Caveat loans and short-term property loans: your questions answered

A business loan secured by a caveat lodged on the title of Victorian property. It usually sits behind an existing mortgage, runs for months rather than decades and is repaid in one go by a sale, a refinance or a known payment.

Caveat loans are written for Victorian property. In NSW, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT we do the same job with a short-term registered second mortgage, which sits behind your existing loan and is usually arranged just as quickly.

A first mortgage is the main loan registered on the title. A second mortgage ranks behind it. A short-term first mortgage suits property that's owned outright or where the existing loan needs paying out; a second mortgage lets you keep your current loan in place.

Property-secured short-term business loans range from $20,000 to $5,000,000. The amount depends on the property's value, what's already owed against it, the property type and the exit. Try the calculator at https://shorttermcaveatloans.com.au/how-much-can-i-borrow/.

$20k to $250k is possible the same day on a property-secured loan, and up to $5m is possible within 24–48 hours, when the title, equity, signers and exit are all in order.

Short-term loans are measured in months, not decades. The term is set around your exit — when the sale settles, the bank refinance completes or the payment arrives — with some breathing room built in.

We're the lender. You deal directly with the people who assess and approve your loan — there's no broker in the middle and your file isn't shopped around.

Business loans from private or non-bank lenders, assessed mainly on the security property and the exit rather than years of financial statements. They suit owners who need speed or don't fit a bank's checklist.

Past defaults, judgments and other credit problems are considered case by case. Property equity and a credible exit carry a lot of weight.

Yes. Clearing a tax debt is one of the most common reasons owners use a short-term property-secured loan, often while a sale or refinance is arranged. ATO debt is considered case by case.

Often not for the initial assessment. Short-term private lending leans on the property and the exit. If the exit is a bank refinance, up-to-date financials will matter for that bank later.

Yes. The trustee or company signs the loan documents, and lenders check the trust deed or company details. Getting those documents together early saves days.

No. Investment property, commercial premises, industrial units and some rural property can be used. Vacant land and specialised property are assessed more conservatively.

Costs depend on the property, the equity, the exit and the term, so we don't publish rates. Expect an establishment fee, legal and valuation costs and interest that may be paid monthly, prepaid or capitalised. Our costs explainer covers the structure.

No. There's no credit check when you first enquire. A credit check only comes up if you decide to go ahead.

No. We're the lender, not a broker, so your enquiry stays with us from start to settlement. We don't sell or spray your details around.

No. These are business loans only — tax debts, settlements, stock, contracts, buying a business, paying out a partner, bridging a sale and similar business purposes.