Residential finance
Home loans across 30+ Australian lenders, structured.
Residential home loans are the most common reason clients come to Maxfin. The firm structures Australian home loans across the lender panel for first home buyers, upsizers, refinancers, and homeowners releasing equity for renovation, investment, or the next purchase. Each application is matched to the lender most likely to price and approve the file at competitive terms, rather than submitted speculatively across a broad panel. Most outcomes turn on lender selection at the start, not rate-shopping at the end.
What we cover
The lending Maxfin structures in this category.
- 01
Home loans for owner-occupiers
First-home buyers, upsizers, downsizers, and second-home purchases. Variable, fixed, split, offset, redraw and package structures across the residential lending panel. Pricing varies materially by LVR tier; crossing thresholds at 80%, 75%, 70% and 60% can open sharper rates. Maxfin tracks where the borrower currently sits and which lender values the LVR position most.
- 02
Refinancing and restructure
Moving lenders, restructuring loan splits, releasing equity, debt consolidation, and rate-and-feature reviews on existing lending. The right move sometimes isn't to switch; sometimes a retention call to the existing lender, armed with a competitor offer, produces a price match without the switching friction.
- 03
Equity release
Cash-out refinances for home improvement, deposits on subsequent property, business capital, or other approved purposes. Maxfin structures equity-release splits so the purpose of the borrowed funds is clear, which protects the deductibility profile if any portion is used for investment purposes. Coordinated with the borrower's accountant where the use of funds matters for tax.
- 04
Bridging finance
Buying before selling, with bridging structures across lenders that price these correctly rather than treating them as edge cases. Most lenders allow bridging interest to be fully capitalised during the bridging period. Servicing is generally assessed against the end debt only, not peak debt, which is why bridging is sometimes viable for borrowers who couldn't service two loans simultaneously on a standard assessment.
- 05
Construction lending
Land-and-build packages, knock-down-rebuild structures, and progress-payment lending. A fixed-price contract from a licensed builder is generally required. Construction loans typically draw across five or six progress payment stages over twelve to eighteen months, with interest charged only on the amount drawn at any given time.
- 06
Government schemes and concessions
First Home Guarantee, the Help to Buy shared-equity scheme launched December 2025, Regional First Home Buyer support, and state-based first-home stamp duty concessions where the buyer qualifies. Each scheme has eligibility tests, lender panel restrictions and timing constraints. Stacking schemes correctly is the work.
- 07
Complex employment income
Self-employed, contract, commission-based, and bonus-heavy income each have lender-specific assessment treatments. The same income can produce materially different borrowing capacity figures across lenders. Maxfin matches the income profile to the lender that reads it favourably, which often shifts assessable income by tens of thousands of dollars without changing the underlying earnings.
- 08
Lenders Mortgage Insurance optimisation
Where the borrower has less than 20% deposit, Lenders Mortgage Insurance applies. LMI premiums vary materially by lender, by LVR band, and by loan amount. Maxfin compares the LMI position alongside the rate, rather than focusing on rate alone. Some lenders price LMI competitively at high LVRs; others don't. The right combination of rate plus LMI is the actual cost of the loan.
01Home loans for owner-occupiers
First-home buyers, upsizers, downsizers, and second-home purchases. Variable, fixed, split, offset, redraw and package structures across the residential lending panel. Pricing varies materially by LVR tier; crossing thresholds at 80%, 75%, 70% and 60% can open sharper rates. Maxfin tracks where the borrower currently sits and which lender values the LVR position most.
02Refinancing and restructure
Moving lenders, restructuring loan splits, releasing equity, debt consolidation, and rate-and-feature reviews on existing lending. The right move sometimes isn't to switch; sometimes a retention call to the existing lender, armed with a competitor offer, produces a price match without the switching friction.
03Equity release
Cash-out refinances for home improvement, deposits on subsequent property, business capital, or other approved purposes. Maxfin structures equity-release splits so the purpose of the borrowed funds is clear, which protects the deductibility profile if any portion is used for investment purposes. Coordinated with the borrower's accountant where the use of funds matters for tax.
04Bridging finance
Buying before selling, with bridging structures across lenders that price these correctly rather than treating them as edge cases. Most lenders allow bridging interest to be fully capitalised during the bridging period. Servicing is generally assessed against the end debt only, not peak debt, which is why bridging is sometimes viable for borrowers who couldn't service two loans simultaneously on a standard assessment.
05Construction lending
Land-and-build packages, knock-down-rebuild structures, and progress-payment lending. A fixed-price contract from a licensed builder is generally required. Construction loans typically draw across five or six progress payment stages over twelve to eighteen months, with interest charged only on the amount drawn at any given time.
06Government schemes and concessions
First Home Guarantee, the Help to Buy shared-equity scheme launched December 2025, Regional First Home Buyer support, and state-based first-home stamp duty concessions where the buyer qualifies. Each scheme has eligibility tests, lender panel restrictions and timing constraints. Stacking schemes correctly is the work.
07Complex employment income
Self-employed, contract, commission-based, and bonus-heavy income each have lender-specific assessment treatments. The same income can produce materially different borrowing capacity figures across lenders. Maxfin matches the income profile to the lender that reads it favourably, which often shifts assessable income by tens of thousands of dollars without changing the underlying earnings.
08Lenders Mortgage Insurance optimisation
Where the borrower has less than 20% deposit, Lenders Mortgage Insurance applies. LMI premiums vary materially by lender, by LVR band, and by loan amount. Maxfin compares the LMI position alongside the rate, rather than focusing on rate alone. Some lenders price LMI competitively at high LVRs; others don't. The right combination of rate plus LMI is the actual cost of the loan.
Approach
How Maxfin structures it.
First home, with a parent guarantor
Maxfin structures parent-guarantor lending against lenders who price these competitively. The guarantor's property is encumbered for the limited guarantee portion, typically until the loan amortises below the LVR threshold (usually 80%) at which point the guarantee is released. The release plan is mapped at the outset so both the buyer and the guarantor know the exit timeline. Subject to lender criteria.
Refinancing to release equity for renovation
Equity release sized to the property valuation, structured to the borrower's serviceability, and substantiated to the chosen lender's policy. The renovation portion is set up as a separate split so the use of funds is clear and the original deductible structure (if applicable) is preserved. Renovation timeline coordinated with the lender's progress drawdown requirements.
Buying before selling
Bridging finance arranged in parallel with the sale of the existing property. Peak debt and end debt clearly modelled. The borrower's serviceability tested against the end-debt position, not the peak-debt position. The bridging window matched to the borrower's selling strategy: shorter window with a lender that prices closed bridges sharply, or longer window with a lender that accommodates open bridges.
Knock-down rebuild on existing land
Land equity used to fund the new build. Existing loan refinanced into a construction facility with progress-payment drawdowns aligned to the builder's contract milestones. End-loan transition reviewed as a separate decision before practical completion, rather than defaulting onto the construction lender's standard product. Contingency budget held outside the facility for variations and site-specific issues.
Upgrading the family home, keeping the existing as investment
Owner-occupier upgrade where the existing home is retained as an investment property after settlement of the new home. The lending is restructured so deductible (investment) and non-deductible (owner-occupier) debt remain clearly separated, and the equity release for the new home doesn't contaminate the deductibility of the existing loan. Coordinated with the borrower's accountant before settlement.
First home, with a parent guarantor
Maxfin structures parent-guarantor lending against lenders who price these competitively. The guarantor's property is encumbered for the limited guarantee portion, typically until the loan amortises below the LVR threshold (usually 80%) at which point the guarantee is released. The release plan is mapped at the outset so both the buyer and the guarantor know the exit timeline. Subject to lender criteria.
Refinancing to release equity for renovation
Equity release sized to the property valuation, structured to the borrower's serviceability, and substantiated to the chosen lender's policy. The renovation portion is set up as a separate split so the use of funds is clear and the original deductible structure (if applicable) is preserved. Renovation timeline coordinated with the lender's progress drawdown requirements.
Buying before selling
Bridging finance arranged in parallel with the sale of the existing property. Peak debt and end debt clearly modelled. The borrower's serviceability tested against the end-debt position, not the peak-debt position. The bridging window matched to the borrower's selling strategy: shorter window with a lender that prices closed bridges sharply, or longer window with a lender that accommodates open bridges.
Knock-down rebuild on existing land
Land equity used to fund the new build. Existing loan refinanced into a construction facility with progress-payment drawdowns aligned to the builder's contract milestones. End-loan transition reviewed as a separate decision before practical completion, rather than defaulting onto the construction lender's standard product. Contingency budget held outside the facility for variations and site-specific issues.
Upgrading the family home, keeping the existing as investment
Owner-occupier upgrade where the existing home is retained as an investment property after settlement of the new home. The lending is restructured so deductible (investment) and non-deductible (owner-occupier) debt remain clearly separated, and the equity release for the new home doesn't contaminate the deductibility of the existing loan. Coordinated with the borrower's accountant before settlement.
Common questions
Frequently asked.
Should I fix my rate?
There's no universal answer. Fixed rates lock in certainty and remove flexibility (limited extra repayments, break costs if the loan ends early). Variable rates carry interest-rate risk but allow offset, redraw, and unrestricted refinancing. Splits between fixed and variable are common where the borrower wants partial certainty and partial flexibility. Maxfin discusses the trade-off in the context of the borrower's specific situation, hold period and risk tolerance. Subject to lender criteria and individual circumstances.
How much deposit do I need?
Most lenders prefer 20% deposit to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance. Loans up to 95% LVR are common with LMI, and government-backed schemes can take qualifying first-home buyers to 95% LVR with no LMI. From October 2025 the Federal First Home Guarantee removed all income caps and made places unlimited. The Help to Buy scheme launched December 2025 allows eligible buyers to purchase with as little as 2% deposit. The right pathway depends on savings, income, location and timeline.
Can Maxfin handle complex employment income?
Yes. Complex income is one of the firm's areas of depth. Self-employed, contract, commission-based, and bonus-heavy income each have lender-specific assessment treatments that vary materially across the panel. The same income profile can shift borrowing capacity by hundreds of thousands of dollars across lenders. Maxfin matches the income to the lender that reads it favourably, rather than submitting to the borrower's existing bank by default.
What's changed for borrowing capacity in 2026?
Three structural compressors operate in parallel. APRA's serviceability buffer remains at 3% above contracted rate (unchanged since October 2021). The HEM benchmark continues to apply living expenses by household composition and postcode. From 1 February 2026, APRA's new debt-to-income cap limits high-DTI lending (DTI of 6 or higher) to 20% of new mortgage flows, applied separately to owner-occupier and investor portfolios. Practical effect: the same income produces materially different borrowing capacity across lenders, and lender choice has become more decision-relevant.
Do credit cards affect my borrowing power?
Yes. Credit cards compress borrowing capacity based on the credit limit, not the outstanding balance. A $20,000 credit card limit, even with a zero balance, is treated as a $600 monthly minimum-repayment obligation by most lender calculators. That can reduce borrowing capacity by $80,000 to $120,000, subject to lender criteria. Closing or reducing unused limits is one of the few levers a borrower can move quickly to improve capacity ahead of an application.
How long does the home loan process take?
Pre-approval typically takes one to two weeks from application to written approval. Formal approval after a contract is signed typically takes one to three weeks, depending on lender processing times and any conditions to clear (valuation, employment confirmation, deposit verification). Settlement is usually scheduled four to six weeks from contract for an established property purchase. Maxfin manages the timeline end-to-end with the borrower's solicitor or conveyancer.
What does the broker actually do, versus going to a bank directly?
A bank can only offer its own products; a broker can compare 30+ lenders simultaneously and match the file to the lender most likely to approve it at competitive terms. The broker also handles documentation requirements, lender liaison, valuation coordination and the conditions-to-clear process through to settlement. Maxfin's compensation comes from the lender on settlement; there is no fee to the borrower for residential applications, subject to specific case complexity.
Will I get a better rate than going direct?
Often, yes, but the value isn't only in rate. The broker route surfaces lenders the borrower hadn't considered, identifies LVR tier breakpoints that the existing bank may not pass through automatically, and structures the loan for the borrower's actual situation rather than the bank's standard product. Maxfin won't claim to deliver the cheapest rate available in the market; the firm matches the right lender to the file, which is generally a different question.
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