ACL 390611 | MFAA Member | Last updated
Home Loans.Compared Before You Apply.
Two lenders can read the same payslips and land tens of thousands apart on what you can borrow. We work out which ones read your situation most favourably, before an application ever touches your credit file.
15 minutes. No paperwork, no obligation, and we don’t approach a lender until you’ve approved it. Nothing here touches your credit file. Lenders pay us a commission on settlement and we disclose it in writing before any work begins.
Intellect Finance – Mortgage Brokers
Independent since 2005 | ACL 390611What Is a Home Loan?
A home loan is money borrowed from a lender to buy residential property, repaid with interest over an agreed term, commonly 25 to 30 years. The property acts as security for the loan.
Loans come as variable rate, fixed rate or split, and features such as an offset account or redraw facility can reduce the interest you pay over the life of the loan. Home loans are regulated consumer credit, which means brokers arranging them are legally required to act in your best interests.
The part most people underestimate is how much lenders differ. Each applies its own assessment rate, living-cost benchmark and treatment of existing debts, so the same file can produce very different answers. Knowing which lender to approach before you apply is most of the work.
Our Services
Every Kind of Home Loan We Arrange
Grouped by what you are trying to do. Deposit guidance below is indicative only and moves with the lender, the property and your position.
First Home Buyer Loans
Grants, guarantees and stamp duty concessions, mapped against what you actually qualify for. Since October 2025 the First Home Guarantee has no income caps and no limit on places.
Learn moreMortgage Pre-Approval
A written indication of your ceiling before you start inspecting properties.
Learn moreGuarantor Home Loan
A parent uses equity in their property to support your deposit, often removing LMI.
Learn moreJoint Loan
Buying with a partner, family member or friend, and structuring who owns what.
Learn moreConstruction Loan
Progressive drawdowns against the build schedule rather than one lump sum at settlement.
Learn moreLand Loan
Buying the block now and building later, assessed differently to a standard home loan.
Learn moreBridging Loans
Cover the gap when you buy before your existing property sells.
Learn moreRefinance Home Loan
Move to a sharper rate or better structure, once the exit costs are modelled.
Learn moreCash-Out Refinance
Release equity as usable funds for renovations, investment or consolidation.
Learn moreSecond Mortgage
A further loan secured behind your existing lender rather than replacing it.
Learn moreInvestment Loans
Structured around your yield strategy, portfolio position and future borrowing.
Learn moreExpat & Non-Resident
Australian citizens abroad and non-residents buying here, where most lenders stop.
Learn moreMedical & Professional
Some lenders waive LMI for eligible professions regardless of deposit size.
Learn moreIndicative only. Nothing here is an offer of credit or a guarantee of any particular outcome. Buying through a self-managed super fund sits on our SMSF loans page, and business-purpose lending on our commercial finance page.
Not Sure Where You Stand?
Fifteen minutes tells you your real number. No credit check.Borrowing Capacity
What Actually Decides How Much You Can Borrow
Borrowing capacity is not one number. It is a different number at every lender, because each weighs these six things its own way.
Income type and consistency
PAYG, self-employed, bonus, commission, overtime and casual income are each shaded differently. Two lenders can treat the same bonus as fully countable or ignore it entirely.
Living expenses
Lenders compare your declared spending against their own household benchmark and use the higher figure. Three months of statements matter more than most people expect.
Existing debts and limits
A credit card is assessed on its limit, not its balance. Buy-now-pay-later, car loans and HECS all reduce capacity, and lenders weigh them differently.
The assessment rate
APRA requires lenders to test you at your actual rate plus a buffer of at least 3 percentage points, so a loan is assessed well above the rate you would pay. This is the single biggest reason your capacity is lower than you expected.
Deposit size and LMI
Below 20 percent, lenders mortgage insurance applies and pricing steps at LVR bands. Landing just under a band edge can be worth more than negotiating the rate.
Dependants and household
Household size feeds directly into the expense benchmark. So does whether a partner’s income is included and how their own debts are treated.
New since February 2026
There is now a cap on high debt-to-income lending
From 1 February 2026, APRA limits banks and other deposit-taking institutions to writing no more than 20 percent of new mortgage lending at a debt-to-income ratio of six times or higher, measured separately for owner-occupier and investor loans. It is a quota on lenders rather than a ban on borrowers, and bridging loans and new-build construction are excluded. In practice it means that if your position sits above six times income, which lender you approach and when has become a great deal more important. Non-bank lenders outside APRA’s remit are not subject to the cap.
An online calculator applies one set of assumptions. We run your position against the lenders whose assumptions suit it, which is why the answer often differs from the one your bank gave you. Find out your real number.
Checked August 2026. Serviceability and macroprudential settings are set by APRA and reviewed periodically. Individual lenders apply their own policies on top. Confirm the current position with us or with APRA before relying on any figure above. Government scheme rules, price caps and eligibility also change, sometimes at short notice, so confirm those with Housing Australia or your state revenue office before relying on anything here. We update this page when the rules change, but the official source always governs. Everything else on this page is described in the important information at the foot of the page.
Start Here
Where Are You Up To?
Six situations that cover most of the people who call us. Pick the one closest to yours.
Buying my first home
Grants, guarantees and stamp duty concessions, checked against what you actually qualify for.
Upsizing when the timing is tight
Buying before you sell, or selling before you buy. Different risks, different lenders.
My income is self-employed
Most banks shade self-employed income hard. Specialist lenders assess it on other evidence.
My rate hasn’t been reviewed in years
We model the saving against the exit costs before recommending you move anywhere.
Adding an investment property
Structure protects your tax position and your capacity for the property after this one.
Building rather than buying
Progressive drawdowns, land settling first, and a valuation that lands at completion.
Social Proof
120+ Five-Star Google Reviews
First home buyers, upgraders, refinancers and investors. Pulled live from Google.
Joseph Sukkar
Principal Broker · ACL 390611
Who You’re Dealing With
Built on 25 Years in Australian Finance
Joseph Sukkar started in finance in 2000 and founded Intellect Finance in Penrith in 2005. Since then the team has arranged more than 6,500 loans for clients across Australia, from first homes to complex commercial and asset finance.
Residential lending sits with Moufid, our Head of Residential Lending, who works in it every day. Two lenders can read the same payslips and land tens of thousands apart, because each applies its own assessment rate, its own living-cost benchmark and its own treatment of existing debts. Working out which of them reads your file most favourably is most of the work, and doing it before anything is lodged is what keeps your credit file clean.
100+ Lenders Including
Accreditation with a lender is not an endorsement by it. Which lender suits you is decided by your file, not by who is on this list.
The Difference
Why Not Just Go to Your Bank?
Your bank can only show you your bank’s answer. If its credit policy doesn’t suit your file, the answer is no, and nobody explains why.
100+ Lenders Rather Than One Credit Policy
Banks, second-tier lenders and non-banks, including specialist funders that never advertise. A decline from one says almost nothing about the appetite of the other ninety-nine.
Legally On Your Side
Home loans are regulated consumer credit, so brokers must act in your best interests under federal law. A bank’s own staff carry no equivalent obligation when recommending their employer’s products.
No Fee. Not Even Clawback.
We don’t charge you for the comparison, the structuring or the application. If you discharge the loan early we wear the clawback ourselves rather than invoicing you for it, which plenty of brokers do.
Your Credit File Stays Clean
Every application leaves a mark. We work out where your file actually fits before anything is lodged, rather than testing lenders one at a time and finding out the hard way.
Find Out What You Can Actually Borrow
Two lenders reading the same payslips can land tens of thousands apart. Fifteen minutes tells you where you sit before anything is lodged.Track Record
Independent Since 2005
Joe Sukkar started in finance in 2000 and founded the practice five years later. Residential lending sits with Moufid, who works in it every day.
The Process
What Happens and What We’ll Need
Nothing touches your credit file until you have seen the options and approved the lender.
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15 minutes
The first call
Your income, your deposit, your timeline and what you are trying to buy. No documents and no credit check. You will finish the call with a realistic borrowing range and a view on which lenders suit your file.
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You gather
Documents
We confirm exactly which of these your lender wants before you go looking for any of them.
- Photo identification
- Two recent payslips
- Latest tax return or group certificate
- Three to six months of bank statements
- Evidence of your deposit
- Details of existing debts and card limits
- Two years of returns, if self-employed
- Contract of sale, once you have one
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We handle
Lender selection then submission
We identify which lenders’ policy actually fits your file, show you the comparison, and only lodge once you have chosen. That is what keeps your credit file clean.
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We manage
Approval through to settlement
We manage valuation, conditions and lender communication, and coordinate with your conveyancer or solicitor through to settlement.
Questions Answered
Home Loan FAQs
The questions people ask us most often before getting in touch.
What is a home loan?
A home loan is money borrowed from a lender to buy residential property, repaid with interest over an agreed term, commonly 25 to 30 years. The property acts as security. Loans come as variable rate, fixed rate or split, and features such as an offset account or redraw can reduce the interest you pay over the life of the loan.
How much can I borrow?
It depends on your income, living expenses, existing debts and credit limits, dependants, and the deposit you have. APRA requires lenders to stress-test the loan at your actual rate plus at least 3 percentage points. Separately, from 1 February 2026 banks may write no more than 20 percent of new mortgage lending at a debt-to-income ratio of six or higher, so which lender you approach matters more if your position sits above that. The spread between lenders on the same file can be very wide.
Why do two lenders give me different borrowing amounts?
Because each applies its own assessment rate, its own living-cost benchmark, and its own treatment of existing debts, credit card limits, HECS and casual or bonus income. Two lenders reading identical payslips can land tens of thousands apart. That gap is the single strongest argument for comparing before you apply.
What deposit do I need?
Twenty percent of the purchase price avoids lenders mortgage insurance. Many lenders will consider less, with LMI payable, and eligible first home buyers may be able to buy with a five percent deposit under the First Home Guarantee without paying LMI. Since 1 October 2025 that scheme has no income caps and no limit on places, though property price caps still apply by location. You will also need funds for stamp duty and costs unless a concession applies.
What documents do I need for a home loan?
Typically photo identification, your two most recent payslips, your latest tax return or group certificate, three to six months of bank statements, evidence of your deposit, and details of existing debts. Self-employed borrowers usually need two years of personal and business tax returns plus ATO notices of assessment. Requirements vary between lenders.
What is mortgage pre-approval and does it matter?
Pre-approval, also called conditional approval, is a written indication from a lender of how much it is prepared to lend, subject to final property and income verification. It is not a guarantee of finance. It gives you a realistic ceiling before you start inspecting, and signals to agents that you are a serious buyer. It commonly lasts around 90 days.
Can I get a home loan if I am self-employed?
Yes. Many mainstream lenders assess self-employed income conservatively, but specialist lenders will consider accountant declarations, BAS statements and alternative verification. The right lender depends on your structure, how long you have been trading, and how your income is drawn. A decline from one lender says very little about the rest of the market.
What is the difference between owner-occupier and investment loans?
Owner-occupier loans are for the property you live in. Investment loans are for property you rent out or resell, and lenders generally price them higher and assess them more conservatively. The structure differs too, with owner-occupiers often prioritising principal and interest to build equity while investors may weigh interest-only against their broader position.
Does Best Interests Duty apply to my home loan?
Yes. Home loans are regulated consumer credit under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act, so mortgage brokers are legally required to act in your best interests. A bank’s own staff carry no equivalent obligation when recommending their employer’s products. It is one of the practical differences between using a broker and applying direct.
What does Intellect Finance charge?
Nothing. We do not charge the borrower a fee on any loan type, and we do not charge a clawback fee if you discharge the loan early. Lenders pay a commission on settlement, disclosed to you in writing in our Credit Guide before any work begins.
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 of the process runs by phone, email and video, so we settle loans in every state.
Parramatta
Suite 23, Level 1, 181 Church St, Parramatta NSW 2150
Mortgage broker Parramatta →Ready When You Are
Find Out What You Can Actually Borrow.
Fifteen minutes with a residential specialist. We’ll give you a realistic range, tell you which lenders read your situation most favourably, and flag anything that would hold an application up. No credit check, no paperwork, no obligation. Penrith based, clients Australia-wide. Intellect Finance Pty Ltd, ACL 390611.
Home loans are regulated consumer credit, so Intellect Finance is legally required to act in your best interests under the Best Interests Duty in the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. Nothing on this page is credit assistance 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. Every caveat and source on this page is collected here. Tap to read.
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, document requirements, timeframes and eligibility are determined by individual lenders and government bodies, 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.
Best Interests Duty. Home loans and personal loans are regulated consumer credit under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009. When providing credit assistance in relation to these products, Intellect Finance is required to act in your best interests.
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 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