Funding the build is the difference between a great site and a finished scheme. AB Specialist Finance arranges development finance for residential, mixed-use and complex commercial schemes across the UK, from owner-developer first-time projects through to multi-phase £25m+ schemes for established operators. We don't broker volume, we structure capital.
Going to a senior lender alone when the deal needs stretched or mezzanine. The equity gap kills the deal before it starts.
Stating a GDV the valuer can't support. Lending shrinks proportionally and the build cost facility falls short of the works needed.
Going to the wrong lender for the developer's experience, the location or the asset class. Decline at credit committee, weeks lost, scheme momentum gone.
We model senior, stretched and mezzanine side by side. You see the net IRR impact of each structure before you commit equity.
We pressure-test GDV against comparable evidence before submission. The number you commit to is the number the valuer can defend at red book.
We know which lenders fund first-time developers, which want a third scheme, and which only fund post-track-record. Saves the wasted credit committee.
Location, planning status, build cost estimate, GDV with comparable evidence. The site sets the structure.
Your track record, contractor relationship, professional team. Experience drives the lender pool more than any other factor.
Sales programme, refinance to BTL, or development exit facility. The lender wants to see a clean route off the debt before they fund the build.
Bespoke structures for high-value assets and non-standard income streams.
Specialist mortgage advice tailored to company directors and the self-employed.
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Fast-tracked capital for property developers and professional investors.
Development finance is where our senior team has spent careers. Senior, stretched, mezzanine and JV equity structures are our default, not an occasional sideline.
For senior-only, typically 25% to 35% of total project costs. Stretched senior brings that down to 15% to 20%. Layered mezzanine brings it down to 5% to 10%. 100% structures need a track record and a profit share with the equity partner.
For most senior lenders, yes, at least one prior comparable scheme. First-time developers can still access funding through specialist lenders, often with a more experienced JV partner or a strong main contractor on the team.
Four to eight weeks from initial brief to drawdown is typical for a clean deal. Complex structures with multiple tranches, mezzanine layers or JV equity can take eight to twelve weeks.
Yes. We arrange UK property development funded by overseas investors and offshore vehicles, including trust and SPV structures. Source-of-funds documentation and FX considerations need handling up front.
Almost always. Typically a 'bad-boy guarantee' capping personal liability to acts of fraud, mismanagement or breach of facility terms, rather than full recourse. We'll show you the exact wording each lender uses.
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