[theptip]

I’d guess the new house is collateral, and there is some Joint Venture vehicle (LLC?) that the financiers invest in and that owns the new house, so no credit needs to be extended directly to the homeowner. You don’t need to structure this with credit risk on the original homeowner.

The investment risk would presumably be mostly if the owner moves and the subdivision becomes inegligible. Or of course if they aren’t as good at building as they think and can’t clear 20%, or housing market tanks…

[toomuchtodo]

The land is the collateral. The risk is the homeowner forecloses while you're mid project (or the title is otherwise impaired, making it difficult to unwind the transaction or recoup any funds).

[theptip]

Presumably the homeowner doesn’t own the land, they have a mortgage. So their bank has first lien on the land. You could take a second lien but you’re behind the bank on the mortgage.

[toomuchtodo]

Right, you’d take a junior lien position and not extend credit beyond a certain percentage of total land value (aggregate loans to value), or you’d pay off the first, provide a financing bridge, and originate a new first, securitizing it to finalize the transaction.