You found the land. You have the plans. You’ve run the numbers and the deal makes sense. And then you call a bank — and everything slows to a crawl.
That’s the reality for most Florida developers trying to access ground-up construction financing through conventional channels. Banks move slowly, their requirements are rigid, and their underwriters have never broken ground on anything in their lives. By the time you get a decision, the deal is gone or your contractor has moved on to someone else’s project.
This is exactly the gap that Jhenesis Mortgage was built to fill.
What Is a Ground-Up Construction Loan — and Why Does the Lender Matter So Much?
A ground-up construction loan is short-term financing used to fund the full cost of building a new structure from scratch — land acquisition, soft costs, hard construction costs, and often an interest reserve so you’re not making payments out of pocket while you build. Unlike a traditional mortgage, funds are disbursed in draws as construction milestones are met, not handed over in a lump sum at closing.
That draw structure is where most construction lenders fall apart. If inspections are slow, draws are delayed. If draws are delayed, your GC doesn’t get paid. If your GC doesn’t get paid, your timeline blows up — and in Florida’s market, every week of delay has a real dollar cost.
The lender you choose for a construction loan matters more than almost any other financing decision you’ll make on a project.
What Jhenesis Mortgage’s Construction Program Actually Looks Like
Our ground-up construction lending program is built on private capital — which means speed, flexibility, and a team that has actually developed real estate. Our lending partners have acquired, developed, and financed over $5 billion in real estate transactions over 30 years. That’s not a marketing line. It’s the reason our draws get processed fast and our approvals don’t get stuck in committee.
Here’s what the program covers:
Who it’s for: Single-family spec homes, 2–4 units, townhomes, and multifamily — investment purposes only, statewide in Florida.
Loan amounts: $500,000 to $5,000,000. The loan can include land, soft costs, construction costs, and an interest reserve — so you’re not stitching together five different funding sources.
Interest rate: Fixed — and charged only on the money that’s actually been advanced to you, not the full commitment. Your carry costs stay predictable.
Terms: 12 to 24 months, with extensions available. No prepayment penalty — if your project sells fast, you walk away clean.
Closings: As little as 2 to 3 weeks from application.
Experience required: None. We evaluate the deal, not your resume.
The Part Nobody Talks About: In-House Draw Management
This is the detail that separates functional construction financing from a disaster waiting to happen. At Jhenesis Mortgage, inspections and draw management are handled in-house. There’s no third-party bottleneck. When your project hits a milestone, funding moves — immediately.
If you’ve ever been on a build where a draw took three weeks to process, you already know what this means. It’s the difference between a project that runs on schedule and one that hemorrhages money while you wait.
First-Time Developer? That’s Fine.
One of the most common questions we get: Do I need construction experience to qualify?
No. Borrower experience is not required. What matters is the deal — the lot, the market, the budget, and your exit. A strong project with a qualified general contractor goes a long way. If you’re newer to development and you have a real opportunity in front of you, don’t count yourself out before you call.
We also serve foreign national investors and international buyers — a segment most construction lenders ignore entirely. If you’re building in Florida from outside the U.S., we have experience navigating exactly that scenario.
Ready to Break Ground?
Florida is still one of the strongest markets in the country for new construction. Spec homes in desirable submarkets are moving. Luxury product is in demand. The window is open — but not forever.
If you have a project and you need a lender who can actually move, let’s talk →
We’ll review your deal, walk you through the program specifics, and tell you exactly what we can do — no run-around, no weeks of silence.
Jhenesis Mortgage · NMLS #2532705 · Winter Park, Florida
Serving developers and investors across the State of Florida