Office bridge loans
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An office bridge loan is short-term financing on an office building that can't get bank, CMBS or life company debt today, usually because of vacancy, near-term lease rollover or a maturing loan. Asset-based lenders size it off the current as-is value and focus on in-place leases, tenant credit and the cost to re-lease space. It is commonly used to pay off a maturing loan, buy a building at a discounted basis, or fund leasing costs while occupancy improves.
Compare office bridge lenders for your deal
Enter your deal once and compare every asset-based lender whose rules fit it, side by side: max loan, rate, points, term, days to close and total cost. Lenders stay anonymous until one confirms your terms.
- Free for borrowers
- No credit pull to compare
- Loans from $1M to $50M
What lenders look at
WALT
Weighted average lease term. Short remaining terms mean more rollover risk during and after the bridge loan.
Tenant credit
The financial strength of major tenants and whether any single tenant makes up a large share of income.
Rollover schedule
Leases expiring during the loan term and shortly after, including early termination options.
TI/LC reserves
Tenant improvement and leasing commission costs to renew or replace tenants. Lenders often require reserves funded at closing or from cash flow.
Remote-work vacancy
Space that is leased but underused, sublease availability in the building, and how demand in the submarket has changed with hybrid work.
Building class and amenities
How the building competes with newer space, including systems, floor plates, parking and amenities.
How leverage works
Office is treated cautiously by most lenders, and many asset-based bridge lenders lend around 50–65% of as-is value or less, with lower leverage for buildings with heavy vacancy, short WALT or older systems. Lenders often require TI/LC and interest reserves, and some size to loan-to-cost when there is a leasing or capital plan. Buildings with long leases to strong tenants get better terms than multi-tenant buildings with near-term rollover.
Use the commercial bridge loan sizer to see whether LTV or LTC decides your loan. The deal form asks for square feet, occupancy today and current NOI, so lenders see the numbers they size on.
Documents lenders ask for
- Rent roll with lease dates, options, termination rights and expense recoveries
- All leases and amendments
- Tenant estoppel certificates
- Trailing 12-month operating statement and operating expense reconciliations
- Rollover schedule and leasing pipeline
- TI/LC and capital budget
- Purchase contract or current loan payoff statement
- Tenant financials for major tenants, where available
- Insurance declarations and loss runs
- Entity documents and sponsor real estate schedule
How fast it closes
Office bridge loans commonly close in about 21–30 days, sometimes longer for larger buildings. Lenders typically require a full appraisal, Phase I environmental, property condition report, and on larger loans a survey and zoning report. Estoppels from tenants and appraisal turnaround are the usual bottlenecks. Loan payoffs with a hard maturity date move fastest when the borrower orders reports early.
Common bridge scenarios
Maturing loan payoff
Pay off a CMBS, bank or debt fund loan that is maturing while the building has vacancy or rollover. See distressed note payoff loans.
Discounted acquisition
Buy an office building at a reset basis and fund leasing costs to re-tenant.
Recapitalization
Bring in bridge debt to pay down an existing lender or replace a partner while the leasing plan plays out.
Lease-up of vacant floors
Fund TI/LC for new tenants and carry the building until occupancy supports permanent debt.
Typical exit
Stabilized office typically refinances with a bank, CMBS or life company, owner-users may use SBA 504, and many office bridge loans exit through a sale.
Related
- Value-Add Bridge Loans for Commercial Real Estate
- Distressed and Note-Payoff Bridge Loans
- Commercial bridge loan sizer (LTV and LTC)
- Debt yield and DSCR calculator
- Bridge loan cost calculator
More commercial: Mixed-use · Retail · Medical office · Industrial · Self storage · Hotel and motel
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an office bridge loan without a credit check?
Yes. Some asset-based lenders size the loan off the property and don't pull credit, usually at lower leverage. You can filter for them when comparing.
How fast can an office bridge loan close?
Often in about 21–30 days. Ordering the appraisal and third-party reports early matters most when there is a hard maturity date.
How much leverage is available on an office building?
Many asset-based lenders lend around 50–65% of as-is value or less, depending on vacancy, WALT and tenant credit. Check proceeds with the debt yield and DSCR calculator.
Can a bridge loan pay off a maturing office loan?
Yes, that is one of the most common office bridge scenarios. See distressed note payoff bridge loans.
Do lenders require TI/LC reserves on office?
Usually. Lenders want funds set aside for tenant improvements and leasing commissions on space that is vacant or rolling during the loan term.
Will a lender finance an office conversion?
These pages cover bridge loans on existing buildings. Some bridge lenders consider renovation and repositioning plans, but ground-up construction is not offered here.
General information for business-purpose investors, not legal, tax or financial advice. Lenders set final terms after underwriting.