Finance to 75% LVRstructure decided first, rate second

The situation

Commercial, mixed-use and portfolio property investors typically come to us at one of a few moments: buying a new asset and wanting a structure that fits how the portfolio is held, refinancing to release equity for the next purchase, or needing to move quickly between one property position and another. The common thread is that the requirement is structural before it is about rate — how the loan is secured, what LVR is achievable, whether it sits as a first or second mortgage, and how the numbers work across an entity or a portfolio rather than a single property in isolation.

Entity structure adds another layer most investors don't fully appreciate until they hit it: a property held in a trust, or across several related entities, changes how a lender reads serviceability and title, and not every lender is set up to assess that structure quickly. An investor buying their fourth or fifth property is often working with a materially more complex file than their first purchase, even where the fundamentals of the deal are just as sound.

Why the first answer is often no

Bank serviceability calculators and debt-to-income caps are built around a standardised view of income and existing debt that doesn't always reflect an investor with multiple properties, a company or trust structure, or income that doesn't fit neatly into a payslip-shaped box. A portfolio that's grown organically over several purchases can look complex to a bank's assessment process even where it's genuinely sound, and full financials aren't always ready in the timeframe a purchase or refinance demands. None of this means the lending isn't there — banks are still a strong fit for straightforward, well-documented purchases — but it does mean a "no" from a standard bank calculator is often a policy limit, not a verdict on the deal itself.

How it gets funded

Commercial property loans are the core facility for purchasing or refinancing commercial and mixed-use assets, typically as a first mortgage. Where equity needs to be accessed without disturbing an existing first mortgage, a second mortgage sits behind it; where a full refinance makes more sense, a private first mortgage can go further on LVR than a bank will for a comparable asset. A bridging loan covers the period between buying a new property and selling an existing one, priced and sized around that specific exit. And where full financials aren't ready or don't reflect current trading, low-doc commercial loans use BAS, bank statements or a declaration of income instead.

Security is the property itself, assessed for asset type, location and existing encumbrances, with LVR typically running higher through private lenders than banks are prepared to extend on the same asset. Banks generally require full-doc financials and move more slowly; private lenders and specialist funds price and structure around the security and the exit, and can move faster once the file is complete. Across all of these, the exit — sale, lease-up, refinance, or simply ongoing serviceability — is what determines whether a structure works, not just the rate attached to it.

What to have ready

Property and portfolio details, current mortgage statements, entity and trust documents, evidence of income (full financials, BAS or bank statements depending on the structure used), and a clear statement of purpose — purchase, refinance, or equity release for a specific use. Where the portfolio spans multiple entities, a simple summary of what's held where and what's encumbered saves considerable back-and-forth once the file reaches a lender.

Working with us

We start by understanding the portfolio as a whole, not just the property in front of us, since a structure that works for one asset in isolation can create problems elsewhere if it isn't considered against everything else you hold. From there we place the file with the banks, private lenders and specialist funds whose appetite matches the LVR, structure and timeframe you actually need.

We report on actual terms once a lender has assessed the file, not a theoretical range, and we stay involved through settlement. Where you've come to us through an accountant, lawyer or buyers agent, we keep them informed at each stage and the ongoing relationship remains theirs.

For investors actively growing a portfolio, we also flag when a current structure is starting to limit what's achievable on the next purchase, rather than waiting for a declined application to surface the problem.