How Do I Qualify for a Construction Loan With BuildBuyRefi?
Before reaching out to a construction loan specialist, a quick self-assessment can help clarify whether your scenario is a strong fit for one of our programs. Most borrowers who move forward share a common set of starting conditions. Work through the five statements below and note where your situation lands.
This is not a formal application. It is a directional pre-check designed to help you understand what matters before the first conversation.
(1) You plan to build on land you own or will own at closing.
Our construction loan programs require that the land be titled in the borrower's name, either through current ownership or through a simultaneous purchase that closes with the construction loan.
If you already own land free and clear, that equity may reduce or eliminate your down payment requirement in eligible programs. If the land carries an existing lien, we can pay it off at closing and roll it into the loan.
If you are still identifying land, that is not a barrier to starting the conversation. Many borrowers finalize their land selection during the pre-qualification process.
Land that is owned by a third party and not being transferred to the borrower is not eligible. Situations involving family land gifts or informal arrangements require a formal title transfer, survey separation, and confirmation before the loan can proceed. We can help direct you through that process.
(2) You are building one of our eligible home types.
Our programs cover a wide range of construction scenarios, including site-built single-family homes, manufactured homes, modular homes, barndominiums, log cabins, concrete block homes, steel and metal frame homes, SIP panel homes, ICF insulated concrete homes, 1-4 unit multi-family, second homes, investment properties, and accessory dwelling units.
Property types that are not eligible for our programs include: earth contact homes, geodesic domes, container homes, tiny homes, shop homes (shomes), A-frames, mixed-use properties, and commercial projects.
Self-build, owner-as-general-contractor, relative-built, employer-built, and self-contracted builds are not permitted under any program. A qualified, approved builder is required.
(3) You do not have the large down payment traditional construction lenders require.
Many conventional construction lenders require 20% or more down before they will consider a file. Our programs are structured differently. VA-eligible borrowers can access up to 100% financing in qualifying scenarios. Borrowers using land equity may meet down payment requirements without bringing additional cash to closing. Conventional and FHA programs carry their own requirements, but they are generally accessible at lower thresholds than what a typical bank or portfolio lender demands.
(4) You want to qualify once and avoid multiple closings.
A traditional construction sequence involves separate closings for land acquisition, construction financing, and the permanent take-out loan. Each closing carries its own qualification requirements, appraisal, underwriting review, and closing costs. That is three separate approval events where employment changes, credit shifts, rising rates, or tightening guidelines can affect your eligibility.
Our One-Time Close program requires a single qualification, a single appraisal, and a single closing. At build completion, the loan converts to permanent financing automatically without re-qualification. Our Hybrid Construction Loan offers a similar single-closing structure with different rate timing, which may fit some borrowers better depending on build length and rate strategy. And we have two-time close construction loan for unique program types and certain portfolio products.
If you are uncertain which structure fits your scenario, our excellent team of construction bankers will walk you through making the correct decision in detail.
(5) You are committed to staying actively engaged throughout the process.
Construction lending requires more borrower involvement than a standard purchase or refinance. From pre-qualification through permanent conversion, your responsiveness, documentation accuracy, and communication directly affect your timeline and outcome. Rate locks are real financial instruments with expiration dates. Build phases require timely draw requests and inspection coordination. Borrowers who treat the process as passive tend to encounter delays and added costs.
If you can stay engaged and work with your loan officer as a partner throughout the process, that is one of the strongest indicators of a smooth build.
What Your Answers Mean
If all five of these statements reflect your situation, you are well-positioned to start a formal pre-qualification conversation with one of our construction loan specialists.
If one or more of them does not fit your current scenario, that does not automatically remove you from consideration. It identifies where your file needs attention before the process moves forward. A direct conversation with a specialist is often the most efficient way to determine what is addressable and what is not.
Check My Eligibility or call to speak with a construction loan specialist about your specific scenario.