California Bridge Loans from $1M to $20M — Close in 14–21 Days

Updated September 22, 2026

A California bridge loan is short-term, interest-only real estate financing designed for one job: closing on a new California property before the existing one sells. The loan is secured against the departing residence (or sometimes the new purchase), pays interest only for 12 months, and gets paid off when the original property closes. In California's competitive jumbo market — where contingent offers rarely win — bridge financing is the standard tool for moving up, moving across town, or capturing time-sensitive investment opportunities.

DSCR Capital Partners offers California bridge loans from $1,000,000 to $20,000,000, with a base rate of 8.50%, up to 60% LTV, and a typical 14–21 day close. We are licensed for bridge financing in California — this is a California-only program through our wholesale lender network.

California Bridge Loan Terms — 2026 Program

When a California Bridge Loan Wins

Five scenarios where California bridge financing is the right tool:

1. Buying before selling in the Bay Area or West LA. Sellers in competitive California markets routinely reject contingent offers. A bridge loan lets you submit a non-contingent offer on the new home, close, then sell the departing residence on a calm timeline.
2. Trading up in coastal California. Buyers moving from a $2M Pasadena home to a $5M Manhattan Beach property need to close on the new property before the old equity unlocks. A bridge loan against the existing $2M home funds the $5M down payment.
3. 1031 exchange timing pressure. When the 45-day identification window or 180-day close window collides with a slow-selling relinquished property, a bridge loan keeps the exchange compliant.
4. Investment property opportunistic acquisitions. When a Los Angeles or San Francisco off-market deal surfaces, the 14–21 day bridge close beats the 30–45 day conventional close that would lose the deal.
5. Distressed-sale, value-add, or repositioning plays. Properties that won't qualify for conventional financing today — deferred maintenance, vacant units, low cap rates — can close on a bridge loan and refi to permanent financing after stabilization.

California Bridge Loan vs. Other Options

Loan Type	Time to Close	Max LTV	Rate (mid-2026)	Best For
CA Bridge Loan	14–21 days	60% ($1M–$5M)	8.50%+	Non-contingent offers, fast close
Jumbo Conventional	30–45 days	80–90%	6.50–7.25%	Long-term hold, full income docs
HELOC on departing home	30–60 days	70–80% CLTV	Prime+1 to Prime+3 (variable)	Small bridge amounts, retained home
Hard Money	7–14 days	65–70%	9.00–12.00%+	Sub-680 FICO, fix-and-flip
DSCR Loan	21–30 days	80%	6.375–9.25%	Investment property long-term

How California Bridge LTV Works

Loan size is the primary driver of LTV. The structure tiers downward to manage tail risk on larger files:

• $1,000,000 – $5,000,000: 60% LTV maximum. This is the sweet spot — deepest lender competition, fastest underwriting, cleanest pricing.
• $5,000,000 – $10,000,000: 55% LTV maximum. Standard for upper-Bel Air, Hidden Hills, Tiburon, Beverly Hills, La Jolla, and Newport Coast properties.
• $10,000,000 – $20,000,000: 50% LTV maximum. Ultra-jumbo bridge territory. Lender may reduce LTV further on exception files. Common in Holmby Hills, Pacific Heights, Malibu Colony, and Montecito.

LTV is measured against the appraised value of the property securing the bridge. On loans above $1.5M, the lender requires two independent appraisals — one engaged by the bank's residential appraisal manager, one ordered through an approved AMC. The lower of the two values typically sets the LTV denominator.

California Bridge Lenders: How to Choose

"California bridge lenders" is not one category. The label covers private-money funds, hard-money shops, bank portfolio desks, and wholesale brokers who route files into institutional programs. They price differently, underwrite differently, and fail differently. If you are comparing bridge loan lenders in California, start by identifying which kind of shop you are actually talking to.

The three kinds of California bridge lenders

• Private / hard-money lenders. Fund from their own capital or a small pool of investors. Fastest decision-makers — a principal can approve a file on a phone call — and the most flexible on credit, property condition, and story. The trade-off is price: on our current rate sheet, hard money and generic bridge programs run 9.00–12.00%+, with points on top. Best for sub-680 credit, heavy-renovation properties, or borrowers who need a "yes" more than they need the lowest coupon.
• Banks and portfolio lenders. Some California banks and credit unions run bridge or "swing" programs for existing private-banking clients. Pricing can be attractive, but access usually depends on a deposit or wealth-management relationship, underwriting is fuller (income, tax returns, global cash flow), and close times stretch toward conventional timelines. Rarely the right tool when a seller wants a 14-day close.
• Wholesale brokers. This is where DSCR Capital Partners sits. A wholesale broker does not fund the loan; it places your file with the institutional bridge lender whose program fits, at wholesale pricing rather than retail. The program on this page — 8.50% interest-only, $1M–$20M, up to 60% LTV, 14–21 day close — is an institutional wholesale program, not a retail product. The broker's job is program selection, file packaging, and pushing the timeline.

What to compare across bridge lenders

Two term sheets that both say "8.5%" can cost very different amounts of money. Compare on all of the following, not just the rate:

• LTV basis: as-is value vs. after-repair value (ARV). Many hard-money lenders quote LTV against ARV or a "quick-sale" value; this program lends against current appraised value (60% on $1M–$5M, 55% on $5M–$10M, 50% on $10M–$20M). A 70% ARV loan on a house that needs $400K of work can be a smaller check than a 60% as-is loan. Ask which number the percentage applies to.
• Points and lender fees. Origination on this program is 2% plus a $1,695 lender fee. Some private lenders quote a lower rate and recover it in 3–4 points; others stack "processing," "underwriting," and "doc prep" fees that never appear in the headline. Get a full closing-cost estimate, not a rate.
• Exit fees and prepayment terms. Bridge loans are meant to be paid off early, so the prepayment language matters more here than on any other loan. Ask specifically whether there is a minimum-interest guarantee (six months of interest owed even if you sell in month three), an exit fee at payoff, or a lockout period. Get it in writing before the appraisal is ordered.
• Extension terms. The question is not whether extensions exist, but what they cost and who decides. This program's extensions are contractual: two 6-month options at 0.50% of the original loan amount plus a $500 review fee each. Lenders that leave extensions "at lender's discretion" with unpublished pricing are pricing in the ability to squeeze you at month eleven.
• Draw structure. For value-add files, ask whether the loan funds in full at close or holds back a renovation budget released in draws. Draw-based structures mean inspection fees, draw fees, and timing risk on contractors. The bridge-to-sale workflow on this page is a single funding at close — proceeds wire to escrow on the new home — not a draw schedule.
• Time-to-close — and what "time" means. "We can close in 7 days" often means seven days after the lender has a completed appraisal, clear title, and a full file. Ask: from ratified contract, what is the realistic funding date? Ask for a recent example. Our standard is 14–21 days from application; clean files with an immediate appraisal order have closed in 10.
• Recourse. Most California residential bridge loans are full recourse to the borrower, or to the guarantor behind a trust or LLC. Non-recourse bridge money exists at higher price points and usually with more restrictive terms. Know which you are signing.
• Cross-collateralization. Some lenders will lien both the departing residence and the new purchase to hit a higher combined LTV. It can increase proceeds, but it also ties up both properties until payoff and forces a partial-release negotiation when one sells. The workflow on this page secures the bridge against one property — the departing residence on a bridge-to-sale, or the subject property on a bridge-to-purchase. If a lender proposes a blanket lien across both, get the partial-release terms in writing first.

Questions to ask any California bridge lender

1. Is the LTV against as-is appraised value or ARV, and how many appraisals will you order?
2. What is the all-in cost to close on my loan amount — rate, points, lender fees, third-party fees — on one estimate?
3. Is there a prepayment penalty, minimum-interest period, or exit fee if I pay off in month four?
4. What do extensions cost, and are they contractual or discretionary?
5. Do you require the departing residence to be listed, and what marketing-time standard do you apply? (This program: listing agreement in place, neighborhood average marketing time of 6 months or less.)
6. Who is the actual funding source, and are they licensed to lend on California residential property?
7. Can I close in a trust or LLC, and what does that add? (Here: a $350 trust/entity review.)
8. What is your realistic close date from today, and what has to happen on my side to hit it?

Red flags

• Upfront fees before a term sheet. Appraisal and credit-report costs are normal; a "commitment fee" or "due-diligence deposit" of thousands of dollars before anyone has underwritten the file is not.
• A rate with no fee schedule. If the lender will not put points, lender fees, and extension pricing on one page, the rate is not the price.
• Vague on the funding source. "We have investors" is not an answer. A licensed lender or broker can tell you who funds and under what license.
• Discretionary extensions. Bridge loans run long more often than borrowers plan. Extensions that exist only "if approved" at "then-current pricing" put you at the lender's mercy exactly when you have the least leverage.
• Approval math that assumes a sale price. If the lender's approval depends on the departing residence selling at a number your listing agent has not signed off on, the exit is fiction.
• No NMLS trail. Residential mortgage brokering and lending in California is generally a licensed activity — typically through the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) or the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), with individual originators registered in NMLS. Licensing regimes vary by lender type and some private lending is structured outside consumer-mortgage rules, so treat this as a starting point rather than legal advice — but a company that cannot point you to an NMLS Consumer Access record for itself or its originators deserves a harder look. Ours is NMLS #2591548.

California Bridge Loan Markets We Serve

Bridge loans price into demand. These are the California metros where we see the deepest bridge volume:

Los Angeles County & Greater LA

San Francisco Bay Area

San Diego County

Orange County

Central Coast, Wine Country & Resort Markets

California Bridge Loans by Metro: Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Bay Area, Sacramento & Inland Empire

The program terms do not change by city — 8.50% interest-only, $1M–$20M, up to 60% LTV, 14–21 day close statewide. What changes is how the loan gets used, where the $1M floor lands in the local price ladder, and which local wrinkles tend to eat days on the closing calendar. Here is what we see file by file.

Bridge Loans in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the deepest bridge market in the state, and it splits into three distinct sub-markets:

• Westside (Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu). The dominant use case is the luxury non-contingent purchase: a buyer moving up within the Westside, or arriving from out of state, who needs to close in two to three weeks against a seller holding other offers. Most files here land in the $5M–$10M loan tier (55% LTV) or above (50% LTV), and title frequently vests in a revocable trust — budget the $350 trust review and have the trust certification ready on day one.
• South Bay (Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes). Beach-city inventory is thin and sellers routinely field multiple offers. Our reference file is here: a $4.2M Manhattan Beach bridge at 60% LTV and 8.50% interest-only, needed to make a non-contingent offer in a five-bid situation with a 14-day close window. The appraisal was ordered the day the contract was ratified, underwriting ran on verified liquid assets, and the loan funded in 13 days — with a 30-year DSCR refinance planned as the exit.
• San Fernando Valley and the foothills (Encino, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Pasadena, San Marino, La Cañada Flintridge). More trade-up and relocation bridge-to-sale activity: equity from a departing Valley or Pasadena home funds the down payment on the next house before the first one closes. The loan is sized against the departing residence's appraised value less the existing mortgage balance, so the more equity you have built, the larger the bridge check.

LA closing nuances. Hillside and wildfire-exposed neighborhoods can make hazard insurance the slowest item in the file; start the insurance quote the day the contract is ratified rather than the week before funding. Files above $1.5M require two appraisals, and appraiser availability in the highest-priced LA pockets is the most common reason a 14-day target becomes an 18-day close.

Bridge Loans in Orange County

Orange County bridge volume concentrates along the coast — Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Dana Point — and in Irvine's master-planned villages. Coastal files are luxury non-contingent purchases and second-home acquisitions, often in the $5M+ tier. Irvine files skew toward relocation and trade-up bridge-to-sale: the borrower is moving between planned communities and needs the equity from one before the other closes. Two things to plan for: HOA documentation is standard on almost every Orange County file (order it at application), and planned communities can carry special-district assessments that show up in title and in the appraiser's expense analysis — not a problem, just a line item to have ready. Investor bridge files in OC are usually 1–4 unit coastal rentals where the buyer intends to refinance into a DSCR loan once the property is seasoned.

Bridge Loans in San Diego

San Diego splits between the coastal core — La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Coronado, Point Loma — and North County — Rancho Santa Fe, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Carmel Valley, 4S Ranch. Coastal San Diego bridge files look like coastal LA: non-contingent luxury purchases, second homes, and relocations where the buyer's equity is tied up in a home somewhere else. One structural note: the collateral for this program must be in California, so a departing residence in Arizona or Texas cannot secure the bridge — the down payment has to come from that home's sale or a loan in that state. North County brings larger estate parcels, particularly in Rancho Santa Fe, where appraisals take longer because comparable sales are scarce; plan for the full 21 days rather than 14 on those files. Military and biotech relocations produce a steady stream of "buy here before we sell there" scenarios, and when the departing home is also in California, a bridge-to-sale against it is the cleanest structure.

Bridge Loans in the San Francisco Bay Area

• San Francisco (Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, Sea Cliff, Noe Valley, Russian Hill). Bridge demand tracks equity events: a buyer whose down payment is coming from a stock sale, a liquidity event, or the sale of an existing condo, who needs to close before that money is actually in the account. San Francisco condos are eligible as 1–4 unit SFR/condo collateral; tenancy-in-common interests and 5+ unit buildings generally fall outside that box, so ask before you assume.
• Peninsula (Atherton, Hillsborough, Woodside, Portola Valley, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park). The highest concentration of $10M–$20M bridge files in the state, which means 50% LTV and two appraisals on every file. Sellers here expect short contingencies or none at all; the bridge is what makes a financed buyer look like a cash buyer.
• East Bay and Marin (Piedmont, Berkeley, Orinda, Lafayette, Tiburon, Belvedere, Mill Valley, Ross). Predominantly trade-up bridge-to-sale files against a departing residence with substantial built-up equity. Marketing times in these markets typically sit well inside the 6-month listing-time standard, which keeps files clean.

Bay Area closing nuances. City transfer taxes vary by municipality and are settled in escrow; escrow officers handle them routinely, but they belong in your cost estimate. High-value Peninsula and Marin files are where two-appraisal reconciliation most often moves the LTV denominator — the lower of the two values generally controls, so a bridge sized to the top of the range should have a cushion.

Bridge Loans in Sacramento

Sacramento is a different price tier, which matters because of the $1,000,000 program floor. Bridge files here concentrate in the upper end of the region — East Sacramento, Land Park, Granite Bay, El Dorado Hills, Folsom, and the Loomis/Newcastle acreage corridor — and in two scenarios: Bay Area sellers relocating to Sacramento who want to buy before their Bay Area home closes (the departing Bay Area residence is the collateral, and it is usually the larger asset), and investors assembling 1–4 unit rental portfolios who need a fast close and plan to refinance into a Sacramento DSCR loan. Sub-$1M bridge needs — common in Sacramento proper — fall below this program and are better served by a HELOC, a second mortgage, or non-jumbo private money.

Bridge Loans in the Inland Empire

Riverside and San Bernardino counties are where the $1M floor filters the most. Eligible bridge files cluster in Rancho Cucamonga, Chino Hills, Redlands, Temecula wine country, Corona, and the mountain second-home markets (Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear). Use cases split between relocation bridge-to-sale from the coastal counties — a family selling in Orange County and buying larger in Temecula — and investor acquisitions of 1–4 unit properties ahead of a DSCR refinance. What the program does not cover: 5+ unit multifamily, industrial, and mixed-use, all of which are active Inland Empire asset classes. Those go to our multifamily program or a commercial bridge lender, not this residential bridge product. Acreage and rural parcels get a closer look on eligibility and comparable sales; ask before you assume a property qualifies, and expect the appraisal to be the long pole in the schedule.

What's Required to Close a California Bridge Loan

The documentation footprint is intentionally light. Bridge underwriting prioritizes property value and exit strategy over full income analysis:

• 1003 loan application with borrower details and the property securing the bridge.
• Tri-merge credit report with 680+ mid-FICO.
• Two appraisals on files above $1.5M; one appraisal on files at $1.5M or below. All appraisals require a comparable rent survey.
• Listing agreement on the departing residence (if Bridge-to-Sale), with average marketing time in the neighborhood not exceeding 6 months.
• Title commitment showing clean title with the existing mortgage being paid off or subordinated.
• Asset documentation — the most recent two months of statements showing reserves and ability to carry interest-only payments through the bridge term.
• Trust or entity documents if title vests in a trust or LLC (most California estate-planning trusts are eligible; $350 review fee applies).

The Bridge-to-Sale Workflow in California

The classic California use case:

1. Identify the new property. You're ready to buy, but your existing California home hasn't sold yet.
2. Bridge loan secured against the departing residence. We lend up to 60% of the appraised value of the home you're selling, less the existing mortgage balance.
3. Cash proceeds wire to escrow on the new home. You close the new purchase with non-contingent funds.
4. Existing home gets listed and sold. Average California marketing time at our target price tier is 30–90 days; we allow up to 6 months baseline.
5. Bridge loan paid off at the sale closing. Interest accrues only for the months the bridge was outstanding.

How to Apply for a Bridge Loan in Los Angeles (or Anywhere in California)

The process is the same whether the property is in Los Angeles, San Diego, or Sacramento. It is built to fund in 14–21 days from application, and every step below is on the critical path — the clock only runs as fast as the slowest item.

1. Day 0 — Check eligibility. Use the 30-second eligibility form or call (818) 447-7035. We confirm the four gating items in the first conversation: California property, $1M+ loan amount, 680+ mid-FICO, and U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If any of those fail, we say so on the call rather than after an appraisal.
2. Day 0–1 — Scenario call and term sheet. A loan officer walks the structure: bridge-to-sale or bridge-to-purchase, which property secures the loan, the target loan amount against the LTV tier (60% / 55% / 50%), and the exit — sale, DSCR refinance, or conventional refinance. You get a written term sheet showing rate, points, lender fee, and extension pricing before anything is ordered.
3. Day 1–2 — Application and document upload. Complete the 1003 and upload the document set (below). Files that arrive complete on day one are the ones that close in 14 days; files that trickle in are the ones that close in 21.
4. Day 1–2 — Appraisal ordered. One appraisal on loans of $1.5M or less; two independent appraisals above $1.5M, each with a comparable rent survey. This is the single longest lead-time item, which is why it goes out the day the application is complete — in the Manhattan Beach file, the same day the contract was ratified.
5. Day 2–5 — Title and escrow opened. Title commitment ordered on the collateral property; any existing mortgage is set up for payoff or subordination. Judgment liens, mechanic's liens, and open disputes surface here — the earlier the better.
6. Day 3–10 — Underwriting. The lender reviews credit, assets (two months of statements showing reserves and the ability to carry interest-only payments through the term), the listing agreement and marketing-time data on a bridge-to-sale, and trust or entity documents if applicable. Conditions are issued and cleared in parallel with the appraisal.
7. Day 10–17 — Appraisal review and final approval. Appraisal(s) received and reviewed; on two-appraisal files the lower value sets the LTV denominator. Final loan amount confirmed; closing figures and loan documents prepared.
8. Day 14–21 — Sign and fund. Loan documents signed with a notary, funds wire to escrow, deed of trust records. On a bridge-to-sale, the pledge account is set up ($250) and proceeds wire to the escrow on the new purchase.

Documents to have ready before you call

• Government-issued ID and evidence of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency
• Address and current mortgage statement for the property securing the bridge
• Most recent two months of bank, brokerage, or retirement statements
• Purchase contract on the new property (bridge-to-purchase) or the listing agreement on the departing residence (bridge-to-sale)
• Trust certification, or LLC formation documents and operating agreement, if title will vest in an entity
• Current hazard insurance declarations page — and, for hillside or coastal properties, a head start on the new binder

Note what the list does not include: tax returns, W-2s, pay stubs, or a DSCR test. Underwriting on this program is built around property value, liquid assets, and the exit rather than a full income analysis. That is what makes the 14–21 day timeline possible, and it is why the case for the loan is the collateral and the exit, not your debt-to-income ratio.

California Bridge Loan Pricing & Fees

What the total cost looks like on a representative $2,000,000 California bridge loan, 60% LTV, 12-month term:

• Base rate: 8.50% interest-only
• Monthly interest payment: $14,167/mo ($170,000 annualized if held the full 12 months)
• Origination fee (2%): $40,000 at close
• Lender fee: $1,695 at close
• Pledge account setup (Bridge-to-Sale): $250
• Trust / entity review: $350 (if applicable)
• Two appraisals: ~$1,500–$3,000 combined
• Title, escrow, recording (CA): ~$3,500–$6,000

The cost is real, but it has to be measured against the alternative: losing the new home to a non-contingent bidder, or accepting a fire-sale price on the existing one. For most California jumbo buyers, the bridge fee profile pencils against either of those outcomes.

Bridge Loan vs. HELOC vs. Cash-Out DSCR vs. Hard Money in California

Four ways to pull money out of, or buy ahead of, California real estate — and they solve different problems. Rate ranges below come from our current rate sheet; the bridge column is the program on this page.

	CA Bridge (this program)	HELOC	Cash-Out DSCR	Hard Money
Best use	Non-contingent purchase; buy before you sell; 1031 timing	Small, revolving equity draw on a home you keep	Long-term equity pull from a stabilized rental	Fix-and-flip, sub-680 credit, heavy rehab
Rate	8.50% interest-only	Prime+1 to Prime+3 (variable)	6.375–9.25% (30-yr fixed)	9.00–12.00%+
Max LTV	60% / 55% / 50% by loan size	70–80% CLTV	Up to 75% (80% on strong-file exceptions)	65–70%, often on ARV
Time to close	14–21 days	30–60 days	21–30 days	7–14 days
Term	12 months + two 6-mo extensions	Draw period, then repayment (typical)	30 years	6–18 months (typical)
Payment	Interest-only	Interest-only during draw (typical)	Amortizing, or interest-only option	Interest-only
Loan size	$1M–$20M	Usually capped well below jumbo bridge needs	Program-dependent	Lender-dependent
Income docs	Assets and property value; no full income analysis	Full income (bank underwriting)	Property cash flow (DSCR), no personal income	Minimal
Occupancy	Owner-occ, 2nd home, investment	Primary / second home (typical)	Investment only	Non-owner-occupied (typical)
Exit	Sale, DSCR refi, or conventional refi	Ongoing; paid at sale	Permanent — no exit needed	Sale or DSCR refi

When the bridge wins

You need to close on a new California property in two to three weeks, the equity that funds the down payment is locked in a home that has not sold, and the loan amount is $1M or more. A HELOC will not close in time and is usually too small; a DSCR loan does not apply to a primary residence and cannot hit a 14-day window; hard money can hit the window, but at 9.00–12.00%+ with ARV-based LTV and terms built for flippers. The bridge is the purpose-built tool.

When something else wins

• HELOC if the need is under $1M, you are keeping the home, and you can wait 30–60 days. Cheaper on a small draw; not a substitute on a $3M purchase.
• Cash-out DSCR refinance if the property is a stabilized rental and the money is for a long-term purpose. It is permanent financing at 6.375–9.25% with no maturity to manage — the right long-term home for equity. Full detail in our DSCR cash-out refinance guide. Many bridge borrowers end up here at exit.
• Hard money if credit is below 680, the property needs heavy renovation before it will appraise, or the plan is a flip rather than a hold. Our DSCR vs. hard money comparison covers the trade-offs, and the hard money exit page covers refinancing out of it once the property is stabilized.

Extensions & What Happens if the Sale Takes Longer

The 12-month term covers the vast majority of California bridge files, but the program includes two structured 6-month extensions for slower sales or repositioning plays:

• First 6-month extension: 0.50% of original loan amount + $500 renewal review fee. Total term extends to 18 months.
• Second 6-month extension: Another 0.50% + $500 fee. Total term extends to 24 months.
• Beyond 24 months: Property must be refinanced into a permanent loan (jumbo conventional, DSCR, or portfolio) or otherwise resolved.

California Bridge Loan Exit Strategies

A bridge loan is underwritten on its exit. Before the appraisal is ordered, we want to know which of three doors you are walking out of — and the good files have a primary exit and a backup.

Exit 1: Sale of the departing residence

The default on bridge-to-sale. The departing home is listed (a listing agreement is part of the file, and the neighborhood's average marketing time must be 6 months or less), it sells, and the bridge is paid off through the sale escrow. Interest accrues only for the months the bridge is outstanding — a home that closes in month four costs four months of interest, not twelve. The pledge account set up at close ($250) is the mechanism that routes sale proceeds to the payoff. The risk to manage is price: a listing priced for a sale protects the exit; a listing priced for a record protects the ego. Your listing agent and your loan officer should be looking at the same comps.

Exit 2: DSCR refinance

The standard exit on investment-property bridge files, and increasingly common on bridge-to-purchase files where the borrower decides to keep the old house as a rental instead of selling it. A DSCR loan qualifies on the property's rent-to-payment ratio rather than your personal income, so the refinance does not depend on tax returns — the same reason the bridge did not. Current DSCR pricing runs 6.375–9.25% on 30-year terms, so the refinance typically lowers the rate, though an amortizing payment at 7% can be a larger monthly check than an interest-only payment at 8.50%, which is why interest-only DSCR options exist. The Manhattan Beach borrower in our case study planned the DSCR refinance at month nine, after renovating and raising rental value. We handle both ends in-house; see the California DSCR guide for current requirements and the California DSCR program page for terms.

Two planning notes. First, the DSCR lender needs the rental income to support the new payment; if the property does not cash flow at the refinance loan amount, a no-ratio DSCR loan or a lower loan amount is the fallback. Second, DSCR cash-out caps run lower than purchase LTV (up to 75% on most programs), so a bridge sized at 60% of value generally refinances cleanly, while a bridge that has been extended should have its payoff math re-run against current value before the extension is exercised.

Exit 3: Conventional or jumbo refinance

The exit for owner-occupied bridge-to-purchase files where the borrower is keeping the new home as a primary residence and has documentable income. Jumbo conventional financing at 80–90% LTV and 30–45 day timelines is what the bridge bought time for: you closed non-contingent in 14 days, and now the permanent loan can take its 45 days with full income documentation, without a seller waiting on you. Start this refinance no later than month six so a slow appraisal or a document request does not push you into an extension.

What happens at maturity

Month 12 is a hard date, not a suggestion. If the exit has not closed, the options run in the order laid out above: the first contractual 6-month extension (0.50% of the original loan amount plus $500) takes the term to 18 months; the second, on the same terms, takes it to 24; beyond 24 months the property must be refinanced into permanent financing — jumbo conventional, DSCR, or portfolio — or sold. The extensions are structured and priced up front, which is the point: you are not negotiating with the lender at month eleven. But every extension is a signal to re-examine the exit. If the departing home has sat unsold for a year, the price is wrong; if a refinance keeps stalling, the property or the file has an issue that six more months will not fix by itself. Put a 90-days-to-maturity reminder on the calendar the day the bridge funds, and have the exit conversation then — not at month eleven.

Common Reasons a California Bridge File Doesn't Close

1. Listing-time exceeds 6 months in the property's neighborhood. The lender pulls average days-on-market data for the comparable price tier. Slower markets (luxury Montecito or remote Lake Tahoe) sometimes can't meet the 6-month threshold; we route to alternative bridge programs.
2. NRA borrower. Non-Resident Aliens are not eligible for this program. We offer foreign-national alternative bridge options on case-by-case basis.
3. Sub-$1M loan size. The program floor is $1,000,000. Bridge needs below that should look at HELOC, second mortgage, or non-jumbo private money.
4. Property type outside 1–4 unit SFR/condo. 5+ unit multifamily, mixed-use, and pure commercial are not eligible. Bridge needs on those property types go to commercial bridge lenders.
5. Title issues or open litigation. Title must be clean. Active disputes, mechanic's liens, or judgment liens delay or kill the file.

Why DSCR Capital Partners for California Bridge Loans

• California-licensed broker. NMLS #2591548. We handle CA bridge files as a core specialty, not a side product.
• Wholesale lender access. Direct access to the institutional bridge programs underlying this rate sheet — we pass through wholesale pricing rather than retail.
• 14–21 day close standard. Our process is built around the speed California jumbo buyers need to win deals.
• Single point of contact. One loan officer manages your file from intake to funding. No call-center handoffs.
• Bridge + permanent financing. When the bridge needs to convert to a 30-year DSCR or jumbo loan, we handle both ends in-house.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources

• DSCR Loans in California 2026
• No-Ratio DSCR Loans (for low-DSCR CA properties)
• Interest-Only DSCR Loans
• DSCR Cash-Out Refinance
• DSCR LTV Limits Explained
• Case Study: $4.2M Manhattan Beach 14-Day Bridge
• Current Rate Sheet: Bridge, Hard Money & DSCR
• 5+ Unit Multifamily Financing (outside this program)

DSCR Capital Partners is a brand of UTM Financial, LLC (NMLS #2591548), a licensed California mortgage broker. The California bridge loan program described on this page is offered through a wholesale lender partner; specific program terms, rates, and fees are subject to change without notice and final terms depend on full underwriting. Rates shown are base rates at par pricing for borrower-paid compensation files; your final rate may vary based on FICO, LTV, occupancy, property type, and market conditions on the day of lock. Loans secured by California real estate only. Equal Housing Lender. Not a loan commitment.