FLORIDA · GULF COAST · TAMPA · ORLANDO · STATEWIDE
Ground-Up Construction
Loans in Florida
Land plus build financing for spec builders, developers, and investors going vertical. Draw schedules that keep crews paid, interest-only during the build, and construction-to-permanent options that don't make you re-qualify at the finish line.
Project-based underwriting · Draw process that works · Response in 1 business day
Over $1.5B+ Funded
HOW IT WORKS
How Ground-Up Construction
Loans Work
A ground-up construction loan finances the building of a new structure from raw or improved land — covering land acquisition (or payoff), site work, materials, and labor through completion. Unlike a conventional mortgage that funds a finished home in one lump at closing, a construction loan releases funds in stages called draws, as the project hits defined milestones.
During the build, you pay interest only — and only on the funds actually drawn, not the full approved amount. That keeps carrying costs low in the early months when little has been disbursed. Loan sizing is driven by two numbers: Loan-to-Cost (LTC), the percentage of total project cost financed, and Loan-to-ARV, the loan measured against the property's appraised value once complete. Lenders use both to confirm the project pencils with a margin of safety.
At completion, the loan resolves through its exit: a sale (for spec builders), a refinance into a permanent mortgage, a DSCR takeout (for investors holding the finished property as a rental), or — with a construction-to-permanent structure — an automatic conversion to long-term financing with no second closing and no re-qualification. The right exit is chosen before the first shovel hits dirt.
Typical Project Structure
Program Details Unlocked
Lakewood Ranch Lending · Powered by Novus Home Mortgage · NMLS #423065
LOAN-TO-COST
Up to 85% of total project cost
LAND FINANCING
Land acquisition or payoff included
MAX LOAN-TO-ARV
Up to 70–75% of completed value
BUILD-PHASE PAYMENTS
Interest-only on drawn funds
TERM LENGTH
12–24 months construction term
DRAW TURNAROUND
Typically 48–72 hours after inspection
ENTITY VESTING
LLC, Corporation, Trust accepted
EXIT OPTIONS
Sale, refinance, DSCR, construction-to-perm
How the Draw Process Works
Funds release as the build progresses - protecting the project and keeping your crews and suppliers paid on time.
Who We Finance
From a single spec home to a multi-lot subdivision, construction financing scaled to the project.
Spec Builders
Build to sell. Land-plus-build financing with draw schedules that keep the job moving, sized against ARV so the project pencils. Exit through sale - and if a finished spec doesn't sell on your timeline, pivot to a DSCR rental with the same team.
Developers
Single lots to multi-unit and small subdivision projects. We structure construction financing around your phasing and absorption plan, with the private-lending flexibility to move faster than a bank construction department.
Investors Going Vertical
BRRRR strategy taken to new construction. Build a purpose-built rental, then refinance into a DSCR loan on the completed, leased property. Construction entrance, rental exit - both ends financed under one roof.
Owner-Builders & Custom Homes
Building your own Gulf Coast home or estate, including teardown-rebuild on barrier island lots. Construction-to-permanent structures convert to your long-term mortgage at completion - one process, no second closing.
BUILDING ON THE GULF COAST
Building on the
Gulf Coast
Ground-Up Construction in Florida: Where Builders Are Going in 2026
Florida remains one of the most active new-construction markets in the country, and the Gulf Coast sits at the center of it. The Sarasota-Bradenton-Lakewood Ranch corridor continues to absorb new housing at a pace few regions match. Lakewood Ranch alone ranks among the top-selling master-planned communities in the United States, and its approved southeast expansion of up to 5,000 homes signals years of construction demand ahead. For spec builders, developers, and investors, the opportunity is real - but so is the need for a lender who funds draws on time.
The defining challenge in Florida construction lending isn't finding demand - it's capital that keeps pace with the build. Crews don't wait, suppliers don't extend indefinitely, and a draw that takes two weeks to fund stalls a job and erodes margin. The lenders builders trust are the ones who inspect fast and wire faster. Our 48-72 hour draw turnaround exists because we understand that a construction loan's real product isn't the rate - it's reliable, on-time disbursement that keeps the project on schedule.
Across the Gulf Coast, three construction patterns dominate in 2026. Infill spec building in established Sarasota and Bradenton neighborhoods, where builders acquire and develop single lots in proven-value areas. Subdivision and multi-lot development in the growth corridors - Parrish, North River Ranch, the Lakewood Ranch southeast expansion, and the Tampa and Orlando metros. And barrier island teardown-rebuild, where dated structures on Siesta Key, Longboat Key, and Anna Maria Island are replaced with modern coastal homes commanding premium completed values that support strong loan-to-ARV ratios.
Florida construction also carries specific realities a competent lender anticipates: wind-rated building requirements and the inspections they trigger, flood-zone considerations on coastal lots, longer permitting timelines in certain municipalities, and insurance that must be in place correctly before and during the build. Scott Ward's 27 years in direct real estate lending means these aren't surprises that derail a draw schedule - they're known variables built into the project structure from day one. And because the same team originates the DSCR, bridge, and permanent financing, your construction loan's exit is arranged with a lender who already knows your project.
Infill Spec: Sarasota & Bradenton
Single-lot builds in established, proven-value neighborhoods. Build to sell or build to rent.
Growth-Corridor Development
Parrish, North River Ranch, LWR Southeast, Tampa & Orlando. Single lots to subdivisions.
Barrier Island Teardown-Rebuild
Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Anna Maria. Premium completed values, strong loan-to-ARV.
Build-to-Rent / BRRRR Vertical
Purpose-built rentals with DSCR takeout. Construction entrance, long-term rental exit.
Scott Ward
Construction & Private Lending Specialist
NMLS #1148813
📞 941-526-0778
YOUR CONSTRUCTION LENDER
Builders Judge a Lender by the Draw
Any lender can quote a construction rate. Far fewer can run a draw process that keeps a job on schedule — fast inspections, 48–72 hour funding, and a structure that anticipates the realities of building in Florida. Scott Ward has spent 27 years on the capital side of real estate lending — $1.5 B+ funded, Certified Fund Manager, AAPL Education Board Member, co-author of Private Lender Perspectives.
That experience shows in how projects are structured: realistic budgets, sober loan-to-cost and loan-to-ARV, draw schedules matched to how the work actually sequences, and an exit confirmed before funding. Builders who've been burned by slow-draw lenders understand exactly how much that discipline is worth.
And because Lakewood Ranch Lending originates DSCR, bridge, and permanent financing too, your construction loan's takeout is arranged under the same roof — no handoff at completion to a lender who doesn't know your project. Submit your project and get an experienced read within 1 business day.
Direct Answers for Builders
How much of the project cost will you finance?
Up to 85% of total project cost (Loan-to-Cost), subject to the completed loan staying within roughly 70–75% of After Repair Value (Loan-to-ARV). The two limits work together — your loan can't exceed either ceiling. Stronger builders with track records and well-margined projects access the top of the range; first-time builders typically start lower.
Do you finance the land, or do I need to own it already?
Both work. We can finance land acquisition as part of the construction loan, or finance the build on land you already own (using your existing equity as part of your contribution). Owning the lot outright often strengthens your loan-to-cost position. Tell us where the land stands and we'll structure accordingly.
How do construction draws work and how fast do they fund?
Your budget is broken into milestone phases at closing. As each phase completes, you request a draw, an inspection verifies the work, and funds are wired — typically within 48 to 72 hours of inspection. You pay interest only on funds actually drawn, not the full approved amount, which keeps early carrying costs low.
What's the difference between a construction loan and construction-to-permanent?
A standalone construction loan funds the build and is repaid at completion through a separate exit — sale, refinance, or DSCR takeout — which means a second loan and second closing for the permanent financing. A construction-to-permanent loan converts automatically into long-term financing at completion with no re-qualification and no second closing. C2P is ideal for owner-builders keeping the home; standalone is common for spec builders selling at completion.
Do I need construction experience to qualify?
Experience helps and improves leverage, but first-time builders can qualify — especially owner-builders working with a licensed general contractor, or investors with a strong builder relationship and a well-documented budget. A detailed scope of work, a realistic budget, and a credible GC meaningfully strengthen a first project. Bring those and we'll take a serious look.
What are construction loan rates in 2026?
Ground-up construction rates in 2026 generally run from approximately 9.5% to 12% interest-only during the build, plus origination points, depending on experience, leverage, and project strength. Because you pay interest only on drawn funds over a 12–24 month build, the effective carrying cost is lower than the headline rate implies — and on a project with healthy ARV margin, financing cost is a manageable line item against the completed value.
Can I build a rental and keep it instead of selling?
Yes — this is the build-to-rent / BRRRR-vertical strategy. Build the property on a construction loan, then refinance into a DSCR loan on the completed, leased property, which qualifies on the rental income rather than your personal income. Because we originate both the construction loan and the DSCR takeout, the entrance and exit are coordinated from the start.
What markets do you lend in?
All of Florida — with deep Gulf Coast expertise across Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, and the Tampa and Orlando metros — plus nationwide lending through Novus Home Mortgage, NMLS #423065.
SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT
Structure Your Project
Send the basics - land status, construction budget, completed value, and exit. Scott will personally review the project and respond within 1 business day with a straight read on financeability and structure. No hard credit pull. No obligation.
What happens next:
- Submit your project details below
- Scott reviews LTC, ARV, and the exit
- Direct answer within 1 business day
Secure & Confidential
941-526-0778
Lakewood Ranch, FL - Lending Across Florida
Need land or acquisition capital first? Planning the rental exit? Bridge & Land Loans → • DSCR Rental Takeout → • Fix & Flip Loans →
CONSTRUCTION LOANS · FLORIDA · GULF COAST
From Dirt to
Done. Funded.
Land plus build. Draws that fund in 48–72 hours. An exit arranged before you break ground. Submit the project and get your answer.
NMLS #1148813
LAKEWOOD RANCH LENDING
Gulf Coast Built. Nationally Licensed.
NMLS #1148813
Loan Programs
- DSCR Loans
- Fix & Flip
- FHA & VA Loans
- Jumbo Loans
- SBA Loans
- Ground-Up Construction
Who We Serve
- Real Estate Investors
- Home Buyers
- Business Owners
- First-Time Buyers
- Self-Employed
Get In Touch
📞 941-526-0778
📍 Lakewood Ranch, FL
Lakewood Ranch Lending is licensed to originate residential mortgage loans in the United States, operating in the state of Florida. All loan products are offered through Novus Home Mortgage, a division of Ixonia Bank, NMLS #423065. Scott Ward, NMLS #1148813, operates as an authorized loan originator. This is not a commitment to lend. Loan approval is subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
© 2026 Lakewood Ranch Lending · All Rights Reserved