First Home Buyers

The documentation requirements can vary depending on your employment type and the lender, but generally you'll need to provide proof of income, identification, and details about your financial position.

For employees, this typically includes recent payslips, tax returns, and employment contracts. Self-employed individuals and tradies usually need to provide tax returns and financial statements from their accountant. You'll also need identification such as your driver's licence or passport, plus details of your assets (savings, shares, superannuation) and liabilities (credit cards, personal loans, other debts).

At Somerset Finance, we'll give you a clear checklist tailored to your specific situation before you start gathering paperwork. We understand that collecting documents can feel overwhelming, so we'll guide you through exactly what's needed and help you understand why lenders require each piece of information.

In most cases, there is no charge to you as the customer when using a mortgage broker. We receive our commission from the lender once your loan settles, which means our service comes at no upfront cost to you.

This arrangement allows everyday Australians to access expert mortgage advice without worrying about consultant fees. At Somerset Finance, we believe everyone deserves professional guidance when making one of the biggest financial decisions of their life. Our income structure means we're motivated to find you a suitable loan that you'll be happy with long-term, as our reputation depends on building lasting relationships with our customers.

This is one of our favourite areas to work in. Building wealth through property investment requires careful planning, and having the right finance structure is crucial to your success. We work with many customers who are passionate about investing and creating long-term financial security for their families.

Whether you're purchasing your first investment property or adding to an existing portfolio, we'll discuss your investment strategy, timeframe, and goals. We'll help structure your loans to maximise tax effectiveness and maintain flexibility for future purchases. We also consider how each property purchase impacts your overall borrowing capacity for the next one.

At Somerset Finance, we're genuinely passionate about helping people achieve their financial goals through property investment. We build ongoing relationships with our investing customers, helping them grow their portfolios over many years. We'll be there for your second, third, and fourth investment properties, providing advice that evolves with your changing circumstances and objectives.

An offset account is a transaction account linked to your home loan. The balance in your offset account is offset against your loan balance when interest is calculated. For example, if you have a $400,000 loan and $20,000 in your offset account, you only pay interest on $380,000.

The benefit is that you reduce the interest you pay on your loan while keeping your money accessible for everyday use. Your salary can go into the offset account, you can pay bills from it, and every dollar sitting in there is working to reduce your interest charges. This can help you pay off your loan faster and save thousands in interest over the life of your loan.

At Somerset Finance, we often recommend offset accounts for customers who maintain savings or those building investment portfolios. For professionals with regular income - teachers, nurses, tradies - an offset account can be particularly effective. We'll assess whether the benefits outweigh any additional account fees and help you understand how to maximise the advantage.

A mortgage broker acts as the middleman between you and potential lenders. Rather than approaching banks yourself, we do the legwork on your behalf. We assess your financial situation, understand your goals, and then search through our panel of lenders to find suitable home loan options for you.

At Somerset Finance, we take the time to explain the different loan products available and help you understand which features align with your circumstances. We handle the paperwork, liaise with lenders, and guide you through each step of the application process. This means you have a dedicated professional in your corner, working to secure a home loan that suits your needs, whether you're buying your first home, upgrading, or building an investment property portfolio.

Getting pre-approval before you start seriously house hunting is highly recommended. Pre-approval gives you a clear understanding of your borrowing capacity, which helps you focus on properties within your budget. It also shows real estate agents and sellers that you're a serious buyer with finance already arranged, which can be particularly important in busy property markets.

Pre-approval typically lasts between three to six months, depending on the lender. During this time, you can shop for properties with confidence, knowing you have conditional approval for your loan. Keep in mind that pre-approval is conditional - the lender will still need to approve the specific property you choose to purchase.

At Somerset Finance, we recommend getting pre-approval as an early step in your property journey. We'll assess your situation, help you understand how much you can borrow, and submit your pre-approval application. This preparation means you'll be ready to act quickly when you find the right property.

A fixed home loan locks in your interest rate for a set period, usually between one and five years. This means your repayments stay the same during that period, regardless of what happens in the broader economy. This predictability helps with budgeting and protects you if rates rise, though you won't benefit if rates fall.

A variable home loan has an interest rate that can change over time. Your repayments can go up or down depending on various factors. Variable loans often come with more flexibility, such as the ability to make extra repayments or access features like offset accounts.

Many Australians choose to split their loan, fixing a portion while keeping another portion variable. At Somerset Finance, we'll discuss your circumstances, your comfort with potential repayment changes, and your plans for the property. Whether you're a healthcare worker wanting payment certainty or an investor looking to maximise flexibility, we'll help you understand which structure suits your goals.

The timeline for a mortgage application can vary quite a bit, but typically you should expect anywhere from two to six weeks from application to settlement. The timeframe depends on several factors including how quickly you can provide documentation, the lender's current processing times, and the complexity of your application.

For straightforward applications where you're a full-time employee with a solid savings history, the process is usually quicker. Self-employed applicants or those purchasing investment properties might experience longer processing times as lenders require additional documentation.

At Somerset Finance, we stay in regular contact throughout the process, keeping you informed of progress and letting you know if the lender needs anything additional. We also have relationships with various lenders, which can sometimes help move things along more efficiently. We'll work with your settlement timeline to ensure everything is completed when you need it to be.

Absolutely. Being self-employed or working as a contractor doesn't disqualify you from getting a home loan, though the process can be slightly different from someone in traditional employment. Many tradies, healthcare professionals running their own practices, and other self-employed Australians successfully obtain home loans every year.

Lenders typically want to see that your income is stable and sustainable. This usually means providing two years of tax returns, notices of assessment from the ATO, and sometimes financial statements prepared by your accountant. Some lenders are more understanding of self-employed income than others, which is where a broker becomes particularly valuable.

Somerset Finance has experience working with self-employed clients and understands the unique challenges you face. We know which lenders are more accommodating of varied income structures and can help you present your application in the strongest possible way. We'll also discuss your business structure and how that impacts your borrowing capacity.

We recommend reviewing your home loan every one to two years, or whenever your circumstances change significantly. The lending landscape is constantly evolving, with lenders adjusting their products and criteria regularly. What was suitable for you three years ago might not be the optimal solution today.

Life changes such as salary increases, starting a family, changing jobs, or deciding to invest in property are all triggers to review your loan. Even if nothing has changed personally, lenders you weren't eligible for previously might now have products that suit you.

Somerset Finance encourages ongoing relationships with our customers. We don't just help you get a loan and disappear - we want to be your long-term finance partner. We'll check in periodically to see how you're going and whether your loan still serves your needs. For our investing customers, regular reviews are particularly important as we help you position yourself for the next purchase and ensure your loan structures support your wealth-building goals.