Self Employed Home Loans in Brisbane and Sydney: What Banks Actually Look At

Securing a self employed home loan in Brisbane is very different to applying as a PAYG employee.

If you are a business owner, contractor or operating through a trust or company, lenders assess your income differently. Understanding how banks interpret financials can materially impact your borrowing capacity.

For self-employed borrowers in Brisbane and Sydney, preparation and structure are critical.

How Banks Assess Self Employed Income

When applying for a self employed home loan Brisbane, most lenders will require:

• Two years of financials
• Two years of tax returns
• Business profit and loss statements
• Company or trust financials

Lenders assess income in line with regulatory and tax guidance, including frameworks published by the Australian Taxation Office.

However, not all banks assess income the same way.

Some lenders:

• Use net profit only
• Add back certain expenses
• Average income across years
• Apply conservative servicing buffers

Others take a more commercial view of financials.

Choosing the wrong lender can significantly reduce your borrowing capacity.

Common Mistakes Self Employed Borrowers Make

We regularly see business owners:

• Apply with their everyday bank without reviewing policy differences
• Structure debt without considering long-term portfolio growth
• Overlook how retained profits are treated
• Fail to align their lending strategy with their accountant

A self employed home loan Brisbane should never be approached the same way as a standard residential loan.

The way income is structured within your business matters.

You can learn more about how we support self employed borrowers here.

Why Structure Matters for Business Owners

If you operate through:

• A company
• A discretionary trust
• A unit trust
• Multiple entities

Your lending should reflect that structure.

The goal is not simply approval.

It is ensuring your lending supports:

• Asset protection
• Tax efficiency
• Future acquisitions
• Business scalability

For many business owners, servicing is not the issue. Presentation and lender selection are.

How We Approach Self Employed Lending

At The Brokerage, we specialise in self employed home loan Brisbane solutions for complex borrowers across Brisbane and Sydney.

We review:

• Full financial statements
• Entity structures
• Income trends
• Retained earnings
• Servicing strategy across lenders

Then we match you with the lender whose policy best aligns with your position.

This is where experience matters.

Is It Time to Review Your Current Position?

If you are self-employed and considering:

• Purchasing property
• Refinancing
• Expanding your portfolio
• Extracting equity

It may be worth reviewing how your income and lending are currently structured.

If you would like to discuss your position in detail, contact our team here.

General information only. This article does not constitute financial or tax advice.