ACL 390611 | MFAA Member | Last updated
Commercial Property Loans,Structured Around the Lease.
Buying the premises you trade from, or an investment property with tenants already in it. The building is only half of what a lender assesses. The lease, the tenant and the valuation basis move the outcome as much as your financials do.
15 minutes with a commercial specialist. Bring the contract or the address, nothing else. We won’t approach a lender until you’ve approved it, and we charge you nothing at any stage.
Intellect Finance – Commercial Property Brokers
Independent since 2005 | ACL 390611What Is a Commercial Property Loan?
A commercial property loan is finance secured by property used for business rather than as a residence. That covers offices, warehouses, factories, retail premises, medical suites and specialised assets. The lender assesses the property, the lease and the borrowing entity, not a payslip.
Because the borrowing is for a business purpose, it sits outside the consumer credit framework. That changes two things at once. The assessment moves from your personal income to the earnings and security behind the deal, and the consumer protections that apply to a home loan, including Best Interests Duty, do not apply here.
Mixed use is where that line gets tested. ASIC’s position is that credit is caught by the consumer rules where the advance is predominantly for personal, domestic or household purposes, and predominantly means more than a 50 percent consumer component. A shop with a residence above it can fall either side of that line depending on the split, which changes both the lender and the protections that apply to you.
Common Situations
Why People Come to Us for a Commercial Property Loan
Commercial property finance covers a wide range of deals that look nothing like each other. These are the ones we see most often.
Buying the premises you already rent
The landlord is selling, or the lease is up. Owner occupied purchases are assessed on the property and your trading figures together, which is usually a stronger position than either alone.
Adding a tenanted property to a portfolio
The income is the lease, so the lease is what gets scrutinised. Remaining term, options and the tenant’s covenant matter more than the fit-out.
Buying a business and its premises together
Two assessments running at once, often on different timelines. The property side usually funds more comfortably than the goodwill side, which shapes the whole structure.
Buying through a company or trust
Routine, but it changes which lenders will look at it and who signs a guarantee. Settle the structure with your accountant before an application goes anywhere.
Holding the property inside super
A limited recourse borrowing arrangement through a custodian trust. A narrower market with its own rules. See our SMSF lending page before going further.
Repricing a facility nobody has looked at
Commercial facilities are usually reviewable. One left untouched for three years is the strongest candidate for a commercial property refinance.
Indicative ranges only, checked August 2026. Loan to value ratios, terms and security requirements are set by individual lenders and vary with the property type, the lease, the industry and the strength of the application. Specialised security such as childcare centres, service stations, hotels or rural property is generally assessed more conservatively. Nothing above is an offer of credit, a quote, or a statement of what any particular lender will do.
Got a Contract in Front of You?
Bring it to a 15 minute call before you sign the finance clause.Before You Sign
What You Actually Need at Settlement
On a commercial purchase the deposit is rarely the largest number. You may also need to fund GST, stamp duty, legal costs and the valuation, and lenders generally size the loan against the valuation rather than the contract price. Six things decide the real number.
Whether GST applies
The ATO treats a commercial sale as GST-free only where it qualifies as the supply of a going concern, which needs the sale to be for payment, the buyer registered or required to be registered for GST, and both parties agreeing in writing that it is a going concern. A property sold on its own is not a going concern.
The valuation, not the price
Lenders advance against the valuer’s figure. Where those differ, the gap comes out of your cash, not the loan. On tenanted property the valuer may report both a vacant possession figure and a figure subject to the existing tenancy, and the lender chooses which one it lends on.
The lease behind the income
Remaining term, option structure, who the tenant is and whether the rent being paid sits at, above or below market. A short tail or a weak covenant can reduce both the valuation and the advance on an otherwise identical building.
How specialised the security is
A metro industrial unit and a regional service station are not the same risk. Purpose-built assets narrow the lender pool sharply, and a narrower pool means a more conservative advance and less room to negotiate anything.
The entity and who guarantees it
Company, trust, partnership or self-managed fund. Each changes the lender list, the documents and who signs a guarantee. Deciding this after an application is lodged usually means starting the application again.
What sits on the critical path
The valuation, and on tenanted property a lease review, sit between you and an approval. Finance clauses get drafted without allowing for either. Talk to us before the clause is negotiated rather than after.
GST treatment sourced from the Australian Taxation Office, checked August 2026. See the ATO guidance on selling a going concern. Tax treatment depends on your circumstances and on how the contract is written. We are not tax agents. Confirm the GST position with your registered tax agent or the ATO before you sign anything.
We don’t publish rates, and we’d be cautious of anyone in commercial who does. What we can do is tell you which of these six is working against you on your deal, and whether it is fixable before you apply. Ask us where you sit.
The Honest Comparison
Do You Actually Need a Broker for This?
Sometimes not, and we will tell you when. Here is the real difference between the two routes on a commercial property deal.
Going to your own bank
- One relationship, one contact, and they already hold your accounts
- If they already hold security over the property, a top-up can be quick
- One credit policy. If your deal sits outside it the answer is no, with no explanation of why
- No visibility of what a second-tier lender or a private funder would have done with it
- A decline sits on the file and makes the next application harder
Using Intellect Finance
- 100+ lenders including second-tier, non-bank and private funders you cannot approach directly
- The deal is matched to a credit policy that already fits before anything is lodged
- You are told which factor is hurting the deal and whether it can be changed
- No fee to you at any stage, on any loan type, including no clawback fee
- Valuation, conditions and lender communication managed through to settlement
When going direct is the right call. If your bank already holds a mortgage over the property, your figures are straightforward, and the facility you want sits comfortably inside their policy, a top-up with them is often the fastest and cleanest route. We will say so on the call rather than take you through an application you did not need. Where it stops being the right call is the moment your deal has anything unusual in it: a short lease tail, a specialised asset, a trust structure, income that does not present well on paper, or a bank that has already said no.
The Difference
What You Get That a Single Lender Cannot Give You
Commercial property is where credit policy varies most between lenders. The same application, on identical numbers, gets very different answers.
100+ Lenders, Including the Ones You Can’t Approach Directly
Banks, second-tier lenders, non-banks and private funders, each with different appetite for property type, lease strength and industry. A decline from one says almost nothing about the appetite of the other ninety-nine.
Written Disclosure, Always
Business purpose lending sits outside the consumer credit rules, so Best Interests Duty does not apply to a commercial property loan. ASIC Regulatory Guide 273 limits that duty to credit regulated under the National Credit Act. We disclose in writing how we are paid before you proceed regardless of whether the law requires it.
No Fee. Not Even Clawback.
We don’t charge you for the structuring, the submission or the management, on commercial property or anything else. If a facility is discharged early we wear the clawback rather than invoicing you for it. Lenders pay a commission on settlement, disclosed in writing before any work begins.
Structured Before It’s Submitted
A commercial file that lands in the wrong place burns weeks you may not have under a finance clause, and leaves a mark on the record. We work out where it belongs before anything is lodged.
The Process
What Happens, and What We’ll Need
Commercial property applications are document-heavy and the valuation sits on the critical path. Knowing what is coming makes the whole thing faster.
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15 minutes
The first call
The property, the structure you are buying in, and the timeline. No documents at this stage. You will finish the call knowing whether it is fundable, roughly how it would be structured, and what the finance clause actually needs to allow for.
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You gather
Financials and property documents
Once we know the shape of the deal we confirm exactly which of these your lender will want. Nothing is gathered unnecessarily.
- Two years of business financials
- Two years of tax returns
- Recent management accounts
- ATO portal statements
- The contract of sale
- Lease documents and rent roll
- Outgoings schedule where applicable
- ID for each director, trustee or guarantor
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We handle
Lender selection, then submission
We work out which lenders’ credit policy actually fits the property, the lease and the entity before anything is lodged, then prepare and submit the application with the supporting narrative it needs.
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We manage
Valuation through to settlement
We manage the valuation, the lease review, the conditions and all lender communication through to settlement, and coordinate with your accountant and solicitor where the structure or the GST position needs it.
Requirements vary between lenders. Timeframes vary with the property, the lender and the complexity of the lease, and are not guaranteed.
Track Record
Commercial Is Not a Sideline For Us
Most brokerages run almost entirely residential and treat commercial property as an occasional favour. We have run a commercial desk alongside residential since 2005.
Social Proof
120+ Five-Star Google Reviews
Business owners, investors and developers alongside home buyers. Pulled live from Google.
Related Options
If This Isn’t Quite Your Deal
Commercial property sits inside a wider set of facilities. These are the ones people land on next.
Commercial property refinance
You already own it and want to reprice, release equity or restructure.
Commercial construction
Building or substantially refitting premises, drawn down against progress.
Commercial lot loans
A strata lot or vacant commercial land rather than a whole building.
SMSF commercial property
Holding business premises inside super through a limited recourse structure.
Development finance
Multi-unit and commercial development assessed on end value and total cost.
Every commercial facility we arrange
Back up to the full commercial finance range if none of these is it.
Not Sure It Stacks Up?
Tell us the property and the structure. We’ll tell you straight.Questions Answered
Commercial Property Loan FAQs
The questions buyers and investors ask us most often before getting in touch.
What is a commercial property loan?
A commercial property loan is finance secured by property used for business rather than as a residence. That includes offices, warehouses, factories, retail premises, medical suites and specialised assets. Because the borrowing is for a business purpose it sits outside the consumer credit rules, and the lender assesses the property, the lease and the borrowing entity rather than a payslip.
How much deposit do I need for a commercial property?
More than for a home, and the deposit is rarely the largest number at settlement. Lenders commonly fund around 65 to 70 percent of the valuation for standard commercial security, so a deposit near 30 to 35 percent is typical. On top of that you may need to fund GST, stamp duty, legal costs and the valuation. Specialised property is assessed more conservatively.
Do I pay GST when I buy a commercial property?
Often yes. The Australian Taxation Office treats a commercial property sale as GST-free only where it qualifies as the supply of a going concern, which requires the sale to be for payment, the purchaser to be registered or required to be registered for GST, and both parties to agree in writing that the sale is of a going concern. A property sold by itself is not a going concern. Ask your registered tax agent before you sign.
Does Best Interests Duty apply to a commercial property loan?
No. ASIC Regulatory Guide 273 states that the best interests obligations apply only to credit products regulated under the National Credit Act, meaning credit provided to consumers for personal, domestic or household purposes or for the purchase or improvement of residential investment property. Commercial property borrowing is a business purpose and sits outside it. We disclose in writing how we are paid on every transaction regardless.
Why does the lease matter so much to a commercial lender?
Because on a tenanted property the lease is the income the loan is repaid from. Lenders look at the remaining term, the option structure, who the tenant is and how their covenant is rated, and whether the rent being paid is at, above or below market. A short remaining term or a weak tenant can reduce both the valuation and the amount a lender will advance, on an otherwise identical building.
Can I buy a commercial property through a company, trust or SMSF?
Yes, and the structure changes which lenders will look at it. Company and trust borrowing is routine, usually with directors or trustees providing guarantees. Buying inside superannuation uses a limited recourse borrowing arrangement and a separate custodian trust, which is a narrower market with its own rules. Structure has tax and legal consequences, so settle it with your accountant and solicitor before applying.
What documents does a commercial property loan need?
Most lenders want two years of business financials and tax returns, recent management accounts, ATO portal statements, details of existing facilities, and identification for every director and guarantor. Property-specific items include the contract of sale, the lease or leases, a rent roll where there are multiple tenancies, and any outgoings schedule. Requirements differ by lender, so we confirm the list before anything is submitted.
Is a commercial property loan always a business loan?
Almost always, but mixed use is where it gets tested. ASIC’s position is that credit is caught by the consumer rules where the advance is predominantly for personal, domestic or household purposes, and predominantly means more than a 50 percent consumer component. A shop with a residence above it can fall either side of that line depending on the split, which changes both the lender and the protections that apply.
Checked August 2026. Loan to value and deposit figures above are indicative only and are set by individual lenders. Best Interests Duty scope is sourced from ASIC Regulatory Guide 273 and the consumer credit threshold from ASIC’s guidance on when the credit legislation applies. GST treatment is sourced from the ATO. These rules change. Confirm the current position with the issuing authority, your registered tax agent or your solicitor before relying on it.
Visit Us
Penrith Based.Clients Australia-Wide.
Penrith is our head office and the one you can walk into without an appointment. We also meet clients at Parramatta and in the Sydney CBD by arrangement. Most commercial property files run by phone, email and video, so we work with buyers and investors in every state.
Ready When You Are
Tell Us About the Property.
Fifteen minutes with a commercial specialist. We’ll tell you whether it’s fundable, roughly how it would be structured, what the finance clause needs to allow for, and what you’ll actually need at settlement. If your own bank is the better route, we’ll say so. Penrith based, clients Australia-wide. Intellect Finance Pty Ltd, ACL 390611.
Business purpose lending sits outside the consumer credit framework, so Best Interests Duty does not apply to it. We disclose how we are paid before you proceed on every transaction. Nothing on this page is credit assistance, financial advice, tax advice or an offer of credit, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Intellect Finance Pty Ltd | Australian Credit Licence 390611 | MFAA Member | AFCA Member
Important information General information only. Not credit assistance or an offer of credit. We charge you no fee. Tap to read the full detail.
General information only. The content on this page is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not credit assistance, financial advice, legal advice or tax advice, and it is not an offer of credit. You should consider whether it is appropriate for you and seek your own advice before acting on it.
Nothing here is a guarantee. Loan approval, borrowing capacity, interest rates, loan to value ratios, valuations, timeframes and eligibility are determined by individual lenders and by independent valuers, not by us. They differ between lenders and change over time. Any figure, range or timeframe on this page is indicative and is not a quote, an offer, or a prediction of your outcome.
Business purpose lending. Credit provided wholly or predominantly for business purposes is not regulated consumer credit, and the Best Interests Duty and responsible lending obligations under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 do not apply to it. We disclose how we are paid in writing before you proceed on every transaction regardless.
Tax and legal. GST, stamp duty, land tax and the tax treatment of any ownership structure depend on your circumstances and on how the contract is written. We are not tax agents, accountants or solicitors. Confirm the position with a registered tax agent, the Australian Taxation Office, your accountant or your solicitor before acting.
How we are paid. Intellect Finance does not charge borrowers a fee for arranging finance, and does not charge a clawback fee where a loan is discharged early. Lenders pay us a commission on settlement. The basis of that commission is disclosed to you in writing in our Credit Guide before any credit assistance is provided.
Third-party information. Where this page refers to government schemes, regulatory settings, tax treatment or lender policy, that information is sourced from the relevant authority and was correct to the best of our knowledge at the date shown on this page. Those rules change, sometimes without notice. Always confirm the current position with the issuing authority or with us before relying on it.
Found something wrong? If you believe anything on this page is inaccurate or out of date, tell us at joe@intellectfinance.com.au and we will review and correct it.
Intellect Finance Pty Ltd | Australian Credit Licence 390611 | MFAA Member | AFCA Member