You don't always need to sell first.
That's the whole point. Bridging lets you buy first and sell your current home after, without a rental in between.
Bridging Loans
Successfully finance your relocation from one home into the next.
No Obligations
5.0 Stars Based on 151 user reviews
How to get started
Have a quick chat with Victor before you sign anything. On a free 20-minute call we'll map your peak debt, your likely end debt, buffer money to manage repayments while on both loans and the settlement timing. You'll know whether bridging is the right move, or whether refinancing instead makes more sense.
We help you relocate with a bridging loan
A bridging loan, sometimes called a relocation loan, lets you borrow to buy your next home before you've sold your current one. You get 6 to 12 months to sell the existing property. Once it settles, the sale proceeds pay down the debt.
You hold two properties and carry one combined loan during the bridging period. Lenders call the total you owe across both the peak debt. What's left after your current home sells is the end debt, and that becomes your ongoing home loan.
Most Queensland buyers use a bridging loan for the same reason. They've found the home they want, they don't want to lose it, and they want to make the most attractive offer to the seller. Move in, then list and sell without rushing into a rental in between or accepting a low offer under pressure.
The maths matters. Lenders look at the loan-to-value ratio (LVR), your total borrowing as a percentage of the combined value of both properties. Most lenders cap the combined LVR at around 80%, so equity in your current home does a lot of the heavy lifting.
Four Things People Get Wrong About Bridging
You don't always have to make repayments during the bridge.
Some lenders capitalise interest and clear it at settlement. Others require repayments, so we build a buffer. Rates sit just above standard variable.
Combined LVR is usually capped around 80%.
Equity in your current home is what makes the deal work. The more you own, the more lender options you have.
Not every lender does bridging.
Lender choice matters more than rate shopping. We compare 50+ lenders to find one whose policy fits your situation.
Peak debt, end debt and what it actually costs
Here's the part most pages skip. The numbers.
Peak debt = existing loan balance + new purchase price + buying costs + buffer - deposit contribution
Peak debt is the maximum total you owe during the bridging period
End debt = bridging debt - net sale proceeds of your current home
End debt is the loan you're left with after your current home sells
| Item | Amount |
| Current home loan balance | $300,000 |
| New home purchase price | $1,100,000 |
| Stamp duty, conveyancer, fees | $45,000 |
| Peak debt | $1,445,000 |
| Expected net sale of current home | $850,000 |
| End debt | $595,000 |
The end debt is the loan you keep after the old property has been sold. It's serviced like any standard home loan paying principal and interest over 30 years after the current property settles.
No repayments during the bridge period
When capitalised interest applies, interest is added to the bridging loan rather than billed monthly. You keep making repayments on the end loan for the new home, but nothing is owed on the bridging portion while you're holding both properties.
Interest accrues on the peak debt
Because interest is capitalised rather than paid, it adds to the peak debt over time. That keeps cash flow manageable while you're listing and selling the current home, but it does mean the total debt grows until settlement.
Sale price affects your end debt
If the current home sells for less than expected, the end debt goes up. That's why a sensible bridging strategy uses a realistic sale price, not a hopeful one. We model conservative numbers so you're not caught short. It's worth running our borrowing power calculator first to sense-check the end debt against your serviceability.
Our Process
How a bridging loan gets done
Seven steps, in order, with no surprises. We've done this thousands of times.
Strategy call
We start with a free 20-minute call to understand what you're trying to do. Where you're buying, what you're selling, what the timing looks like. Then we'll talk through whether bridging is genuinely...
Borrowing power and lender shortlist
We work out your peak debt ceiling, what end debt you can comfortably service, and which lenders' bridging policies suit your situation. Many lenders don’t do bridging, and the ones that do have diffe...
Sign the contract on the new home
Once you've found the place, you'll sign the contract of sale and pay a deposit. The terms you negotiate matter. We'll guide you on settlement timing and any finance conditions to include, so the brid...
Submit documents
Upload your payslips, bank statements, current loan details and the new contract of sale to our secure portal. We package everything cleanly so the lender has what they need on day one. Clean files ge...
Lender assessment and approval
The lender assesses the file, orders valuations on both properties, and issues a decision. This typically takes two to seven business days. We follow up regularly and keep you updated. In 2025 we got...
Settlement on the new home
Your new loan settles, you pick up the keys, and the bridging period officially begins. From this point you're paying interest on both loans (whether you’ve capitalised or not) if its capitalised it's...
Sell, settle, end debt established
Once your current home sells and settles, the proceeds pay out most of the bridging debt which reduces peak debt. What's left becomes your end debt (new home loan). You can deposit any surplus funds i...
What a bridging loan actually costs
Costs to expect, without quoting numbers that go stale:
Interest rate
Sits slightly above standard variable home loan rates. Varies by lender and loan structure.
Capitalised interest
Adds to peak debt during the bridge period. The longer it takes to sell, the more it compounds.
Application, establishment and valuation fees
Lender-specific. Typically a few thousand to establish. Valuations are often required on both properties.
Stamp duty and conveyancer costs
Applies to the new purchase. Paid at settlement and factored into your peak debt from the start.
Discharge cost
Charged on your current home loan when it settles. Amount varies by lender.
Our service costs you nothing in most cases. We're paid by the lender when your loan settles, similar to how bank staff are paid. If your situation is unusually complex, we'd talk that through up front.
Bridging Loan Eligibility
The main things lenders look at
Equity in Your Current Home
More equity means more options and easier numbers for lenders to work with.
Lower existing debt opens up more lender choice
Combined LVR
Most lenders cap the combined loan-to-value ratio across both properties at 70% to 80%.
Some go higher with mortgage insurance
Serviceability
Some lenders test against end debt only; others assess peak debt, which is significantly stricter.
This single policy difference can determine whether you qualify
Property Types
Houses, townhouses and larger units give you the widest lender choice.
Some lenders allow selling two properties to bridge into one
Closed vs Open Bridging
Some lenders require an unconditional sale contract before they'll bridge. Because timing rarely works that cleanly, we don't work with these lenders.
We only work with open bridging lenders
Investor Eligibility
If you're an investor moving between properties or restructuring your portfolio, eligibility shifts again.
We work with investors regularly and tailor the structure accordingly
If you're an investor moving between properties or restructuring your portfolio, eligibility shifts again. We work with investors regularly and can tailor the bridging structure accordingly.
When bridging beats the alternatives, and when it doesn't
Bridging isn't always the right answer. Here's how it stacks up.
| Option | Best For | Main Risks |
| Bridging loan | Found the next home, don't want to miss it | Current home sells for less than expected or takes a lot longer than expected |
| Sell first, then rent | Soft property markets, no rush to buy | Two moves, rental costs, market rises whilst you wait or can't find a home to buy |
| Refinance and use equity | Keeping both properties long term and renting one out | Bigger ongoing debt, full serviceability test |
| Selling at same time as buying | If nervous about bridging debt and in quieter markets where sellers are more negotiable so you can have your offer to buy conditional on selling yours first | Seller will take a simpler offer |
If you're an investor moving between properties or restructuring, the eligibility picture changes again. We work with plenty of investors moving between properties, and the bridging structure can be tuned for that.
Testimonials
See what clients say about our service
5.0 Stars
Based on 151 user reviews
Rob & Laura
“Victor and the team went above and beyond to ensure we secured the property we wanted. They took the time to explain the steps involved during the buying process, their communication was excellent and knowledge of the market second to none. These guys were a pleasure to deal with and we would absolutely use again. Highly recommend.”
Dylan & Bree
“My fiancé and I are both self-employed and we were concerned about finding a lender who would cater to our situation. Thankfully, Victor and Christal made the entire financing process a breeze. They were extremely prompt with all communication, super professional, offered an enormous amount of industry knowledge, and most importantly, they helped us secure our family home...
Isabelle & Wayne
“Thank you Victor and the team you made our home loan journey a happy, stress free experience. We were updated at every step and Victor’s advice in the early stages was invaluable to us securing our loan. We need more community minded, person centred business’ like this. Would recommend Blackk Mortgage Brokers to anyone looking for genuine financial advice with no hidden agenda.”
Frequently Asked, Clearly Answered
You borrow enough to buy the new home whilst still owning the old one. That total is your peak debt. Interest is usually capitalised, so you're not making bridging repayments during the term. You get up to 12 months to sell the current home. When it sells, the proceeds clear down the peak debt, and what's left is your end debt, which you pay off like a normal home loan.
Up to 12 months in most cases. Some lenders allow longer for specific situations. The shorter the bridge, the less capitalised interest you accumulate. Most people aim to sell within three to six months.
Yes, usually not by much. But it outweighs the cost of moving twice, renting in between and rushing to sell your home for a lower price. Rates are typically close to standard variables. The real cost driver is how long the bridge runs and how the current home sells. Sell quickly and close to expected price, and bridging is a cheap timing tool. Drag it out and the interest adds up.
The equity in your current home usually does the job of a deposit. If you've got solid equity and the combined LVR sits under about 80%, you often don't need extra cash for a deposit and we factor in stamp duty and costs into your loan.
You have to sell within the time period. We’ve never had someone who has not sold. They've done their research and know how long it will take to sell and what they’ll get. If you aren't certain that you can sell your home realistically in 6 to 12 months then we would not recommend bridging. We plan for this. Options include extending the bridge with the lender, reducing the asking price, or in the worst case, refinancing the end debt against the property you've kept. The best protection is a realistic sale price from the start, not an optimistic one.
Yes, and we strongly recommend it. Pre-approval tells you your peak debt ceiling, so you can shop for the new home knowing exactly what you can spend. It also speeds up formal approval once you sign a contract.
Plenty of our bridging clients are self-employed. Different lenders treat self-employed income differently, and that's where lender choice really matters. We'll match you to a lender whose policy fits how your business income looks on paper.
Work with Victor on your move
Victor Kalinowski. 19+ years in lending. Running Blackk since 2007.
Thousands of Queensland families have moved homes with us. In 2025, 99.6% of the loans we submitted were approved.
50+ lenders compared. Australian Credit Licence held. You deal directly with Victor from first call through to settlement. Hubs in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast.
