The Gist
Bridge Loan Survival Guide
Solve the Timing Gap Without Letting Short-Term Debt Solve You
Understand carry cost, equity access, sale timing, exit planning, and bridge-vs-HELOC-vs-private-money tradeoffs before you use short-term financing to move on a deadline.
5 Blinks~10 minutesFree
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Blink 01 · 2 min
A Bridge Loan Solves Time, Not Affordability
Use it when the gap is temporary and the exit is clear
“A bridge loan is short-term financing designed to solve a timing mismatch: buying before selling, covering a payoff before permanent financing, or moving fast on a property while your liquidity is trapped elsewhere. It is useful precisely because the problem is temporary. If the problem is permanent, bridge debt becomes expensive denial.”
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Blink 02 · 2 min
Carry Cost Is the Real Underwriter
Every extra month changes the quality of the decision
“Bridge debt is often judged by rate alone, but the real question is total carry: interest, fees, overlapping housing expense, taxes, insurance, and the cost of delay. A bridge deal that looks manageable at 45 days can look reckless at 120.”
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Blink 03 · 2 min
Bridge vs. HELOC vs. Private Money
Pick the tool that matches the friction, not the headline
“Bridge loans are not automatically the best answer to every short-term need. A HELOC can be cheaper when you already control usable equity. Private money can be faster or more flexible when the transaction is messy. The right tool depends on speed, collateral, and certainty of exit.”
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E
EARL · Mortgage Butler
Ready to turn these insights into your actual numbers
Educational content only. Not financial advice. Rates and figures are illustrative.
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