A bridge loan is a short-term loan of a year or less used to cover the time between when long-term financing is needed and when it will be available. Bridge loans are typically high-interest loans that require some sort of collateral. The best and most common example is when a homeowner wants to purchase a new home before their existing home sells. They can use the equity in their current home as collateral and use the bridge loan to proceed with their new home purchase giving them time to sell their house.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need a bridge loan, but your credit is bad, you have options. The biggest concern for lenders in a bad credit situation is the exit strategy for your bridge loan. If you have a solid exit strategy, lenders may work with you.