Hard Money Calculator

Bridge Loan Calculator for Real Estate Investors

Enter your deal to see how much you can borrow, your rate and points options, and the cash you'll need to close. Choose a project type for fix and flip, bridge, ground-up construction, or 30-year rental (DSCR) loans. Pricing based on current industry rates.

The project
You

Flips, ground-up builds, or rentals you bought, renovated, and sold or held.

Your middle score of the three bureaus. 650 minimum.

The numbers
$
$

Leave blank if it matches the purchase price.

$

Expected value once the work is finished, based on recent comparable sales.

How the bridge loan calculator works

Enter the property, the purchase price (or the current value and payoff for a refinance), your credit score and your experience. The calculator runs the deal through current short-term investor lending rules and returns the loan amount, how much of the price it covers, three rate and points options, the monthly interest payment, and the cash you need at closing. There is nothing to guess. You don't type in a rate, because the calculator prices it.

Need rehab money too? Switch the Project Type to fix and flip, or use the main hard money loan calculator. Planning to keep the property long term? Size your exit with the DSCR rental loan calculator.

When investors use a bridge loan

  • Speed. A seller wants to close in two weeks, or the property is at auction. Bridge loans close in days to a few weeks because they are underwritten mainly on the property and your track record.
  • A property that won't qualify for a long-term loan yet. Vacant units, below-market rents or a short ownership history can block a 30-year rental loan. A bridge loan carries the property until it is stabilized.
  • Paying off a maturing loan. A rate-and-term bridge refinance buys time when a construction or flip loan comes due before the project is sold or refinanced.
  • Pulling cash out. A cash-out bridge refinance frees equity for the next purchase, at lower leverage than a purchase loan.

Bridge loan vs. fix and flip loan

Both are short-term, interest-only hard money loans. A fix and flip loan adds a rehab holdback, paid out in draws as work is finished, and is sized against the after-repair value. A bridge loan has no rehab money and is sized against the purchase price or the as-is value. If the property needs light cosmetic work you will pay for yourself, a bridge loan can be simpler. If the renovation is a real part of the plan, the fix and flip structure usually gets you more total financing.

What drives your bridge loan terms

Experience matters most. Investors with five or more completed projects in the last three years get higher leverage and lower rates than first-time investors. Credit score is next: 700 and above gets full leverage, and the 650s cost leverage and rate. Transaction type matters too: purchases get the most leverage, cash-out refinances the least. Loan size, property type and location fine-tune the result.

Plan your exit before you close

Every bridge loan ends with a sale or a refinance. If you plan to refinance into a rental loan, check that the rent supports the new loan before you buy. Most DSCR lenders want the rent to cover the payment, taxes and insurance. Add up the bridge interest for the months you expect to hold, plus points and closing costs on both loans, and make sure the deal still works.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a bridge loan in real estate investing?

A bridge loan is short-term, interest-only financing secured by an investment property. It covers a gap: buying before long-term financing is ready, paying off a maturing loan, closing quickly on a discounted property, or holding a property while you lease it up and then refinance into a 30-year rental loan. Unlike a fix and flip loan, it does not include a rehab holdback.

How much can I borrow with a bridge loan?

On a purchase, bridge lenders typically fund about 75% of the price, rising to around 80% for investors with five or more completed projects. Cash-out refinances are lower, around 60% of the as-is value. Credit scores in the 650s reduce leverage further. The calculator applies these rules to your deal.

What are bridge loan rates and fees?

Investor bridge loans are priced like other hard money loans: an interest-only rate plus origination points, usually in the 2–2.5 point range here. Rates fall with experience and larger loan sizes and rise for first-time investors, lower credit scores and cash-out refinances. Enter your deal to see three rate and points combinations at current pricing.

How long is a bridge loan term?

This calculator prices 9, 12 and 18-month interest-only terms. Pick the shortest term you are confident covers your exit, whether that is a sale or a refinance. Extensions are often available for a fee but should not be your plan.

Can I use a bridge loan on my primary residence?

No. These are business-purpose loans for investment properties: single-family rentals, 2–4 unit buildings, condos, townhomes and PUDs held by an investor, usually in an LLC. Owner-occupied bridge loans are a different, consumer-regulated product.

What is the minimum and maximum bridge loan amount?

For single-family and similar properties the minimum loan is $75,000 on a property worth at least $100,000, up to $2 million. For 2–4 unit properties the minimum is $250,000 on a property worth at least $375,000, up to $3 million. Larger or unusual deals are priced individually.

Ready to lock in terms? Request a free quote.

Estimates are for planning only and are not a commitment to lend.