We are paid a commission by the lender once your loan settles, and we disclose exactly what that is in your Credit Guide before you commit to anything. Where a fee does apply, we tell you upfront and in writing.

Your bank can only offer you its own products. We compare loans across our full lender panel, including lenders that do not have branches, and match you to one whose credit policy actually suits your situation. Two lenders can differ by more than $100,000 in what they will approve for the same borrower.

We have access to 40 plus lenders, from the major banks through to smaller lenders and non banks. Which ones we recommend depends on your income type, deposit, credit history and what you are buying.

Yes. We have offices at Floor 10/36 Marine Parade, Southport, and at 14 Spence St, Cairns City. Plenty of our clients do the whole thing by phone and email, but if you would rather sit down with a real person, both offices are open for appointments.

It depends on your income, existing debts, living expenses, dependants and deposit. Our borrowing power calculator will give you a rough figure in two minutes. For a number you can rely on when making an offer, book a free assessment and we will run it against real lender policy.

Yes, and it is often substantial. Lenders assess overtime, bonuses, rental income, HECS debt and living expenses differently, so the same applicant can be approved for very different amounts. Part of our job is knowing which lender treats your particular income type most favourably.

Most lenders want 20% to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance, but you can buy with less. Eligible first home buyers can access the 5% deposit no LMI scheme. We will review what is available at the time we assess your situation.

Yes. Most lenders want two years of tax returns, though some accept one year, and a few offer alt doc options using BAS statements or an accountant's declaration. Self employed applications get declined more often for going to the wrong lender than for the numbers themselves.

Often, yes. Defaults, missed payments or a low score narrow your options and usually mean a higher rate, but specialist lenders exist for exactly this. Talk to us before applying anywhere, because multiple declined applications make the problem worse.

Typically 2-3 weeks from the point we have your documents. The lender's own assessment queue is the main variable. We will give you a realistic timeframe at the start rather than an optimistic one.

Ninety days for most lenders. If you have not found a property in that time it can usually be extended, though the lender may want updated payslips and a fresh credit check.

Pre-approval is the lender's conditional indication of what it will lend you, based on your finances but before any specific property. Final, or unconditional, approval comes after you have a contract on a property and the lender has valued it and completed its checks. Only unconditional approval is a commitment.

Generally photo ID, recent payslips, three to six months of bank statements, and details of existing debts. Self employed applicants need tax returns and financials. We send you a checklist tailored to your situation so you are not guessing.

A fixed rate stays the same for an agreed term, usually one to five years, giving you certain repayments. A variable rate moves with the market and generally offers more flexibility, including offset accounts and unlimited extra repayments. Many borrowers split their loan across both.

It depends on your current rate, loan size and how long you have left. As a rule of thumb, it is worth reviewing if you have not looked at your loan in two years, if your fixed term is ending, or if your circumstances have changed. Lenders reserve their sharpest rates for new customers, so existing borrowers often drift onto a rate well above what they could get today. We will model the switching costs against the savings and tell you honestly if it is not worth moving.