Bridging Loans Ireland

Bridging Loans Ireland: Short-Term Finance from €500,000 for Developers and Institutions

Page last reviewed: October 2026.

Bridging loans in Ireland provide short-term, asset-backed finance against commercial and residential investment property, development sites and portfolios, repaid on sale or refinance. We arrange Irish bridging facilities from €500,000 up to €500m+ for developers, institutional investors, funds, family offices and corporate borrowers, whether they are based in Ireland or overseas. Larger requirements can be arranged as syndicated lending with multiple lenders, on request. This is unregulated commercial lending, not finance for buying a home to live in.

Irish Bridging Loans at a Glance

Why Ireland Is Different From the Rest of Continental Europe

Of the six markets we cover, Ireland is the one where short-term property lending feels most familiar to a UK or international lender. It operates under common law, security concepts such as fixed charges and receivers are well understood, and there is an established base of specialist lenders alongside the banks. That generally means a wider choice of lenders and quicker execution than in the notarial systems of southern and central Europe.

The market is still narrower than the UK’s, and larger or more complex deals usually involve international capital. Matching the asset to the right lender matters more than comparing headline rates.

Where Irish Bridging Is Used

• Securing a site ahead of planning or development funding, so a developer can complete on the land while permission or construction finance is being arranged.
• Acquiring a part-let residential block or mixed-use building that needs stabilising before it can attract term debt.
• Refinancing a maturing facility when a replacement lender has not yet completed its process.
• Development exit, funding completed units until they are sold or the scheme is refinanced.
• Portfolio acquisitions by funds and family offices that need to act before capital calls or sales complete.
• Bridging to a forward sale of a completed block to an institutional investor or approved housing body.

Asset Classes in the Irish Market

• Residential investment blocks and portfolios, including build-to-rent, student housing, co-living and senior living schemes.
• Offices and mixed-use buildings, particularly in Dublin’s established business districts.
• Retail and commercial units with identifiable tenants or clear repositioning plans.
• Industrial and logistics assets, including warehouses and distribution units near the main road and port corridors.
• Hotels, leisure and holiday parks, typically backed by an operator or a clear operating history.
• Development land and part-built schemes, with or without planning.

The Irish Security and Legal Process

The borrower is normally a newly formed or existing Irish company that owns the asset. Behind it can sit an overseas holding company, a fund or a family office, provided ownership and source of funds are fully documented.

• Charge over the property: registered at the land registry, with the lender’s Irish solicitors reviewing title.
• Registration of the charge at the Companies Registration Office, in addition to property registration.
• Share pledge over the borrower, and assignment of rents and insurances where the asset is let.
• Guarantees from the sponsor or a group company, sometimes limited to specific risks.

Lenders also look at planning status for land, and at tenancy and rent regulation for residential investment blocks, because both affect income assumptions and the exit.

Valuation in Ireland

Lenders instruct their own approved valuer, typically a chartered surveyor, and apply their gearing to their own figure. On a development site, they look at the value with and without planning, and on income assets they test both the investment value and the value on a quicker sale. Build a margin into your own appraisal, because a lender’s figure can come back below your own.

Exit Strategies Lenders Accept in Ireland

• Sale of the asset or units, evidenced by agent appraisals and comparable transactions.
• Refinance onto term debt from a bank or institutional lender once the asset is stabilised.
• Forward sale or institutional take-out, where a completed residential block is sold to an institutional investor or an approved housing body.
• Development finance, where the bridge secures a site that will then be funded for construction. See our Ireland development finance page.

Bridging Across Dublin, Cork, Galway and Beyond

We arrange bridging loans across the Republic of Ireland. Most enquiries concern Dublin and its commuter belt, followed by Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, but lenders assess the asset, the title and the exit rather than a fixed list of places.

• Dublin and the commuter belt: city-centre and docklands offices, residential blocks and development sites, plus Swords, Maynooth, Naas, Bray and Drogheda.
• Regional cities: Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, where lenders look closely at depth of demand.
• Tourist and coastal areas: hotels, leisure and holiday assets, usually backed by an operator.

Bridging Loans by City and Region: Where We Cover in Ireland

We arrange bridging loans against assets across the Republic of Ireland. The cities and areas below are where most enquiries come from, though we will look at any well-structured asset.

• Major cities: bridging loans in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
• Dublin commuter belt: Swords, Maynooth, Naas, Bray, Drogheda and the surrounding counties of Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Louth.
• Regional towns: Kilkenny, Sligo, Athlone and other towns with proven demand.

If your asset is not listed, send us the details anyway. Lenders assess the asset, the title and the exit rather than a fixed list of places.

A Worked Example

The figures below are illustrative only and do not represent an offer or a real case.

A fund agrees to acquire a part-let apartment block in Dublin for €24,000,000. The lender’s valuer values the block at €25,000,000. At 65% of the lender’s valuation, the facility is €16,250,000. The fund funds the remaining €7,750,000 of the price, plus costs, from equity. The exit is a refinance onto a term loan once the vacant units are let and the income is stabilised.

If the valuation had come in lower, the facility would reduce in proportion, which is why it pays to test the lender’s likely figure before committing to the price.

Costs, Rates and Terms

Pricing varies with the lender, the asset, the gearing and the exit, and is usually quoted per month. As a general guide only:

• Interest: for strong assets and sponsors, monthly pricing often starts at around 0.9% a month, rising for higher gearing, secondary assets or less certain exits. Interest is usually retained or rolled up.
• Arrangement fee: typically around 1% to 2% of the facility, with some lenders also charging an exit fee.
• Third-party costs: valuation, legal fees for both sides, and registration costs.
• Term: usually 3 to 24 months.

Any figures we give for your deal will come from live lender feedback, not from this page.

From First Call to Completion in Ireland

1. Initial summary. You send us the asset, location, borrower, amount, term and exit.
2. Lender approach. We approach lenders whose appetite matches the asset, and with a complete summary indicative terms can often come back within days.
3. Heads of terms and due diligence. The lender instructs a valuer and its Irish solicitors, who review title, planning and tenancies.
4. Documentation. The facility, charge, share pledge and guarantees are agreed and signed.
5. Completion. Charges are registered and funds are released.

Allow around four to ten weeks on most deals, depending on valuation and legal work. Syndicated facilities take longer.

Documents to Have Ready

• Details of the asset, title documents and a summary of tenancies or planning status
• Details of the borrowing company, its owners and the source of funds
• A valuation or agent appraisal and your business plan
• Your exit strategy with supporting evidence
• A summary of the sponsor’s experience

Common Reasons Irish Bridges Stall

• Title or planning issues found late in due diligence.
• Valuation shortfalls against the lender’s figure.
• An exit that is hoped for rather than evidenced.
• Incomplete ownership paperwork on overseas structures.

How We Can Help

We start with a conversation about the asset, the structure and the exit, so we can tell you quickly whether Irish bridging fits and what a realistic facility looks like. We then approach lenders whose appetite matches, help you present the case the way they need to see it, and stay involved through valuation, legal work and completion. Our wider international bridging loans overview explains how the six markets fit together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Irish developers and investors use specialist bridging, or is it only for overseas borrowers?
Both. Irish sponsors use specialist lenders when they need more speed, leverage or flexibility than a bank will give, and overseas borrowers are equally welcome. The loan is normally made to an Irish company that can be owned locally or from overseas.

What is the minimum loan size?
We arrange Irish bridging facilities from €500,000.

What is the maximum?
Up to €500m+, with syndicated lending with multiple lenders available on request for larger requirements.

Is this a bridging loan for buying my home?
No. This is commercial lending for companies and professional investors, secured on investment, commercial or development property.

How much can I borrow against the property?
Typically 50% to 65% of the lender’s valuation, up to around 70% for strong assets and sponsors.

How long is the term?
Typically 3 to 24 months.

Is interest paid monthly?
Usually it is retained or rolled up, though some lenders accept serviced interest.

Will I need to give a guarantee?
Lenders commonly ask for a guarantee from the sponsor or a group company. Terms vary by lender and deal.

Can I borrow in a currency other than euro?
Irish facilities are normally in euro. Any currency hedging is a matter to discuss with your own advisers.

How is the broker paid?
How we are paid, and any fees, are confirmed to you in writing before you proceed.

Is this regulated lending?
No. This is unregulated lending, arranged for business purposes, so it is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Bridging Loans in Other Countries

We also arrange bridging finance across Europe, including Spain bridging loans, Italy bridging loans, Germany bridging loans, Netherlands bridging loans and France bridging loans. If you need build funding after the bridge, see our Ireland development finance page.

Tell us about the asset, the structure and the exit, and we will tell you what the Irish market is likely to offer.