How a facility
comes together

Every engagement starts with a short, structured brief: the asset (location, type, current and target use), the requirement (amount, term, purpose, expected exit), the borrower vehicle and ultimate beneficial ownership, and any existing debt. We do not require a full data room to give a first reaction, and we treat all material as confidential from first contact. Most engagements begin with a 30-minute call before any documents move.

We frame the requirement so it reaches the market in the right shape, then shortlist a small number of lenders, usually three to five, whose current appetite genuinely matches the asset, jurisdiction, ticket size, leverage point and borrower profile. The shortlist draws on our standing network of private banks, debt funds, family offices and specialist real estate lenders, and is refreshed continuously based on what each counterparty is actually pricing and closing.

We approach the shortlisted lenders, run the process on the borrower's side, and return indicative terms with a clear rationale for each. Rather than broadcasting the file across the market, the borrower sees a curated set of named counterparties and can compare price, leverage, structure and timing on a like-for-like basis. We give a candid view on what is realistic; we do not quote closings we cannot defend.

Once a lender is selected, the facility moves into underwriting: valuation, legal due diligence, KYC and source-of-funds, and security perfection. In our experience the critical path usually sits on legal and security rather than credit, so we mobilise local counsel early. For development facilities, the monitoring surveyor, build-cost review and appraisal are worked in parallel.

On completion of underwriting and security, the facility draws down and funds are released, in a single advance for a bridge, or in tranches against the surveyor's monitoring for development finance. A straightforward bridge in our core jurisdictions can reach drawdown in roughly four to eight weeks from a complete information pack. The borrower keeps the lender relationship after completion.