Farm Loans & Rural Property Financing | Professor Lending

Financing vacant land for
future residential construction

Want to purchase a lot now and build later? We work with multiple lenders for residential land — giving you a wide range, from smaller starter lots to larger, higher-value parcels.

Residential
Lot Loan
10-Yr Fixed
Loan Amount
$50K – $500K
Min FICO
680
Max DTI
43%
Down Payment
20% Min
Max Acreage
20 Acres
Prepay Penalty
None
Eligible: Residential zoning, unzoned parcels, agricultural/recreational lots (2% rate add-on). Investment/NOO — intended for future 1–4 unit construction. Available in all states.
Ineligible: Landlocked parcels, leasehold, commercial/industrial/mixed-use.
Vacant Land
Loan
Up to 20-Yr
Loan Amount
$100K – $1.2M
Min FICO
660 (TU)
Max LTV (Purch/Refi)
65%
Cash-Out Refi LTV
60% (Ex. TX)
Acreage Limit
None
Prepay Penalty
None
Best for: Larger, personal-use parcels (not developmental, speculative, or business use). Fully amortizing — no balloons, no prepay penalties, no build requirement. No survey, perc test, or soil engineer cert required unless title calls for it. Gift funds aren’t allowed as reserves, but there’s no reserve requirement. Purchase, rate/term refi, and cash-out refi (60% LTV, except TX) all available — refis require the borrower on title 24+ months.
Close to the $100K minimum? Ask us — near-miss exceptions are often possible.

Don’t see your scenario above? We welcome exception requests on guidelines like loan amount and credit score — reach out and tell us about the property.

The properties most lenders
turn away are our specialty

Traditional lenders struggle with rural and agricultural properties. Acreage, multiple dwellings, outbuildings, income-producing features — all of it can disqualify a property from standard financing. We’ve built our rural program specifically around those situations.

Note: our smaller residential lot loan above is available for future 1–4 unit residential construction, with no acreage minimum. The large-acreage bare land and full farm loan programs below are different — for those, the appraiser’s highest & best use finding generally needs to support agricultural or recreational use.

Tell Us About Your Property →

What to know
before you apply

Highest & Best Use (Large-Acreage Programs)

For our bare land and full farm loan programs, the appraiser’s determination of highest and best use generally needs to be agricultural or recreational — wooded, rural, or farming use. Our smaller residential lot loan, by contrast, is built for future 1–4 unit residential construction.

Acreage Minimums Vary by Program

Acreage requirements depend on which program fits your property — from small residential lots up to large-acreage farm and bare land loans. Tell us about the property and we’ll point you to the right fit.

Cross-Collateralization Allowed

Cross-collateralization for the down payment is permitted, as are seller-carried second liens — giving buyers more flexibility on the equity contribution.

Rate & Term Flexibility

Programs range from 1-month ARMs up to 30-year fixed — giving buyers the flexibility to match the loan structure to their situation and timeline.

Exception Requests Always Welcome

Every file is different. We welcome exception requests on program guidelines — including minimum credit score — so don’t rule yourself out before asking.

Large-scale land and
agricultural operations

Bare Land Loans

Recreational or agricultural potential. $500k–$100M. Can have up to 30% improvements if not fully bare land.

Full-Time Farm Loans

Multiple parcels up to $100M. Nearly all farm types — dairy, poultry, orchards, and more.

Creative Financing Structures

Cross-collateralization for down payment. Seller-carried seconds permitted. 1-month ARM to 30-year fixed programs available. Fully amortizing — no balloon payments, no prepayment penalties.

Exceptions Always Welcome

Guideline exceptions — including on minimum credit score — are considered case by case. Tell us about your scenario before assuming it won’t work.

Properties that don’t fit
the conventional box

🐎 Equestrian homes
🌾 Leased farmland
📋 Schedule F income
🏠 Up to 3 dwellings / parcel
🏡 Manufactured homes (double-wide, permanent foundation)
🔋 Off-grid properties
🌿 Ag-exempt properties
🏚️ Barndominiums
🍷 Vineyard homes w/ tasting rooms
🏰 Large estates on acreage
🌲 Log cabins on acreage
💰 Cash-out (no limit if LTV qualifies)

Tell us about
your property.

Rural properties are our specialty. We’ll tell you quickly what’s possible.

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