Raj Mortgage Broker

25/09/2026

"I earn a good salary. Last year I earned this much. Why is the bank only counting part of it?"

Because lenders don't just look at last year's number. They look at consistency — and if your YTD figures are not consistent, that raises questions.

Rupa and Mukul both had significant overtime and allowances. One bank counted only part of that income. A different lender — with different policy — counted more. Same income. Different outcome.

Here is how variable income is generally assessed:

- Overtime and Incentive — 1 to 2 years history required, averaged over that period. Bonus averaged over 2 years. Inclusion rate 80% to 100% depending on consistency and lender policy. Policies differ bank to bank.

- Casual income
minimum 6 months - 1 yr history or varies depending on the nature of the role.

- Second job — 12 to 24 months history before most lenders will include it.

- Self-employed — full doc: 2 years of tax returns, often using the lower year or an average.

Matching your income type to the right lender can mean tens of thousands of dollars more in borrowing capacity.

Save this — share it with anyone who earns overtime, bonuses or works casually. 🙏

General information only. Income assessment policies vary by lender. Please speak to a licensed broker. Raj Mortgage Broker

24/09/2026

I meet people regularly who have done everything right — saved consistently, avoided debt, built a solid financial base.

And then they pause. For months. Sometimes years.

Not because of circumstances. Because of fear.

The fear of investing is real — and it deserves to be named, not dismissed.

The most common fears I hear:

What if the market drops? What if repayments become too hard? What if something goes wrong with the property? What if I don't understand enough yet?

Each of these fears has a real, data-based response.

- Market drops — property is a long-term asset. The risk of not being in the market often exceeds the risk of being in it.

- Repayment stress — we model this carefully before any decision is made. No one should borrow more than their situation can sustainably support.

- Property problems — vacancies, repairs, and rate movements are manageable when the property was purchased properly. Right location, right price, right structure.

- Understanding gap — education is part of the conversation. Every client understands the full picture before committing to anything.

Subi and Ramesh had $120,000 in savings. Fear had kept them waiting for two years.

We named the fears. We ran the numbers. We made a plan. They invested.

Fear is valid. So is the cost of not acting.

Save this — share it with someone who has been saving but not moving. 🙏

General information only. Property investing involves risk. Please speak to a licensed broker and financial adviser. Raj Mortgage Broker

22/09/2026

Choosing to build is exciting.

Choosing the wrong builder is expensive, stressful, and very hard to undo.

Dipesh and Ashmita were new to construction when they came to me. Before they looked at a single display home — we talked through proper builder due diligence.

Here is what that looks like:

- Licence check. Every state has a public register. Check the builder's current licence, conditions, and complaints history.

- Insurance. Home warranty insurance is required in most states for contracts above a threshold. Confirm it is current before you sign.

- Portfolio and references. See completed work. Talk to real past clients — not testimonials the builder chose to share.

- Variation policy. How are changes handled during construction? How are they costed and documented? This is where most budget blowouts happen.

- Lender acceptance. Not all lenders accept all builders. This must be confirmed with your broker before signing — otherwise you may need to restructure your finance.

- Contract review. Fixed price, progress payments, sunset clause, defect liability — understand every clause before signing.

This is the process. Not exciting. But necessary.

Save this — share it with anyone about to sign a building contract. 🙏

General information only. Building regulations vary by state. Please speak to a licensed broker and solicitor. Raj Mortgage Broker

21/09/2026

Most buyers are not ready when the right opportunity appears.

Priya and Nischal were.

They had their pre-approval ready. Their suburb research was complete. Their decision criteria were clear.

When an off-market property came through — a seller needing to settle in 2 weeks, price sitting $20,000 below the suburb median — they could move the same day.

Not in a week. Not after "let me check ."

On the same call.
That readiness is what closed the deal at below-median price.

A seller with timeline pressure will prioritise a buyer who can settle fast over a buyer who offers more but needs another 3 weeks to sort finance.

Certainty has value in property transactions — sometimes more value than price.

Pre-approval is not just a formality. It is leverage. In exactly moments like this.

That $20,000 below median? Real equity — on settlement day.

Save this — share it with someone still waiting to "feel ready." 🙏

General information only. Property values and market conditions vary. Pre-approval does not guarantee formal approval. Please speak to a licensed broker. Raj Mortgage Broker

21/09/2026

Saving money is good, but it grows very slowly. Your money needs to beat inflation. Investing helps your money grow bigger over time. It can give a higher return, and it keeps compounding. The longer you invest, the faster it grows. So save first, then start to invest. Always get help from an expert. This is general information only, not financial advice.

20/09/2026

Most borrowers have never heard the term BDM.

But BDMs — Business Development Managers — are one of the most important relationships a mortgage broker has.

Here is why this matters.

Sagar and Bina are first home buyers. They came to me with a profile that had real complexity:

Recent PR — not yet citizens
Sagar is a CPA accountant, PAYG, working from home
Side e-commerce business — income just hit two full years on tax returns
Moving from Sydney to Melbourne as first home buyers
12% deposit

They chose Melbourne for two reasons. Affordable price — what costs $1.2M in Sydney is available at a fraction in Melbourne's growth suburbs. And better lifestyle — space, community, pace of life.

Smart decision. But the application had layers.

Before I submitted anything — I called the BDM.

A BDM is the lender's relationship manager for brokers. Before lodging, they clarified:

PR policy — how the lender currently assesses recent PR borrowers
Whether Sagar's CPA profession qualifies for an LMI waiver at 12% deposit — potentially saving thousands
How the e-commerce income — now two full years on tax returns — would be assessed and included
Interstate first home buyer documentation requirements for Victoria
First home buyer grant and duty concession eligibility for their scenario

One call. Clear answers on all five. Application submitted clean. No surprises.

When you ask a broker "how do you handle a complex scenario?" — the answer should mention BDMs.

General information only. Lender policies, LMI waiver eligibility, and grant conditions vary. Please speak to a licensed broker. Raj Mortgage Broker@followers

20/09/2026

Hari and Sita bought during COVID.

One worked at Coles. One at Aldi. The same week the whole country was panic-buying toilet paper.

Uncertain time. But their jobs were completely stable — essential workers, both of them. That stability gave them the confidence to buy when others were hesitating.

That decision — in that moment — is what compounded everything.

Years later — their property had grown. Loan had reduced. The equity gap was ready to work.

Here is what most people don't know:

Usable equity is typically calculated at 80% LVR. But depending on your profession and the lender — some borrowers can access up to 90%. Stable essential workers can sometimes qualify. This means more equity available — sooner.

They used that equity to fund the deposit and costs on an investment property. No new savings. No selling.

Two properties. Two separate loans. Clean structure.

This is why the first property is the most important decision you make. It doesn't matter if you live in it or invest — the value must go up. That growth compounds into the next property. And the next.

Save this — share it with someone still waiting for the "right time" to buy. 🙏

General information only. Equity release increases debt. LVR conditions vary by lender and profession. Please speak to a licensed broker and financial adviser. Raj Mortgage Broker

19/09/2026

The major banks are not always the right first choice for an investment property.

Different lenders have different policies. And those policies suit different borrowers at different stages of the journey.

Amol and Nita had reached a point where the major banks — with their conservative serviceability calculations — could not give them what they needed for property three.

A non-major lender could.

We structured the purchase through the non-major. The deal worked at the slightly higher rate.

Then — fourteen months later — after the loan was established, equity had grown, and income documentation was stronger — we refinanced to a major bank at a better rate.

Two steps. Entry via non-major. Rate optimisation via major.

Net outcome: property bought on the timeline they wanted. Rate improved over time.

This is lender strategy — not rate chasing.

Save this — most investors don't know this two-step approach exists. 🙏

General information only. Refinancing involves fees. Lending policies vary. Please speak to a licensed broker. Raj Mortgage Broker

18/09/2026

18/09/2026

A land and build in a regional area sounds simple.

In practice — there are layers of complexity that catch people off guard.

Roshan and Shreya came to me with this plan. Growing regional corridor. Good land pricing. They wanted to build an investment property.

Three challenges we worked through:

* Lender selection. Many lenders have postcode restrictions on regional construction loans. Some require a larger deposit. Finding a lender whose policy covered the location AND the construction — took real research.

* Valuation risk. The "as if complete" valuation is based on comparable sales nearby. Regional areas have fewer sales. Valuations can come in conservative — affecting how much the lender will advance and whether LMI becomes relevant.

* Builder access. Not all registered builders work in all regional areas. Finding one who was lender-approved, available, within budget, and willing to work in their location — took time.

All three navigated. Land settled. Build underway.

Complex builds need a broker who understands more than just the loan.

Save this if you are thinking about a regional build. 🙏

General information only. Regional construction lending varies. Please speak to a licensed broker. Raj Mortgage Broker