Lending Insights

The LoanBuddy blog

Lending written up the way it actually works, by a broker who settles these loans rather than writes about them.

No fee in most cases| 30+ lender panel| Investor, SMSF & construction specialists| Australia-wide| Legally obliged to act in your best interests

Every article here is written by Shane Heness, owner of LoanBuddy in Parramatta NSW and a mortgage broker of eight years. The focus is the lending we specialise in: investment loans, SMSF lending, construction finance, bridging and guarantor loans. Where a rule or a number is quoted, the date it applied is stated so you can tell whether it is still current.

Investment Loans

Negative gearing changes and your borrowing capacity

The law starts 1 July 2027. Lender calculators changed in May 2026, cutting investor capacity by 20 to 30 per cent. New builds are the exemption.

18 September 2026 · 7 min read
Home Loans

Low doc and self-employed lending in Western Sydney

What lenders accept instead of two years of tax returns, and how alt doc lending actually works for self-employed borrowers.

4 September 2026 · 6 min read
SMSF Loans

SMSF lending after the LRBA changes: what is still possible

New residential LRBAs ended on 10 August 2026. Refinancing an existing one and borrowing for business real property both still work.

21 August 2026 · 6 min read
Bridging Finance

Bridging finance in 2026: when it makes sense and what it costs

Modern bridging capitalises interest with no repayments during the term. The five situations where it beats the alternatives, and what it actually costs.

7 August 2026 · 6 min read
Construction Loans

Knockdown rebuild finance in NSW: what lenders need before they approve

How the valuation works while the old house is still standing, CDC versus DA, and the document set that gets a rebuild approved.

24 July 2026 · 6 min read
Investment Loans

Buying your second, third and fourth investment property: how servicing changes each time

Why property two is harder than property one, and property four is a different exercise entirely. Rental shading, DTI caps and lender sequencing.

10 July 2026 · 6 min read
Construction Loans

Construction loan progress payments explained: how drawdowns actually work

The five standard stages, what percentage the bank releases at each, how long each draw takes and what holds them up.

26 June 2026 · 6 min read
Guarantor Loans

Guarantor loans explained: what your parents are actually signing

What the guarantee actually covers, what it puts at risk, and how it gets released. Written for the parents, not just the buyer.

12 June 2026 · 7 min read
Refinancing

Extra repayments and how they impact your home loan

What extra repayments really save, offset versus redraw, the fixed rate caps, and the tax trap if you ever rent the property out.

29 May 2026 · 5 min read
Home Loans

Income and employment: your path to home loan approval

How lenders read probation, casual, contract, overtime, bonus and self-employed income, and why the same payslips produce different answers.

15 May 2026 · 6 min read
Refinancing

Top 5 ways to switch from variable to fixed rate mortgages

Five routes from variable to fixed, what each one costs, and the offset and extra repayment trade-offs nobody mentions until afterwards.

1 May 2026 · 6 min read
Construction Loans

Understanding the risks of construction loans in Australia

The six risks that actually derail a build: builder insolvency, variations, valuation shortfalls, title delays, holding costs and approval expiry.

17 April 2026 · 6 min read
Client Reviews

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Justin Kors2 months ago

We honestly couldn’t recommend Shane highly enough. From the very beginning, Shane guided us through every step of the process with...

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Liam Jalilian2 months ago

I had an excellent experience working with LoanBuddy (Shane) mortgage broker. From the beginning, he was professional, knowledgeable...

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Chelyn Baker2 weeks ago

Absolutely outstanding service. My mortgage broker Shane was knowledgeable, responsive, and made the entire process smooth and...

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georgia gough5 months ago

We originally moved to Shane based on a recommendation, and it was one of the best decisions we’ve made. From the start, he’s been...

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Batool raza7 months ago

I’m extremely happy with my experience working with Shane. From the very beginning, they were professional, knowledgeable, and...

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