I've seen something similar work pretty well in my area. A local green housing project got off the ground by first securing a smaller private investment to prove the concept—basically, they built one prototype home. Once that was up and running, banks were way more open to financing the larger development. Maybe starting small with investor backing first could help bridge that gap you're talking about...just a thought.
That's an interesting example, and it makes sense. I've seen banks get cautious about funding unproven ideas, so having a smaller-scale prototype first could definitely ease their nerves. Still, investor backing can come with strings attached...worth weighing carefully before jumping in.
When we renovated our kitchen, banks were hesitant because our design was a bit... unconventional. Ended up going with an investor friend instead. Worked out fine, but let's just say Thanksgiving dinners got awkward for a while, haha. Definitely pros and cons either way.
Totally get that awkwardness... mixing family or friends and money can be tricky. We went the bank route for our basement reno because the terms were clear-cut and predictable—no surprises. But honestly, I admire your courage to go unconventional with the kitchen design. Banks do tend to shy away from anything outside their comfort zone. Glad it eventually worked out for you, even if Thanksgiving got a bit tense for a while!
"mixing family or friends and money can be tricky."
Yeah, learned that the hard way myself. When we built our custom home, we initially considered investor funding from a family friend. But after laying out the numbers step-by-step, the bank's predictable terms just made more sense... fewer awkward dinners that way.
