Market Report – August 2026 | Growth Cools as Private Lending Shifts Beneath the Surface

  August brought some of the lowest growth numbers we’ve seen in 2026. That’s not too concerning on its own as per-business-day loan counts remain near their high watermark, but same-store sales growth is clearly leveling off as competition heats up across business-purpose lending.

For a long time, readers have asked for a more detailed breakdown of our bridge loan category. This month, I’m excited to share that for the first time, we’re breaking that data out by Ground-Up Construction, Fix-and-Flip, and True Bridge (no construction holdback). That breakdown turns out to be particularly revealing about what’s been driving bridge lending growth this year, and where it’s held back.

How Much Did Bridge Loan Volume Grow in August?

Bridge loan transactions among same-store users were up 2.4% year-over-year in August, the lowest growth rate since January. After a moderate but respectable growth stretch over the past six months, bridge lending has settled back into the flatter pattern seen at the end of 2025 and the start of this year.