Australia's Chinese mortgage knowledge hub.

LVR (Loan-to-Value Ratio) = loan ÷ property value, the lower the easier to approve; serviceability = whether you can still afford repayments after living costs (banks stress-test at current rate + 3%); comparison rate = headline rate + all fees amortised into the 'real' repayment cost; offset = an account whose balance reduces the principal you pay interest on. Full breakdown in our Australian mortgage terminology guide.

FHOG is granted by each state government, amounts and conditions vary: VIC regional $20,000, CBD $10,000; NSW new builds $10,000; QLD $30,000 (as of 2025-06, check current rates). Baseline eligibility: Australian citizen or PR, age 18+, no Australian property in your or your spouse's name, owner-occupy for 12+ months. Temporary visas (457/482/500) usually don't qualify, but some states accept partner-visa PR applicants. Full walk-through in our FHOG explainer.

PR / citizen = treated as a local, all lenders accept. Temporary visas (457/482/500/485 etc.) — around 10-15 lenders will accept, typically capped at 80% LVR, may need FIRB approval (visa-type dependent), some lenders only accept new builds. Student visa + guarantor structures also work. Which specific lenders accept which visa class — full list in our Australian temporary-visa loan guide.

The spread comes from 4 main factors: (1) owner-occupier vs investment (investment usually 0.2-0.5% higher); (2) Principal & Interest vs Interest-only (IO is 0.3-0.6% more); (3) LVR band (under 80%, 80-90%, 90%+ priced separately); (4) each lender's funding cost + policy appetite. Comparison rate is more reliable than the headline rate (it bundles application fees, monthly fees, annual fees). Comparison method in our refinance-and-rate-timing guide.

Rule of thumb: new rate at least 0.3% below current, remaining loan $250k+, 5+ years left to run — usually worth it. But factor in break cost (during a fixed period), new-lender application fees, settlement legal costs. Cashback is typically $1,500-$4,000, but banks have tightened in the last 2 years — don't let cashback push you into a higher headline rate. Full calculation framework in our refinance complete guide.

Two paths: full-doc — requires 2 years of business accounts + BAS + tax returns + personal NOA, bank averages your annual income; alt-doc — accountant letter declaring income + 6-12 months of business bank statements as evidence, suitable when accounts are incomplete. Alt-doc rates run 0.3-0.5% above full-doc, LVR capped at 80%. Detailed comparison in our self-employed Chinese borrower guide.

Yes, but the bar is high. Around 4-6 lenders accept overseas income, requirements: (1) payslips + tax statements + 6-12 months bank statements; (2) NAATI-certified translation; (3) overseas income converted at FX then shaded to 60-80% (currency-risk buffer); (4) LVR usually capped at 70-75%; (5) some lenders only accept PR holders with overseas income. CBA, ANZ, NAB, HSBC, ICBC, Bank of China are common options. Detailed playbook in our overseas-income guide.

No. Halo Loan is a content platform — we write articles, organise lender policy, explain mortgage jargon. We take no clients and no fees. To find a Chinese-Australian broker, go to Fingertips Finance (ftfinance.com.au, B2C licensed retail). If you're a broker seeking accreditation, go to Halo Fortune Group (halofortune.com.au, B2B Mortgage Manager). All three brands operate under Halo Fortune Group Pty Ltd (ACL 483923).