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Typically, you'll need at least 5-20% of the property price. With a 20% deposit, you avoid paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). First home buyers may qualify for government schemes including:
In most cases, our services come at no cost to you. We receive a commission from the lender when your loan settles. We'll always be transparent about any fees before you commit to anything.
Pre-approval can take 1-3 days with most lenders. Full approval typically takes 1-2 weeks, depending on your situation and the lender. We work to expedite the process wherever possible.
Generally, you'll need: proof of identity (passport/driver's licence), proof of income (payslips, tax returns), bank statements, details of assets and liabilities, and information about the property. We'll provide a complete checklist during your consultation.
It depends on your circumstances and risk tolerance. Fixed rates offer certainty, while variable rates offer flexibility. Many clients choose a split loan with both. We'll help you understand the pros and cons of each option.
→ Compare fixed vs variable with our Loan Comparison Calculator
Yes, we work with a range of lenders, including some that specialize in non-conforming loans. We'll assess your situation and find options that may work for you, even if you've had credit issues in the past.
LMI is insurance that protects the lender (not you) if you default on your loan. It's typically required when your deposit is less than 20% of the property value. LMI can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000+ depending on the loan amount and deposit size.
Pre-approval (conditional approval) is an indication of how much you can borrow based on your financial situation. It's usually valid for 3-6 months. Formal approval (unconditional approval) is when the lender has assessed everything including the property and confirms they will lend you the money.
We have access to over 50 lenders, including major banks (CBA, ANZ, Westpac, NAB), second-tier lenders, and specialist lenders. This allows us to compare a wide range of products to find the best fit for your situation.
Most variable rate loans allow unlimited extra repayments. Fixed rate loans often have limits (typically $10,000-$30,000 per year) before break costs apply. We'll help you find a loan with the flexibility you need.
An offset account is a transaction account linked to your home loan. The balance in this account is "offset" against your loan balance, reducing the interest you pay. For example, if you have a $500,000 loan and $50,000 in your offset account, you only pay interest on $450,000.
Consider refinancing if: you're paying a higher rate than what's currently available, your fixed rate is ending, you want different loan features, you want to access equity, or your financial situation has improved since you got your loan. We can do a quick comparison to see if refinancing makes sense for you.
Your borrowing capacity depends on your income, existing debts, expenses, number of dependants, and the lender's own credit policies. As a rough guide, most lenders will allow you to borrow up to 5-7 times your gross annual income — but this varies significantly. Lenders also apply a serviceability buffer (currently 3% above the loan rate) to stress-test your ability to repay if rates rise. The best way to know your exact borrowing capacity is to speak with us — we can run the numbers across multiple lenders simultaneously, as each lender calculates it differently.
A comparison rate combines the interest rate with most fees and charges into a single percentage, giving you a more accurate picture of the true cost of a loan. For example, a loan advertised at 5.99% might have a comparison rate of 6.45% once fees are factored in. By law, lenders must display the comparison rate alongside the advertised rate. When comparing loans, always look at the comparison rate — not just the headline rate — and be aware it's calculated on a standard $150,000 loan over 25 years, so it may not perfectly reflect your exact situation.
Yes — being self-employed doesn't disqualify you, but lenders assess your income differently. Most require at least two years of tax returns and business financial statements. Lenders use your net profit (after expenses) rather than your revenue, which can reduce the income figure they assess you on. If you've been in business for less than two years, or your tax returns don't reflect your true income, there are low-doc loan options that use alternative income verification such as bank statements or an accountant's letter. A broker is particularly valuable for self-employed borrowers because lender policies vary enormously — what one bank declines, another may approve.
Both let you reduce the interest you pay, but they work differently. A redraw facility lets you access extra repayments you've made directly into your loan — the money sits inside the loan and reduces your balance, saving interest. You can redraw it later if needed, though some lenders charge a fee or have limits. An offset account is a separate transaction account linked to your loan — the balance sits outside the loan but is counted against it for interest purposes. Offset accounts offer more day-to-day flexibility and are generally better for investment properties (where you may want to redraw without affecting tax deductibility). For most owner-occupiers, either option works well — we'll help you decide which suits you.
A guarantor loan allows a family member (usually a parent) to use the equity in their own property as additional security for your loan. This means you can borrow with a smaller deposit — sometimes as little as 0% — without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). The guarantor doesn't gift or transfer money; they simply agree to be liable if you can't make your repayments. The guarantee can often be removed once you've built up enough equity (usually 20%) in your own property. Guarantor loans can save tens of thousands in LMI and help first home buyers enter the market sooner, but it's important all parties understand the responsibilities involved.
When your fixed rate term expires, your loan automatically rolls onto your lender's standard variable rate — which is often significantly higher than what you were paying. This is sometimes called the "revert rate" or "loyalty tax." You don't have to accept it. At least 3 months before your fixed rate ends, you should review your options: re-fix with your current lender, switch to a variable rate, or refinance to another lender entirely. This is one of the best opportunities to renegotiate or move, and we can help you compare your options well before the expiry date so you're not caught off guard.
It depends on the lender. Many major banks require you to have completed your probationary period before they'll approve a home loan, as they want evidence of stable, ongoing employment. However, some lenders — particularly non-bank lenders and second-tier institutions — will consider applications from borrowers still in their probationary period, especially if you have a strong overall financial profile, a large deposit, or are in a profession with strong job security (such as healthcare, government, or education). If you're on probation, it's worth speaking to us before applying — applying to the wrong lender and getting declined can affect your credit file.
No — if you purchased your investment property before 7:30pm AEST on 12 May 2026, you are fully grandfathered. The new rules do not apply to you. You can continue to offset rental losses against your salary and other income for as long as you hold that property, with no change after 1 July 2027 when the new rules take effect for others. The same applies to the CGT changes — the 50% discount continues to apply to your existing property whenever you eventually sell, regardless of how far in the future that is.
Under the old system (in place since 1999), if you held an asset for more than 12 months, only 50% of your capital gain was taxable at your marginal rate. Under the new system from 1 July 2027, your original purchase price is indexed to inflation using CPI over the holding period — only the gain above that inflation-adjusted cost base is taxable, at your full marginal rate with a minimum 30% tax floor.
In a high-growth, low-inflation environment — which describes most of Australian property history — indexation generally produces a higher tax bill than the 50% discount, because real gains are close to nominal gains. In a high-inflation environment, indexation can be more favourable. New build investors get to choose whichever method produces the lower tax at the time of sale.
No — the negative gearing changes apply to residential property only. If you negatively gear a share portfolio, commercial property, or other non-residential assets, the existing rules continue unchanged and you can still offset those losses against your salary and other income as before.
However, the CGT changes are broader. The new indexation model (replacing the 50% discount from 1 July 2027) applies to all assets held by individuals, trusts and partnerships outside super — including shares and ETFs. So while the negative gearing rules for shares are unchanged, the CGT treatment of future gains on new share purchases will change.
Assets acquired before 20 September 1985 (pre-CGT assets) have always been fully exempt from capital gains tax. That exemption is partially ending under the 2026 budget.
This makes 1 July 2027 a significant decision point for anyone holding assets acquired before September 1985. A formal valuation and dedicated tax advice before that date is strongly recommended.
No — the budget explicitly exempts superannuation funds, including SMSFs, from both the CGT and negative gearing changes. If you hold property or shares inside an SMSF:
The reforms apply only to assets held by individuals, trusts and partnerships outside super. Holding investments through an SMSF remains one of the most tax-effective structures for property and share investment, and that has not changed.
Yes — if you're buying an established residential property after the 12 May 2026 budget cut-off. Banks currently factor in the annual tax refund from negative gearing as part of your assessed income when calculating borrowing capacity. Once lenders update their serviceability calculators to reflect the new rules, that refund will no longer be included for established properties, reducing your assessed income and therefore your maximum loan amount.
For a typical investor in the 37% bracket with a single negatively geared property, the reduction in borrowing capacity is likely to be in the range of 10–15%. Investors with multiple properties or larger rental losses could see a larger impact. New build investors are unaffected — lenders can still include the negative gearing benefit for new construction in their serviceability assessments. Getting assessed before lenders update their calculators may give you a more favourable borrowing limit — it's worth speaking to us sooner rather than later.
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