Ready to buy the practice? An indicative answer on the funding within 2 business days.
- Indicative assessment within 2 business days, with settlement typically 2 to 8 weeks depending on the lender
- Loans from $250K to $5M
- GPs, dentists, specialists, allied health practitioners, vets and accountants buying a practice or a share of one
- Covers goodwill, equipment, the patient or client list, and the fit-out that comes with the sale
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead) options across our 90+ lender panel
You have worked in practices for years, or you have been an associate in this one, and now the chance to own it has come up. The seller has a price, and most of it is goodwill: the patients or clients, the reputation and the steady fees. The rest is equipment and a fit-out. Practice acquisition finance is a business loan that pays for that purchase. Because professional practices tend to earn steadily, some lenders have policies for buying them that are different from general business lending. Joseph Farhat and his team work with practitioners at this stage. They look at the practice's fee history, your registration and experience, and what security you have, then find a lender whose policy fits the practice you are buying.
Who we can help access finance
- Associate dentists buying the practice they already work in from a principal who is retiring.
- GPs buying an established clinic and taking over its patient base, staff and equipment.
- Vets purchasing a small-animal clinic, including its surgical and imaging equipment.
- Accountants and registered tax agents buying a block of fees or a whole accounting practice from a retiring principal.
- Specialists and allied health practitioners, such as physiotherapists, optometrists and psychologists, buying into a practice as a part-owner.
- Practice owners buying a second location and keeping the first one running.
- Practitioners who own a home or the practice premises and can offer that property as part of the security.
How Practice Acquisition Finance Works
The lender funds the purchase price, or most of it, and the money is paid to the seller at settlement. You then repay the loan from the fees the practice earns. In a practice sale, most of the price is often goodwill. Goodwill has no physical form, so whether a lender will advance against it, and how much, depends on that lender's own policy. That is market practice, not a regulated limit, and it varies from lender to lender and between professions. Lenders also look at the equipment, the fit-out and any property included. Where the practice premises are part of the sale, or you offer your own property, more lenders on the panel may consider the purchase. Where your home is offered, it is at risk if repayments are not met, so get independent legal advice before you sign. Most lenders also ask for a personal guarantee.
Registration sits under every practice purchase. Lenders want to see that you can legally practise and bill from the day you take over. For the 16 health professions Ahpra regulates, that is registration through Ahpra and the relevant National Board. Vets in NSW register with the Veterinary Practitioners Board. Accountants providing tax or BAS services for a fee generally need to be registered with the Tax Practitioners Board. A medical practitioner billing Medicare also needs a provider number for the new location.
Your lawyer reviews the sale contract and any lease, and your accountant checks the price and the tax position. We are a finance broker, not a lawyer or accountant. Joseph Farhat and his team review the practice financials, your registration and the security you can offer, then place the file with a lender from a panel of 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders and manage it through to settlement.
What Lenders Assess for Practice Acquisition Finance
Fee history
two or more years of the practice's billings or fees, and how steady they have been.
How much is goodwill
the share of the price that is goodwill rather than equipment, fit-out or property, and how that lender treats it.
Your registration
current Ahpra, Veterinary Practitioners Board or Tax Practitioners Board registration, and any conditions on it.
Your experience
years in practice, time in this practice as an associate or employee, and any past ownership.
Who holds the patients or clients
whether fees depend on the seller personally, and how long they will stay to hand over.
The premises
the lease term left, the options to renew, and whether the landlord will consent to an assignment.
Security and existing debt
any property you can offer, other loans in your name, and the equipment being bought.
The Practice Acquisition Finance Process: What to Expect
- Talk to Joseph Farhat and his team about the practice, the asking price and your settlement date. An early conversation helps you understand what is fundable while the price is still being discussed.
- Send the practice's last two years of financials or billing reports, the draft sale contract, the equipment list, your registration details and your own income records.
- We match the purchase to lenders on the panel with practice-purchase policies for your profession, and set out each one's rate, fees, security and conditions.
- The lender issues a written approval. We go through it with you before you sign, and your lawyer and accountant can review it alongside the sale contract.
- The lender pays the seller at settlement and repayments begin. Medicare provider numbers, the lease assignment and any registration notices are handled in parallel with your lawyer and the relevant body.
Indicative Finance Options
| Lender Type | Indicative Rate | Security | Typical Loan Range | Loan Term | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | From ~7.25% p.a. | Practice assets, guarantee, and property where policy requires it | $250K to $5M | 3 to 15 years | 3 to 8 weeks |
| Non-Bank Lenders | From ~9.5% p.a. | Practice assets and a personal guarantee | $250K to $3M | 1 to 7 years | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Private Finance | From ~1.1% per month | Property security | $250K to $5M | 3 to 24 months | Available for unique scenarios |
Indicative figures only. Actual rates and terms depend on your project, financial position, property location, and lender assessment at the time of application. Rates are subject to change.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for practice acquisition finance
We represent you, not the lender
Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest from the first conversation through to settlement.
Practice policies by profession
some lenders treat dental, medical, vet and accounting purchases differently, and we know which ones suit your profession.
Goodwill handled plainly
we tell you early how each lender treats the goodwill in your purchase, so the price and the funding line up.
Registration on the checklist
we ask for registration details at the start, so they do not hold up approval at the end.
One conversation, not several applications
each credit enquiry is recorded on your file, so your file goes only to lenders likely to fund the purchase.
Room for what comes next
equipment upgrades or a fit-out after settlement can be planned with the same lender or a separate facility.
A broad panel
90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders, so a well-documented purchase can go to a bank at a sharper rate, and a less standard one still has options.
Private finance for unique scenarios
where bank and non-bank lenders are not the right fit, we can introduce you to private finance options.
Usually no direct cost to you
as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
An honest answer early
if the seller has set a settlement date or another buyer is interested, tell us early and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
Frequently asked questions
What is practice acquisition finance?
It is a business loan used to buy a professional practice, such as a medical, dental, veterinary or accounting practice. It pays for the goodwill, the equipment and the fit-out, and sometimes the premises. The practice's fees repay the loan. It can also fund buying a share of a practice, where you become a part-owner alongside the existing principal.
Will a lender fund the goodwill?
Some lenders will lend against the goodwill of a professional practice. How much they lend, and for which professions, is set by each lender's own policy. No regulation sets it, so it changes between lenders and over time. Goodwill is usually assessed against the practice's fee history and how much of that income is likely to stay after the sale. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you how the lenders on the panel are likely to treat the goodwill in your purchase before you apply.
Which professions do lenders consider for practice purchases?
Lenders on the panel consider medical, dental, specialist, allied health, veterinary and accounting practices, among others. Lender appetite is different for each profession and can change. A dental or GP purchase may be assessed differently from a physiotherapy or accounting practice of the same size. We approach the lenders whose policy suits your profession first.
What registration will a lender check?
For health practitioners, lenders check registration with Ahpra, which works with 15 National Boards across 16 health professions. Its public register shows whether a practitioner is registered and any conditions or undertakings. Vets are not registered with Ahpra. In NSW they register with the Veterinary Practitioners Board, and the Board can tell you whether the premises need a licence. Accountants buying a tax practice are checked against the Tax Practitioners Board register, which lists registered tax and BAS agents. Generally, only registered agents can charge for tax or BAS services.
Do I need a new Medicare provider number?
If you will bill Medicare from the practice you buy, yes, in most cases. A provider number is tied to a location, so a practitioner needs an additional number for each new practice location. You apply through Services Australia. Lenders often want to know the application is under way before settlement, because billing from day one supports the repayments.
Can I fund equipment or a fit-out at the same time?
Often, yes. Some lenders will add new equipment or a refit to the purchase loan. Others prefer a separate equipment or fit-out facility, which can carry a different term. Equipment finance usually takes security over the equipment itself. We can set out both options, including the total repayments, before you commit to either.
Can I get practice acquisition finance with low-doc or no-doc?
Lenders need the practice's own financials or billing reports, because those fees repay the loan. What can flex is the documentation of your own income. Some lenders on the panel accept recent BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead of full tax returns, particularly for practitioners moving from an associate role into ownership. No-doc is rarely available for a practice purchase, and where it is, it usually needs property security and costs more. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you what each lender asks for.
Do you work with borrowers with bad credit?
Yes, we do. A default or past arrears does not rule you out of buying a practice, and there is nothing awkward about raising it with us. A listing says little about the steadiness of the practice's fees or your registration and experience. Several lenders on our panel weigh those more heavily than the credit file, and will price for the risk rather than decline it. Tell us at the start, so your file goes to a suitable lender first and avoids extra enquiries. Joseph Farhat and his team will give you an honest view of what is achievable before you apply anywhere.
Why work with Settled With Joe to arrange your practice acquisition finance?
Because one conversation replaces a round of applications. The people we help are mostly practitioners and accountants, often already company directors or self-employed, buying a practice with a date attached: a retiring principal who wants to settle, a sale contract with a finance clause, or a second buyer in the background. None of that is unusual to us, and there is no judgement in the conversation. What matters to lenders is the practice's fee history, how much of the price is goodwill, your registration and experience, and the security on offer. Our panel covers 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders, so a well-documented purchase can go to a bank at a sharper rate, and there are still options when the purchase is less standard or the timing is tight. We are based in Sydney and work with practitioners Australia-wide. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you early and honestly whether we can help and what is realistically achievable before your settlement date.
Do you give financial advice?
No. We do not guide you on your finances, nor give financial advice. We focus on outcomes and solutions of presenting your unique scenario to the right lender so you can access funding in a timely and compliant manner.
Do you help with practice acquisition finance outside Sydney?
Yes. Settled With Joe is based in Sydney and arranges practice acquisition finance Australia-wide, for practices in cities and regional towns. We work with clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, as well as regional areas including Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba. Joseph Farhat and his team will match your purchase to the lenders on the panel that fit your profession and location.
