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The Bridge Loan Process in California

Because it's underwritten on equity and exit, the bridge process is fast — eight clean steps from confirming your equity to funding in as few as 7–30 days, buying your next home, and paying off the bridge when your current one sells.

8 steps7–30 daysNon-contingent offerSale pays it off
MBReviewed by Mike Basti, Mortgage Broker & Founder · NMLS #377740
Quick Answer

The process: 1) confirm equity & exit → 2) apply → 3) valuation → 4) term sheet → 5) close & fund (7–30 days) → 6) buy your next home → 7) interest-only payments → 8) sell & pay off. See Requirements for what each step needs.

The 8 steps to funding

  1. Confirm your equity & exit

    Establish equity in the pledged property and your payoff path — sale or refinance. Run the calculator →

  2. Apply & submit the package

    Property details, proof of equity, proof of funds, exit plan, entity docs (investors). No full income verification.

  3. Get the valuation

    Lender orders an appraisal or BPO to confirm value and set your LTV cap.

  4. Review the term sheet

    Loan amount, LTV, rate, points, term — shopped across lenders for best cost. How terms price →

  5. Close & fund the bridge

    Sign through escrow/title and fund — often 7–30 days.

  6. Buy your next home

    Use the proceeds toward the down payment — a clean, non-contingent offer.

  7. Make interest-only payments

    Pay interest while both homes are owned; keep the carry short.

  8. Sell & pay off the bridge

    Your current home sells and the proceeds pay off the bridge through escrow.

Expert tip: The step that quietly determines your whole experience is step 1 — pricing the exit realistically. Everything downstream (the carry cost, the stress level, whether the balloon feels comfortable) flows from how fast and at what price your current home sells. Investors who lean on an optimistic sale timeline get squeezed; those who price to move and hold reserves sail through. Nail the exit assumption before you fund, and the rest of the process is smooth. We'll help you set it and, if you like, coordinate the sale timing. Plan my timing →

What's needed at each stage

StageWhat you provide / expect
Equity & exitValue estimate, mortgage balance, listing or refi plan
ApplicationProperty details, proof of equity, proof of funds, entity docs (investor)
ValuationAppraisal or BPO on the pledged property
Term sheetLoan amount, LTV, rate, points, term
ClosingSigned docs, escrow/title
New purchaseDown payment funded from bridge proceeds
PayoffSale escrow of the departing home

Reviewed by the licensing team at Save Financial, a California-licensed mortgage brokerage (NMLS #377740, DRE #01875766) founded in 2009 and serving all 58 counties from offices in Newport Beach and Marina del Rey.

Ready to move before you sell? The clock starts here.

Tell us your equity and timeline and we'll confirm the numbers, order the valuation, shop the term sheet across lenders, and drive to funding — often in 7–30 days — then coordinate the payoff when your home sells. Free, no obligation.