The honest answers.

On a dual income around $180K combined with no kids and modest expenses, most lenders will land you between $750K and $920K depending on which calculator they run. We model the same file across 8–10 lenders on day one so you see the real spread before anyone runs a credit check. The number that matters is the one you'll be comfortable repaying when rates move, not the maximum a bank will allow.

Rule of thumb: shaving 0.30% off the rate or unlocking $50K+ for a renovation or investment usually pays back inside 18 months. We model the break-even on each file — discharge fees ($300–$600), new application fees, fixed-rate break costs if applicable, and any LMI implications — before recommending a move. Sometimes the answer is 'stay where you are and ask for a repricing', and we'll say so. General information only; whether a refinance is right for your circumstances needs to be worked out on the numbers, not on rules of thumb.

Lenders typically shade your expected rent to allow for vacancy and costs — most count 75–80%, and some shade only to 90%, which can lift your borrowing power. The lender who treats your rental income most generously is rarely the cheapest, so we model the trade-off to find the one that works for your file.

Most advisers recommend a minimum of $150–200K in the fund before you buy with your SMSF. For a commercial purchase with borrowing, you need at least a 10% deposit, but we usually recommend 20–30% for better rates. For residential the question is simpler now — new SMSF borrowing for residential property is banned from 10 August 2026, so the fund needs to cover the full purchase price plus costs in cash. Below these levels, fixed running costs tend to eat the returns. We don't take SMSF loans that won't perform; we'll tell you if you're too early.

Plan for 30–35% across the deal — 25–30% deposit plus 4–5% costs (stamp duty, legals, valuation, sometimes lender fees). Owner-occupied premises often need only 20% plus costs, and using residential property as security can extend lending to 100% of the property value if you'd rather keep your cash and borrow the lot. Lease doc and low doc are more conservative on LVR; full doc with strong financials reaches a higher LVR with the right lender.

Nothing. The lender pays us a regulated commission — typically 0.5–0.7% upfront and around 0.15% trail per year — and it's disclosed in writing in the Credit Quote we give you before lodgement, so you see every cent before anything is submitted. Your rate and fees aren't affected; the commission comes out of the lender's margin, not yours. And because we know where the pricing sits, we often negotiate sharper rates than branch staff will offer you directly.