7-14 day close on most deals
Asset-based underwriting with established lender relationships means we close most bridge and hard money files inside two weeks — fast enough to compete with cash.
Bridge and hard money loans in Texas.
Short-term financing to bridge between deals — buy before you sell, refinance before you stabilize, close on auctions or distressed acquisitions. Asset-based, fast, structured around your exit.
- 6-24 month terms
- Asset-based qualification
- Close in 7-14 days
Short-term financing that bridges two property events.
A bridge loan (or hard money loan) is a short-term, asset-based mortgage that "bridges" the gap between two property events — buying a new home before selling the current one, acquiring a distressed property at auction, or refinancing while a property stabilizes. Bridge typically implies slightly more underwriting (some borrower review); hard money is purely asset-based. Both close fast (7-14 days), price for speed (higher rates than long-term loans), and require a clear exit strategy — sale, refinance, or project completion.
How a bridge or hard money loan goes from inquiry to close.
- 01
Identify the bridge use case
Buy-before-sell, distressed acquisition, refi-before-stabilize, auction purchase, or 1031 deadline — the use case dictates lender selection and term length.
- 02
Document the property + exit plan
Underwriting wants the executed contract or current ownership documents, an exit strategy (listing agreement, refi qualification, project timeline), and reserves to cover the interest carry through the term.
- 03
Asset-based underwriting
Personal income is typically not the qualifier. The property quality, the LTV, and the credibility of the exit carry the file. Bridge files often include a credit pull and reserve verification; pure hard money skips even those.
- 04
Close — 7-14 days typical
Asset-based files move fast. From signed term sheet to wire, most bridge and hard money deals close inside two weeks. Title and appraisal are the longest poles.
- 05
Execute the exit
Sell the original property and pay off the bridge, refinance to a permanent loan once the property stabilizes, or complete the project and exit at sale. The exit was mapped at origination — execution is the only variable.
Built for Texas investors who need to move fast.
Speed is the entire point of a bridge loan. The right Texas deal — an off-market acquisition, a foreclosure auction win, a buy-before-sell move-up — does not wait 45 days for conventional underwriting. We work bridge files weekly and know which lenders close fastest, which are sharpest on rate at each LTV tier, and which structure exits cleanly into DSCR or conventional once the bridge phase is done.
Bridge or hard money is the right tool when:
- You are a sale-pending homeowner buying your next house
- You are purchasing at auction (Texas county foreclosure auctions)
- You are acquiring a distressed property that will not finance conventionally yet
- You are refinancing before stabilization (e.g., DSCR refi after rent-up)
- You are chasing a time-sensitive 1031 exchange target
Why bridge wins for Texas investors and time-sensitive buyers.
Asset-based qualification
The property and the exit carry the file. Personal income complexity, recent job change, or a fresh self-employment venture do not break the deal.
No income / DTI scrub typically
Bridge files often skip the full income workup. Pure hard money skips it entirely. That keeps closing timelines short and keeps complex personal-income files in play.
6-24 month terms
Term length matches the use case — a 6-month bridge for a sale-pending buyer, 12-18 months for a distressed acquisition, up to 24 months for a refi-before-stabilize. You only carry the bridge as long as the exit takes.
Texas-specific lender knowledge
Texas county auction rules, homestead protections, and title timelines vary by jurisdiction. We work bridge files in DFW, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio every month.
Bridge to DSCR or conventional after
The exit refinance is typically a DSCR (for held rentals) or conventional (for owner-occupied move-ups). We map the exit at origination so the bridge does not orphan you.
7-14
Day typical close
Bridge and hard money questions, answered.
Bridge vs hard money — what is the difference?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but in practice "bridge" usually implies some borrower underwriting (credit pull, reserve verification, basic income review) at slightly tighter pricing, while "hard money" is purely asset-based with the property carrying the entire file at higher pricing. Both are short-term, both close fast, both require an exit. We pick the structure that matches the deal.
How fast can you actually close?
Most bridge and hard money files close in 7-14 days from a clean application. The longest poles are title clearance and appraisal turn (5-7 days). Repeat borrowers with prior files on record close at the fast end. We have closed time-sensitive bridge files inside one week.
What is the typical term?
Term length matches the use case: 6 months for a sale-pending buy-before-sell, 12-18 months for a distressed acquisition with a planned refinance, up to 24 months for refi-before-stabilization or longer-horizon projects. Most bridge loans include extension options if the exit slips.
Do I need a track record?
Bridge and hard money are asset-based, so a track record matters less than for some product lines. First-time bridge borrowers can absolutely get funded if the property quality, the LTV, and the exit are credible. Experienced investors will see sharper pricing and higher leverage.
Can I bridge from a sale?
Yes — buy-before-sell is one of the most common bridge use cases. The lender uses the equity in the current home as collateral support and structures the bridge to pay off when the existing home sells. Once the sale closes, the bridge is satisfied; the new home keeps its long-term financing.
How does the exit refi work?
We map the exit at origination. For investment properties the typical exit is a DSCR refinance into a 30-year fixed once the property is stabilized and rented. For owner-occupied bridges the exit is a conventional or jumbo refinance. The exit underwriting starts in parallel with the bridge so there's no gap when the bridge term ends.
Need to bridge a Texas deal?
Bridge / hard money requirements at a glance.
- Investment property typical (some primary residences OK with explanation)
- Clear exit strategy — sale, refinance, or project completion
- 25-35% down typical (LTV 65-75%)
- Reserves to cover the interest carry through the term
- Texas property
- FICO 660+ helpful (asset-based — softer than conventional)
- Track record helpful but not strict — property quality carries the file
- 6-24 month term, often with extension options
Bridge vs Hard Money vs Fix-and-Flip vs DSCR at a glance.
| Term | Underwriting | Speed | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge | 6-24 months | Light borrower review + asset | 7-14 days | Buy-before-sell, refi-before-stabilize, time-sensitive deals |
| Hard Money | 6-24 months | Pure asset-based | 7-14 days | Auction buys, pure asset plays, distressed acquisitions |
| Fix-and-Flip | 6-18 months | Asset + rehab budget | 7-14 days | Distressed properties needing rehab before exit |
| DSCR | 30 years | Property cash flow | 30-45 days | Long-term rental hold after the bridge phase |
Ready to move on a Bridge / Hard Money Loan?
Get a soft-pull pre-approval in minutes. No credit hit, no surprises.
Other ways we close
Fix-and-Flip Loan
Short-term financing that funds purchase + rehab — for distressed properties that need work before the exit.
Learn moreDSCR Loan
Long-term rental financing on the property cash flow — the standard refinance exit after a bridge.
Learn morePortfolio / Blanket Loans
Single loan covering 5+ rental properties — useful for investors consolidating financing after multiple bridge exits.
Learn more