Private & non-bank finance
Private lending,
secured by Australian property.
When the deal is sound but the timing doesn't suit a bank, private lending fills the gap. We place first and second mortgages, caveat loans, bridging, land banking and development finance with a panel of lenders who assess on the asset and the exit, not a credit scorecard.
Get indicative terms
Same day, in writing. No credit check to enquire.
What we do
We know which lender will say yes.
Thrift Private are finance brokers specialising in private and non-bank lending. We don't fund loans ourselves. We know which lenders will look at your deal, what they'll want to see, and what they'll charge, and we run the process from enquiry to settlement.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. The private lending market in Australia is fragmented, and the part that matters is not published. Most funders will show you an indicative rate range and a maximum LVR. What they will not show you is what they are actually writing this month, which asset classes they have quietly stepped back from, or how they will price your deal once a valuation lands. A lender who'll happily take a regional industrial site at 70% won't touch a vacant CBD office, and you cannot find that out from a website. Knowing that map is the job.
Sending one deal to the wrong lender costs you a week. Sending it to the right one gets terms back the same day.
The basics
What private lending is
A private lender funds loans from its own or investors' capital rather than from retail deposits. That single difference is what changes the experience for a borrower.
Banks are bound by capital adequacy rules and standardised credit policy. They price for a portfolio and assess against a template, which is why a strong deal with an unusual shape (a short lease, a recently self-employed borrower, an asset mid-refurbishment) can be declined on a technicality that has nothing to do with whether the loan will be repaid.
A private lender underwrites the specific deal. The questions are narrower and more practical: what is the security worth, what is the position behind it, and how does this loan get repaid? If those three answers hold up, the loan can usually be done.
The trade-off is worth stating plainly. Private lending costs more than a bank facility. It is a tool for a defined window, whether that is a settlement, a construction period, a sale campaign or a turnaround. The right comparison isn't "private versus bank rate", it's "cost of the facility versus cost of not doing the deal". Over the right six or twelve months that maths is usually easy. As a permanent funding solution it isn't.
Credit appetite
What our lenders look for
Three questions decide most deals. Get them right and the rest is process.
Security
Registered first or second mortgage, or a caveat, over Australian real property. Residential, commercial, industrial, retail, englobo and development sites. Up to 80% of value on a first mortgage, and up to 80% combined on a second.
Exit
Every loan needs a credible repayment path: a refinance to a bank facility, a sale, a settlement, a project completion. Expect to provide evidence of it, whether that is the contract, the term sheet, the sales campaign or the presale schedule. A clear exit is the single strongest thing in an application and the fastest way to a sharper rate.
Purpose
Assessed on security and exit, so the range of acceptable purposes is far wider than a bank's. See the full list below.
What usually isn't required
Servicing calculators, two years of tax returns, minimum credit scores. Defaults, ATO debt and short trading history are not automatic declines with private funders. They are priced for.
Purpose of funds
What the money can be used for
Because a private loan is assessed on the security and the exit rather than a servicing calculator, the range of acceptable purposes is far wider than a bank's. These are the uses we see most often.
Business & investment
Property related
Not listed here? Ask. If the security holds and the exit is clear, there is usually a lender for it.
Coverage
Sydney based. Security considered nationwide.
Our panel takes security in every state and territory, metropolitan and regional. Where a lender will not travel, we know before you waste a week finding out.
Products
Loan types we arrange
Second mortgages
Release equity without refinancing a first mortgage you'd rather keep. Sits behind your existing lender.
Second mortgages →Bridging finance
Covers the gap between buying and selling, so a purchase isn't held hostage to a settlement date.
Bridging finance →Caveat loans
The fastest option available. A caveat over the title instead of a registered mortgage cuts days off settlement.
Caveat loans →Development finance
Site acquisition, construction facilities, mezzanine capital behind a senior lender, and residual stock loans.
Development finance →Land banking
Funding to acquire and hold raw or englobo land ahead of rezoning, DA approval or development, with interest capitalised where required.
Land banking →Commercial property loans
Facilities over office, retail, industrial and mixed-use assets, including vacant and part-tenanted security.
Commercial loans →Terms at a glance
Indicative parameters
Rates and fees vary by lender, security type, LVR and the strength of the exit. Every cost is set out in the lender's letter of offer before you sign anything.
| Rates | From 7.99% p.a. |
|---|---|
| Establishment fee | From 0.75% |
| Term | 3 – 60 months |
| Maximum LVR | Up to 80% |
| Loan size | $200,000 – $100m+ |
| Locations | All of Australia |
| Indicative terms | Same day |
| Settlement | From 2 business days |
Process
How it works
Most deals move from first call to written terms inside a day.
- EnquiryTell us the security, the amount and the exit. Five minutes, no credit check.
- We match the dealWe identify the lenders whose current appetite fits, and approach them.
- Indicative termsSame day where we have what we need, in writing, with the pricing on it.
- Valuation and legalsThe lender instructs a panel valuer. Their solicitor prepares documents.
- SettlementAs fast as 2 business days on a caveat, longer for a registered mortgage.
Clients
Who we work with
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is private lending?
Private lending is finance provided by a non-bank lender using its own or investors' capital, secured against property. Loans are assessed on the value of the security and the strength of the repayment plan rather than on standardised bank servicing criteria, which makes them faster and more flexible, and correspondingly more expensive.
Are you a lender or a broker?
A broker. Thrift Private arranges finance with a panel of private and non-bank lenders. We do not fund loans ourselves. We are Credit Representative 560115 of Loan Market Group Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 517192.
How is a private lender different from a bank?
Funding source and assessment method. A bank lends deposits against standardised policy. A private lender lends its own capital against the specific merits of a deal. The practical differences are speed (days rather than weeks), flexibility on borrower circumstances, and higher cost.
What can a private loan be used for?
Because the loan is assessed on security and exit, the range of acceptable purposes is far wider than a bank's. Common uses include ATO debt, working capital, business cash flow, business expansion or acquisition, franchise and inventory purchase, equipment and plant, debt consolidation, settlement shortfalls, investment capital, joint venture contributions, share purchases and divorce settlements. Property purposes include renovations and refurbishment, development costs, DA and planning costs, infrastructure contributions, deposits for a new purchase, and land banking.
Is private lending regulated in Australia?
Lending for personal or domestic purposes is regulated under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. We operate as a credit representative under Loan Market Group Pty Ltd's Australian Credit Licence, and all lending is subject to Australian Consumer Law and ASIC oversight.
How fast can a private loan settle?
As fast as 2 business days on a caveat loan. A registered first or second mortgage takes longer, with the valuation and, on a second mortgage, the existing lender's consent being the usual bottlenecks.
Do I need good credit?
Not necessarily. Defaults, judgments, ATO debt and discharged bankruptcies are not automatic declines with private funders. Adverse credit generally affects pricing and maximum LVR rather than eligibility, provided the security and the exit are sound.
How much can I borrow?
Up to 80% of the security value, from $200,000, depending on the lender and the asset.
What does it cost to use you?
Nothing to get indicative terms. Where a brokerage fee applies to a transaction it is disclosed in writing before you commit to anything.
Enquire
Tell us about the deal.
Five minutes to enquire. Indicative terms the same day. No credit check to get a quote.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 0478 715 429.