Builders & developers

Financing for the build.

Land, construction, and the takeout. We structure financing across the project lifecycle and present it to lenders who understand how a build actually funds, draw by draw.

Across the project lifecycle

From the lot to the last draw, and into long-term debt.

Construction financing is its own discipline. The loan is sized on cost and on the finished value, money is advanced in stages, and a lender wants confidence the project will complete and pay back. We package that story and manage the file through every draw. We are mortgage brokers, here to make the financing side clear so you can build.

  • Land acquisition and servicing
  • Single-family spec and custom builds
  • Small multi-unit and infill development
  • Construction and draw mortgages
  • Land-to-build-out, staged financing
  • The takeout, refinancing to term or selling on completion
How construction financing works

Built on cost, value, and the draw schedule.

A construction loan does not fund like a regular mortgage. Here is the general shape of it. These are illustrative starting points, not offers, and every project is underwritten on its own merits.

Sized on: project cost and as-complete value Loan-to-cost: often up to roughly 75 to 80% Funds advanced: in draws as the build progresses Each draw: inspected and verified before release The takeout: refinance to a term mortgage or sell on completion
Lenders advance against budget and cost-to-complete, hold back until work is verified, and look closely at your experience, your contracts, and the exit. Getting the structure right at the start protects your cash flow through the build. We map the draw schedule and the takeout with you before you commit.
See the land-to-build-out financing stages →
Illustrative only and not an offer of financing, a commitment, or a guarantee of approval, amount, rate, or terms. Structures vary by lender, project, and sponsor. APR. OAC. Subject to change without notice.
Financing across the lifecycle

The financing changes at each stage of the project.

A build is rarely one loan. It moves through stages, and the right structure at each step protects your cash flow and sets up the next one. We plan the whole arc with you, not just the piece in front of you.

Stage 1

Land and acquisition

Financing to secure the site, structured so it can roll into the build rather than box you in.

Stage 2

Servicing and site prep

Funding the work that makes a lot buildable, planned as a step toward construction.

Stage 3

Construction draws

The loan advances in stages against verified progress, sized on cost and as-complete value.

Stage 4

Completion and lease-up or sale

Carrying the project through finishing, occupancy, or sale, with the exit already mapped.

Stage 5

The long-term takeout

Refinance into a term mortgage or sell on completion. The takeout is built into the plan from day one.

Illustrative stages only. Not every project uses every stage, and structure is set per project after lender review.

The exit for purpose-built rental

From construction into long-term, often CMHC-insured, financing.

For multi-unit and purpose-built rental, the takeout is often a long-term mortgage on the completed, leased-up building, and CMHC MLI Select is one program worth reviewing. Insured financing can mean longer amortizations and stronger sizing than conventional, which changes what a project can carry. We model the takeout early, because it shapes how you finance the build.

CMHC MLI Select is one option to review, subject to CMHC and lender approval, program criteria, and property review. Estimates are illustrative and not an offer, commitment, or guarantee of approval, amount, rate, or terms.

Why our team

We have financed builds from the lender side.

Construction and development files get declined for avoidable reasons: a thin budget, an unclear exit, a draw schedule that does not match reality. We have worked inside the lender, so we package the file the way credit needs to see it, and present it to lenders who actually do this kind of deal.

Lender-side experience

Time inside a Big 5 bank financing new construction and real estate development.

Cost and budget literacy

We read a construction budget and a cost-to-complete the way an underwriter will.

Valuation insight

A grounded read on as-complete value before the file reaches a lender.

Draw and takeout strategy

Over 50 years of combined experience structuring staged financing and the exit.

As part of TMG The Mortgage Group, we reach a broad range of construction and term lenders, with private and structured options to review when a project calls for it.

How it works

From plans to funding to takeout.

1

Bring us the project

The site, the budget, the plans, the timeline, and the exit. Early conversations save deals.

2

We structure the financing

We shape the loan to cost and value, map the draw schedule, and plan the takeout.

3

We package and present

A complete file to lenders who fund builds like yours, with the credit story they expect.

4

We manage the draws

Through advances, inspections, and conditions, to completion and into long-term financing.

How we help

The kinds of projects we finance.

A spec or custom build

A builder financing a single home for sale or a client. We structure the construction loan and the draw schedule around the build.

A small multi-unit development

An infill or small apartment project. We size to cost and value and plan the move into long-term, sometimes CMHC-insured, financing.

Land to build-out

From acquisition and servicing through construction, financed in stages with a clear exit at each step.

Illustrative examples only. We do not share client details.

Guides and tools

Resources for builders and developers.

Understand the structure, prepare the file, then bring us the project.

How it looks in practice. See how we structured land, a build, and the path to funding when there was no cash to start, in a real, anonymized file.
Read: Land, a Build, and No Cash to Start →
Anonymized illustration. Every project is reviewed and structured on its own facts. Past structures are not a promise of any outcome.
Common questions

Construction financing questions.

How do construction draws work?

Funds are advanced in stages as the build progresses, not all at once. Each draw is typically inspected and verified against the budget and the work completed before money is released. We map the schedule with you so your cash flow holds through the build.

Can you finance the land too?

Often yes, sometimes as a first stage that rolls into construction financing. Land, servicing, and the build can be planned as connected stages with a clear path through to completion.

How is a construction loan sized?

Usually on a mix of project cost and as-complete value, with a loan-to-cost limit. Lenders look hard at the budget, the cost-to-complete, your experience, and the exit. Any figure we use is illustrative until a lender reviews the file.

Do I need pre-sales?

It depends on the lender and the project type. Some require a level of pre-sales or pre-leasing, others do not. Matching your project to a lender whose requirements you can meet is part of what we do.

What happens when the build is finished?

The construction loan is paid out by the takeout, either a refinance into a long-term mortgage or a sale on completion. We plan that exit at the start, because the takeout is part of the structure, not an afterthought.

My project is unusual or time-sensitive. Can you help?

That is where the right lender and structure matter most. Where conventional construction financing does not fit, private and structured options are one path to review, never the default.

What is the difference between loan-to-cost and loan-to-value?

Loan-to-cost measures the loan against what the project costs to build. Loan-to-value measures it against the finished, appraised value. Construction lenders use both, and the lower of the two often governs how much they will advance. We model both so there are no surprises at funding.

What is a holdback, and how does it affect cash flow?

Lenders typically hold back a portion of each advance until work is verified, and construction lien legislation can require holdbacks as well. It means you carry some cost ahead of reimbursement, which is exactly why we map the draw schedule against your cash flow before you start.

What happens if costs run over budget?

Cost overruns are one of the most common reasons a build gets into trouble, which is why lenders look for a contingency and want to see cost-to-complete at every draw. We build a realistic budget and contingency into the structure so an overrun is planned for, not a crisis.

How is interest handled during construction?

Interest usually accrues on funds as they are advanced, not on the full loan from day one, and is often carried through an interest reserve or paid as you go. We estimate this with you so the carrying cost through the build is clear up front.

Can a rental build move into CMHC-insured financing?

For purpose-built rental, CMHC-insured options such as MLI Select are worth reviewing as the takeout, and can offer longer amortizations and stronger sizing than conventional financing, subject to CMHC and lender approval. We model that exit early because it shapes how you finance the build.

Do I need to be an experienced builder?

Experience helps and lenders weigh it, but it is one factor among many alongside the budget, the contracts, the team, and the exit. We help present your background and project in the strongest, most accurate light for the right lender.

Builder & Developer Inquiry

Discuss Your Project

Tell us about the site, the build, and the timeline. A member of our team will follow up. You are more than just a client. You are our priority.

Construction and development financing is subject to lender review, project review, and supporting documentation. Submission of this form does not guarantee approval or financing.

Have a project to build? You Dream it. We Finance it.

Discuss Your Project