A mortgage broker compares loans from multiple lenders, explains your options in plain language, and manages the entire application process on your behalf. You get personalised guidance, a smoother experience, and a loan structure that supports your long‑term goals.

For most home loans, there is no cost to you. We are paid by the lender once your loan settles. Our commission will be disclosed in your loan contract.

Your borrowing capacity depends on your income, expenses, debts, credit history, deposit size, and the lender’s assessment rules. Because every bank calculates this differently, we can give you a tailored estimate and show which lenders are most suitable.

We can:

• Compares many lenders, not just one

• Tailors the loan to your goals

• Handles paperwork and negotiations

• Provides ongoing support long after settlement

It’s a personalised, client‑first experience.

You generally need 5–20% of the property price as a deposit, but the exact amount depends on the lender, the loan type, and whether you’re using any government schemes.

Quick Example

If you’re buying a $700,000 property:

• 20% deposit = $140,000

• 10% deposit = $70,000

• 5% deposit = $35,000

You’ll also need to factor in stamp duty (if applicable), legal fees, and building/pest inspections, though first‑home buyers in QLD often receive concessions.

If you don’t have a deposit, you still have several real pathways into the market. The key is understanding which options fit your situation, because lenders treat “no deposit” scenarios very differently depending on where the funds come from and how strong the rest of your profile is.

A true 0% deposit loan (where the bank lends 100% of the purchase price) is extremely rare unless you have a guarantor. But you can buy with no savings of your own if you meet certain criteria.

The main pathways are:

• Guarantor loan (Family Guarantee) — A parent (or close family member) uses equity in their property as security. This can cover the full 20% deposit and even costs. It’s the most common way to buy with no savings.

• Government schemes — The First Home Guarantee and Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee allow you to buy with as little as 5% deposit without paying LMI. You still need the 5%, but it doesn’t need to be huge.

• Gifted deposit — A family member can gift you the deposit. Some lenders require evidence of “genuine savings”, but others accept non‑genuine savings if your overall profile is strong.

• Using equity from another property — If you already own a property, you can borrow against your equity to fund the deposit for the next purchase.

🏡 What Equity Is

Equity is the difference between your property’s current market value and your home loan balance. As you pay down your loan and as your property value grows, your equity increases. It represents your ownership stake in the property.

Equity=Property Value−Loan Balance

💸 Equity Is Not Cash

A key point many clients misunderstand: equity is not money sitting in an account. You can’t “withdraw” equity like savings. To access it, you must apply for a loan — either by increasing your current loan or refinancing. That means repayments, interest, and lender assessment all apply.

🔑 How You Access Equity

Lenders typically allow you to access up to 80% of your property’s value, minus your current loan balance. This is your usable equity.

Usable Equity=0.80×Property Value−Loan Balance

You can access it through:

• A loan top‑up — increasing your existing home loan limit.

• Refinancing — switching to a new lender and increasing the loan amount.

• Using equity as a deposit — common when buying an investment property.

In every case, accessing equity is taking out additional lending secured against your home.

📘 What You Can Use Equity For

• Renovations or extensions

• Investment property deposits

• Debt consolidation

• Major purchases or life expenses

• Building a financial buffer

Because it’s borrowed money, it should be used strategically and with a clear plan.

⚠️ Important Considerations

• Your borrowing capacity must support the increased loan.

• A valuation is required to confirm your property’s current value.

• Staying under 80% LVR avoids LMI.

• Using equity increases your loan balance and long‑term interest costs.

A redraw facility sits inside many variable‑rate home loans. When you pay more than the minimum repayment, those extra amounts reduce your loan balance and the interest charged. The lender tracks how much you’ve paid above the minimum, and that amount becomes your available redraw.

Redraw is essentially a way to pay down your loan faster while still keeping flexibility.

💸 How Redraw Works Day‑to‑Day

• You make extra repayments (either regularly or as one‑offs).

• These extra funds immediately reduce your loan balance and interest.

• The lender records the surplus as your redraw balance.

• You can withdraw those extra funds later through online banking or by request, depending on the lender.

This gives you a blend of discipline and flexibility.

⚠️ Redraw Is Not the Same as Savings

A redraw facility is not a savings account. The money sits inside your home loan, not separately. That means:

• Access can be restricted or delayed depending on the lender.

• Changing your repayment schedule can affect your redraw balance.

• The lender can change redraw rules (rare, but possible).

If you need daily, unrestricted access to your money, an offset account is usually more suitable.

🔍 Why People Use Redraw

• To reduce interest by lowering the loan balance

• To build a financial buffer for emergencies

• To save for renovations or future expenses

• To create a habit of paying more than the minimum

🧠 A Useful Insight

Redraw works best for clients who want to pay down their loan faster but don’t need their extra funds available every day. If a client wants full liquidity, an offset account usually gives them more control.

An offset account is a transaction account linked to your home loan that helps you pay less interest and potentially pay off your loan sooner. It works like a normal everyday bank account, but with one powerful difference: the balance is used to offset your home loan balance for interest calculations.

🏡 How an Offset Account Works

Interest on your home loan is calculated on the loan balance minus the money in your offset account. The more money you keep in offset, the less interest you’re charged.

If your loan balance is $500,000 and you have $20,000 in your offset account, you only pay interest on $480,000.

This reduces your interest costs and helps you pay down your loan faster without locking your money away.

💳 How You Use It Day‑to‑Day

An offset account behaves like a normal transaction account:

• Your salary can be paid into it

• You can use it for everyday spending

• You can transfer, withdraw, and save as usual

The difference is that every dollar sitting in the account is working to reduce your home‑loan interest.

📉 Why Offset Accounts Save You Money

Because interest is calculated daily, even short‑term balances (like your salary sitting there for a week) reduce your interest. Over years, this can save tens of thousands of dollars and shorten your loan term.

⚠️ Things to Keep in Mind

• Some lenders offer 100% offset (ideal), while others offer partial offset.

• Offset accounts are usually linked to variable‑rate loans, though some lenders offer fixed‑rate offsets.

• Loans with offset accounts may have slightly higher interest rates or package fees.

• The benefit depends on how much money you typically keep in the account.

🧠 A Helpful Insight

Offset accounts are most effective when you have regular cash flow or savings. Even if you don’t have large savings, simply having your salary paid into offset and spending from it gradually can make a meaningful difference over time.