Bringing bridging to the masses

Since coming to market in 2021, Bridgit's rise has coincided with a notable shift in sentiment towards bridging finance – from niche product to mainstream financing option.

Today, the perception of bridging as a risky, complex product has well and truly changed. Customers both young and old are instead seeing it as a strategic tool for them to access the equity they’ve successfully built over time. They’re using it to manage complex settlement conditions, fund opportunities ahead of sale and create flexibility where rigid funding structures fall short.

“Bridging finance has become more normalised because it now better reflects how people actually transact in today’s property market,” says Bridgit’s chief commercial officer, Stephen Doyle (pictured, below). “Australians are asset rich but cash poor. This is true for a large demographic of Australians, not just retirees, and the demand to access and use their property equity is growing.”

Bridgit had the foresight to see a looming swell in demand for bridging finance, but it also knew the existing products offered by the traditional lenders weren’t going to cut the mustard. Approval timelines were painfully long, and strict policies meant that many deserving clients simply couldn’t get through the front door.

“We entered the market with a clear view that bridging finance needed to focus on speed, transparency and technology,” says Doyle. “At the time, bridging was poorly understood, inconsistently delivered and often treated as a niche or last-resort product. We saw an opportunity to modernise the experience and design a solution that actually matched how brokers and borrowers operate.”

Doyle highlights the central role brokers have played in bringing bridging finance to the mainstream. “As brokers become more confident explaining how bridging finance works, and borrowers experience it as a seamless, transparent solution, bridging finance naturally becomes a more mainstream part of the mortgage conversation. This is the journey we have been on for the last four years since Bridgit launched to market,” he says.

Since opening shop in 2021, Bridgit has also seen a dramatic shift in the types of clients seeking out bridging finance options.

While bridging finance is often associated with upsizers and downsizers, “its value extends well beyond those scenarios”, says Doyle. “Bridgit’s products are designed to help homeowners unlock equity to solve real-world timing and liquidity challenges, whether driven by life events or changing market conditions that don’t align with traditional bank processes.”

The group hasn’t been watching from the sidelines. Instead, Bridgit has been proactively updating its product range to better suit these shifting demographics.

Take Bridgit’s first-to-market 24‑month loan terms, which were specifically designed to accommodate longer sales cycles. Or its tech-led approach to reducing approval times and simplifying the whole process for brokers and borrowers.

As a non-bank lender, the group is able to accept broader client use cases, while implementing structures “that better reflect how clients actually transact and how they want to use the equity in their home”.

“As a result, brokers can confidently introduce bridging finance earlier in the process because they have a product that suits their client’s position, not as a last-minute fix but as a proactive way to unlock equity and manage timing risk with confidence,” Doyle says.

Read more: Bridgit appoints David McQueen as chief operating officer

Bridgit has also put its money where its mouth is by reducing the set-up fee from 0.79% to 0.6% on its 12‑month bridging product, and 1.15% to 0.95% on its 24‑month loan term. It has extended its LVRs to 85% and, to the applause of brokers everywhere, has introduced automated valuation models and desktop valuations on specific loans, which will go a long way to providing clarity of outcome in the transaction process.

Quite a far cry from the straightforward ‘buy-before-sell’ scenarios that Bridgit was predominantly focusing on when it started making waves back in 2021, although the mission statement remains the same.

“Ultimately, Bridgit’s position has been built by solving a persistent market problem,” Doyle explains. “As transaction timelines lengthened and traditional bank processes slowed, brokers needed a partner who could help their clients move forward by unlocking equity – quickly, transparently and without compromising on outcomes. We stayed focused on that need, and the market evolved with us.”

At its core, Bridgit’s product suite is tailored towards unlocking wealth for clients. As Doyle says, “Clients can buy now and sell later, fund renovations, relocate, or manage events such as separations or estate settlements without rushed sales or compromised outcomes. In a market where traditional transactions take longer, bridging gives homeowners and brokers a confident, flexible way to move forward.”

A broker-led transformation

As 2026 kicks into gear, Bridgit is sharpening its broker-first strategy.

“Bridgit will continue to deepen its broker partnerships by … continuing to provide market-leading support and delivering faster, technology-enabled bridging solutions,” says Doyle.

These solutions include one-click applications from scenarios, automatic notifications on your loans, and digital applications that take less than 10 minutes to complete.

A key focus for the group is strengthening its business development manager and broker-support model, “ensuring brokers have hands-on expertise, responsiveness and guidance at every stage of the deal”.

Doyle adds, “Importantly, we’re working more closely than ever with brokers to refine and develop solutions that reflect how they and their clients actually transact. This partnership is central to how we innovate, ensuring new features, policies and processes genuinely improve simplicity and confidence for brokers.

“Ultimately, our focus in 2026 is on continuing to expand access for Australians to do more with their property assets and to have the right, timely access to unlock equity when they need it most.

“By combining strong broker support, smart technology and flexible products, Bridgit aims to remain a trusted partner helping brokers unlock better outcomes for their clients.”