Commercial property finance
Buy the premises, or the investment, with the numbers understood first.
Offices, warehouses, retail, childcare, medical and mixed-use. Whether the buyer is your operating business, an investment entity or your SMSF, we work out the deposit, the lender appetite and the timeline before a contract is signed.
Tell us your contract dates early. An enquiry is not an application.
Three ways to buy
Owner-occupier, investor or SMSF. Each is assessed differently.
- Owner-occupied. Your business buys or refinances the premises it trades from. Lenders assess business servicing and the property.
- Investment. An entity buys a leased property. Lenders assess the lease, the tenant and the rent as much as you.
- SMSF. Your fund buys commercial property, sometimes premises your own business leases at market rent, through a limited recourse borrowing arrangement. Fewer lenders, tighter bands, and your own SMSF advice is essential.
Deposit and loan bands
What the deposit usually looks like.
| Item | What to expect | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Loan to value, standard security | About 65 to 75 percent (deposit 25 to 35 percent plus costs) | Offices, warehouses, retail; lease quality; your servicing |
| Loan to value, specialised security | About 55 to 65 percent | Childcare, service stations, medical, hotels and other single-use properties |
| SMSF purchase | Often lower than standard; lender-specific | Fund liquidity, contributions, trustee structure |
| Loan term | 5 to 15 years common; some lenders to 25 or 30 | Lender, security, owner-occupied or investment |
| Interest-only period | Varies; often shorter than residential | Lender policy and purpose |
| Time to settlement | Typically 4 to 6 weeks from a complete application | Valuation, lease review, entity documents |
Costs on top of the deposit include transfer duty, legal fees, valuation and any establishment fee. Queensland transfer duty on commercial property is payable by the buyer; your solicitor confirms the figure.
What lenders assess
The property, the lease, and who is borrowing.
- Valuation. Independent, ordered by the lender, and the number the loan is set against.
- The lease. Tenant quality, term remaining, rent review clauses and the weighted average lease expiry across tenants.
- Servicing. Business profit, rental income and existing commitments, tested at a rate above today's.
- The entity. Company, trust or SMSF, and who gives guarantees.
Rates depend on all of the above. The Reserve Bank publishes the cash rate and average business lending rates if you want a reference point; once we have your numbers we give you a dated figure from a named lender, and never a rate as a promise.
How it works
What we do for you, in four steps.
The same four steps for every business enquiry. We look at what repayments the business can afford, not only what a lender will approve.
- 01
Understand your business
Tell us what the finance is for, how much, when, who will borrow and how the business earns. We ask for documents only once we know which lenders fit.
- 02
Compare your options
We compare suitable lenders on total cost, structure and conditions, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Waiting, or staying with your bank, can be the right answer.
- 03
Set the terms
The loan term, any lump sum at the end, the security, presales, progress payments and review dates are set to fit how the business earns and pays, not the lender's standard template.
- 04
Settle and follow through
We prepare the application, handle lender questions and valuations, and stay with you through settlement.
General information only. Any finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.
Questions people ask
Questions before you enquire
How much deposit do I need for a commercial property?
Typically 25 to 35 percent of the purchase price plus costs. Lenders express this as a loan-to-value ratio: about 65 to 75 percent for standard security such as offices, warehouses and retail, and about 55 to 65 percent for specialised security such as childcare centres, service stations or medical premises. The exact band depends on the lender, the lease and the valuation.
Can my SMSF buy a commercial property?
Often yes, including the premises your own business rents at market rent, through a special SMSF loan (a limited recourse borrowing arrangement). Lenders assess the fund's trustee set-up, contributions and cash on hand. You need your own financial and legal advice on the SMSF side. Chorus arranges the finance only.
What do lenders look at on an investment property?
The lease: who the tenant is, how long is left, when the rent goes up and, with several tenants, how their leases end over time. Then the valuation, whether your business or rental income covers the repayments, and who will own the property.
What loan terms and features are typical?
Terms of 5 to 15 years are common, with some lenders offering up to 25 or 30 years. Interest-only periods, annual reviews and offset-style features vary by lender and by whether the property is owner-occupied or an investment.
What interest rate will I pay?
It depends on the loan-to-value ratio, the security type, the lender and your financials. The Reserve Bank publishes the cash rate and average business lending rates; once we have your numbers, your broker gives you a dated figure from a named lender. We do not publish rates as promises.
How long does a commercial property loan take?
Typically 4 to 6 weeks from a complete application to settlement, sometimes longer where a valuation, lease review or entity documents are outstanding. Tell us your contract dates early.
Figures on this page were checked on 8 September 2026 against: RBA cash rate target, RBA lending rates statistics, Moneysmart business finance. Bands are typical market ranges and are not offers. Your lender, security and financials decide the actual terms.
All questionsWhen you are ready
Found a property, or planning to?
Send the listing or the contract summary with your enquiry. We will tell you what deposit band applies, which lenders suit the security type, and what the lease or your business will need to show.