Bank of Canada 2.25% ▬ 0.00|Prime 4.45% ▬ 0.00|GoC 5yr 3.01% ▲ 0.02|CMB 5yr 3.42% ▲ 0.01|CORRA 2.24% ▼ 0.01|as of Jun 15, 2026 · sample · view the rate board →|Bank of Canada 2.25% ▬ 0.00|Prime 4.45% ▬ 0.00|GoC 5yr 3.01% ▲ 0.02|CMB 5yr 3.42% ▲ 0.01|CORRA 2.24% ▼ 0.01|as of Jun 15, 2026 · sample · view the rate board →|

Financing a Small Development Project, The Basics

Financing a small development project is about the numbers of the project itself, not just the borrower. Lenders look at what it costs to build, what it will be worth, and how it pays off at the end. Here are the basics.

What Makes Up the Deal

The Pro Forma

Your build-and-sell math: the project's costs measured against its expected value.

Your Equity

Developers put in meaningful equity; financing covers a portion of costs.

Hard and Soft Costs

Construction (hard) plus design, permits, and fees (soft).

A Contingency

Lenders expect a buffer set aside for the unexpected.

The Exit

A sale, refinance, or lease-up that repays the financing.

How the Money Flows

  1. Land Acquisition
  2. Construction Draws
  3. Completion and Lease-Up
  4. Take-Out (Sale or Refinance)

What Makes a Fundable File

What Lenders Look At

A realistic pro forma, the market and how quickly units sell or lease, your experience and team, zoning and permits, and a clear exit at the end.

What to Bring Us

The project plans and budget, your pro forma, the site and zoning details, your track record, and proof of equity. The clearer the picture, the stronger the file.

Strong projects start with honest numbers. We pressure-test the pro forma and the exit with you before we take a project to lenders, so the plan holds up to scrutiny. Any figures shown are illustrative only.
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Discuss Builder and Developer Financing

Working on a project? Bring us the plans, the budget, and your pro forma, and we will walk through how the financing could come together. A licensed member of our team will follow up.

Start a conversation
(902) 835-6420  |  contact@tmgharbourtown.ca

Information here is general and educational. It is not financial, legal, or lending advice, and it is not an offer of financing. Development financing structures vary by lender, project, and province. Any figures shown are illustrative only. All financing is subject to lender and project review and supporting documentation. Submission of a form does not guarantee approval or financing.