Capital that moves at the speed of the deal.
Some deals can't wait for a bank's credit committee. A settlement date that won't move, a purchase that has to happen before a sale completes, a development shortfall, a facility about to expire. Private lending exists for exactly these moments — property-secured finance that can be approved and funded in days. It costs more than a bank, and it should only be used deliberately. That's the conversation we have with you first.
The whole point is time.
A bank's process is thorough by design — valuation, credit assessment, committee — and that takes weeks. Private capital is built to move: a well-prepared file can be approved in about a day and settled in a few. When a deadline is real, that gap is the entire value.
Approvals often within ~24 hours; settlement in days, not weeks — for a well-prepared file with clean security and a clear exit. That's what lets a deal happen at all when the clock is against you.
Indicative timings only, and highly deal-specific — actual speed depends on the security, the legal and valuation work, and how complete your documents are. Bank timing varies widely by lender and scenario; shown for comparison, not as a criticism. Not an offer of credit or a guarantee of approval or settlement.
A real, growing corner of finance — still a small one.
Private credit has grown quickly, and it's had regulators' attention for it. It's worth seeing the actual scale rather than the hype: the RBA itself flags significant data gaps, so these figures carry their measurement basis.
Sources: RBA Bulletin, “Recent Changes in Credit Markets” (Feb 2026); RBA Financial Stability Review (Mar 2026). AUM-based estimates (e.g. ~$224bn, Alvarez & Marsal cited by RBA; ~$200bn per ASIC) are broader than drawn credit and measure different things. ASIC reviewed 28 private-credit funds in 2025 (REP 814 / REP 820) and called on the industry to lift standards — which is why we're deliberate about who we work with.
Three shapes, priced for risk and speed.
Private finance is short-term and secured against property. The rate reflects the security position and the exit — all figures below are indicative and set deal-by-deal, not an offer.
Private first mortgage
Registered first-ranking security over the property. The lowest-cost private option, for a straightforward asset with a clear exit.
Second mortgage & caveat
Sits behind an existing loan to release equity for a short, defined purpose. Higher cost for the subordinate risk; often the fastest to arrange.
Bridging finance
Covers the gap between buying and selling, or between now and a longer-term take-out. Short by design, with the exit planned before you draw down.
The situations private capital is built for.
Private lending sits outside the consumer credit rules — for good reason.
Because it's business- and investment-purpose finance for experienced borrowers, it isn't governed by the National Credit Code that protects consumer loans. That brings flexibility, and fewer of those protections — so it has to genuinely fit. We check that before anything proceeds.
Business or investment purpose
The National Credit Code regulates credit that's wholly or predominantly for personal, domestic or household use. Credit that's wholly or predominantly for business or investment purposes sits outside it — typically supported by a Business Purpose Declaration.
National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (Cth), National Credit Code Sch 1, s5–6 & s13.
Wholesale / sophisticated investor
Much private lending is offered to wholesale or “sophisticated” investors — broadly, those certified by a qualified accountant as holding ~$2.5m in net assets or earning ~$250k a year (each of the last two financial years).
Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) s708(8) / s761G; accountant’s certificate valid two years. General information, not legal or financial advice.
The honest trade-off
Private finance buys you speed and flexibility, and you pay for both — higher rates, establishment fees, and short terms that demand a real exit. Used well, for a defined purpose with a clear way out, it turns an impossible deadline into a done deal. Used loosely, it gets expensive fast.
Our job is to be straight with you about which one you're looking at — and, often, to tell you when a bank or a longer-term facility is the better answer. We arrange the private option through Esteb Capital and structure it around the exit from day one.
Private lending referred to on this page is business- or investment-purpose / wholesale finance arranged through Esteb Capital, and is generally not regulated under the National Credit Code. Rates, LVRs and terms are indicative and deal-specific, not an offer of credit, a quote, or a guarantee of approval. Consider your own circumstances and seek independent legal, tax and financial advice.
Private lending, answered straight.
What is private lending?
Private (or non-bank) lending is finance from private capital rather than a bank, secured against property. It trades a higher cost for speed and flexibility — useful when a deal has a hard deadline, or a story a bank's credit box can't fit. We arrange it through Esteb Capital for business and investment purposes.
How fast can private funding settle?
Faster than banks by design — approvals often within about 24 hours and settlement in a few days for a well-prepared file, versus weeks for a typical bank process. Speed depends on the quality of the security, the legal work, and how ready your documents are. These are indicative timings, not a guarantee.
What does private lending cost?
More than a bank, because it's priced for risk, speed and short terms. Indicatively, private first mortgages sit around 9–10.5% p.a. at conservative LVRs plus an establishment fee, with second-mortgage and caveat facilities higher again. Every deal is priced on its own security and exit — these figures are indicative, not an offer.
Is private lending regulated like a home loan?
Generally no. It's usually for business or investment purposes and for wholesale/sophisticated investors, which sits outside the National Credit Code that governs consumer loans. That means more flexibility but fewer consumer protections, and a business-purpose declaration — so we make sure it's genuinely the right fit before proceeding.
What's the exit strategy?
Private finance is short-term by design — often 1 to 12 months — and needs a clear exit, usually a property sale or a refinance onto a longer-term facility. We plan that exit before you draw down, not after.
What can it be secured against, and used for?
Typically residential, commercial or development property. Common uses are bridging a purchase, meeting an urgent settlement, funding a construction shortfall, short-term business cashflow, clearing tax debt, or refinancing out of a distressed position.
Have a deal with a deadline?
Tell us the situation, the security and the timeline. We'll tell you honestly whether private capital is the right tool — and if it is, move fast.
Discuss a deal →