Question 1

What kind of commercial property actually trades in Killeen-Temple?

Accepted Answer

Two lanes: Temple warehouse and logistics, and post-adjacent retail or self-storage. Temple's non-medical employer base is warehouses on the I-35/BNSF corridor: McLane Company (1,700 employees), the H-E-B Retail Distribution Center (1,700), BNSF Railway (1,500), Wilsonart (1,000), a Walmart Distribution Center (925) and Performance Food Group (550), per the Temple EDC's major-employer list. On the west side of the metro, retail and self-storage along the US-190 corridor east of Fort Hood serve a post with 34,474 active-duty soldiers and 126,225 military retirees drawing federal disposable income of $10.64 billion. No metro-level CRE vacancy, rent or cap-rate series exists for Killeen-Temple, so underwrite the tenant and the lease, not a published market number.

Question 2

Why does a Killeen commercial deal need a bridge loan instead of a bank term loan?

Accepted Answer

Because the deal usually needs to move on a timeline a bank underwriting committee cannot match. A lease-up, a partner buyout, or a repositioning ahead of stabilization is exactly the file a bank passes on until the asset already cash flows. We fund that middle stretch with our own capital, up to $10M and 75% LTV, interest-only, for 24 to 36 months, then refinance you into permanent debt we also place in house. There is no published cap-rate or vacancy series for this metro, so the underwriting leans on the tenant, the rent roll, and Fort Hood's $37.9 billion in economic output and 159,692 total jobs supported as the structural demand base behind the lease. See the CRE bridge program for full terms.

Question 3

How much does property tax move a Killeen or Temple commercial pro forma?

Accepted Answer

Roughly 2.0% of assessed value in Killeen, and materially more in Temple, before any special-district overlay. The Killeen investor stack works out to about 2.0019 per $100 of value once you add Bell County (0.3128), the county road district (0.0199), the City of Killeen (0.7014), Killeen ISD (0.8778) and Central Texas College (0.09), per the Bell Central Appraisal District's 2025 Tax Rate Table. Temple's stack runs closer to 2.17 to 2.37 once Temple ISD (1.1372) and Temple College (0.2017) are layered on, both meaningfully heavier than the Killeen side. A parcel inside a Bell County Municipal Utility District adds another 0.783 to 1.000 per $100 on top of everything else, which can push a new-build commercial stack near or above 3%. Pull the actual overlay list from Bell CAD for the parcel before you set year-two operating expense, and talk to your CPA about how the stack affects your exit basis.

Question 4

How long does a commercial permit or repositioning review take in Killeen or Temple?

Accepted Answer

Fast and cheap on the fee side, with a review clock that matters for your holding-period math. Killeen prices new commercial construction and major remodel work at $0.20 per square foot ($0.24 for commercial remodel) plus a $0.04 per square foot plan review and a $10 application fee, under the city's fee schedule effective October 2025. A commercial permit-expediter source puts Killeen plan review at 10 to 15 days depending on project type, though that figure has not been confirmed directly with Development Services. Temple's own permit page states 10 business days to review and comment after a permit is paid. Either way, build the review window into your 24-to-36-month bridge term rather than assuming same-week sign-off, and confirm current timelines with the city before you commit to a leasing schedule.

Question 5

If a Killeen commercial deal goes to foreclosure, how fast does it move?

Accepted Answer

Fast, and on a fixed monthly clock, same as anywhere in Texas. Texas is a non-judicial, deed-of-trust state under Property Code section 51.002: sales happen at the county courthouse between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month (first Wednesday if the first Tuesday falls on January 1 or July 4), after at least 21 days' notice by certified mail and courthouse posting. There is no residential 20-day cure notice on non-owner-occupied commercial property, so the practical floor from default notice to sale can run close to 21 days. That cuts both ways: a lender or buyer chasing distressed Bell County commercial inventory needs funds committed before the first Tuesday, and a borrower on a bridge needs a term that survives a leasing delay rather than one that has to be fixed at month 20. Talk to us or start an application.

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.

CRE Bridge in Killeen

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