Property details for a fast valuation: what to gather before a secured deadline loan

Property is what makes the fastest business funding possible. With residential or commercial property as security, $20k to $250k is possible the same day and up to $5m within 24 to 48 hours. But the property has to be checked first — its value, who owns it and what’s already registered against it — and that’s where hours get lost.

This page is the list of property details to gather before you ring, so the property side moves as fast as the deadline needs.

The property checklist

Detail	What to have	Why it matters
Address	Full street address, unit number if any	Identifies the property and title
Owners	Every name on the title	Every owner usually has to sign
Ownership structure	Personal, joint, company or trust	Determines who signs and what documents are needed
Value estimate	Your best figure and how you got it	Sets expectations before the valuation
Existing loans	Lender, current balance, loan type	Determines available equity and consent needs
Other interests	Second loans, caveats, private loans	Affects priority and speed
Use	Owner-occupied home, investment, commercial	Affects how the security is assessed
Access	Who can let a valuer in, tenant details	Valuer access is a common hidden delay

Who owns it — exactly?

Write down every owner exactly as they appear on the title. Then note how it’s owned:

• Personally — you, or you and a partner
• By a company — have the ACN; ASIC’s registers show the current directors
• By a trust — have the trust deed and the trustee’s details; if the trustee is a company, its ACN as well

It’s common for business owners to hold property in a different name from the business that needs the funds. That’s fine — it just needs to be clear from the start who is giving the security. See who needs to sign.

How much is it worth?

Give your honest best estimate, and say how you got it: a recent appraisal, a comparable sale in the street, an online estimate, or what you paid plus improvements. Lenders will form their own view, but a realistic starting figure means the options you hear on the first call hold up once the valuation is done.

Overestimating doesn’t help. If the valuation comes in well under your figure, the amount available shrinks — and on a tight deadline there may not be time to find another property.

What’s already owed against it?

Have your most recent loan statement for each loan on the property. Note:

• the lender’s name and the current balance
• whether it’s a home loan, line of credit or business loan
• any redraw or offset balances
• any other registered interests — a second mortgage, a caveat from a previous private loan, or a family loan

If there’s an existing first mortgage and you’re looking at a second mortgage, mention it on the first call. Many first mortgages require the first lender’s consent, which can take time. Sometimes a caveat is the quicker route.

Who can let the valuer in?

This sounds minor and regularly isn’t. If the property is tenanted, the tenant may need notice. If it’s a commercial building, someone needs the keys. If you’re away, someone else needs authority to meet the valuer. Sort it out before the valuation is booked.

What documents help?

• a recent council rates notice (confirms ownership and address)
• the latest loan statement for each existing loan
• the lease if it’s a tenanted investment or commercial property
• the trust deed if it’s held in a trust
• any recent appraisal or valuation

When you’ve got the details, send them through the enquiry or ring 1300 752 188 and have them in front of you.

First mortgage, second mortgage or caveat?

The answer comes out of the first conversation, but in broad terms:

• First mortgage over property with no existing loan is often the simplest.
• Second mortgage sits behind an existing first loan; it may need the first lender’s consent.
• Caveat registers the lender’s interest on the title and can often be lodged quickly, which suits short deadlines with a clear exit.

Each has a role. The right one depends on the property, the amount, how long you need it and how it will be repaid — see exit plans.

An illustrative property file

Illustrative example only. A builder needs $180k within two days to cover a settlement gap. He lists his family home (owned jointly with his wife), a recent agent’s appraisal, the bank loan balance of $410k, and notes that the home loan has a redraw facility. His wife is available to sign on Thursday. Because the first lender would need to consent to a second mortgage, a caveat is arranged instead, and the funds settle in time.

What if you’re not sure what the property is worth?

Give a range rather than a single figure, and say where it came from. A specialist can work with “somewhere between $850k and $950k based on two recent sales in the street” far more easily than with a guess.

Bring the property details to the call

Property details are the difference between “possible” and “done” on a fast secured loan. Asking what’s possible won’t involve a credit check, and we won’t push your details out to a long list of lenders — one team looks at the property and a real person calls you back.

Please be accurate on the enquiry form about the property’s value, owners and existing loans. Accurate answers mean the options you’re offered survive the valuation. Or ring 1300 752 188.