Moving costs covered, with an answer in 2 business days.
- Indicative answer within 2 business days
- Loans from $5K to $50K, usually unsecured
- Employees on a wage, self-employed ABN holders, and families relocating for work
- Removalists, bond and rent in advance, temporary accommodation, and travel
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead) options across our 90+ lender panel
Moving costs land in a very unhelpful order. A new bond, four weeks' rent in advance, a removalist, and often a new car and furniture, all before the old bond is refunded and often before the new job has paid you once. The total is rarely enormous but the timing is hard, and it is a gap that a short, well-sized loan handles cleanly. Joseph Farhat and his team will help you size it to the actual gap rather than the whole move, and tell you what it costs over the full term.
Who we can help access finance
- People moving interstate for a new job, before the first pay cycle lands.
- Renters paying a new bond while the old one is still weeks from being refunded.
- Families covering removalists, storage, and transporting a vehicle across the country.
- People relocating overseas, or arriving in Australia and setting up a household from scratch.
- Those moving out after a separation and establishing a second home.
- Self-employed borrowers and ABN holders whose income is real but takes longer to evidence in a new location.
- People whose employer offers a relocation allowance paid in arrears, months after the costs are incurred.
- Anyone needing a car quickly because the new location has no useful public transport.
How Relocation Finance Works
This is a standard unsecured personal loan taken for that purpose, with the funds paid to you so you can cover a bond, a removalist, and everything else as each falls due. The structural point specific to relocation is that a large part of what you are funding is temporary: the old bond is coming back, and an employer allowance may be reimbursed. Sizing the loan to the true shortfall, and choosing a loan you can repay early without penalty, can turn a five year loan into a much shorter one. Joseph Farhat and his team will check the early repayment terms before you sign, because on this product they can matter more than the rate.
What Lenders Assess
Income and capacity
assessed on your current income, which is the complication when you are between jobs or starting a new one.
Employment status
a signed contract for a new role is treated very differently to an intention to find work after moving. Lenders assess your position when you apply, and any planned change of job needs to be disclosed in the application.
Probation
some lenders accept income during a probation period, others require it to be completed, which narrows the panel at exactly the wrong moment.
Credit profile
personal lending is risk-priced, so your file drives the rate you are offered.
Existing commitments
other loans, card limits, and buy-now-pay-later accounts all count.
Residency and time in Australia
for arrivals, visa status and time in the country affect which lenders will consider the application.
Amount and term
sizing to the genuine shortfall rather than the full cost of the move.
The Process: What to Expect
- Talk to Joseph Farhat and his team about the move date, the costs, and what is coming back to you. Tell us about any change of job, including a new employment contract, its start date, and any probation period, because lenders assess your position when you apply and planned changes are disclosed to them.
- Provide the basics: identification, recent bank statements or payslips, and the new employment contract if you have one.
- We size the loan to the true gap after the old bond and any employer reimbursement, and match your profile to lenders that will accept your employment situation.
- The lender issues an approval setting out the rate, comparison rate, term, fees, and repayment. We check the early repayment terms, since much of this is likely to be repaid within months.
- Funds are released, usually within two business days, so you can pay the bond, the removalist, and the rest directly.
Indicative Finance Options
| Lender Type | Pricing | Typical Loan Range | Loan Term | Security | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | Sharpest available pricing | $5K to $50K | 1 to 7 years | Usually unsecured | 3 to 10 business days |
| Non-Bank Lenders | Priced for flexibility | $5K to $50K | 1 to 5 years | Usually unsecured | Within 2 business days |
| Private Finance | Not used for relocation finance. 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.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for a relocation loan
We represent you, not the lender
Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest, and on consumer lending that is a legal duty, not a slogan.
Changing jobs is assessed case by case
a signed contract for a new permanent role is accepted by some lenders and not others, so we approach the ones that fit your situation.
Size it to the gap, not the move
the old bond is coming back and an employer allowance may be reimbursed, so much of the total is temporary.
Early repayment terms matter more than the rate
a loan you can clear in six months without penalty can cost less than a marginally lower rate over five years.
Probation policy varies
some lenders decline income during a probation period outright and others do not, which is exactly the problem when you have just started.
One conversation, not five applications
every application is recorded on your credit file, and moving is a period when people tend to open several accounts.
90+ lenders on one panel
bank, non-bank, and specialist, including lenders comfortable with new arrivals and non-permanent residents.
Usually no direct cost to you
as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
An honest answer early
tell us the move date and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
Frequently asked questions
What is a relocation loan?
It is a standard unsecured personal loan used to cover the costs of moving: a rental bond and rent in advance, removalists, storage, vehicle transport, furniture, and setting up utilities. There is no separate relocation product at mainstream lenders. The funds come to you so you can pay each cost as it falls due, and the loan is repaid over an agreed term with regular repayments.
Can I get a loan while I am changing jobs?
Yes, though it narrows the lender list. Lenders assess your position when you apply, and any planned change, such as a resignation or a new role, needs to be disclosed in the application. Tell us about the new role, the start date, and any probation period at the first conversation. A signed contract for a permanent role is accepted by some lenders, and we will approach those first.
Can I get a loan if I am on probation in a new job?
It depends entirely on the lender, and the variance is significant. Some decline income earned during a probation period outright, others accept it where the role is permanent and in the same industry as your previous one, and a few disregard probation altogether. This is not published anywhere and is exactly the sort of thing that causes an avoidable decline. Tell us your start date and probation terms at the first conversation.
How much should I borrow for a move?
The genuine shortfall, not the full cost. Your old bond is generally refunded within a few weeks of vacating, and if your employer pays a relocation allowance in arrears that is also coming back. Both reduce what you actually need to carry. Work out the costs, subtract what will be returned to you and when, and borrow the gap. We will help you map that out, and it usually results in a materially smaller loan than the headline cost of the move.
Can I get finance if I have just arrived in Australia?
It is possible but the lender list narrows considerably. Lenders assess visa status, time in the country, and whether you have any local credit history, and most will want to see an Australian income before lending. Permanent residents are treated much like citizens by most lenders. Those on temporary and skilled visas have fewer options but not none. Tell us your visa subclass and arrival date at the outset, because it determines which lenders are realistic.
Will my employer's relocation allowance affect the loan?
Not directly, since lenders assess your income and commitments rather than a one-off reimbursement. What it can affect is how much you borrow and how quickly you repay it. If your employer will reimburse $8,000 of a $15,000 move three months after you start, that is $8,000 best applied straight off the loan. That makes early repayment terms the most important feature of the loan, and we will check them before you sign.
Will applying affect my credit score?
Every credit application is recorded on your file, and several in a short window read poorly to the next lender. Moving is a period when people commonly open accounts for utilities, phone plans, and furniture finance, several of which generate enquiries. If a home loan is coming in the new city, that pattern matters. We work out which lender fits before an application is lodged, so your file carries one enquiry.
What is a comparison rate, and why are no rates shown on this page?
A comparison rate combines the interest rate with the standard fees into a single figure so two loans can be compared honestly. It matters here because much of a relocation loan is likely to be repaid within months, and on a short holding period the establishment fee affects the real cost far more than the rate does. A comparison rate is also only meaningful for a specific amount and term. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your real numbers alongside the total dollar cost.
Can I include a car in a relocation loan?
You can, though it is often cheaper not to. Where the new location requires a car, financing the vehicle separately as a secured car loan usually prices well below an unsecured personal loan, because the vehicle provides security. Bundling everything into one unsecured loan is simpler but more expensive. We will price both structures so you can see the difference, which on a $25,000 car is generally substantial.
Do you work with borrowers with bad credit?
Yes, we do. A default, an old arrears listing, or a thin credit file does not rule you out, and it is not something we will make you feel awkward about. Several lenders on our panel assess your current capacity rather than the credit file alone, and price for it rather than decline it. Telling us early lets us approach the right lender first instead of adding enquiries to your file.
Do you act in my best interests?
Yes. When we provide credit assistance on consumer lending we owe you a best interests duty. We make reasonable enquiries into your financial situation, requirements, and objectives, and we must not suggest or help you apply for a loan that is unsuitable for you. On this page that duty is why we ask about any planned change to your employment, and why we size the loan to the shortfall rather than the full cost of the move. Before we provide credit assistance you will receive our Credit Guide.
Why work with Settled With Joe for a relocation loan?
Because a move puts several things in play at once: a change of job, a probation period, and costs that are partly temporary. Most of the people we help are moving interstate for work, often starting a new role or inside a probation period. There is no judgement in the conversation. What matters is your employment status right now, the genuine shortfall after your old bond and any employer reimbursement come back, and whether the loan lets you repay early without penalty. Lenders assess your position when you apply, so we take your employment situation, including any planned change, to the lenders whose policy fits it. Our panel covers 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders. We are based in Sydney and work with borrowers Australia-wide. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you honestly and early what is achievable.
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 relocation loans outside Sydney?
Yes. Settled With Joe is based in Sydney and arranges relocation loans Australia-wide, covering both metro and regional areas, which suits relocation particularly well since you are usually moving between two of them. 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. You do not need to be in either location to apply. Joseph Farhat and his team will identify which lenders on the panel are the best fit for your situation.
