As a broker, you want to find a solution for your clients, but there may be times where it feels like you are hitting a brick wall, and don’t know which way to turn. In an increasingly fast-paced property market, timing can mean the difference between securing a deal, and your client missing out, especially when it comes to a complex case.

A solution that continues to gain traction is bridging finance. A bridging loan is a short-term solution to a problem and can help to unlock opportunities traditional lending methods can’t. Typically, a bridge lasts between 1-12 months.

When can bridging be the right tool?

You might, quite rightly, associate bridging finance with chain-breaks or auction purchases. This loan type is indeed a great solution for your clients in those situations.

Crystal Specialist Finance is here to help you identify these opportunities, so you can boost your bridging business, earn more commission and build your reputation as a go to broker.

Chain Break

Your client is purchasing a new property but their currently sale property is delayed. A bridging loan allows them to proceed with the new purchase, without losing the deal.

Auction Purchase

Properties bought at auction usually need to be purchased within 28 days. Bridging can provide the funds for your clients, fast, ensuring they don’t miss out.

However, it can also be used for many other scenarios.

Refurbishment Project (medium to heavy)

For properties deemed ‘unmortgageable’ due to their condition. A bridge loan can assist your clients with purchase and renovation costs and then the property can be sold or refinanced to pay back the bridge.  Data from Bridging Trends released by MT Finance revealed bridging loans for heavy refurbishments are up from 9% in Q4 2024 to 11% in Q1 2025. This is a growing opportunity for brokers.

Investment Purchase

If you have landlord clients, bridging finance can be used to facilitate the purchase of a new property, to add to their portfolio without any delays. This is becoming increasingly popular. Bridging for investment purchases has spiked from 13% in Q4 2024 to 23% in Q1 2025 (Bridging Trends, MT Finance).

Development Finance Exit

Property developer clients may experience unexpected costs during one of their projects. Bridging can be used as a re-finance option on a development project before it is complete, enabling a surge of cashflow which will help to complete the project.

Identifying Opportunities

As a broker, you are well positioned to spot bridging opportunities, often before the client realises, they exist. Ask yourself the following, when you are assisting your clients

• Is there urgency due to your client’s circumstance?

• Are traditional lenders too slow or inflexible for their situation?

• Does the client have a clear exit strategy (property sale, or refinance)?

If you can identify these key points in the early stages of your conversations with your clients, you could present bridging as a viable solution rather than a last resort. Positioning yourself as a broker who understands bridging from all angles can boost your credibility, and open your business up to new opportunities.

Working with a specialist

Working with a specialist and being able to identify bridging finance opportunities is one thing, placing a case is another. That’s where Crystal Specialist Finance come in. Speed, transparency and reliability are critical for a client needing a bridge. With our panel of 30+ lenders, and our on-hand expert team, we are sure to find a lender who can fund a deal quickly. Our ability to say yes when others say no is what makes us the clear choice.

Grow your business with Crystal – submit a case today and see why brokers trust us to deliver!

Call our New Business Advisers on 01827 337710 or submit a case online via our CrystalHUB in just under 10 minutes.