Direct Lender · Forward & Reverse Exchanges · Nationwide
Helvetica Group funds 1031 exchange bridge loans on commercial replacement property when conventional financing cannot close inside the 45-day identification and 180-day exchange windows. Forward exchanges, reverse exchanges and improvement exchanges, from $300,000 to $10,000,000+, on business-purpose commercial collateral.
We lend from our own balance sheet and managed funds and coordinate directly with your Qualified Intermediary, so the loan documents never compromise the exchange structure. Closing timing depends on borrower preparedness, third party reports and complexity; we typically close 3–10 days following receipt of all requested documentation.
The IRS deadlines in a 1031 exchange do not move. An exchanger has 45 days from the sale of the relinquished property to identify replacement property and 180 days to close it. Miss the window and the deferred gain becomes a taxable event — a cost that usually dwarfs the price of short-term bridge capital.
Bank and agency timelines are built around 45 to 90 day underwriting cycles, third party reports and committee approval. When an exchange identification is already weeks old, or the replacement property is below stabilized occupancy, conventional financing simply cannot fund in time. A bridge loan closes the acquisition on the exchange calendar; the borrower refinances into permanent debt once the property and the paperwork allow.
We underwrite the collateral and the exit rather than the borrower's tax return, which is why exchanges with credit challenges, stated income, partnership splits or a bank turndown behind them still close with us.
The exchange structures where a private bridge lender is the only realistic path to closing on time.
The relinquished property has sold, the replacement property is under contract, and permanent financing will not fund inside the window. We close the acquisition on a short-term interest-only bridge so the exchange completes on schedule, then step aside for permanent debt.
In a reverse exchange the replacement property is bought first and parked with an Exchange Accommodation Titleholder. We lend to the EAT-held entity and work through the QI's documentation so title, vesting and the safe-harbor structure stay intact.
Banks underwrite in-place cash flow, so a partially vacant shopping center or a repositioning multifamily asset gets declined even with a strong sponsor. We underwrite collateral value and the exit, and can hold back capital-improvement funds for the lease-up.
A lender withdrawing at day 130 leaves an exchanger facing a fully taxable gain. This is one of the most common calls we get. Send the file as it stands and we will tell you same business day whether the remaining timeline is workable.
Net-lease uplegs are the classic exchange replacement asset and often come with tight seller deadlines. We have funded single-property and multi-property NNN portfolio uplegs, including deals with credit-challenged sponsors.
When exchange value has to be created through construction inside the 180 days, funding certainty matters more than rate. We structure bridge capital around the improvement schedule and the QI's disbursement requirements.
Each transaction below is a real closed Helvetica loan with the property, structure, LTV, timing and exit documented in full.
Beverly Hills, CA
Reverse exchange bridge let the borrower close the upleg before the Beverly Hills downleg sold. 50% blended LTV across three luxury homes — including a former Marilyn Monroe residence — no appraisal, no prepay.
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Amarillo, TX
Stabilized single-tenant corporate-guaranteed ground lease sourced and closed inside the 180-day window. Investor doubled income, cut management ~100%, later refinanced with $900K cash-out.
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Various, TX
Mid-COVID close for a credit-challenged borrower facing a hard 1031 deadline. 12-month term, no prepay, multi-property structure with Marcus & Millichap.
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San Marcos, CA
A 49,177 SF strip center in foreclosure at 40% occupancy, purchased at 65% LTV on a 12-month interest-only bridge with two 6-month extension options and a $250K capital-improvement holdback — closing a 1031 exchange on deadline and keeping the lease-up upside with the buyers.
Read full case studyWhat exchangers, brokers and Qualified Intermediaries ask us most often.
How It Works
A 1031 exchange is a powerful tax deferral strategy — but the IRS gives you a hard window. 45 days to identify. 180 days to close. That's it. No extensions. No hardship exceptions. If the title hasn't transferred by day 180, the exchange fails and the full capital gains tax liability comes due immediately.
The problem: conventional bank loans take 45–90 days to originate. Title review, appraisal, credit underwriting, loan committee approval — none of this moves at the speed an exchange requires. Many investors reach day 150 with a property under contract and no closed loan. The exchange is at risk.
That's where a bridge loan from a direct private lender changes the outcome. Helvetica can close in 3–10 days on a commercial replacement property — acting as the funding source that gets you across the finish line. Once the exchange is complete and the property is stabilized, you refinance into permanent financing and pay off the bridge.
We also fund reverse 1031 exchanges — where you need to acquire the replacement property before you've sold the relinquished property. This is a structure most banks won't touch due to the Exchange Accommodation Titleholder (EAT) structure. Helvetica can.
The IRS Timeline
Bridge vs. Conventional
Most lenders can close a commercial loan in 45–90 days. A 1031 exchange with 30 days left on the clock needs a different tool.
Working with Your QI
The bridge loan and the 1031 exchange must work in lockstep. Helvetica has closed these transactions before and knows how to structure the loan alongside your QI's requirements.
Your Qualified Intermediary holds the exchange proceeds and releases them at the replacement property closing. The bridge loan funds the balance of the acquisition price above what your QI releases. Coordination between the lender, the QI, title, and your counsel is essential — and timing is everything.
Helvetica's team has structured and closed forward exchanges, reverse exchanges, and improvement exchanges. We know what QIs need in the loan documents, how exchange funds flow through escrow, and how to structure the closing so the exchange is IRS-compliant and the bridge is properly secured.
We recommend you involve your 1031 QI and legal counsel early. We can work directly with your QI's legal team to ensure loan documents are structured for exchange compliance. We do not provide tax or legal advice — but we know how to close these deals.
Tell us your IRS deadline, the replacement property address, and the loan amount you need. We'll respond same business day with a straight answer on whether we can close in time — and what it takes to get there.