How to Finance Large Land Deals ($300K–$1M+) as a Land Investor

Small land flips are great for building experience. But at some point, the opportunities in front of you get bigger—larger tracts, better locations, higher price tags.

That’s where financing becomes the bottleneck.

In this guide, we’ll look at practical ways to finance $300K–$1M+ land deals using private capital, cross-collateralization, and structures designed specifically for land investors.

Why Big Land Deals Are Harder to Finance

Once you cross into the mid-six-figure range, you’ll often run into:

• Banks that don’t like vacant land at all

• Internal limits on loan size vs. collateral

• Long underwriting timelines that don’t match the seller’s expectations

• Requirements for large cash down payments

Meanwhile, other investors are ready to move quickly if you can’t.

The Core Building Blocks of Large-Deal Financing

Most large land deals combine a few key pieces:

1. Cash Down Payment

   • You or a partner bring a portion of the purchase price.

2. Private Land Loan

   • Short– to medium-term loan secured by the property.

3. Cross-Collateralization

   • Additional collateral from properties you already own.

4. Exit Strategy

   • Resale, subdividing, development, or selling the land note once created.

You don’t need all of them on every deal, but you’ll usually use two or more.

Example: Using Equity to Stretch Into a Bigger Deal

• Target property: $450,000 vacant land

• Bank says: “We’ll lend 60% if you bring 40% cash” → $180,000 down

• You have: $120,000 cash, plus a free-and-clear parcel worth $100,000

A private land lender might be able to:

• Take the target property plus your existing parcel as collateral

• Structure the deal so your cash in is closer to $120,000 vs. $180,000

• Give you terms that fit your planned hold period (e.g., 24–36 months)

You get into the bigger deal without draining every dollar of cash.

Want to dig deeper into how this works? Cross-Collateralization for Land Investors →

Matching the Loan to Your Exit Strategy

Before you pick a lender, be clear on how you expect to exit:

• Short-term flip or assignment (6–18 months)

  • Focus on speed and flexibility; rate is secondary.

  • Prepayment flexibility matters.

• Medium-term hold (2–5 years)

  • A slightly lower rate starts to matter more.

  • You might improve or rezone the land before exiting.

• Long-term hold / seller financing exit

  • You may sell the land with owner financing, create a land note, and either:

    • Keep the note for income, or

    • Sell the note to a buyer like Damen Capital.

Learn the basics of land notes and exits: What Is a Land Note?

Where Damen Capital Fits In

Damen Capital is built around:

• Vacant land acquisition loans for investors and developers

• Note purchase programs, so you can sell the land note if you choose an owner-financed exit

• Creative structures (including cross-collateralization) that banks often can’t offer

We look at:

• The property itself

• Your experience and track record

• The strength of the exit

…then design capital that fits the actual deal instead of forcing you into a “one-size” loan.

Have a Large Deal on Your Desk Right Now?

If you’re looking at a contract in the $300K–$1M+ range, timing is everything.

• We can review your deal

• Give you a sense of realistic leverage

• Suggest a structure that balances risk and opportunity

Submit your deal for a free funding review →

Next Steps

• Need a simpler loan for smaller deals? → Vacant Land Acquisition Loans 

• Want to scale using equity you already have? → Zero-Down / Cross-Collateralization

• Ready to talk through your pipeline? → Get a Free Quote