Funding a property settlement deadline

Property settlements run to fixed dates. When a business is buying premises and the funds are late, perhaps because a bank refinance is delayed or another property has not sold, the deadline does not move. Missing it can mean penalty interest, extra costs or, at worst, losing the deposit.

Act on the day you know

As soon as it looks like funds will not be ready:

1. Tell your conveyancer or lawyer, who can explain your contract’s terms.
2. Work out exactly how much is short, including stamp duty and adjustments.
3. Identify property you could use as security for short-term funding.
4. Confirm when the original funds are now expected.

How short-term property funding fills the gap

Bridging finance and caveat loans are designed for exactly this. They are secured on property, run from $20k to $5m and need no valuation. On a complete file, approval within the hour is possible, and funds can be ready within 24 hours of signing. Interest can be paid up front or capitalised, so there are no repayments until the delayed funds arrive.

Ready to find out? The enquiry form takes about a minute. No credit check, no spray of your details to a dozen lenders, just a call from a real person.

Planning the exit

Delayed funds	Typical exit
Bank refinance not yet approved	New long-term loan pays out the bridge
Sale of another property	Sale proceeds repay the bridge
Business cash from a contract	Contract payment repays the bridge

Be realistic about timing. If the refinance has hit a genuine problem rather than a delay, the bridge may need to run longer. The term can stretch, which avoids a forced sale, but extra months add cost. Our guide to exit strategies covers what to check.

Stamp duty and costs

Each state’s revenue office sets its own duty rules, and duty is often due at or soon after settlement. Include it, plus legal and registration costs, in your calculations so the bridge covers everything the first time.

For the full process, read funding a property settlement delay.

In a nutshell

• Missed settlements can cost deposits and penalties
• Bridging finance or a caveat loan can fill the gap
• No valuation, approval within the hour possible on a complete file
• The exit, such as a refinance or sale, must be realistic

What to expect from us

After you enquire, a real person picks up your details and calls to talk through the purpose, the timing and how the money will be repaid. Unsecured funding is assessed mainly on bank statements and turnover. Property-secured funding is assessed on the property, with no valuation required, and interest can be prepaid or added to the loan. You see the total cost before you commit, and the credit check only happens once you decide to proceed. If the timing is tight, tell us the deadline on the first call so the work can be planned around it.

Funding or another fix?

Good borrowing has a job and an end date. Before you enquire, write down in one sentence what the money is for and how it will be repaid. If that sentence is easy to write, you are probably in the right place. If it is not, it is worth a closer look at the business’s cash flow before taking on new repayments.

A simple preparation list

You do not need a folder of financial statements to start an enquiry. For most unsecured and property-secured funding, these few items cover the essentials:

• Photo ID for each director or owner.
• Access to your business bank account for a secure statement link.
• Your latest BAS, if it is handy.
• Details of existing finance, including any daily or weekly repayments.
• For property-secured funding, the property address and current loan balance.

About the questions we ask

Every question on the form is there for a reason: it changes which funding fits. Describe the business as it stands today rather than the version you expect in six months. Mention any default, tax debt or recent decline in the notes. We look at those situations all the time, and knowing early lets us head straight for options that can actually work.

Your next step

The quickest way to know what is realistic is to send the 60-second enquiry. It runs no credit check, it is read by a person rather than an algorithm, and your details stay with one team instead of being sent to a list of lenders. Please answer the questions as accurately as you can, especially the amount, your monthly turnover and your credit history. Accurate answers mean the first option we put in front of you is the right one.