How First-Lien Bridge Loan Investing Works: Returns, Risk, and Duration

First-lien bridge loans offer investors a way to access real estate-backed debt with contractually defined interest payments, repayment priority, and typically shorter durations than equity investments. This guide explains how first-lien bridge loan investing works, including how returns are generated, where the key risks come from, why loan-to-value matters, and what investors should consider before committing capital.