Commercial finance covers lending for business purposes — including commercial property loans, business acquisition finance, development finance, and working capital solutions. Unlike personal lending, commercial loans are assessed on the business's financial position, cash flow, and the nature of the asset or purpose. Interest rates, LVR limits, and approval timelines differ from residential lending. Paddy works with specialist commercial lenders across his 40+ panel to find the right structure for each business situation.

Asset finance allows businesses to acquire physical assets — vehicles, equipment, machinery, technology — without paying the full cost upfront. Common structures include chattel mortgage (your business owns the asset from day one), finance lease (the lender owns the asset during the term), and hire purchase (ownership transfers at end of term). Each has different GST, depreciation, and balance sheet implications. Paddy identifies the right structure in consultation with your accountant.

With a chattel mortgage, your business owns the asset from day one and the lender takes a mortgage over it as security — you can claim GST upfront and depreciate the asset. With hire purchase, the lender owns the asset during the term and title transfers to you when all payments are made — GST is spread across repayments and the accounting treatment differs. Both have different tax implications that your accountant should confirm before you decide. Paddy coordinates with your accountant to ensure the lending structure aligns with your preferred treatment.

Yes. Commercial property loans are available for business owners wanting to purchase their own premises, acquire investment commercial property, or develop commercial real estate. Assessment criteria differ from residential — lenders focus on the business's cash flow, the property's income potential, and the overall exposure. LVR limits for commercial property are typically 65–75% rather than 80–90% for residential. Paddy accesses specialist commercial lenders who work with Geelong businesses of all sizes — not just large corporates.

Asset finance for standard vehicles and equipment can often be approved within 24–48 hours for straightforward applications — particularly when documents are complete and the asset is a standard category. For larger or more specialised assets (heavy plant, specialist equipment), approval can take 3–7 business days. Commercial property loans take significantly longer — typically 4–8 weeks from application to settlement. Tell Paddy your timeline upfront and he'll target the fastest-moving lenders suited to your situation.

Yes — sole traders are eligible for most asset finance products, including chattel mortgage, hire purchase, and finance lease. The assessment criteria for sole traders differs slightly from companies and trusts — lenders typically look at personal tax returns and business bank statements rather than company financials. Some lenders are more flexible with sole traders than others. Paddy identifies the right lender for your specific structure and income situation.

Commercial and asset lending for self-employed borrowers is assessed on business financials — typically the last two years of business tax returns, BAS statements, and bank statements — rather than payslips. Low-doc options exist for some asset finance products where strong ABN history and good credit are demonstrated. For commercial property loans, lenders also assess the property's income-generating potential. Paddy understands how self-employed income is assessed across different commercial lenders and presents applications accordingly.

For commercial and asset finance, using a broker with specialist commercial lender access is particularly valuable — because many of the best commercial lenders don't deal directly with the public or have extremely competitive rates only available through accredited brokers. Paddy's Loan Market commercial panel includes specialist non-bank lenders with more competitive terms and more flexible assessment criteria than mainstream banks. His broker fee is paid by the lender — you pay nothing for the access, the comparison, or the structuring advice.