Finance the premises your business runs on.
Office, retail, industrial or specialist — buying commercial property is a different game to a home loan: lower LVRs, shorter terms, and lending that leans on the lease as much as on you. We match your deal to the banks, non-banks and private lenders who fund it well, and structure it around how the property actually earns.
Commercial vs residential — what changes.
A commercial loan looks nothing like your mortgage under the bonnet. These are the differences that catch first-time commercial buyers out.
| Aspect | Commercial | Residential |
|---|---|---|
| Typical LVR | 65–75% (owner-occ to ~80%) | Up to 80% (95% with LMI) |
| Loan term | 1–5 yr term, 15–25 yr amortisation | Up to 30 years |
| Interest rate | ~6.25–8.5% (bank); higher non-bank | Lower — around 6% |
| Serviced by | Lease / tenant income + business | Your personal income |
| LMI | Generally none | Applies above 80% LVR |
| GST | May apply on the purchase | No |
| Regulation | Largely outside the consumer credit code | Consumer credit protected |
Indicative commercial loan terms from lender and broker guides, July 2026 — not a regulator series, and set deal-by-deal. For context, the RBA's small-business residentially-secured variable rate was ~7.4% (Table F7, May 2026). Not an offer of credit.
Every kind of commercial premises.
Lenders read each sector differently — and so does the market. Where you're buying shapes both the deal and the pricing.
Office
Suites to whole floors. Tenant quality and lease term drive both value and how lenders assess it.
Retail
Shopfronts, strip and neighbourhood centres. Location and foot traffic are everything.
Industrial
Warehouses and logistics — now trading tighter than office, a reversal of the historic order.
Indicative prime yields, CBRE Australia Q1 2026 (market-agency data, not a regulator series). Lower yield reflects stronger demand — industrial now trades tighter than office, a reversal of the historic pattern; retail varies by format (neighbourhood ~5.9% to sub-regional ~6.4%). Indicative of market conditions only, not a valuation or projected return.
Owner-occupier or investment.
Buying your own premises
Stop paying rent and build an asset — often held in a separate entity or your SMSF and leased back to your business.
- Can sometimes access higher LVRs than pure investment
- Rent becomes equity in an asset you control
- Pairs with an SMSF commercial strategy
Commercial as an investment
Higher yields than residential, longer leases and the tenant covering many outgoings — but more sensitive to vacancy and lease events.
- Serviceability leans on the lease and tenant covenant
- Yield and WALE matter as much as the building
- Vacancy risk is the number to watch
What a commercial lender assesses.
Interest cover
Whether the property's net income comfortably covers the interest — commercial lenders often want cover of around 1.5× or more, not just break-even.
Tenant & term
The weighted average lease expiry, tenant quality and outgoings structure. A long lease to a strong tenant can transform the deal.
Shorter horizons
Commercial loans often run a 3–5 year term over a longer amortisation, with review events — we structure for refinance or renewal from day one.
What the assessment shows.
- Purchase price $1,200,000
- Deposit (30%) $360,000
- Loan $840,000 (70% LVR)
- Use owner-occupied + leaseback
- Bank vs non-bank vs private compared
- Owner-occ vs SMSF hold weighed
- Term / amortisation / review structured
- Interest cover check flagged
Illustrative example only, not an offer of credit or a guarantee of approval or a particular rate. Actual options depend on the property, the lease, the lender and the borrower, and are confirmed in writing.
Commercial property FAQs.
Should I buy or lease my business premises?
It depends on your capital, how long you'll stay, and whether you'd rather build an asset than pay rent. Buying — often via a separate entity or SMSF leased back to the business — turns rent into equity and gives you control, but ties up capital and adds property risk. We can model the finance side of both so you can compare properly.
Can I buy commercial property through my SMSF?
Yes — commercial (business real property) is one of the few assets your SMSF can buy and lease back to your own business at market rent, and it's unaffected by the 2026 change to residential SMSF borrowing. See our SMSF loans page for how the structure works.
What documents do I need for a commercial property loan?
Typically the contract or property details, the lease (or your business financials for owner-occupied), recent BAS and business financials, and ID. We give you a specific checklist once we know the property and lender.
Are commercial interest rates negotiable?
More so than residential. Commercial pricing is often set deal-by-deal on risk, security and relationship, so presenting the deal well to the right lender genuinely moves the rate — which is a big part of what we do.
Why is the loan term shorter than the amortisation?
Commercial loans commonly run a 3–5 year term while repayments are calculated over 15–25 years, so there's a review or refinance point at the end of the term. We plan for that from the outset rather than letting it surprise you.
Finance your commercial property.
Tell us about the property and the deal, and we'll come back with the lenders that fit and the structure that works.
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