Vacant Land Mortgage

Did you know that borrowing to buy vacant land is more difficult than borrowing to buy a house?

The banks have stricter lending guidelines for blocks of land, and in many cases they will not finance remote or large properties.

The good news is that each lender has different lending guidelines.

By applying with the right bank you can get your mortgage approved!

How much can I borrow for different block sizes?

Up to 2.2 hectares (5.4 acres): Up to 95% of the property value.

Up to 11 hectares (27.2 acres): Up to 95% of the property value (note that some lenders would restrict your loan to 80% of the property value).

Up to 60 hectares (148.3 acres): Up to 80% of the property value (note that most lenders would decline your loan).

Over 60 hectares (148.3 acres): Up to 70% of the property value (all loans are assessed on a case by case basis).

Commercial farms: Up to 60% of the property value (all loans are assessed on a case by case basis using rural farm guidelines).

If there is a house on the block: If there is a house on the land already, then you may be able to borrow 95% of the property value for properties up to 50 hectares in size.

Note: Most lenders will have trouble approving mortgages for vacant land if the land is over 2.2 hectares in size. We have access to several lenders who can consider larger blocks of land depending on the strength of your application.

Our mortgage brokers are experts in financing vacant land so please call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online to find out how much you can borrow.

What will the bank assess?

Land size: The larger the land, the fewer the number of people who are interested in buying it. This means that larger properties can take some time to sell, which makes them less favourable security for a mortgage. This is why it is easier to finance smaller blocks of land. For your reference, one hectare is equal to 10,000 m2 or 2.47 acres.

Location: Land inside major cities and regional centres can be financed quite easily. Rural vacant land in lifestyle locations, hobby farming regions or small towns is not accepted by most lenders, however can be financed if you apply with the right bank. At least one of our lenders has no location restrictions Australia wide. Most banks have categorised each postcode by risk and will not approve home loans for vacant land in higher risk locations.

Access: The land must have direct access using an all weather road. Dirt roads are acceptable as long as they are well maintained and the property can be accessed by a standard vehicle, not a 4WD.

Services: The land must be within range to be connected to the electricity grid without excessive costs. Town water and sewerage services are not required as many Australian properties have tank water or septic tanks instead. Fully serviced and partially serviced blocks are both acceptable, however some lenders will not approve a loan for more than 80% of the value of the property if town water cannot be connected.

Zoning: Land can be zoned rural, rural residential or the equivalent for your state. Be careful with land that is zoned industrial, commercial or for farm use as they are often not accepted. A good rule of thumb is that if the land that you are buying is subject to GST, then it would be considered as a commercial property by the banks.

Land use: The land should be used for personal or investment purposes, not as a farm. Hobby farms with minor farm improvements and little income from farm production are usually accepted.

Intention to build: Many lenders consider someone who is building on the land right away or within a year to be a lower risk than someone who has no intention to build. If you are not interested in constructing a house then the bank may consider you to be a speculative investor and depending on their policy, they may decline your loan.

Why are the banks so conservative?

When the economy is weak, vacant land tends to fluctuate in value and may take longer to sell. This is particularly true in country areas and remote locations where land prices fluctuate more often.

Normal houses on the other hand tend to have more potential buyers and sell much faster. Banks are more conservative when approving a home loan for vacant land as a result of the higher volatility of land prices.

Apply for a home loan

Please call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online for more information about how we can help you.

Our mortgage brokers are specialists in financing remote properties and large blocks of land, so they can quickly let you know if you can qualify for a mortgage.