Commercial & business finance

Lending built for
business ambition.

Commercial lending operates under fundamentally different rules from residential finance — property types, valuation methods, income assessment, LVR limits and lender appetite vary widely. Whether you're buying premises, expanding a portfolio or refinancing existing commercial debt, we navigate the complexity and access the right lender for your specific situation.

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What this service covers

Commercial property loans — purchasing or refinancing retail, office, industrial, medical and mixed-use commercial property, owner-occupied or as investment.

Business lending — equipment finance, working capital, trade finance and business acquisition loans for SMEs requiring finance beyond standard residential products.

Development finance — construction and land financing for small-scale residential or commercial development projects, from pre-sales through to completion.

Loan types

Commercial finance across every category.

Every commercial lending scenario has different lender requirements, security types and assessment criteria. We match you to the right facility for your specific need.

Commercial property purchase

Buying commercial real estate — retail shops, offices, warehouses, medical suites, childcare centres or mixed-use strata — either as an owner-occupier or investor. Commercial property lenders assess income, tenancy profile and property location differently from residential lenders.

  • Owner-occupied business premises
  • Commercial investment property
  • Strata office, retail and industrial units
  • Medical, childcare and hospitality property
  • Standalone or tenanted investment

Business premises refinancing

Refinancing existing commercial property debt to a more competitive rate, releasing equity from commercial property for business purposes, or restructuring a facility whose term is expiring and needs renewal or replacement.

  • Rate and fee comparison across commercial lenders
  • Commercial equity release for working capital
  • Expiring facility renewal or refinance
  • Moving from bank to non-bank commercial lender
  • Splitting owner-occupied and investment facilities

Development finance

Short-term construction funding for residential or commercial development projects — typically small to medium scale (2–20 lots or units). Development finance is assessed on feasibility, pre-sales, builder credentials and exit strategy rather than standard serviceability.

  • Duplex, townhouse and small unit developments
  • Land subdivision and civil works finance
  • Pre-sales requirement assessment
  • Construction draw schedule management
  • Residual stock facility on completion

Equipment & asset finance

Financing business-critical equipment, vehicles, plant and machinery through chattel mortgage, finance lease or hire purchase — preserving working capital while acquiring income-producing assets. We access a panel of asset finance lenders with competitive rates for SMEs.

  • Vehicles, trucks and trailers
  • Manufacturing and industrial plant
  • Medical and dental equipment
  • Technology and fit-out assets
  • Chattel mortgage, lease or hire purchase

Business acquisition finance

Funding the purchase of a business — either goodwill-only or including business real property — where the security includes the trading business, its assets and potentially associated real property. Assessed on business cashflow, EBITDA and sector risk profile.

  • Franchise and SME business acquisitions
  • Goodwill and asset-backed business loans
  • EBITDA-based serviceability assessment
  • Vendor finance coordination
  • Management buyout structures

Working capital & trade finance

Short-term facilities to fund business operations, manage seasonal cashflow or bridge trade payment gaps — including overdrafts, invoice financing, debtor finance and letters of credit for import/export businesses.

  • Business overdraft and line of credit
  • Invoice and debtor financing
  • Trade finance for import/export
  • Seasonal cashflow facilities
  • Unsecured business loans to $500k
Key differences

Commercial lending is a different world.

Understanding these differences is why a specialist matters — commercial applications that go to the wrong lender, or are structured incorrectly, are declined or come back with worse terms.

Residential lending

Max LVRUp to 95% (with LMI)
Income assessmentPAYG or declared business income
Valuation methodComparable sales
Interest rateLower — more lender competition
Loan termUp to 30 years
Lender options30+ lenders widely available
Assessment speed1–4 weeks typical

Commercial lending

Max LVRTypically 65–75% (no LMI)
Income assessmentBusiness cashflow, EBITDA, rental income
Valuation methodCapitalisation rate + comparable sales
Interest rateHigher — reflects asset and sector risk
Loan termTypically 15–25 years, with review periods
Lender optionsFewer — specialist lenders required
Assessment speed3–8 weeks typical
Our process

How we approach commercial lending

Commercial applications require more preparation and more active management than residential loans. We invest that time upfront so the right lender sees the right application.

I

Business & property review

We review your financials, the property or asset being financed, your entity structure and the purpose of the lending — building a clear picture of what the application needs to demonstrate.

II

Lender matching

Commercial lenders have very specific appetites — sector preferences, property type limits, minimum loan sizes and LVR policies. We identify the lenders most likely to approve your application before lodging anything.

III

Application preparation

We prepare a comprehensive submission — financial statements, business plan (where required), property information, tenancy schedule and supporting documents — structured to pre-empt the lender's credit questions.

IV

Approval & settlement

We manage the credit process — responding to lender queries, coordinating valuations, reviewing loan documents and ensuring settlement proceeds cleanly. Ongoing review as facility review periods approach.

Why FinanceOnly

Commercial lending needs
a broker who knows the lenders.

Most residential brokers dabble in commercial lending. We've been placing commercial loans since 2018 — we know which lenders are active in which sectors, what their credit appetite looks like and how to structure an application to get it approved rather than declined.

  • Commercial lending experience since 2018
  • MFAA accredited — commercial and business finance
  • Australian Credit Licence holder since 2007
  • Access to bank and non-bank commercial lenders
  • Application preparation included — not just submission
  • Ongoing facility review as terms approach renewal

Lender selection is everything in commercial

A commercial application submitted to the wrong lender doesn't just get declined — it can affect your credit file and make the next lender less willing to look at it. We identify the right lender before lodging anything.

The application tells the story

Commercial credit decisions are more discretionary than residential — a well-prepared submission with context, financials and a clear business narrative makes a material difference to outcome. We invest in preparation before submission.

Non-bank lenders often win

Major bank appetite for commercial property is cyclical and increasingly policy-restricted. Non-bank commercial lenders — private credit funds and specialist lenders — often offer faster approvals, more flexibility and comparable rates. We have access to both channels.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How much deposit do I need for a commercial property?
Commercial lenders typically require a minimum 25–35% deposit (65–75% LVR), compared to as little as 5% for residential property. LMI is not available for commercial loans, so the deposit requirement represents the full equity contribution. The exact LVR depends on the property type, location, tenancy profile and lender — industrial and regional properties often attract lower maximum LVRs than well-leased metro retail or office stock.
Can I use a commercial property loan to buy my business premises?
Yes — owner-occupied commercial property (where you operate your business from the premises) is a common and well-supported loan type. Lenders assess serviceability using the business's financial statements rather than rental income, and owner-occupied commercial loans are sometimes available at slightly lower rates than investor commercial loans. We'll use your business financials to determine the most appropriate lender and structure.
Do I need to provide financial statements for a commercial loan?
For most commercial property loans, yes — lenders require the last 2 years of financial statements (including profit and loss, balance sheet and tax returns) for the borrowing entity. For investment commercial property where the serviceability is supported by rental income rather than business cashflow, the requirements may be lighter. Low-doc commercial loans exist for some property types but typically carry higher rates and lower LVR limits.
How long are commercial loan terms?
Commercial loans typically have shorter overall terms than residential loans — usually 15–25 years — with interest rate review periods of 1–5 years. At each review period, the lender reassesses the loan and may change the rate, terms or request updated financials. This is normal in commercial lending and is why we stay in contact with commercial clients throughout the loan term — not just at origination.
What types of commercial property are hardest to finance?
Lender appetite varies significantly by property type and location. Generally harder to finance: single-tenanted retail in secondary locations, specialised industrial (abattoirs, petrol stations), rural commercial, hospitality (pubs, motels) and properties with environmental issues. Generally easier to finance: metro strata office, well-leased industrial, childcare with long leases, and medical properties. We assess lender appetite for your specific property type before recommending a submission strategy.

Ready to discuss your commercial finance needs?

Confidential consultation. Obligation-free.

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