Question 1

What kind of commercial property is actually trading and getting bridged in Fort Myers right now?

Accepted Answer

Two distinct plays, not one generic commercial market. The first is rebuild-era repositioning: Hurricane Ian destroyed an estimated 900 structures and damaged another 2,200 on Fort Myers Beach alone, out of at least 52,514 impacted structures across Lee County, so retail, hospitality and mixed-use buildings along the coast are still being rebuilt, converted or repositioned four years later. The second is Cape Coral's construction economy, where the city reports it is only about 60% built out and that $1.7 billion was invested in residential and commercial construction in 2025 across 3,578 issued certificates of occupancy, with 75% of new development expected in North Cape Coral. We have not found a published metro-level commercial vacancy, absorption or cap-rate figure for Lee County, so we are not going to hand you one. Bring us the specific asset and comps, and we underwrite the deal, not a market average. See the CRE bridge program for structure.

Question 2

Does the FEMA 50% rule apply to a damaged commercial building, not just houses?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the mechanics are structural, not residential-only. Under the National Flood Insurance Program, any structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area whose repair or improvement cost reaches 50% of the structure's market value has to be brought up to current flood elevation and Florida Building Code requirements, in practice elevate or demolish, and the test runs against the building's value, not the land. Cape Coral removed the 5-year cumulative lookback from that calculation under Ordinance 96-22 in November 2022, so older pre-Ian work no longer stacks toward the threshold there, but FEMA has audited Lee County's enforcement of the rule since 2024, and its 2024 action put the county's 25% flood-insurance discount at risk. We have not found a published resolution of that action, so do not price a deal on the discount surviving. Get an independent appraisal on the structure rather than leaning on the tax-assessed value, and expect a lender to want a clean permit file before closing a repositioning loan on damaged coastal commercial stock.

Question 3

Why does a Florida bridge loan price differently than a Texas bridge loan on the same commercial asset?

Accepted Answer

Because Florida's foreclosure remedy runs through the circuit court, and that is materially slower than a non-judicial state. The national average time from foreclosure start to completion was 563 days in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest since 2013, while Texas, a non-judicial state, was the fastest in the country at 165 days. There is no published Florida-specific average to quote, but the judicial process is slower than Texas by a wide margin, and that gap is priced into Florida bridge and hard-money terms rather than hidden in them. Doc stamps add to the closing math: 70 cents per $100 on the deed and 35 cents per $100 on the note, on top of the mortgage recording, so a partner buyout or refinance structured through a deed transfer carries a real, quantifiable cost that a Texas deal does not.

Question 4

How much does insurance move a Lee County commercial repositioning deal?

Accepted Answer

Less than the ground-zero reputation suggests, but flood is where the real coastal cost sits. The only county-level pricing available is residential, so treat it as a read on wind exposure rather than a commercial quote: as of March 2026 the average Lee County homeowners premium including wind was $3,576, close to Hillsborough's $3,525 and well below Collier's $5,534 or Miami-Dade's roughly $5,975. The wind portion of that Lee premium runs about $1,457 a year on the average policy; flood is a separate policy on top of it and is where coastal exposure really lives. Statewide, the average homeowners premium including wind fell in 51 of 67 Florida counties between the regulator's January and July 2026 reports. We have not found a Lee County-specific commercial premium or Citizens concentration figure, so get a bindable quote on the actual parcel before you size the loan.

Question 5

How long should I budget for permitting on a Fort Myers or Cape Coral commercial repositioning?

Accepted Answer

Build the schedule off the statutory backstop, because there is no local benchmark to lean on instead. Florida Statutes section 553.792 requires a local government to approve, approve with conditions, or deny a complete application within 30 business days for a typical single-family scope and 60 business days for commercial under 25,000 square feet and for site plans, with fees dropping 10% for each business day of delay. The statute we can cite does not set a clock for commercial work above that size. We have not found observed, actual review times for Cape Coral or Lee County permitting, and the county's impact fee schedule was not available in this research pass, so do not assume the statutory clock is the real-world clock. Size the term with room on top of the statute rather than the minimum: our bridge runs up to 24 to 36 months for exactly that reason.

Question 6

What can a commercial bridge loan be used for?

Accepted Answer

Bridge capital is for repositioning or stabilizing a commercial property before permanent financing: value-add, lease-up, a partner buyout, or pulling equity out through a cash-out. We lend across property types on terms up to 24 to 36 months, with loans up to $10M.

Question 7

What rates, leverage, and terms should I expect?

Accepted Answer

Our commercial bridge pricing starts around 9%, interest-only, up to roughly 75% loan-to-value, on terms up to 24 to 36 months. Published bridge pricing generally runs 8% to 12% with 1 to 3 points. Final terms depend on the asset, the business plan, and sponsor strength.

Question 8

How fast can a commercial bridge loan close?

Accepted Answer

Commercial deals usually close in 2 to 4 weeks. They take a little longer than residential because of the appraisal, the rent roll and operating-statement review, and any third-party reports. We move as fast as the diligence allows and keep one point of contact on your file.

Question 9

Do I need positive cash flow (DSCR) to qualify?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily at closing. Bridge loans are often underwritten interest-only to the as-stabilized business plan rather than a minimum in-place DSCR, since the property is being repositioned. We do want to see a credible path to stabilization and enough in-place income or reserves to carry the loan.

Question 10

What documents do you need for a commercial bridge request?

Accepted Answer

Typically the purchase contract or current debt, a rent roll and trailing-12-month operating statement, your business plan and renovation budget, and sponsor financials. Larger assets may also need a property condition report and an environmental review. We will give you a clear checklist up front.

Question 11

Is the loan recourse, and is cash-out available?

Accepted Answer

Most bridge loans are recourse with a personal guarantee, while lower-leverage non-recourse can be possible on stronger assets. Cash-out is available when there is equity to support it. We structure recourse and leverage around the specific deal.

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