Brad Toft — Director of Construction Lending · Valor Home Loans
Director of Construction Lending

BRAD
TOFT

NMLS #114974

Building custom homes across the Western U.S. takes more than financing — it takes a lender who's done this before. Brad has.

Construction is a different business. Delegated authority. Builder-first underwriting. A real C2P program with permanent takeout — and operations who know what staged draws actually mean. This isn't a side product. It's the whole shop.

Brad Toft
Director of Construction Lending  ¬∑  NMLS #114974
Common Questions

STRAIGHT ANSWERS
FOR COMPLEX
BUILDS.

Questions, talk to one of our construction loan experts

Get Pre-Approved Call Brad  ¬∑  208.944.1502
When should I choose a builder? +

Selecting a builder is one of the first decisions in building a custom home. The right builder will provide you with build and home plan information necessary to put your project together. They can also perform a site survey to confirm the ability to build your home plan on a selected site.

When should my pre-approval be in place? +

Pre-approval is a crucial early step — it lets you know what you can borrow and establishes your build budget. Clients who start with a pre-approval have more control over the process. Budgets help you understand the relationship between land, pre-construction site development, and the home itself.

Can I acquire land with my construction loan? +

Yes. Land can be acquired through the construction loan process with a purchase agreement. After your project plans and budget are finalized, you close on your loan with the first draw amount paid to the land seller. It is recommended to allow 90 days to close after the mutual acceptance date.

How does a contingency work? +

A construction contingency is a percentage of the build cost held in reserve to address unforeseen expenses. It can be budgeted into the loan and accessed for approved expenditures. If you don't access it during the build, you don't borrow it — it simply doesn't get drawn.

What happens when the build is complete? +

Valor Home Loans modifies your construction loan into a permanent home loan — no refinance needed. We confirm the final loan amount based on what was actually drawn, you sign a couple of documents, and you begin making principal and interest payments. You're also eligible for a free float-down to market rates at this time.

Can I stay in my current home during the build? +

Yes. Valor's Expanded Departure Qualifying program lets you qualify using only the payment on the new construction — you don't have to qualify for both payments. Requirements: 80% LTV on subject property, 70% LTV on departure residence, 700 credit score, and 12 months reserves on the subject property.

Can I lock my rate before construction starts? +

Yes — you lock a ceiling rate at closing, guaranteed not to increase. Your rate is the same during construction and for the life of the loan. Approximately 30 days before your certificate of occupancy, if market rates are lower than your ceiling rate, we automatically move your rate down — no action needed on your part.

When does my loan fund? +

Your construction loan closes and funds upon final underwriting approval and receipt of documentation for the building project — including all bids, a final budget, and a completed-value appraisal. Once closed, the loan enters the draw phase where funds can be requested and paid to your builder as work progresses.

Can I get a land loan and build later? +

Yes. Valor offers competitive terms on land loans with down payments as little as 20%, and no prepayment penalties. When you're ready to build, you can refinance the land loan into a construction loan. You can reduce principal or pay it off at any time before that without penalty.

For Construction Lending Professionals

A different conversation.

Delegated authority. Builder-first underwriting. A real C2P program with permanent takeout. Operations who know construction. If you originate construction loans across the West and want a shop built around the work — let's talk.

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