You Found the Right Property. You Haven't Sold Yet. Here's What to Do.
By Preeti Sidhu | Mortgage Broker & CPA | Clarity Financial Solutions, Melbourne
Most Melbourne homeowners in this situation do one of two things. They rush the sale and accept a price they're not happy with. Or they let the new property go and spend the next six months wondering if they made the wrong call.
There is a third option. It's called bridging finance, and it's more straightforward than most people think.
What Bridging Finance Actually Does
A bridging loan uses the equity in your existing property to fund the purchase of your next one. You buy first. You move in. You sell your current property on your own timeline — without the pressure of a simultaneous settlement or a forced sale.
The loan is short-term. It covers the gap between your new purchase and your existing sale. Once the sale settles, the proceeds pay down the bridging loan, and you're left with a standard mortgage on your new home.
The Two Numbers That Determine Whether It Works
Before any offer is made on a new property, two figures need to be calculated precisely.
Peak debt — the total combined loan across both properties during the bridging period. Most lenders require this to sit within 80% of the combined value of both properties.
End debt — what remains after your existing property sells. This is your long-term mortgage, and it must be serviceable on your income alone.
If these numbers work, bridging finance works. If they don't, the strategy needs to change. Getting this assessment done before signing any contract is the entire point.
One Broker. Forty Lenders. One Application.
Going directly to your bank gives you one lender's bridging product — their rates, their LVR thresholds, their capitalisation policy, their bridging period limits.
An independent broker compares across 40+ lenders privately. No multiple credit enquiries. No wasted applications. Then you apply once, to the lender whose policy best suits your specific property timeline and financial position.
Clarity Financial Solutions offers this service completely free to you. Brokers are paid by the lender — disclosed upfront, in writing. You get full market comparison and structured advice at no direct cost.
The Costs You Need to Model Before You Commit
Bridging finance costs extend beyond the interest rate:
Capitalised interest on peak debt during the bridging period
Lender establishment and application fees
Valuation fees on both properties
Legal and conveyancing costs on the purchase and the sale
Bridging loan rates in Australia are typically higher than standard mortgage rates. But when the alternative is selling your home under pressure for $60,000 below its true value — the maths often looks very different. Every scenario gets modelled in full before any lender is approached.
Ready to Work Out If Bridging Finance Is Right for You?
Clarity Financial Solutions offers a free, obligation-free strategy session for Melbourne homeowners considering a buy-before-you-sell approach. Find out more and book directly at the bridging loan finance broker Melbourne page.
No fees. No pressure. Just clarity.
📍 Melbourne, VIC | 🌐 clarityfs.com.au | ACL 475676