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Showing results forRefinancing a $500k 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

PromotedIMB
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Cashback up to $4,000* for loans $750k+
  • $0 monthly or annual fees
  • Apply Online
  • Minimum deposit: 30%
  • Application fee: $449
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 237391

PromotedNRMA Home Loans
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • $1,000 Virtual Gift Card on settlement. T&Cs apply
  • $0 Settlement Service Fee. Save $345. T&Cs apply
  • $0 application fee to pay
  • Minimum deposit: 50%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 237879 is held by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited, the credit provider.

PromotedPeople First Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • No upfront or ongoing monthly administration fees
  • Option to link offset account, fee-free.
  • Unlimited and flexible repayment options.
  • Minimum deposit: 30%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 244310

PromotedTeachers Mutual Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • $0 Establishment Fee (waived) & Free 100% Offset
  • Fixed & Variable Loan Options
  • Free Redraw on Variable Loans
  • Minimum deposit: 40%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $300/yr
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 238981

PromotedBendigo Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Up to 6 Offset Accounts
  • Apply 100% Online in Minutes, with real human support.
  • No Appointment needed, less paperwork.
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $10/mth
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 237879

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

Bank Orange
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 240768

Northern Inland CU
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $8/mth
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 235022

Virgin Money
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 244616

BCU Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 214077

Unity Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 40%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 238311

Macquarie Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 40%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 237502

ME
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 229500

MyState Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility
Go to Broker
with Finspo

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 240896

Auswide Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $300
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility
Go to Broker
with Finspo

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 239686

UniBank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $600
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility
Go to Broker
with Finspo

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 238981

ANZ
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 20%
  • Application fee: $0
  • Ongoing fee: $0
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility
Go to Broker
with Finspo

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 234527

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

Horizon Bank
Star Rating
Variable
Principal & Interest
  • Minimum deposit: 30%
  • Application fee: $350
  • Ongoing fee: $150/yr
  • Offset account
  • Additional repayments
  • Redraw facility

Fees & charges apply. Australian Credit Licence 240573

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

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We do not compare all brands in the market, or all products from our participating brands. At times certain brands or products may not be available or offered to you. Learn more.

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Home loan pre-approval tips from our expert

Pre-approval doesn’t guarantee final approval

Home loan pre-approval is based on the information you provide at the time. Final approval still depends on the specific property and an updated assessment.

Be careful when bidding at auction

When you submit an offer on a property, you can generally clarify it’s subject to finance. If your lender doesn’t approve your final mortgage application, you can walk away from the sale relatively unscathed. This isn’t normally the case if you’re bidding at auction.

Compare lenders before seeking pre-approval

While being pre-approved with one bank doesn't stop you shopping around, multiple applications for conditional approval can impact your credit score.


Guide to home loans with pre-approval

What is home loan pre-approval?

Most home loans available in Australia offer homebuyers the option to be 'pre-approved'. Home loan pre-approval, also known as conditional approval, sees a lender approve your mortgage application in principle before you find a place you want to buy.

It can offer homebuyers greater peace of mind ahead of their final mortgage application and may position them as a more serious contender when putting in offers on properties.


Is home loan pre-approval mandatory?

No, home loan pre-approval 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 being pre-approved first.

However, home loan pre-approval is generally free and can provide valuable confidence in your suitability for a mortgage and your borrowing power. 


Benefits of being pre-approved for a home loan 

If you’re home hunting, home loan pre-approval can be advantageous in many ways. 

  • Budgeting: Being pre-approved for a home loan can give you a good idea of your maximum borrowing power, helping you narrow open houses and inspections down to homes you can realistically afford and avoid growing attached to those beyond your reach. 
  • Confidence: Home loan pre-approval can help you set a strict limit of how much you can bid or offer at an auction or private treaty sale, allowing you to house hunt with confidence you’re less likely to find yourself overcommitting. 
  • Negotiating power: Sellers may take your bids or offers more seriously if you’re pre-approved, as you’re seemingly more likely to have a lender’s financial backing.
  • Faster approval: Because your lender already has most of your financial information on file, the loan approval process could be sped up once your offer for a home has been accepted by the seller. 

Not every lender offers conditional pre-approval. If pre-approval is important to you, make sure to compare banks and lenders that offer it.


What to consider when applying for home loan pre-approval 

There are a few things worth bearing in mind before applying for mortgage pre-approval:

  • Pre-approval is an estimate of whether you’d be eligible for, and how much you could borrow with, a home loan, provided you meet certain conditions. It is not a guarantee you’ll be fully approved for a loan after you’ve made an offer or bid on a property. 
  • Home loan pre-approval generally involves a credit check, and making multiple applications to multiple lenders could negatively impact your credit score.
  • A pre-approval is also generally only valid for a set period of time, typically around three to six months. If your house hunt takes longer than that, you might want to apply for your pre-approval to be renewed. 

How do I apply for home loan pre-approval?

The process of getting home loan pre-approval typically involves applying to your selected lender or reaching out to a mortgage broker. They will assess whether you look like you’ll be able to repay a loan. 

During this process, they’ll usually request the following information: 

  • Personal identification
  • Proof of income
  • Proof of any assets and savings
  • Evidence of any existing debts and expenses 

Once a lender or mortgage broker deems you’re likely to be eligible for a mortgage, you’ll be granted conditional pre-approval to borrow up to a certain amount. 


How long does it take to get pre-approved for a home loan?

The time it takes to get pre-approved for a mortgage can range from a few hours to a few days.

Processing times can also be impacted by:

  • How fast you provide the required documents
  • The complexity of your income, tax, debt, or credit history
  • The number of pre-approvals the bank is processing at the time you apply 

What’s the difference between home loan pre-approval and unconditional approval?

Essentially, an unconditional approval (or formal approval) means your home loan is finalised and fully approved by your lender, with no more conditions to satisfy. 

Conversely, a pre-approval is a conditional loan with ‘strings attached’. While it helps you measure how much you could ‘theoretically’ borrow, there is no guarantee your final loan will be fully approved. 

You will still need to be assessed on specific criteria before they give you an unconditional approval. 


Could my home loan application be rejected if I have pre-approval?

Yes, an unconditional home loan application may still be rejected even if you were pre-approved initially. This may happen if your circumstances change in the time between receiving pre-approval and finding a property, like if: 

  • You lose your job or you switch employers
  • You experience a partial or total loss of income
  • Your other debts increase
  • Your credit score drops
  • Home loan interest rates change (particularly if rates rise) 

These and other factors may hinder the final approval of your loan, as they can affect your ability to repay the mortgage.

Do take note: you can apply for home loan pre-approval through multiple lenders at once, but this will likely harm your credit score. 

FAQs on home loan pre-approval

While you can apply for home loan pre-approval with multiple lenders at once, doing so will likely harm your credit score and could make it harder to receive unconditional approval down the line.

Typically, making changes that negatively alter your credit score or increase your debt-to-income ratio after being pre-approved could see you rejected for unconditional home loan approval when the time comes. These could include:

  • Taking on more debt
  • Missing repayments or making late payments on existing loans or credit cards
  • Losing or reducing your income, changing jobs, or making changes to other sources of income

Yes, in order to pre-approve you for a home loan, a lender will likely make a hard credit check. A hard inquiry sees a lender pull your full credit report, which can impact your credit score.

About our home loan experts

Kevin Goh is a Senior Finance and Energy Journalist at Canstar who strives to demystify the ever-evolving energy and finance sectors for Aussies. Kevin has a BA in Journalism and a BA in Economics and International Relations from the University of Queensland. He also has half a decade of experience in the comparison industry and as a professional content writer for digital agencies such as Vesanique, Sea Salt Marketing and the Boys Creative Studio. You can follow Kevin 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.

Important Information

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

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