Inside Yieldi: Strategic Bridge Lending for CRE, Land and Luxury Homes

In the 16th episode of the Private Lending Insights Podcast, I interviewed Joe Ashkouti and Josh Lloyd from Yieldi, a private lending companies based in Atlanta. We talked  about their bridge loans for commercial real estate, land and luxury homes nationwide. We also discussed trends they’ve seen in early 2025, a few funded deal examples and an overview of their unique capital structure. Watch the video, listen to the audio, or read the summary below.

Podcast Episode Summary: Private Lending Insights with Yieldi

Operating since 2019, Yieldi has grown significantly and now stands out in the private lending space with its flexible programs, conservative underwriting, and focus on both commercial and residential investment real estate across the U.S.

Market Trends and Lending Activity

Yieldi has seen a substantial increase in loan requests, particularly for land deals, a segment many lenders avoid. Developers, unable to secure construction loans due to tighter banking standards and high interest rates, are turning to Yieldi for bridge financing. Their niche: helping experienced developers acquire land while waiting for market conditions to improve. Other lending trends include:

• Influx of bridge-to-bridge refinancing, though Yieldi is cautious and requires borrower contributions or clearly defined exit strategies.
• Growing interest from borrowers who own properties free and clear but need liquidity for business expansion, debt consolidation, or new acquisitions.
• Strong demand in the luxury home market ($1M–$2M+ range), especially in the Southeast and South Florida.

Loan Programs and Guidelines

Yieldi’s lending philosophy is built on flexibility and discipline. Their offerings include:

Asset Types:

• Commercial properties – retail, industrial, multifamily, self-storage, hotels
• Land and ground-up construction across asset classes
• Residential investment properties, mostly luxury rentals

Loan Terms & Criteria:

• Loan Amounts: $350K to $25M (sweet spot: $1M–$10M)
• Term: 12 months standard, extendable (up to 18 months for construction)
• Interest Rates: Typically 11% to 13%, and up to 16% for land loans
• Origination Points: 1.5% to 3%
• Max LTV: typically 65% on average, sometimes higher
• Max LTV for land: 30% to 50%
• Cross-collateralization and second positions considered
• Conservative leverage, especially for luxury homes and land

Yieldi often requires deposits ($2.5K–$60K) and prefers assets located in the Southeast but lends nationwide, especially in non-judicial foreclosure states like Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee.

Geographic Focus

Yieldi lends across the U.S., with primary activity in:

• Georgia
• Florida
• Texas
• The Carolinas
• Tennessee

They’ve also completed deals in high-end vacation markets like Aspen, the Hamptons, and Park City.

Unique Deal Examples

1. $17.5M Land Loan (Georgia) – Developer rezoned a 40-acre parcel for multifamily, townhomes, retail, and hotel use, increasing the value to ~$50M. Yieldi refinanced a seller-financed loan and was mostly paid off within three months due to successful parcel sales.
2. $10M Land Loan (South Georgia) – A 520-acre site was rezoned for mixed-use development including single-family homes, multifamily, and retail. Parcels were sold to pay down the loan significantly.
3. Luxury Bridge Loans – Multiple examples, such as a $5M+ San Francisco home used as collateral for buying a new property. Cross-collateral and quick closing were essential.
4. Foreclosure Bailout Loans – Yieldi is open to distressed situations if a clear exit strategy exists. They build in interest reserves and contractual requirements for price reductions to ensure timely exit.

Operations & Capital Model

Yieldi runs a lean operation with a team of 6–7 employees, leveraging Josh’s background in tech and Joe’s deep experience in real estate development. They:

• Originate and service all loans in-house.
• Use technology and AI to enhance efficiency.
• Fly to site visits when necessary (literally – Josh pilots their plane!).
• Rely on a fractional note structure with borrower payment dependent notes (BPDNs).
• Yielid co-invests in every deal and maintains a strong investor payment record.
• Yieldi has emerged as a reliable, conservative, and nimble lender for a wide range of real estate projects.
• Their unique comfort with land and luxury deals, combined with in-house underwriting and personal capital investment, sets them apart.
• They maintain consistent growth (30% YoY since 2022) and currently manage ~$200M in active loans.

Yieldi has been listed on our platform since 2020, and they pay us a monthly advertising fee. Visit their profile for contact details, lending guidelines, and to submit loan requests.