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Showing results forRefinancing a $850k owner-occupied variable rate loan on a $1.0M property in New South Wales
Star Rating
Interest rate p.a.
Comparison rate p.a.
Monthly repayment
Promotedloans.com.au
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Available for purchase or refinance, min 10% deposit
  • Includes Sept rate increase. Fast turnaround times
  • No application, ongoing or monthly fees.
  • Minimum deposit: 10%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 395219

PromotedUp
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Make up to 50 Savers that flip into free offsets.
  • Fair rates. Low fees. No need to haggle.
  • 100% mobile, and easy to apply.
  • Minimum deposit: 10%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 237879

Unity Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 5%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 238311

AMP Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 10%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility
Go to Broker
with Finspo

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234517

IMB
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 10%
  • Application fee: $449
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 237391

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Low deposit home loan tips from our expert

A smaller deposit can mean higher rates and LMI 

Borrowing more than 80% of a property’s value will generally mean you’re charged higher interest rates and Lenders Mortgage Insurance. That makes it even more important to shop around to ensure you’re getting a solid deal from the get-go.

Government support may help you buy with less saved 

The 5% Deposit Scheme and the Help to Buy Scheme can let eligible buyers purchase with a smaller deposit while avoiding LMI. It’s worth checking if you’re eligible before assuming you'll need a 20% deposit saved.

Comparing lenders can matter even more with a low deposit

Policies on LMI, genuine savings requirements, and acceptable deposits vary significantly between lenders. Shopping around (or using a broker) can be even more important if your deposit is on the smaller side.


Guide to low deposit home loans

What is a low deposit home loan? 

There’s no specific product on the market in Australia called a ‘low deposit home loan’. That said, the standard deposit in Australia is 20% of a property’s purchase price, and anything lower than this could be considered a low deposit. 

If you dream of getting a foot on the property ladder but saving a 20% deposit is daunting, don’t despair. These days, many banks and lenders will allow you to purchase a home with a deposit as low as 5%–or even less, with the help of certain government programs. 


How do low deposit home loans work? 

Low deposit home loans work much the same way as any other home loan in Australia. You’ll need to save up a deposit, apply to a bank or lender, be approved, and then pay the balance of your loan off over an agreed period of time, with interest.  

The catch with low deposit home loans is that most lenders will impose stricter conditions than if you had a 20% deposit, and will probably require you to pay costly Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). 


What is Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)?

LMI is a one-off fee paid by borrowers when taking out a home loan. It acts as a financial safety net for lenders, and covers the cost of specialty insurance that protects them in the event that you can’t pay off your loan.

Banks and lenders will usually charge LMI if your loan to value ratio (LVR) is 80% or more. What does this mean? Your LVR is the portion of the property’s purchase price you’re borrowing. Say you have a 15% deposit saved–you’ll need to borrow the remaining 85% of the purchase price, so your LVR will be 85%. 

This is where LMI may kick in, and it can be expensive, running into thousands of dollars. LMI can be paid upfront or rolled into the cost of a home loan but, if you choose the latter option, you’ll need to pay interest on the cost too. 


Can you get a low deposit home loan without LMI?

Fortunately, LMI can be avoided with low deposit home loans. Some lenders will allow you to skip it–for instance, ubank doesn’t enforce LMI for borrowers with LVRs as high as 90%. Borrowing with the help of a guarantor (a parent, for example) can also help you avoid LMI. 

In other cases, it can come down to your profession or whether you qualify for an Australian Government assistance program like the 5% Deposit Scheme.

LMI waivers for professionals   

Some banks and lenders will waive LMI for medical professionals (doctors, dentists, allied health, vets), legal professionals (lawyers and barristers), financial professionals (accountants and actuaries), emergency services workers, and nurses. If you work in one of these professions, you may be able to purchase a property with a low deposit and no LMI. 

LMI waivers through the 5% Deposit Scheme 

First home buyers and single parents might also be able to dodge the cost of LMI by utilising the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme. The Scheme exists to help eligible borrowers get into their own homes faster, and as a single parent, you could qualify for a home loan with a deposit as low as 2% and still avoid LMI.


Who can apply for low deposit home loans? 

Anyone can apply for a low deposit home loan, but if you’re dreaming about home ownership, it's important to know that you’ll need to satisfy a lender that you can pay your loan off. 

When you apply for a home loan, lenders will ask you to submit ID documents as well as detailed information about your finances. This will typically take the form of bank statements, payslips (if applicable), tax returns, and other documentation, so they can be satisfied that you have:

  • Stable employment and a steady income 
  • Genuine savings 
  • Low or no other debts (for example, credit cards, or personal loans) 

If you make an application for a low deposit home loan, you'll need to demonstrate you can meet the regular repayments. That means a low deposit home loan may not be suitable for those who are struggling financially.


How can you compare low deposit home loans? 

Comparing low deposit home loans is straightforward with Canstar. Just scroll to the top of this page, select your loan purpose, and follow the prompts. We’ll present a selection of mortgage products that might fit your needs.

Alternatively, you can browse products open to borrowers with LVRs of 80% or higher on the table above. 

Low deposit home loan FAQs

In addition to the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme for first home buyers and single parents, there is also the Help to Buy Scheme, which allows eligible buyers to purchase a home with a deposit as small as 2% without paying for LMI.

It sees government contributing up to 30% of the purchase price of an existing home or 40% of the purchase price of a new build. The government will then own a share of the property and take a proportional share of any gains or losses when you sell it, unless you buy it out sooner. Note that income and property price caps apply to the Help To Buy Scheme. 

There are also First Home Owners Grants and concessions on offer from each state and territory, which could help bolster any deposit you've saved.

Generally speaking, banks and lenders reserve their best interest rates for borrowers with lower LVRs. In other words, the smaller the portion of a home’s purchase price you need to borrow, the lower the rate a bank might be likely to offer you. 

So where does this leave borrowers with low deposit home loans? It’s likely, but not guaranteed, that banks and lenders will offer you higher interest rates than other borrowers, but there are some strategies you could consider to mitigate the effects of this. You might:

  • Borrow with a guarantor: A home loan guarantor could help home buyers looking to get a foot on the property ladder with a low deposit saved, with a trusted person (usually a trusted family member) backing their application up by offering a ‘guarantee’ of security. This guarantee comes in the form of an asset, typically a portion of the equity in a guarantor’s home. 
  • Lock in a fixed rate for the first few years of your loan: If you can find a fixed rate that’s appealing, then locking it in can give you some certainty in your repayments. You’ll know exactly how much your repayments will be every week, fortnight or month, meaning you can plan your household budget accordingly.
  • Refinance after a few years: Once you’ve paid down your mortgage for a few years and built up some equity in your home, you could refinance. At this point, you may well find that lenders are willing to offer you access to more appealing interest rates.  

Potential pros:

  • You can buy and own a home sooner without waiting to save up for a larger deposit.
  • You might avoid the possibility of house prices rising at a faster rate than you’re saving.
  • A low deposit home loan can be more appealing to those working in professions where LMI can be waived, or who are eligible for support to avoid the cost.

Potential cons:

  • You’re borrowing more money from a lender, which means you’ll be paying more in interest over time.
  • With a larger LVR, your repayments will be higher, as you will need to pay it by the end of the loan term (unless you refinance your home loan). 
  • You may need to pay LMI, which can be expensive. 
  • Some lenders may charge higher interest rates or extra fees for low deposit loans.

About our home loan experts

Alasdair Duncan is Canstar's Deputy Finance Editor, specialising in home loans, property and lifestyle topics. He has written more than 500 articles for Canstar and his work is widely referenced by other publishers and media outlets, including Yahoo Finance, The New Daily, The Motley Fool and Sky News. He has featured as a guest author for property website homely.com.au. In his more than 15 years working in the media, Alasdair has written for a broad range of publications.

Before joining Canstar, he was a News Editor at Pedestrian.TV, part of Australia’s leading youth media group. His work has also appeared on ABC News, Junkee, Rolling Stone, Kotaku, the Sydney Star Observer and The Brag. He has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Journalism from the University of Queensland, and has completed a RG146 compliance training course. When he is not writing about finance for Canstar, Alasdair can probably be found at the beach with his two dogs or listening to podcasts about pop music. You can follow Alasdair on LinkedIn.

Brooke Cooper is Canstar’s Finance Editor, leading the team’s coverage of home loans, consumer finance, and economics. With years of specialist experience, she dedicates herself to helping Australian households feel empowered about managing their money. Her work and expertise have appeared across a variety of comparison industry sites and media outlets including Yahoo Finance, ABC Radio, and The Motley Fool. Brooke holds a Bachelor of Communication, specialising in journalism and international studies, from Charles Sturt University. When she’s not keeping a close eye on the RBA cash rate or property trends, she loves getting out into nature, picnicking in the park with her dog, and window shopping in antique stores. You can follow Brooke on LinkedIn.

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