Are bridging loans available across Australia?

Yes. Bridging loans can be arranged across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Approval depends on the property, location and exit strategy.

What are bridging loans commonly used for?

They are commonly used to buy before selling, access property equity before settlement or complete a time-sensitive property transaction.

Can homeowners access equity before their property sells?

Yes. Eligible homeowners may use bridging finance to access property equity before their sale settles.

Can bridging loans be used to renovate a property before selling?

Yes. Bridging finance may fund eligible repairs, cosmetic improvements or renovations before a property is sold.

Who typically uses bridging loans in Australia?

They are commonly used by homeowners, property investors, developers, downsizers and business owners.

Are bridging loans available for both residential and commercial property?

Yes. Bridging finance may be secured against eligible residential, commercial and investment property.

How quickly can bridging loans be arranged?

Timeframes depend on the property, valuation, documents and transaction complexity, but bridging finance is generally arranged faster than traditional bank lending.

Bridging Loan Locations Across Australia

We arrange eligible short-term property-secured finance throughout Australia through a panel of bank, non-bank and specialist lenders. Available loan amounts, LVRs, pricing and terms depend on the property location and type, loan purpose, borrower circumstances and proposed exit strategy.

The location of the security property can affect valuation, lender appetite and maximum LVR. State and territory contract rules may also influence how quickly a buyer needs finance certainty, particularly for auction purchases and short settlements.

Choose your city

Bridging loans Melbourne. Finance for auction purchases, buying before selling, settlement gaps and eligible investment transactions in Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Bridging loans Sydney. Short-term property finance for Sydney purchases, refinances, auctions and settlement timing gaps.
Bridging loans Brisbane. Bridging finance secured against eligible residential, commercial and investment property across Brisbane and Queensland.
Bridging loans Perth. Property-secured bridging finance across Perth and Western Australia, where private-sale contracts have no mandatory statutory cooling-off period.
Bridging loans Adelaide. Short-term property finance for purchases, sales, refinances and settlement gaps across Adelaide and South Australia.

We also consider transactions outside these five markets, including regional centres and the other states and territories, subject to lender appetite and the security offered.

Does property location affect borrowing?

Yes, though through the security property rather than through where you live. A lender assesses what the property is, where it is, and how readily it could be sold if the exit is delayed. Your own residential address is generally not part of that assessment.

Location can influence:

Valuation approach. Fewer comparable sales in an area usually means a more conservative valuation.
Lender appetite. Some lenders apply postcode or property-type restrictions that have nothing to do with the borrower.
Maximum LVR. Less liquid markets typically attract lower lending ceilings.
Timeframes. Arranging a valuation can take longer in remote areas.

If your security is in one state and you live in another, that is not an obstacle. The location of the property determines which state's law governs the mortgage and the settlement.

Metropolitan, regional and remote security

Standard metropolitan residential property generally attracts the broadest lender appetite and may support higher LVRs or more competitive terms, subject to the complete application.
Major regional centres are widely accepted, though assessment is typically more conservative than for a capital city equivalent.
Regional, remote and specialised properties may attract a lower maximum LVR, a narrower lender panel, more conservative valuation assumptions or, in some cases, no available option.

Rather than assuming a location rules you out, send us the address. It costs nothing to establish whether a lender will consider it.

What lenders assess nationally

Wherever the property sits, the assessment turns on the same three things:

The security. Property type, location, condition and marketability, confirmed by valuation.
The equity. Total borrowing against the security as a proportion of value, together with any existing mortgage.
The exit. How the facility will be repaid, and what evidences it. This ordinarily has the greatest influence on both approval and pricing.

Loan purpose matters alongside these, because it determines the regulatory framework that applies and therefore which lenders can act. Full mechanics in how bridging loans work, and eligibility in who qualifies for a bridging loan.

State and territory transaction timing

Cooling-off rights are one important timing consideration when purchasing residential property. They may affect the period available to confirm finance after signing, although the applicable rules depend on the jurisdiction, transaction type, buyer and contract. The general position in each jurisdiction:

New South Wales. Generally 5 business days for residential purchases, with 0.25% of the purchase price forfeited on withdrawal. Does not apply to a purchase at auction, or where contracts are exchanged on the same day as an auction at which the property was passed in.
Victoria. Generally 3 clear business days for private sales of residential and small rural property, with $100 or 0.2% of the purchase price forfeited, whichever is greater. Does not apply to auction purchases or within three clear business days either side of a public auction, and does not apply where the buyer is a corporate body or an estate agent, or where the property is used mainly for industrial or commercial purposes.
Queensland. Generally 5 business days, starting the day the buyer receives the contract signed by both parties, with a penalty of up to 0.25% of the purchase price. Does not apply to auction purchases, or to a contract entered into within 2 business days of an unsuccessful auction where the buyer was a registered bidder.
South Australia. Generally 2 clear business days, running from the later of receipt of the vendor's statement or the date the contract was signed. Does not apply at auction or on the same day after one, though a successful offer made before an auction may attract cooling-off unless the buyer waives it.
Western Australia. No mandatory statutory cooling-off period for real estate contracts. A private-sale contract may instead contain negotiated conditions relating to finance approval, sale of another property, inspections or other matters.
Australian Capital Territory. Generally 5 working days for eligible residential private sales, subject to exceptions and waiver provisions.
Tasmania. No statutory cooling-off requirement for residential property sales.
Northern Territory. Generally 4 business days for applicable non-auction residential sales.

Residential auction purchases are generally unconditional and ordinarily do not provide a statutory cooling-off period. Buyers should have their finance position and contract reviewed before bidding, because the precise obligations and available remedies depend on the contract and applicable law. This is one reason buyers may arrange bridging finance before bidding at auction.

Settlement periods are normally negotiated between the parties and recorded in the contract rather than universally fixed by law. The relevant issue for bridging finance is the gap between the date funds are required and the date sale proceeds, refinancing or another exit will become available. Buyers may be able to negotiate a longer settlement before signing, although the seller is not required to accept it and different commercial terms may apply.

This summary is general information only, current as at the review date below. Cooling-off rules are set by state and territory legislation, are subject to exceptions and waiver provisions, and can change. Obtain legal advice on your specific contract before signing.

Products available nationally

The full range is available across Australia, subject to eligibility and lender appetite:

Residential bridging loans for homeowners buying, selling or moving between properties.
Commercial bridging loans for business, investment and development purposes.
Second mortgage loans where an existing first mortgage is to remain in place.

See all loan types, or browse by situation in use cases. For pricing and cost, see interest rates and costs and fees, or model a scenario in the bridging loan calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Do you arrange finance outside the capital cities?

We consider transactions across Australia, including regional centres, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Regional, remote and specialised security may attract a lower maximum LVR, a narrower lender panel or more conservative valuation assumptions, and in some cases no option is available. The security address is the starting point for establishing what is possible.

Which jurisdictions have no statutory cooling-off period?

Western Australia and Tasmania do not provide a mandatory statutory cooling-off period for residential property contracts. In Western Australia, a private-sale contract may instead include negotiated conditions covering finance approval, the sale of another property or inspections. Obtain legal advice before signing in any jurisdiction.

Is there a cooling-off period when buying at auction?

Residential auction purchases are generally unconditional and ordinarily do not provide a statutory cooling-off period, in any Australian jurisdiction. Several jurisdictions also exclude cooling-off for contracts signed shortly before or after an auction. Because the precise position depends on the contract and the applicable law, have both reviewed before you bid.

How long is a settlement period?

Settlement periods are normally negotiated between the parties and recorded in the contract rather than fixed by law. What matters for bridging finance is the gap between the date funds are required and the date an exit becomes available. A longer settlement may be negotiable before signing, though a seller is not obliged to agree and may seek different commercial terms in exchange.

Does my location affect my interest rate?

Pricing is influenced by the security property rather than by where the borrower lives. Property type, location and marketability all feed into a lender's assessment, alongside the equity position, the loan purpose and the strength of the proposed exit.

Can you help if the property is in a different state to where I live?

Yes. The security property determines which jurisdiction's law governs the mortgage and settlement, not the borrower's residential address. Interstate purchases and relocations are common.

Do I need to meet you in person?

No. The process is ordinarily conducted remotely. Valuations are arranged locally, documents are executed electronically or through your legal representative, and settlement is handled in the relevant jurisdiction.

Discuss your scenario

Tell us the security address, the existing loan position, the amount required, the purpose and how you intend to repay. We will set out what may be available, what it would cost over the term you actually need, and whether the timeframe is realistic.

Request an assessment, or read further in bridging loans explained and our bridging loan FAQs.