Ground-up construction loans
Break ground without the bank.
Up to 90% of project cost with 100% of vertical construction covered. No tax returns, spec-friendly, and the exit into a 30-year rental loan mapped before you pour.
Program snapshot
Ground-up at a glance
- Sized on
- cost + finished value
- Leverage
- to 90% LTC, 100% vertical
- Income docs
- none required
- Terms
- 12-24 mo, interest-only on draws
- Exit
- sale or 30-yr DSCR refi
Program menus from specialty wholesale lenders. Leverage tiers depend on builder experience; terms vary by program and change without notice. Not an offer or approval.
When inventory is thin, builders eat first.
The fastest way to a house nobody else can find is to build it. We broker the specialty construction shops that fund exactly that.
90%
of cost, 100% of the build
Leverage that pours the foundation
Top tiers fund up to 90% of total project cost: roughly half the land, most of the site work, and 100% of vertical construction. Sized on cost and the finished value together, so strong deals carry themselves.
- Up to 90% loan-to-cost
- 100% of vertical construction funded
- Checked against 70-75% of finished value
0
tax returns or income docs
The deal qualifies, not your DTI
Underwriting reads the project: location, budget feasibility, finished value, and your track record. Your personal income never enters the file, and spec builds close with no buyer lined up.
- No income or employment documentation
- Spec builds welcome, no pre-sale contract
- Budget and comps do the talking
1
lender from dirt to DSCR
The exit is already built
Finish the build and roll straight into a 30-year DSCR rental loan, or sell. Single-close versions bundle the build and the rental loan into one closing; rollover versions keep bridge flexibility with a guaranteed conversion. Either way, no mid-project re-shopping.
- Construction rolls into a 30-yr rental loan
- Single-close and rollover structures both exist
- Or sell it: build-to-sell stays simple
Built for how builds actually go
Slow draws kill projects. Ours keep pace with the framing crew.
Draws that keep crews moving
In-house and portal-based draw inspections instead of bank committee reviews, so funds release in days, not weeks. And interest accrues only on what you've drawn, not the full commitment, which keeps carrying costs honest early in the build.
No payments while you frame
Interest reserves can be built into the loan, deferring up to the first four months of payments. The project carries itself through the heavy-spend phase instead of draining your operating cash.
First build or fifteenth
Experience is tiered, not gated. Top leverage typically wants two to three completed builds in the past three years, and major structural gut renovations count toward the resume. Newer builders still qualify at adjusted leverage, and the pricing improves with every project you finish.
Spec, infill, and build-to-rent
Single-family, 2-4 units, condos, townhomes, and urban infill, from $100k past $3 million, on 12-to-24-month interest-only terms. Build-to-rent investors can run the same playbook across a whole block.
From lot to lockbox.
- 1
Send the project
The lot, the budget, the plans, and your build history. A finished-value opinion does the income verification's job.
- 2
We match the structure
Leverage tier, draw schedule, interest reserve, and the exit plan, quoted across the specialty construction menu.
- 3
Break ground
Closings run in as little as two weeks, and draws keep pace with your crew.
The quick eligibility check.
- Spec builds, no buyer needed
- Structural gut experience counts
- SFR, 2-4 units, condos, townhomes
- Build-to-rent friendly
- $100k to $3M+
- Interest reserves available
- Closings in as little as 2 weeks
Planning to hold the finished build? Our DSCR programs are the natural landing spot, and you can pressure-test the whole deal first in the investment calculator. Building a home to live in? The construction-to-permanent page is yours.
Straight answers
How is a construction loan different from a mortgage?
It funds a property that doesn't exist yet, so the yardsticks change. Loans are sized on loan-to-cost (your total project budget) and checked against the finished value, funds release in draws as work completes, and your builder track record matters more than your pay stubs. Terms run 12 to 24 months, interest-only, until you sell or refinance the finished home.
How much experience do I need?
Less than you'd think, and it's a ladder rather than a gate. Top leverage tiers typically want two to three completed ground-up builds or major structural gut renovations in the past three years. Newer builders qualify at adjusted leverage, and each finished project improves your tier.
How do draws actually work?
The budget is split into a draw schedule tied to milestones: foundation, framing, mechanicals, finishes. As each stage completes, an inspection confirms the work and the funds release. Specialty lenders run inspections in-house or through automated portals, so money moves in days. You pay interest only on what's been drawn.
Do I need a buyer or lease lined up before I close?
No. Spec builds close on the strength of the project itself, with no pre-sale contract required. Build-to-rent investors don't need tenants in hand either; the finished-value and market-rent analysis carry the file.
What happens when the build is done?
You pick the exit, ideally before you break ground. Sell it and pay the loan off, or roll into a 30-year DSCR rental loan, often without switching lenders, so there's no scramble between the certificate of occupancy and permanent financing.
Can I use this to build my own home?
The programs on this page are business-purpose loans for investment builds. Building a home to live in is its own world with its own page: our construction-to-permanent programs close once before ground breaks and convert automatically into a 30-year mortgage, with VA zero-down and bank statement options included.
The lot is waiting. So is the money.
Two minutes to send the project. No tax returns, no cost, no obligation, and a quote from the whole specialty construction menu.
Guthix Lending • NMLS# 2672037 · Ground-up construction programs on this page are business-purpose loans for investment properties; consumer construction financing for a primary residence is available under different programs and terms. Leverage, draw procedures, interest reserves, experience requirements, timelines, and pricing vary by program and tier and change without notice; figures shown reflect the most favorable available tiers, and draws are subject to inspection and budget approval. Not all borrowers or projects will qualify. This is not a commitment to lend or an offer of specific terms.