Bridging finance: buying before you sell
What a bridging loan is, when it helps and what to ask your lender before you rely on one.
- Bridging covers the gap between buying your next home and settling the sale of your current one.
- Closed bridging means your sale is unconditional and the date is known. Open bridging means no sale yet, which carries more risk.
- The lender holds security over both properties while the bridge runs.
- Work out the total cost of fees and interest, then compare it with selling first and renting.
- Ask in writing what happens if the sale runs late, including any change to the rate or refinancing.
Check the details. Check the loan terms and exit plan with your bank or a mortgage adviser, and the contracts with your lawyer.
Official pages
Shortened from a Berry article first written 2026-05-18. Figures we could not check against a public source were taken out. This is general information, not advice.