an additional challenge, as they must be clearly defined to secure bridging finance with cost-effective rates and loan-to-value ratios. These may include a combination of:
In some circumstances, where a primary exit strategy has become problematic and no longer suitable, rebridging provides an additional solution, creating a refinancing option that extends the bridging period as necessary.
High value bridging finance requires professional expertise to navigate. Clifton Private Finance has the experience and network needed to facilitate large sums of bridging finance capital and are here to work with you through the whole processes, from initial evaluation through to the final exit. Our team of bridging specialists are on hand to get you the funds you need.
Partnering with Clifton Private Finance means:
At Clifton Private Finance, we work on your behalf to secure the lowest rates and the highest LTV to get you the capital you need. Whether you’re looking at a large scale development, or just to get that dream home, we’re here for you. Contact us today to speak to a specialist bridging finance advisor and begin a partnership that will benefit you at every stage of the bridging process.
I approached Clifton Private Finance to help me get a mortgage as an Expat working in the Far East. I would normally 'cut out the middle man' on something like this and try to get myself a deal directly with the banks, but I am now sold on the broker concept and wouldn't hesitate to use Clifton Private Finance again. There were a number of complicating factors such as being an expat, the stamp duty holiday, the sheer amount I wanted to borrow and the fact I wanted it all wrapped up before the Stamp Duty holiday ended. It is clear to me now that the relationship that brokers have managed to foster with their banks means they can simply pull levers and make stuff happen that us ordinary folk cannot. Put simply, they are worth every penny, will take most of the stress out of the lending process, and seem to have access to deals that you just won't find on the internet. Thank you George and Jan for all your hard work!
James M
Luther was excellent. Very clear in his advice and explanations of products and was able to move things on very quickly when we ran into difficulties with the estate agents. Without a doubt I would recommend Luther to all friends, family and colleagues. Luther was a joy to deal with and took a lot of the stress out of a troublesome transaction, from my end. I would view Luther as real asset to Clifton Private Finance Ltd.
William W
The team at Clifton Private Finance has been outstanding, not only in helping me to obtain a mortgage on a slightly unusual home, but also in continuing to provide support and liaise with the lender and solicitors through to completion. Thank you for making the process of buying my first home much easier.
Chantelle S
Sam O'Neill, and the new lender he identified for me, worked tirelessly together using my time constraints, to make sure my mortgage application was completed on time. They are a brilliant company to work with, fast, efficient, open and transparent from the very beginning, and turned a seemingly impossible situation into a viable one. Sam was brilliant throughout the whole process and I would highly recommend him, and his colleague Helen, to anyone without hesitation, I cannot speak highly enough about them.
Myr B
I was incredibly lucky to find Clifton Private Finance after a search on line as their service has been more than exemplary. My point of contact was Sam 0’Neill and he was happy to help at every stage during the application of the bridging loan, making a stressful process much easier to deal with. He was always available by phone or email and gave prompt answers to queries I had as well as always getting back to me when he said he would. That to me is excellent customer service and I cannot thank him personally or the company enough for the support they have given me.
C Jefferey
Adam cannot thank you enough for all your support throughout this arrangement. You have gone more than the extra mile to support us. Without you we would not have got our dream retirement home. You have been most professional and personable. Liz and I would be more than happy if you wanted to use us a reference with respect to any future clients.
Nigel & Liz K - Bristol
You have certainly shown me that you do everything for your clients, including tolerating their excessive emails and questions for updates. I have been kept in the loop, from yourself, about why the delays were occurring (Nationwide, post etc) which I would like to highlight that I really appreciated. I certainly will be able to recommend you to others as and when the need arises.
Mr Morris
I recently contacted Clifton Private Finance after a Google search for bridging finance providers and was immediately struck by their efficiency and support. Forms were emailed over almost immediately and the necessary finance was arranged within a few days. None of the other companies I contacted came close to their professionalism, and the quote that I eventually received was impressive. Thank you Adam, your help has enabled us to reserve the house that we wanted and I certainly recommend you to others.
Mr M. R. - Oxford
Absolutely brilliant. The service was first class, got everything sorted efficiently and were always friendly. Any fees were negligible compared to the service offered. Robert was particularly outstanding.
Charles N
My advisor, Robert, was very helpful in finding the mortgage to suit me. He kept me up to date throughout the process and dealt with any issues when they arose.
Rowena C
