Commercial Property Finance Melbourne & Geelong
Commercial property lending is fundamentally different from residential — more documentation, more lender policy variation, shorter loan terms, and significantly higher stakes if you get the structure wrong. Integrated Finance Group helps business owners, commercial property investors and self-managed super funds across Melbourne and Geelong navigate it with experience, strong lender relationships, and plain-English advice.
Commercial Property Finance — What We Fund
🏛 Owner-Occupied Commercial
Purchase the premises your business operates from — offices, shops, warehouses, factories. Owning your own premises builds equity and removes the risk of lease non-renewal.
📊 Commercial Property Investment
Retail, office, industrial and mixed-use investment properties generating rental income. LVRs typically 65–70%, with specialist lenders available for specific asset classes.
🏠 SMSF Commercial Property
Purchase commercial property through your self-managed super fund, including related-party leaseback structures where your business leases from your SMSF.
🏗 Development Finance
Progressive drawdown facilities for small-to-medium residential subdivisions, townhouse projects and commercial fit-outs. Typically 2–10 dwellings or equivalent commercial value.
🔄 Commercial Refinancing
Review and refinance existing commercial property loans at better terms. Lender appetite and pricing change — your commercial loan deserves the same regular review as your home loan.
🏗 Industrial & Warehouse
Finance for industrial sheds, warehouses and logistics facilities across Melbourne's outer metro and Geelong region. Specialist lenders with appetite for industrial and manufacturing assets.
How Commercial Property Lending Differs from Residential
Understanding the key differences prevents costly mistakes. Commercial property loans typically feature:
| Feature | Commercial Property | Residential Property |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum LVR | 65–70% investment; up to 80% owner-occupied | 80–90% standard; 95% with LMI |
| Loan term | Often 3, 5 or 10 years (balloon at end) | Up to 30 years principal & interest |
| Interest rate | Generally higher than residential | Lower, more competitive market |
| Income evidence | Detailed financials, lease agreements, tenancy schedules | Payslips, tax returns, bank statements |
| Lender appetite | Varies dramatically by asset class & location | More consistent across lenders |
| Valuation | Commercial valuer required; may take longer | Standard residential valuation |
Lender appetite varies dramatically by asset class — a lender who actively funds industrial warehouses may decline office or retail, and vice versa. Matching your property type to the right lender is one of the most critical steps we take before any application is submitted.
How We Structure a Commercial Property Deal
We start by understanding the full picture: the property type and location, your ownership structure (personal name, company, trust, or SMSF), your existing portfolio, your tax strategy, and your 3–5 year plan. Then we approach lenders whose actual appetite matches your specific scenario — not the whole market at once.
A shotgun approach to commercial property lending damages your credit file and wastes everyone's time. We protect your credit file by submitting to one carefully chosen lender first, with a professionally packaged application that clearly presents your strengths.
Where valuation is a concern (location, asset class, or unconventional property), we address this early — before an application that might be declined on valuation alone.
SMSF Commercial Property — A Special Case
Purchasing commercial property through a self-managed super fund (SMSF) is one of the most tax-effective property strategies available to Australian business owners and investors. Key points:
- Related-party leaseback permitted — your business can lease commercial property from your SMSF at market rent, giving your business a stable premises and your SMSF a reliable, commercial-rate income stream
- Tax-effective ownership — rental income in accumulation phase is taxed at 15%; capital gains on property held more than 12 months are taxed at 10%; in pension phase, both can be tax-free
- Coordination required — SMSF commercial borrowing requires a limited recourse borrowing arrangement (LRBA), a bare trust, and coordination between your broker, accountant and SMSF administrator
- Lender options are narrower — fewer lenders fund SMSF commercial property than SMSF residential; we know exactly which ones and what they require
See our dedicated SMSF Lending page for full details on the structure and requirements, and always coordinate with your accountant and SMSF specialist before proceeding.
Melbourne Commercial Property Areas We Finance
We assist commercial property buyers and investors across Melbourne and Geelong, including Melbourne's industrial precincts (Keilor, Sunshine, Dandenong, Laverton), the inner-north commercial strip (Coburg, Brunswick, Fitzroy), Melbourne's CBD and Docklands, Melbourne's outer south-east (Clayton, Springvale), and across Geelong's commercial and industrial zones. We also have lenders active in regional Victorian commercial property.
If you're considering commercial property in Melbourne or Geelong, contact us before you make an offer — we can often give you an indication of likely lending appetite for a specific property before you're committed.
Looking for Business Operating Finance?
If you need working capital, equipment finance, invoice finance, a business line of credit, or an unsecured business loan — that's a different product from commercial property lending. Visit our Business Finance Broker page for everything related to business operating finance. Our team handles both, and we often help the same client with both commercial property and business finance simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions — Commercial Property Finance
- What types of commercial property can I finance?
- We finance owner-occupied commercial premises (offices, warehouses, factories, shops), commercial investment property (retail, industrial, office), mixed-use properties, small-to-medium development projects, and commercial property purchased through an SMSF. Lender appetite varies significantly by asset class and location — we match you to the right lender for your specific property type.
- What is the maximum LVR on a commercial property loan?
- Typically 65–70% LVR for investment commercial property, and up to 80% for owner-occupied commercial with certain lenders. Some specialist lenders will go higher in specific scenarios. The right answer depends on the asset class, location, lease profile, and your financials.
- Can I buy a commercial property through my SMSF?
- Yes — commercial property is a common and tax-effective SMSF strategy, and related-party leaseback arrangements are permitted under the rules. See our SMSF Lending page for structural details, and coordinate with your accountant or SMSF specialist.
- Do commercial property loans have longer terms than residential?
- Usually shorter. Many commercial loans have 3, 5 or 10-year terms with a balloon payment at the end, then are renegotiated or refinanced. Some lenders offer 25-year terms on owner-occupied commercial — we identify which lenders match your strategy and preferred loan structure.
- Will commercial lending affect my personal credit?
- It depends on the lending structure. Borrowing in a company or trust with personal guarantees will appear on your credit file and affect personal servicing assessments. We plan the structure deliberately with your accountant and tax strategy in mind — not by accident.
- Can you help with development finance?
- Yes — for small-to-medium residential and commercial projects (typically 2–10 dwellings or equivalent commercial). Larger commercial developments need specialist non-bank funding; we will tell you clearly if your project falls outside our scope and refer you appropriately.
- How is commercial property finance different from a home loan?
- Commercial property lending typically features higher interest rates, lower maximum LVRs, shorter loan terms with balloon payments, more rigorous income evidence requirements, and significantly greater variation in lender appetite by asset class. Getting the right lender match for your specific property is critical.
- Do I need a business to buy commercial property?
- No — individuals, companies and trusts can all purchase commercial investment property. Owner-occupied commercial is typically purchased by the business entity or a related entity. SMSF purchase requires an SMSF with sufficient liquidity and appropriate trust deed provisions. We structure the purchase entity to suit your tax and ownership strategy.
Talk to a Commercial Property Finance Specialist
Commercial property is complex — the right structure and lender match makes a significant difference. Book a free, no-obligation conversation with our team.