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Find a Home Loan Solution for you. Brokers, Better than a Bank
Finding a new home loan or refinancing your current mortgage can feel overwhelming. Lots of paperwork, not knowing which lender will suit your situation and all the different rates and fees. Lenders can be hard to talk to and unlike brokers they don’t have to follow Best Interest Duty. Applying directly to a lender where their credit policy wont suit you can lead to a decline.
That’s where we step in. At Whitestar our Mortgage & Finance Brokers aim is simple: to make things easy, find a home loan that suits your needs and looks out for you. In a market full of different options and rates, it’s tempting to settle for the first offer or risk a decline.
That’s why more Aussies are using mortgage brokers. Our team know the lenders and their policies to find a loan that works for you, we can seek exceptions in some cases and even obtain rate reductions, whether you have good credit, bad credit, missed payments, or other possible issues.
And it’s not just home loans – we also offer options for personal, car, business, and equipment financing, collaborating with over 40 lenders to find the right solution for you.
Disclaimer: All applications are subject to a client interview, verification of documents and lending criteria.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike going directly to a bank, we compare multiple lenders and tailor a solution to suit you.
With over 30 years’ experience, we specialise in both straightforward and more complex scenarios — often finding solutions where others can’t.
As mortgage brokers, we’re also bound by Best Interests Duty, meaning we’re legally required to act in your best interests — not the lender’s.
We can review your options (including your credit file) without leaving multiple enquiry marks that may impact your score, so you can explore what’s possible with confidence.
With strong reviews, real client results, and conveyancing support in Victoria, we’re here to guide you from start to finish.
Read our Reviews and Case Studies to know more
Poor credit generally refers to your overall credit history, including missed repayments, defaults or high levels of debt.
Your credit score is a number that reflects this history at a point in time. While your credit score is important, lenders also look at the bigger picture — including your income, expenses and ability to repay.
This means some borrowers may still be eligible for home loan if their credit score is lower. Lenders have different criteria, it about knowing who will help with a bad credit score and also who will help with bad credit like defaults and arrears.
If you’re self-employed and having trouble proving your income, it’s still worth exploring your options with a mortgage broker before applying. Many lenders assess income differently, and some offer alternative income options with more flexible documentation requirements.
Rather than applying directly and risking a decline, it’s best to speak with a broker first. At WhiteStar, we’ll guide you on what paperwork may be accepted by different lenders and help you understand your options before you apply. If you are about to lodge your tax returns, it can be a good idea to wait and speak to a broker before they are lodged.
Self Employed Home Loan Case Study
Yes, a home loan is often still possible after missed repayments. Some lenders offering bad credit home loan solutions or poor credit options will look at your current position and ability to meet repayments moving forward. Also the story and events behind these arrears are also important for finding what options are available. Our Home Loan Brokers often look deeper and try to get an everyday home loan solution if we can. Its important to understand your options before the arrears grow. We always recommend in times of financial pressure to pay the mortgage first. Ideally come to an experienced broker to not end up Trapped with finances you cannot manage as soon as possible.
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Yes — using equity to pay off debts is one of the most common reasons people refinance.
By rolling personal loans, credit cards, and other debts into your home loan, you can often simplify multiple repayments into one and improve your overall cashflow.
In many cases, we’ve helped clients significantly reduce their monthly commitments — giving them some much-needed breathing room.
Using this approach to manage cost of living and lifestyle pressures can be helpful, especially as a reset.
However, it’s important to be mindful of relying on this too often, as it can increase interest over time by spreading short-term debts over a longer loan term.
This is more common than people think.
Lenders use different valuation methods — including automated (AVM), desktop, and full inspections — and the approach can vary based on the property, location, and lender. As a result, valuations can differ significantly.
We often see multiple lenders come in too low, while another may assess the same property much higher — which can make a refinance possible. As brokers, we can run multiple valuations to find the right fit.
It’s one of the reasons nearly 77% of home loans are now written through brokers — knowing where to look can make all the difference.
A family pledge (guarantor loan) allows a family member — usually a parent — to use equity in their property to support your home loan.
Not all lenders offer this, and not all accept every family member as a guarantor. The guarantor must be suitable, understand the arrangement, and have sufficient equity to provide the guarantee. They will also need to be involved in the application, speak with the broker, and sign the required documentation.
In most cases, it’s a limited guarantee, typically around 20% of the purchase price plus costs, secured as a second mortgage against the guarantor’s property. This can allow you to borrow up to 100% plus costs with no deposit required.
Importantly, you must still be able to service the full loan on your own — the guarantor provides security, not income support.
Nearly 77% of home loans in Australia are arranged through mortgage brokers — because they offer a wider, more tailored range of options.
A broker compares multiple lenders (not just one bank), helping you find the right fit — especially if you have a poor credit score or need bad credit options.
We also follow Best Interests Duty (BID), meaning we must act in your best interests, and we can assess your options without leaving multiple credit enquiries on your file, which can impact your score.
Read some of Our Reviews Here
To be eligible, you generally need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, buying a home to live in, and able to service the loan.
The First Home Guarantee is for first home buyers, while the Family Home Guarantee is for single parents with at least one dependent child.
These schemes allow you to buy with a low deposit (from 2%–5%) and avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) — which is often a major barrier for first home buyers and single parents, especially when saving while renting can be difficult.
Income limits, property price caps apply, and not all lenders offer the schemes.
Yes — many people use equity in their home as a deposit, meaning you may not need cash savings.
Rental income can help with repayments, and there may be tax benefits, but it’s important to ensure the strategy suits your situation and risk comfort.
Lenders assess investment income and expenses differently, which can impact borrowing capacity — so working with a broker helps ensure the loan is structured correctly for you.
You’ll still need to service the loan based on your income and commitments.
Yes — refinancing can reduce repayments by securing a lower rate, restructuring your loan, or consolidating debts.
We help clients with this every day and have many case studies where repayments have reduced significantly.
Where possible, we aim to maintain your loan term, but sometimes extending it forms part of the solution. The key is ensuring the refinance genuinely improves your position.
Read a Case Study Here
Many Australians use an SMSF to gain more control and transparency over their super, including the ability to invest directly in property as part of a long-term strategy.
However, SMSF property lending is highly regulated. You generally need:
- sufficient super balance (often $200k–$300k+ as a guide)
- the ability to service the loan rent and contributions (your income and contributions still matter)
- the correct SMSF and bare trust structure set up before purchase
Not everyone will qualify, and lending options are more limited than standard home loans.
It’s important to speak with a broker early to confirm eligibility before spending money on advice or setup, as getting the structure or timing wrong can be costly.
Read our Blog
SMSF loans are structured differently to standard home loans. The property is typically held in a separate (bare) trust, and lending options are more limited.
Buying a property inside an SMSF can be a smart strategy — but only when the structure, lending, compliance and long-term planning are done correctly.
If you’d like help checking borrowing capacity the team at WhiteStar Finance & Conveyancing can guide you on the process and finance criteria & eligibility, however we cannot offer legal and financial advice as to whether a SMSF or Purchasing in your SMSF is suitable for your individual circumstances.
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Yes in many cases you can get a home loan with Bad Credit. Options are very much dependent on the situation and financials.
You Might Have More Options Than You Think
Many people come to WhiteStar thinking they need a bad credit home loan and that their options are limited.
In many cases, once we understand the full background, we’re able to help secure a standard home loan — simply by matching the right lender and approach to the situation.
Just because your credit score is low doesn’t always mean you’re out of options.
See some of Our Case Studies
