Your bank can only offer its own products and its own appetite for risk. Commercial lending is far less standardised than home lending. Each lender has different views on industries, property types and how business income is treated, and a "no" from one doesn't mean a "no" from the next. A business and commercial lending broker takes your numbers, matches them with lenders who actually like that kind of deal, and presents the application so the credit assessor sees the strong points first. It saves time and avoids a string of knocked-back applications on your file. If you already have a commercial loan that no longer suits you, we can also look at refinancing it.

More than you would for a house. That's the short answer. Commercial lenders commonly lend around 65% to 70% of the property's value, so you're usually looking at a deposit of roughly 30%, plus stamp duty and legal costs. Some lenders go higher for owner-occupied premises in strong locations. The type of property also matters. A standard office or warehouse is easier to finance than something specialised. Interest rates are generally higher than on home loans, and terms are often shorter and reviewed every few years. That's why we model the repayments before you sign anything. A property that looks like a bargain can turn sour quickly if the loan doesn't fit your cash flow.

Often, yes. Plenty of business owners can't tick every box at the big banks. The business might be young, last year might have been messy, or the tax returns might not be lodged yet. Low doc commercial loans let you use an accountant's declaration, bank statements or BAS statements in place of a full set of financials. The catch is price. These loans mostly come from non-bank lenders at higher rates, and they often want a bigger deposit. For loans for self-employed borrowers, we first check whether a standard loan is possible once your paperwork is tidied up. If it is, you'll save money. If it isn't, a low doc loan can work as a stepping stone, ideally with a plan to refinance once your financials look stronger.

Yes, and it's one of the more common uses of a self-managed super fund. Your SMSF can buy commercial property, including premises your own business uses, as long as the purchase meets the sole purpose test and the rules around related-party dealings. If the fund borrows, it has to use a limited recourse structure, meaning the lender's claim stops at the property itself. SMSF home loans and commercial SMSF loans follow similar logic, but lenders usually want a lower loan-to-value ratio and some cash left in the fund after settlement. This area is full of compliance traps, so we work alongside your accountant or SMSF specialist, not in place of them.

Expect a bigger pile than a home loan, though most of it is stuff your accountant already has. That usually means two years of financials and tax returns for the business and for you personally, recent BAS statements, an asset and liability statement, and ID for directors and guarantors. For a property purchase, you'll add the contract and details of the property. If it's tenanted, the leases and rent schedule matter a lot, since the rent helps service the loan. Newer businesses and low doc loans swap some of this for an accountant's letter. A lender who receives an incomplete pack tends to ask for the rest piece by piece, which drags things out. We build the whole pack upfront so the credit team sees everything at once.

Often a personal guarantee, yes, especially for smaller companies, because the lender wants someone personally standing behind the loan. Whether your home gets involved depends on the deal. Some loans are secured only by the commercial property you're buying. Others ask for extra security over your house, particularly at higher loan-to-value ratios. Equipment and vehicle loans work differently, since asset finance is usually secured against the item itself, which keeps your home out of it. As an asset finance broker, we structure things so the risk sits where it should, and we'll flag anything that puts the family home on the line before you agree to it. How the loan is set up (your name, a company or a trust) also changes the guarantee picture, so sort that out with your accountant first.