Commercial Bridge Loans: Rates, Uses & Requirements

Commercial bridge loans support three main uses. Acquisition bridge: You identify a multifamily property or office building and need fast closing to compete with all-cash buyers. Bridge financing lets you close within days, giving the seller certainty. Repositioning bridge: You acquire a stabilized property, make operational improvements (reduce expenses, increase occupancy), then refinance into permanent financing at higher NOI. The bridge carries you through repositioning (3–12 months typically); DSCR or permanent financing replaces it. Value-add bridge: You acquire below-market commercial property, execute a business plan (unit upgrades, tenant turnover, rent increases), stabilize cash flow, then refinance. LYNK Mortgage's multifamily bridge supports these three scenarios, providing capital velocity to active investors who scale portfolios through disciplined acquisitions and exits.

Commercial underwriting differs from residential. LYNK Mortgage evaluates sponsor experience: Have you completed multifamily acquisitions before? How many units? LYNK Mortgage prefers sponsors with minimum 50-unit track record for larger deals, though newer sponsors on smaller properties are considered. Property metrics matter: occupancy (higher is better), rent rolls (lease rates per unit), expense ratios. A stabilized 100-unit complex with 90% occupancy and $1,200/unit rent is underwritten differently than a value-add property with 75% occupancy and below-market rents. LYNK Mortgage stress-tests your exit plan: Can you achieve your proforma rents? Is your timeline realistic? Commercial bridge underwriting is more intensive than residential, typically adding 2–3 days, but expertise in property operations and value-add strategies justifies the thoroughness. LYNK Mortgage has deep experience with multifamily sponsors nationwide.

LYNK Mortgage's commercial bridge rates for multifamily properties start at 8.75% for strong sponsors with significant equity (50% LTV or lower). LTV for commercial properties typically caps 70%–75%, depending on stabilization and sponsor experience. A $5M multifamily acquisition with 70% LTV is $3.5M financed, requiring $1.5M down payment. Rates increase with LTV and lower sponsorship strength: 8.75% at 50% LTV might be 9.5% at 70% LTV. Loan sizing considers your exit: if you're bridging 6 months to stabilize and refi, LYNK Mortgage sizes the loan for your exit timeline. If your business plan requires 12 months, the loan term reflects that. LYNK Mortgage offers floating-rate options on longer commercial bridges, protecting borrowers if rates fall while your project stabilizes. Discuss rate structures with your loan officer to understand trade-offs between fixed rates (certainty) and floating rates (upside potential).