Your property has sold, and the money arrives on settlement day
- Funding within 2 business days with some non-bank lenders, once the loan is approved
- Loans from $5K to $100K, unsecured
- Sellers waiting on settlement after a separation, a downsize or an estate sale, who are not buying again
- Living costs, a rental bond, removalists or a car, while the sale proceeds are still on their way
- Payslips, or BAS and business bank statements for self-employed sellers, assessed across our 90+ lender panel
The contract is signed and a settlement date is set. Until that day, the sale money is not in your account, and some costs may fall due first: a bond on a rental, a removalist, or the ordinary bills of a household in transition. A loan before a property sale settles is usually an unsecured personal loan. It is paid to you as one amount and repaid over an agreed term, or paid out early once the proceeds land. It costs money, so the free options come first below. If a loan still suits you, Joseph Farhat and his team can show you what lenders will offer on your current income, and what an early payout would cost.
Worth checking before you borrow against a sale
- Early access to the deposit your buyer paid: it can sometimes be released to you before completion if the buyer agrees. Ask your agent and conveyancer.
- Holding the cost until settlement: a move date set after settlement, or a car bought once the funds clear, means nothing to repay.
- Free financial counselling: if household bills are the pressure, the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 offers free help on weekdays, 9:30am to 4:30pm.
- If you are separating: the proceeds may be held in a solicitor's trust account until the property split is agreed or ordered. Your family lawyer can tell you when they are likely to be paid out. The Family Relationship Advice Line is 1800 050 321.
Who we can help access finance
- Separating owners who have sold the shared home, where the proceeds will sit in trust until the split is settled and a rental bond is due this month.
- Downsizers who have sold the family home and are renting while settlement runs to its date, with removalist and storage bills to pay first.
- Beneficiaries waiting on an estate property sale, where the money reaches them only after settlement and the executor's distribution.
- Sellers moving to a regional town or closer to family who need a car before the sale funds clear.
- Self-employed sellers whose income is steady but shown through BAS and bank statements rather than a recent tax return.
How Loans Before a Property Sale Settles Work
Under the 2026 NSW standard contract, settlement falls on the 42nd day after the contract date unless the contract says otherwise. On that day the buyer pays the price less the deposit, and less any foreign resident or GST withholding. The mortgage is discharged and the selling costs are paid, and what is left comes to you. Every Australian resident seller needs an ATO clearance certificate by settlement. For contracts signed from 1 January 2025, the buyer withholds 15% of the price without one and pays it to the ATO, and you claim it back through your tax return. The certificate is free and can take up to 28 days to issue. The amount that reaches your account can be well below the sale price.
The loan itself is a standard personal loan, paid out once. Sale proceeds are not income, so many lenders still assess the repayments against your current income, even with a signed contract in hand. ASIC's responsible lending guidance generally expects repayments to be met from income rather than from equity. A contract that is unconditional, with a fixed settlement date, is viewed more favourably by lenders, but it does not take the place of that income test. If you plan to repay the loan from the proceeds, the early repayment terms matter as much as the price. Some loans can be paid out early at no cost and some cannot, so check before you sign.
Joseph Farhat and his team look at your income, the contract and the costs you need to cover, and compare loans across 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders. Settled With Joe arranges finance only; legal and settlement questions belong with your conveyancer or lawyer. Where a separation or an estate is involved, the family lawyer or the executor confirms when the money will actually be paid out. If you are buying another property before your sale settles, a bridging home loan is the product to look at instead.
What Lenders Assess for Loans Before a Property Sale Settles
Current income
The sale contract
Your living costs after the sale
Existing commitments
Credit profile
The Process: What to Expect Before Your Sale Settles
- Tell Joseph Farhat and his team the settlement date, what the money is needed for and what you earn now.
- Together we look at the free routes first: a deposit release, and which costs could sit until settlement.
- Where you decide to go ahead, lenders are shortlisted on their income policy and early payout terms.
- An approval sets out the rate, comparison rate, fees and the cost of paying out early, and we walk through the full cost before anything is signed.
- The money is paid into your account, and you repay it on schedule or clear it from the proceeds.
Indicative Finance Options
| Lender Type | Pricing | Typical Loan Range | Loan Term | Security | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | Sharpest available pricing | $5K to $100K | 1 to 7 years | Unsecured | 3 to 10 business days |
| Non-Bank Lenders | Priced for flexibility | $5K to $100K | 1 to 7 years | Unsecured | Within 2 business days |
| Private Finance | Rarely suited to sellers waiting on settlement. Available for unique scenarios only. | ||||
Indicative figures only. Actual terms depend on your circumstances and lender assessment at the time of application. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your specific loan amount and term before you apply. Terms are subject to change.
