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A commercial property loan funds the purchase, refinance, or equity release of an office, warehouse, shop, or specialised premises. It is assessed differently to a home loan: the lender looks at the property type, the lease in place, and the strength of the income it produces, alongside your own position. That means two borrowers buying the same building can be offered very different terms depending on the tenant, the lease term, and how the deal is structured. Settled With Joe works across bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders, and Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you honestly and quickly what is achievable for your situation.
Who we can help access finance
- •Business owners buying their own premises rather than continuing to pay rent.
- •Investors purchasing offices, retail, industrial, or warehouse property for income.
- •Owners refinancing a commercial loan that is coming to the end of its term or its interest-only period.
- •Borrowers releasing equity from a commercial property to fund working capital or a further purchase.
- •Self-employed borrowers and ABN holders whose income is strong but does not present neatly in two years of returns.
- •Buyers of specialised assets such as childcare centres, medical suites, service stations, and boarding houses, where lender appetite narrows sharply.
- •Purchasers under a fixed settlement date who need certainty on timing.
- •Borrowers whose scenario sits outside standard credit policy and needs a lender with a different assessment model.
How Commercial Property Loans Work
The loan is secured by a first mortgage over the property. Lenders typically advance up to 70% to 75% of value for standard commercial, and less for specialised assets. Terms are usually shorter than residential, often 3 to 15 years, and many commercial facilities are reviewed periodically rather than set and forgotten. Loans can be full-doc, assessed on financials and tax returns, or lease-doc, assessed primarily on the rental income the property produces where that income comfortably covers the repayment. Interest-only periods are common. Joseph Farhat and his team review the property, the lease, and your position, match the scenario to the right lender from the 90+ panel, and manage the application through to settlement.
What Lenders Assess for Commercial Property Loans
- •Property type: standard office, retail, and industrial in metro locations attract the best terms. Specialised and single-purpose assets reduce LVR and narrow the lender list considerably.
- •The lease: term remaining, options, tenant quality, and rent review structure all matter. A long lease to a strong tenant can carry the entire application on a lease-doc basis.
- •Vacancy: a vacant property is assessed on your capacity to service the debt without rental income, which is a materially harder application.
- •Location and marketability: how readily the property could be sold if needed, which is why regional and single-industry towns attract lower LVRs.
- •Serviceability: full-doc lending tests the loan against your financials. Lease-doc lending tests it against the rent, usually requiring the income to cover the repayment with a margin.
- •Your position: existing debt, tax lodgement status, and any ATO arrangement form part of every assessment.
- •Deal structure: whether the purchase is in a company, trust, or SMSF changes both the lender list and the documentation required.
The Commercial Property Loan Process: What to Expect
- 1.Talk to Joseph Farhat and his team about the property, the purchase or refinance, and what documentation you can produce. You will get an honest read on what is achievable before you apply anywhere.
- 2.Provide the basics: the contract or current loan details, the lease and tenancy schedule, and your financials or recent bank statements depending on the documentation path.
- 3.We match your scenario to the lenders on the panel most likely to fund the property type at a sensible LVR and rate. Every declined enquiry can leave a mark on your file, so this step matters.
- 4.The lender issues an approval setting out the rate, term, LVR, and conditions, and a valuation is ordered. Commercial valuations take longer than residential, and we plan the timeline around that rather than around the credit decision.
- 5.Settlement takes place and the facility begins. We stay in contact through the term so there is someone to call before the review date or the end of an interest-only period.
Indicative Finance Options
| Lender Type | Indicative Rate | Max LVR | Typical Loan Range | Loan Term | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | From ~6.75% p.a. | Up to 75% | $250K to $10M | 3 to 15 years | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Non-Bank Lenders | From ~8.5% p.a. | Up to 75% | $100K to $10M | 1 to 30 years | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Private Finance | From ~1.1% per month | Up to 70% | $250K to $10M | 3 to 24 months | Available for unique scenarios |
Indicative figures only. Actual rates and terms depend on your project, financial position, property location, and lender assessment at the time of application. Rates are subject to change.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for commercial property loans
- •We represent you, not the lender: Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest from the first conversation through to settlement.
- •Property type decides the deal: appetite for childcare, medical, service stations, boarding houses, and other specialised assets varies enormously, and going to the wrong lender wastes weeks.
- •Lease-doc or full-doc changes everything: where the rental income is strong, a lease-doc structure can avoid assembling years of financials entirely. Many borrowers are never told this is an option.
- •LVR is negotiable in practice: the difference between 65% and 75% on the same building is real money in your deposit, and it often comes down to lender choice rather than the property.
- •One conversation, not five applications: we approach the lenders most likely to fund your property type first, so your credit file is not filled with declined enquiries.
- •90+ lenders on one panel: bank, non-bank, and specialist, so a standard asset with clean financials can go to a bank at a sharper rate and a specialised one still has options.
- •We plan around the valuation: commercial valuations, not credit assessments, are usually what set your settlement date.
- •Private finance for unique scenarios: where bank and non-bank lenders are not the right fit, we can introduce you to private finance options.
- •Usually no direct cost to you: as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
- •An honest answer early: if you are working to a settlement date, talk to us first and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
