Development Finance Broker — Residential and Mixed-Use Property Development Loans

Our specialty lies in providing tailor-made mortgage solutions for loans over £1 million. Our success is underpinned by our established relationships with private banks, mainstream banks, and specialist lenders. We pride ourselves on our personalised approach, understanding our clients’ unique profiles to match them with the right financial institution.  Our longstanding industry connections often enable us to unlock exclusive deals that transcend typical lending criteria. Clients looking for an expert mortgage broker value our proficiency and dedication to securing the best loan terms.

We thrive on sourcing unconventional mortgages, be it for non-standard property types, self-employment income, or foreign income sources. Mortgages are multifaceted, demanding a deep understanding of the market and strong banking relationships to secure the best deals. As a specialist in complex mortgages, we offer the expert knowledge and professional relationships essential to navigate these challenging scenarios. If there is a solution available for your complex mortgage needs, we will find it.

Our experience spans across a variety of asset classes and client types. From individuals looking to buy their trading premises to large organisations refinancing their commercial real estate portfolios.  We often engage multiple lenders simultaneously, presenting each deal with complete transparency.  As lenders are aware that they are in a competitive tendering process, we encourage the provision of the best possible rates. Our partners experience the difference that our client-centred approach makes in their commercial and real estate financing.

Navigating the complexities of buy to let mortgages can be demanding, particularly when faced with portfolio landlord criteria or seeking financing for an HMO or multi-unit block. As regulations for BTL Mortgages become increasingly complex, it’s more important than ever to have an expert broker to guide you through the diverse criteria on stress tests, property types, and portfolio restrictions. We demystify the complexities of BTL mortgages. We specialise in securing portfolio loans from multiple lenders, resulting in lower rates and higher leveraging.

Business owners encounter distinct challenges when pursuing mortgages, including the need to substantiate income and demonstrate stability. Our tailored mortgage solutions reflect the unique income structures of business owners. Traditional lenders tend to calculate their loan offers based on historical dividends, potentially underestimating the business owner’s real income. By partnering with us, you can take advantage of our expertise in sourcing mortgages designed for business owners. We carefully assess your income, liaising with lenders who consider your profit share, the latest year’s profit, or pre-tax profits to maximise your borrowing potential.

Sourcing the best bridging or development terms requires industry knowledge and expertise. Our team excels in sourcing deals for both non-experienced developers and seasoned professionals. We have access to low-rate bridging loans through strategic partnerships with building societies and private banks. Moreover, we specialise in arranging high-value self-build mortgages, ensuring that your financing needs are met throughout the entire development process. With our guidance, you can embark on your projects with confidence, secure in the knowledge that we will procure the most favourable rates and terms available.

At Onozzi, we understand that securing the best financing available for our clients is only part of the story. We work with our clients to build bespoke protection packages that are structured around their income, lifestyle, and aspirations for the future. With our discreet and personalised approach, our clients can rest assured that they have a tailored package, unique to them, that will protect their long-term financial interests. We are adept at building plans that cover a broad range of protection, including Income Protection, Business Protection, Family Income Benefit  &  Key Person Protection.

Development finance is a short-term loan used to fund the construction or conversion of property. It is drawn down in stages as the build progresses, with interest typically rolled up into the loan and repaid from the sale or refinance of the completed development. It differs from a standard mortgage in that it is sized against the Gross Development Value (GDV) of the completed scheme rather than the current value of the property — and it is designed to be repaid within 12–36 months rather than over a long term.

Development finance is typically sized at up to 65–70% of GDV (Gross Development Value) including rolled-up interest. This means the maximum loan is calculated as a percentage of what the completed scheme will be worth, not what it is worth today. As a rule of thumb, for a scheme with a GDV of £2m, a lender will typically advance up to £1.3m–£1.4m across land and build drawdowns.

For ground-up development, full planning consent is typically required before a lender will commit to a development facility.

Yes, through the specialist lenders we work with. Day-one land advances are available for schemes where planning consent is in place and the development appraisal supports the GDV-based loan. The land advance typically covers 60–65% of the current site value.

For straightforward projects with planning consent and an experienced developer, indicative terms can be provided within 24 hours of receiving your development appraisal. Formal credit-backed terms typically take 48–72 hours from credit committee. Full facility completion — including legal, valuation and monitoring surveyor appointment — typically takes 4–6 weeks from credit approval

Yes, in the right circumstances. Specialist lenders will consider first-time developers where the scheme is straightforward (typically a small residential scheme of 2–6 units), the planning consent is in place, the developer has an experienced professional team, and the exit is clear.

Bridging finance is typically used for light to medium refurbishment — where no structural work or change of use is involved. Development finance is used for ground-up construction, conversion with change of use, and heavy refurbishment involving structural changes. The key differences are that development finance is drawn down in stages against build progress (bridging is typically fully drawn at the outset), and development finance is assessed against the GDV of the completed project rather than current value.