Property Development Finance

When trying to arrange property development finance, it pays to use a commercial finance broker. This is because a broker working with specialist lenders can arrange finance for all types of property development projects.

There are various types of property development funding types, spanning commercial and residential development opportunities. Some examples of the types of projects that lenders will consider are:

  • Property Refurbishment
  • Property Conversion
  • Single-plot and multi-plot New Build Schemes
  • Mezzanine Finance (top-up funding)
  • Brownfield Development Projects

Property Development Funding is available for private individuals, partnerships and limited companies. Although some business experience is desirable, property finance can be arranged for novice and experienced developers.

A property development loan is secured against property in the same way as a mortgage. The lender secures their interest in a site through a legal charge over it and will often look for additional security if the margins are tight. This mortgage is then redeemed on each unit’s completion and subsequent sale.

Plot search and land-for-developers search tool

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Property development finance allows a project to progress beyond plans.

Development Values

One of the most important considerations when evaluating a property development proposal is the property’s value when all the work is completed. This is often referred to as the Gross Developed Value (GDV), and lenders will use a percentage of this value to decide the upper level of funding.

High street banks typically finance around 65% of a site purchase price and 65% of the development costs.   Although this is acceptable for some development projects, there are plenty of developers who are unable to raise the necessary capital. This is usually because all their available capital is tied up in other projects, but there can be several other reasons.

Specialist property development lenders can offer higher levels of finance than mainstream banks and work to tighter deadlines. Working with a commercial finance broker, it should be possible to find the right lender for any viable project.

Up to 100%, property development finance was widely available from property lenders however it is something of a premium. Where they exist, these lenders can consider higher loan-to-values because they understand property development projects and can recognise profitable projects.

Property Refurbishment

Property refurbishment projects usually involve purchasing a residential property and some cosmetic refurbishment. Typically a new kitchen, bathroom, central heating and windows are the extent of work. Refurbishment projects usually turn around very quickly as planning permission is not typically needed.

Where there is a considerable increase in value, property development loans can be based on the developed value rather than the purchase price.

Where more substantial work such as an extension, conversion of an existing property into flats, or other structural re-modelling is undertaken, the funding needs to be planned accordingly. Where planning permission is required, there is always the possibility of changing specifications and other delays, so working with specialist property development lenders offers a real advantage.

With government policy demanding more significant use of brownfield and infill sites, there are more opportunities for property developers to undertake new-build projects. Property development finance can be available to fund up to 100% of the costs.