Ground-Up Construction Loans for Residential Builders
Why Investors Choose Upright Lending
One dedicated team from land to final inspection
The same people handle underwriting, servicing, and inspections. They know your plan, your market, and your municipality, so you are not re-explaining the project every month.
Draws funded in under two days
The clock starts when you open the request, not when an inspector gets around to you. Submit in the Borrower Portal, complete a virtual inspection or we send someone out, watch the remaining budget in real time, and expect the wire in under two days.
Leverage sized to the build
Up to 90% of total project cost, with your experience, budget size, and exit pricing setting where you land. Interest reserve can be included in the cost basis, and interest is charged only on the outstanding principal, so you are not paying on money that is still sitting in the budget.
Budget review before you break ground
Our team walks the budget line by line for cost integrity and feasibility. You start with a schedule that funds the build instead of one that runs dry at framing.
Built for ground-up, not adapted to it
We underwrite land basis, budget feasibility, exit pricing, timeline, and municipal requirements as separate risks, because on a ground-up deal they are separate risks. Ground-up construction, or GUC, is a core product here, not an exception we make.
Rates, terms, and requirements
Fix-and-Flip, New Construction & Bridge
Loan amounts
- $125,000 to $3,500,000
- Up to 90% of total cost
- Higher balances considered case by case
Loan terms
- 6 to 24 months, interest only
- No prepayment penalty
- Interest charges only on the outstanding principal, non-dutch
Draws
- Funded in under two days from the request
- In-person or virtual inspections
- Opened and tracked in the Borrower Portal
Experience
- Tiers of 4 to 5 and 6+ completed projects in the last 3 years
- Ground-up lending is built for builders with completed projects behind them
Construction types
- Urban infill
- Build-to-rent
- Build-to-sell
- Additions and new structures on existing parcels
- Horizontal improvements where applicable
Property types
- Single family homes
- Townhomes
- 2 to 4 unit multifamily
- Small-scale residential communities
Credit, liquidity, and reserve requirements are covered in the FAQ below and confirmed on your term sheet. We look at the whole file, and exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Rate Disclosure: Rates shown are the lowest available as of August 2026, and are subject to change. Your rate depends on credit score, experience tier, leverage, property type, market, loan size and past business with Upright Lending. All loans are subject to credit approval, valuation, and program guidelines.
How it works
The Path to Funding
Ground-up is complex. The financing does not need to be. Terms come off a fast feasibility read, and the thorough underwrite follows once you have accepted them.
01
Share your deal
Complete an application in under 5 minutes. Once it is in, your Borrower Portal lists exactly which documents your project type needs, so you are never guessing at a checklist. Your team reviews everything with you, step by step.
02
Terms, delivered digitally
A fast feasibility read on your application data, covering land basis, budget, exit pricing, and your completed-project history, produces a term sheet with leverage, pricing, the draw schedule, and inspection requirements. Early enough to be useful while you are still negotiating the lot.
03
Empowered Diligence
Once terms are set, your dedicated branch, who understand your business & market, review the project line-by-line. Technology handles the heavy administrative lifting so our team can focus on supporting your deal, not creating roadblocks.
04
Closing with fast coordination
Coordinated directly with your title and escrow team. We routinely close construction loans in 7 days or less.
05
Digital draw management
Open draw requests, monitor the remaining budget, and track wire timelines in the portal. We coordinate an in-person inspection or you complete a virtual one, and the wire follows in under two days from the request.
06
Complete and exit cleanly
Sell, refinance into a DSCR loan, or stabilize the asset for the rental portfolio. We support the exit either way.
FAQs
Who qualifies for a ground-up construction loan?
Builders and investors with a track record of completed projects of similar or greater scope. Ground-up is not a first-deal product, but if you are moving into it from rehab, talk to us about what you have finished. Scope counts more than raw volume, and we would rather look at the file than turn you away on a number.
What credit score do I need?
We generally look for a 680 or better, scored within the last 90 days. Strong builder experience, meaningful equity, or a clear exit can support a file that is light on credit, so bring us the scenario rather than assuming the answer.
How do draws work during construction?
Funds release against completed work. You open the draw request in the Borrower Portal and we handle the inspection, either in person or virtually. The wire typically goes out in under two days measured from when you open the request, not from when an inspection clears. Interest is charged only on the outstanding principal, so you are not paying on undrawn budget.
How much can I borrow against the land?
Land is advanced at a lower percentage than vertical construction cost, and it is usually the binding constraint on a ground-up file. Bring us the lot basis and the budget early and your team will size it before you go to contract.
What is the maximum leverage?
Up to 90% of total project cost. Where you land inside that depends on your completed-project history, the size of the construction budget, and the exit pricing the finished home supports. Interest reserve can be included in the cost basis.
How fast can you close?
7 days or less on a complete file. Ground-up files carry more moving parts than a rehab, so the closings that hit a week are the ones where plans, budget, permits, and entity documents all land together.
How much cash do I need to bring?
Plan on your down payment, a share of the construction budget, and several months of carrying costs in verified liquidity. Your team confirms the exact figure with your term sheet.
Do you finance build-to-rent projects?
Yes. Build-to-rent, build-to-sell, urban infill, and small residential communities are all in the box. If you plan to hold the finished homes, we can underwrite the DSCR takeout on the same platform.
What documentation do you need up front?
Plans, a detailed line-item budget, your timeline, site photos, entity documents, permit status, and evidence of the municipal approvals your project requires. Files that arrive complete are the ones that close in a week.
Don't have a deal yet?
Book a call and we will walk you through what we lend on, what it costs, and what we would want to see. Bring a deal you are considering and we will tell you straight whether we would do it.