Pre-approval home loans Background

Home loans with pre-approval

Looking for a home loan that offers pre-approval? The table below displays a list of first-home-buyer home loans from our Online Partners available with pre-approval. The results are sorted first by Star Ratings (highest to lowest), then lowest comparison rate, then alphabetically by brand.

Group Manager, Research & Ratings
Editor-in-Chief
Fact checked

Instantly compare 5400+ Canstar expert rated loans based on the inputs below


Sort results Sort By
down-arrow
  • Star Rating - lowest first
  • Star Rating - highest first
  • Interest rate - lowest first
  • Interest rate - highest first
  • Comparison rate^ - lowest first
  • Comparison rate^ - highest first
  • Monthly repayment - lowest first
  • Monthly repayment - highest first
Hume Bank | Liteblue | Owner Occupied | LVR 60-80% | Variable
via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker
Hume Bank logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
5.99% Glossary
6% Glossary
$2,995 Glossary
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.04% Glossary
6.06% Glossary
$3,011 Glossary
Suncorp Bank | Back To Basics | Special | Owner Occupied | LVR 70-80% | Variable
via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker
Suncorp Bank logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.14% Glossary
6.15% Glossary
$3,043 Glossary
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.19% Glossary
6.21% Glossary
$3,059 Glossary
BOQ | Economy Home Loan | Special | Owner Occupied | LVR 70-80% | Variable
Cashback
Up to $2,000 when you refinance with a BOQ home loan. 
#
Tooltip icon
via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker
BOQ logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.23% Glossary
6.38% Glossary
$3,072 Glossary
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
5.99% Glossary
6.51% Glossary
$2,995 Glossary
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.19% Glossary
6.54% Glossary
$3,059 Glossary
ANZ | Simplicity Plus | Special | Owner Occupied | LVR 70-80% | Variable
via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker
ANZ logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.64% Glossary
6.64% Glossary
$3,207 Glossary
Teachers Mutual Bank | Your Way Plus Home Loan | Owner Occupied | LVR 60-80% | Variable
via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker
Teachers Mutual Bank logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.49% Glossary
6.79% Glossary
$3,157 Glossary
Westpac | Flexi First Option Introductory Home Loan | Owner Occupied | LVR 70-80% | 2 Yr Intro | Variable
via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker
Westpac logo
star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon star-rating-icon
6.54% Glossary
6.86% Glossary
$3,174 Glossary

Showing 10 of 265 results

To see more results adjust the filters above

check Available
cross Not available
dash Data not captured
canstar-rating-icon Canstar rating

Unsure of a term in the above table? View glossary

The initial results in the table above are sorted by Star Rating (High-Low) , then Comparison rate^ (Low-High) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

What is a home loan pre-approval?

Pre-approval home loans – also known as ‘conditional pre-approval’ loans, work in much the same way as a normal home loan. The key difference is that a lender gives you conditional approval for a home loan before you’ve found a place you’d like to buy.

This conditional approval is not a guarantee you’ll be fully approved for a loan when you’re ready to make an offer on a property.

But pre-approval home loans can give you, as a potential home buyer, a firm idea of how much you can afford to borrow – and therefore pay for a home. In this way, a pre-approval home loan allows you to set a realistic buying budget, and hone in on listed properties that are within your price range.

Pre-approval home loans can allow you to bid with confidence at auction, or negotiate strongly on a private treaty sale, knowing you have a good chance of securing full loan approval from the lender.

Conditional pre-approval is not something every lender provides. That’s why Canstar’s comparison of banks and other lenders that offer pre-approval home loans can be a handy time saver.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pre-approval Home Loans

A pre-approval home loan is not compulsory. If you decide you’ve found your dream home and the right loan product for your needs, you can apply to your lender without asking for pre-approval.

If you’re still home hunting, pre-approval can potentially be useful to have up your sleeve. Some possible advantages can include:

  • Pre-approval typically means you can go from open houses and inspections with a firmer understanding of how much you can afford to spend. You know what price range you can realistically consider, so you can potentially save time by only considering homes you can likely afford.
  • Pre-approval gives you the ability to make a serious offer on a home on the spot, as both you and the home’s owners can be confident you’re the real deal.
  • It means you have already done much of the legwork to secure finance and can potentially speed up the process once the offer has been accepted.

There are a few considerations that could be worth bearing in mind before you choose to apply for conditional pre-approval.

For example, if you apply to a number of different lenders, applications generally involve a credit check, so making multiple applications could potentially negatively impact your credit score.

A pre-approval is also generally only valid for a set period of time, so it is a good idea not to apply too early.

The process of getting a pre-approval typically involves applying to your selected lender, who will review your finances (such as checking your credit score) and assess whether you’ll be able to repay a loan.

The time taken to get pre approval can be just a few days.

If a lender offers conditional approval and deems you eligible, you’ll be granted conditional pre-approval to borrow up to a certain amount. Most financial institutions offer conditional pre-approval which lasts for three to six months.

Pre-approval doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the loan. Pre-approval home loans provide ‘conditional approval’ or ‘approval in principle’.

In practice, this means a lender gives you an estimate of how much you could borrow for a home loan, provided you meet certain conditions. This is generally confirmed in writing with the conditions clearly listed.

In many cases, getting final (or unconditional) approval for your home loan won’t happen until you choose the home you’d like to buy.

After all, the property acts as security for your home loan, so the lender will want to complete a property valuation to be comfortable that you are paying a fair price for the place.

A pre-approval home loan may not progress to being fully approved if your personal circumstances change in the time between receiving pre-approval and finding the property you plan to buy.

For example, if you start a new job, there’s a drop in your credit score or a cut to your income could see you knocked back for full approval later on.

In addition, changes to home loan interest rates (particularly a rate rise) may scupper final approval of your loan if it impacts your ability to repay the mortgage.

A possible solution here – if you’re considering a fixed rate home loan, is to take out a ‘rate lock’. This can involve paying a small fee but it means the fixed rate you pay is locked in for a specific period (in some cases up to 90 days) after you have applied for the loan.

With a rate lock in place, the fixed rate applicable to your loan won’t change even if the lender raises their fixed rates before your home loan is finalised.

Latest in home loans

Canstar Star Ratings and Awards

Looking for an award-winning product or to switch providers or brands? Canstar rates products based on price and features in our Star Ratings and Awards. Our expert Research team shares insights about which products offer 5-Star value and which providers offer outstanding value overall. We also reveal which providers have the most satisfied customers in our dedicated Customer Satisfaction Awards.

Home Loan Awards      Refinance Home Loan Awards

About the authors

Nina Rinella, Editor-in-Chief

Nina Rinella
As Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina heads up a team of talented journalists committed to helping empower consumers to take greater control of their finances. Nina has written countless articles about finance and has been interviewed on finance topics by media organisations including The Australian, Realestate.com.au, Domain, the Herald Sun and the Sydney Morning Herald. Previously Nina founded her own agency where she provided content and communications support to clients around Australia for 8 years. She also spent four years as the PR Manager for American Express Australia, and has worked at a Brisbane communications agency where she supported dozens of clients, including Sunsuper and Suncorp. When she’s not dreaming up ways to put a fresh spin on finance, she’s taking her own advice by trying to pay her house off as quickly as possible and raising two money-savvy kids. Nina has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature from the University of Queensland. She’s also an experienced presenter, and has hosted numerous events and YouTube series. You can follow her on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter and Canstar on Facebook. Meet the Canstar Editorial Team. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Nina as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.

Joshua Sale, Group Manager, Research & Ratings

Joshua Sale
Joshua Sale is responsible for developing the methodology and delivering Canstar’s flagship Star Ratings, as part of Canstar’s Research Team. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, he enjoys helping Australians find more suitable financial products by transforming complex calculations into a consumer-friendly Star Rating that explains the values and benefits of different financial products. As one of Canstar’s company spokespeople, Joshua is confident participating in print, radio and broadcast journalism interviews. He has participated in interviews with the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine, along with other leading media outlets, discussing topics such as home loan equity, banking incentive schemes, digital wallets and wider finance trends. You can follow Joshua on LinkedIn. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Joshua as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.

Thanks for visiting Canstar, Australia’s biggest financial comparison site*

Important information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

Canstar may earn a fee from its Online Partners for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship or promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship or promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship/promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. If a product is sponsored or promoted, it’s an ad and it is clearly marked as such. An ad might appear in different places on our website, such as in comparison tables and articles. Ads may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The location of an ad doesn’t indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings. See How We Get Paid to find out more.

Home loan Star Ratings are updated monthly. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. Current rates and fees are displayed and may be different to what was rated. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Home Loans Star Rating Methodology. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products. The table defaults to display only home loans available to somebody borrowing 80% of the total loan amount but you can use the filters to change this. Similar products might have different features and fees depending on the amount you borrow. Contact the lender for details.

The products and Star Ratings in the table might not match your exact inputs in the selector. Sometimes the methodology uses profiles with categories or bands (e.g. income, loan amount or monthly spend), but sometimes a single methodology, without any categories or bands, is applied.  The results will show the products that most closely match your selection, based on our profiles. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. Canstar provides information about credit products. We’re not suggesting or recommending a particular credit product for you. If you decide to apply for a loan, you will deal directly with the provider, not with Canstar. Consider the Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD. It’s important you check rates and product information directly with the provider. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure. ^Read the Comparison Rate Warning.

Before you elect to terminate or modify existing lending arrangements, we recommend you consider (i) your personal circumstances, and (ii) any associated fees, exit costs and application costs that may be applicable as well as the impact these changes could have on you. We suggest you consider seeking independent advice from a qualified adviser.

“Interest-only loan” generally means a loan where you will only pay interest during the interest-only term. That means you won’t be making payments which reduce debt during the interest-only term.

On some Home Loan products, you can choose to be referred to a mortgage broker who has been certified by Canstar according to our certification process. Mortgage brokers may not be able to offer loans from every provider. The loans included in the table are loans that Canstar Certified Mortgage Brokers can discuss with you, if you choose to do so. There may be more suitable loans for your personal circumstances.

If a broker successfully completes the Canstar certification process, they may pay Canstar a fee to use the official Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker badge. Canstar may earn a fee from the Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker, or the broker group they are affiliated with, if you settle a Home Loan via a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker after being referred to the broker by Canstar.  Fees payable may vary depending on the home loan product and product provider.

Not all mortgage brokers available in the market have undertaken the certification process.  Canstar has invited a limited number of brokers to undertake the process, and only those brokers who have successfully completed the certification process are entitled to use the logo and wording “Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker”. Being certified as a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker is not a representation that the holder’s mortgage broking services are superior to all other brokers who do not hold the certification.

Canstar Certified Mortgage Brokers are independent contractors, operate under their own Australian Credit Licence, or as Credit Representatives under an Australian Credit Licence, and are not Canstar’s agent or representative. They are not Home Loan product providers, but they can make recommendations to you about Home Loan products that may suit your needs. The broker may require you to enter into an agreement with them in relation to the services they can provide.  Canstar will have no knowledge of or input into the advice and product recommendations you receive from a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker.

If you choose to be referred to a Canstar Certified Mortgage Broker, you will be taken to have accepted Canstar’s Terms of Use.

Your use of the Canstar Group’s Mortgage Broker Referral tool does not mean that you will be eligible to be approved for any particular home loan.