Mortgage Postcode Restrictions

Almost every major bank in Australia uses postcode rules to decide how much they’ll lend in different areas.

You can use our Postcode Location Guide to check which category your property falls into.

What Are Mortgage Postcode Restrictions?

Mortgage postcode restrictions are lender rules that limit how much you can borrow for properties in certain locations.

Lenders usually group locations into categories based on factors such as:

• Population size
• Property market activity
• Distance from major towns or cities
• Resale demand in the area

A property in a large metropolitan area will usually be easier for a lender to assess than one in a small town, a remote area, or a specialised rural location.

This does not automatically mean the loan will be declined. It means the lender may reduce the maximum LVR or require a stronger overall application.

How Much Can You Borrow If Postcode Restrictions Apply?

• First home buyer: 95% of the property value (restrictions apply).
• Investor: 95% of the property value.
• Low doc: 80% of the property value on a case by case basis.
• Discounts: Competitive professional package and basic loan discounts are available.

The majority of lenders will lend up to 90% of the property value for houses that are in towns with more than 10,000 people.

Your Loan to Value (LVR) will be restricted for smaller towns or outlying suburbs.

Low doc loans are often restricted even to larger towns of 15,000 or 20,000 people.

One of our lenders will accept any property under 50 hectares no matter the town, suburb, location or postcode.

Using a guarantor is one way to get around LVR restrictions because you don’t need a deposit and can borrow the full costs of the purchase.

Please call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online and one of our mortgage brokers will help you to get your mortgage approved!

Why Do Banks Restrict Lending In Some Postcodes?

Smaller towns and remote locations tend to have lower real estate sales.

In the event that you want to sell your property, you may have to wait several months or even years to find a buyer. This is particularly true if the local economy is suffering due to a drought or local industry closures.

Because of this, banks view smaller towns and remote areas as a higher risk and restrict the amount you can borrow.

Why Comparable Sales Can Affect Your Mortgage Approval

You may find that some lenders will accept properties in a particular location as security but will then decline your loan due to a lack of comparable sales!

Lenders require their valuers to provide three comparable sales to support their estimate of the market value of your property. Comparable sales are only accepted if they have sold within the last six months, they are similar to your property (e.g. land size / property type) and if their sale price is within 10% of the value of your property.

For example, if your property is a 20 hectare hobby farm worth $500,000 then the valuer would not be able to use a sale of a unit in town as a comparable sale. In addition, they cannot use a similar farm next door that sold two years ago.

Small towns can be a big problem! If you are in a remote location then the property market will not be very active and as a result the bank valuer will be unable to find comparable sales.

The great news is that some lenders can accept properties even with few comparable sales.

You may need to reduce the percentage that your are borrowing against the property value (LVR) to enable you to get approval.

Need Help With Postcode Restrictions?

Some lenders are much more flexible than others when it comes to regional, rural, or unusual locations.

At Home Loan Experts, we know which banks are more likely to accept your postcode, what LVR they may consider, and how to strengthen your application.

Call us on 1300 889 743 or enquire online, and one of our mortgage brokers will help you find a lender that suits your property location.