Hilco Real Estate Finance (HREF) has completed its first loan in the Republic of Ireland, securing £3.1 million against a portfolio of 14 residential properties.

The loan, provided to an experienced property investor, will enable the borrower to sell part of the portfolio over a 24-month term while refinancing the remainder onto longer-term facilities.

STRATEGIC EXPANSION INTO IRELAND

Sean Adams, managing director at HREF, said the transaction aligns with the lender’s strategy of supporting established investors in the residential portfolio market.

“This fits really well with our aim of offering high-quality lending to high-quality borrowers in the residential portfolio space,” he said.

“We’re confident we will be able to provide a number of further facilities across the borrower’s wider portfolio in future.”

The deal was introduced by We Raise Any Finance, whose representative Colin Cowap welcomed HREF’s entry into the Irish market.

“We are really pleased to have been able to introduce Hilco’s first transaction in Ireland and see a bright future for them in the market,” he said.

“Their ability to approve their own deals without any other parties involved makes them a really dependable option for our clients, and we are already identifying further lending opportunities that we intend to work on together in the months ahead.”

Valuations for the transaction were undertaken by CBRE, with legal due diligence provided by Philip Lee LLP in Dublin and Trowers & Hamlins in London.

GROWTH PLANS FOR 2025

HREF, which launched in 2023, is specialist bridging lender offering short-term finance for acquisitions, development exits, and refinancing, with loan sizes ranging from £3 million to over £100 million.

The lender plans to continue growing its loan book in 2025, targeting further opportunities across the UK and Ireland.