Archive · 19 Sep 2025
Bridge Loans: Making Your Next Home Purchase Possible
Imagine you want to buy a new house, but you haven't sold your old one yet.
A bridge loan is like borrowing money for a short time to cover the costs of the new house until your old house is sold.
You can use it for the down payment or other expenses.
You'll usually make small interest payments, then pay the big amount back when your old house sells.
The upside is you can buy your new house quickly.
But, it can be expensive and risky because interest rates and fees can be high.
You might also have two mortgages at once.
To get one, you usually need to have built up a good amount of value in your current home.
A bridge loan is a short-term loan to help buyers purchase a new home before selling their current one.
It can be used for a down payment or other costs associated with a new home.
Borrowers typically make interest-only payments during the loan term.
Bridge loans usually have higher interest rates and fees than conventional loans.
Most lenders require homeowners to have at least 20% home equity to qualify.
- Who
- Homebuyers
- What
- Bridge loans for purchasing a new home.
- When
- Short-term loan.
- Where
- N/A
- Why
- To quickly buy a new home before selling an existing one.
- Definition
- Short-term loan to cover down payment/costs when buying a new home before selling the current one.
- Loan Term
- Often less than a year
- Repayment
- Typically interest-only payments with a balloon payment at the end.
- Requirement
- At least 20% home equity is usually required.
- Where to get
- Local banks, credit unions, online mortgage companies, and specialty lenders