With Your Next Home Loan.
Finding the perfect property is challenging these days. When you finally find a home you can see yourself living in long-term, excitement builds—but so can stress. Buying your forever home shouldn’t add extra pressure. You deserve a smooth, hassle-free mortgage experience, without the stress of chasing brokers or conveyancers.
If your dream home is in a high-demand area, especially near a desirable school, speed is often essential. Getting your offer in quickly and securing your loan can make all the difference.
At LKFS, we specialise in fast, efficient home loans in South Australia, helping you get into your dream property with confidence. Let us take care of the paperwork, approvals, and follow-ups—so you can focus on moving in and enjoying your new home.
Get your dream home faster. Contact LKFS today.
Guiding You Through Your Home Loan
At LKFS, we guide you through all the questions you might have about your home loan, including the type of loan that suits you, the term that works best, and even negotiating with lenders to secure the most competitive rate possible.
In today’s market, lenders have become stricter with their criteria. That’s where our knowledge and industry contacts make a real difference—helping you avoid costly mistakes and ensuring your mortgage is as competitive as possible.
We provide the service you need—and deserve. Our team knows which lenders can not only offer great rates, but also move quickly, so you don’t miss out on your dream home. With LKFS on your side, you can focus on finding the home you love, while we handle the complexities of securing your loan.
Maximising Your Borrowing Power
At LKFS, we understand the details that matter. We know which lenders take into account school fees, pension payments, and child benefits, and how to structure your application to maximise your borrowing capacity in the most sensible and comfortable way.
We are with you every step of the journey. From start to finish, we handle the heavy lifting and all the paperwork, taking the stress off your shoulders so you can focus on the exciting things ahead.
Our expert team of brokers works directly with a wide range of lenders to create a personalised plan tailored to your needs, including rate comparisons and flexible payment options. We strive to secure the best possible rate on your terms, ensuring your mortgage works for you, not the other way around.
is right for you.
Navigating the world of home finance can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first home. Choosing the right loan, understanding interest rates, and knowing which lender to trust can be complicated—but you don’t have to face it alone.
At LKFS, we guide first home buyers through every step of the process. To help you make informed decisions, we’ve created a list of essential questions every first home buyer should ask their mortgage broker or lender.
Working with LKFS, these questions will help you understand your options, compare loans effectively, and feel confident in your home buying journey.
Common questions
Before you start scouring the internet for your perfect first home, find out exactly how much you can reasonably afford to borrow. This will chiefly be determined by how much deposit you’ve got, your income and your partner’s (if you’re buying together), your living expenses, and any debt that you have owing.
When entering into a home loan agreement it always pays to find out what your weekly repayments will be. Be as realistic as possible about whether you can afford the repayments, and leave yourself some wiggle room – because life happens.
As well as having to front up with a deposit, you’ll also need to cover other costs such as:
- Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance
- Lending fees
- Moving costs
- Stamp duty
- Legal and conveyancing fees
- Utilities connections
- Home and building insurance
For the modern buyer there are quite a few options when it comes to home loans. And while many folks opt for the mortgage with the lowest interest rate, it’s worth comparing different loan features. Here are the most common types of home loans on offer:
Basic variable rate mortgage
- Standard variable rate mortgage
- Fixed interest rate mortgage
- Line of credit
- Mortgage Offset
- Construction
Here’s a basic list of the type of documents you’ll be expected to share. We’ll also require a bunch of information about your financials:
- Proof of identity
- Proof of income from your employer such as payslips
- Any letters regarding additional income
- A record of what you owe, including credit card debts
Unfortunately, stamp duty is something that you legally have to pay within a month of buying your property. Each state has a different stamp duty levy, but no matter which state or territory you’re buying in, stamp duty is calculated in the same way. It’s worked out based on two overlapping factors: the market value of your property or the price you paid for it.
When shopping around, don’t forget to ask them about something called ‘early repayment adjustment’. Lenders don’t actually want you to pay off your loan early, so they try and make it very expensive. When they sign you up for a home loan they’re ‘banking’ on receiving decade’s worth of interest repayments. And when you deprive them of this sweet sweet cash, they tend to get difficult. For many of us, it might seem like an impossible feat, but it’s important to plan for the future. Maybe you’ll get a substantial pay increase over the lifespan of the loan, or maybe you’ll receive a considerable inheritance from a distant uncle that you forget even existed. You never know.
You have to remember that a fixed rate home loan is a contract. So if you decide to break it by switching to another lender your existing lender will kick up a fuss. Breaking a home loan during a fixed interest period can be expensive, which is why it’s worth getting a quote from your lender if you think you might do it down the track.
Both of these tasty little morsels show that you’re serious about buying a home. However, it’s important to know the difference between the two. Getting pre-qualified is the first step towards securing your mortgage. It’s pretty basic: you supply a bank or lender with your macro financial details, including your debt, income and assets. Your lender then evaluates this information and tells you the mortgage amount that you qualify for. Pre-approval is the next step. When you reach this point you’ll complete an official application. Here you’ll supply the lender with the info they need to perform an extensive check on your history. Once they’ve done this the lender will be able to lock-down (and make official) the specific mortgage amount that you qualify for.
If you come to the table with a deposit of less than 20 per cent your lender will force you to get Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance. Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance is designed to protect the lender in case you can’t make your repayments. Premiums will vary from lender to lender, and will be dependent on how much deposit you’ve got. Once again, it’s important to compare apples with apples, so do your research.
Oh fees… Like death and taxes, they’re impossible to avoid. Be sure to ask what upfront and ongoing fees are payable as part of your home loan, as well as valuation, legal and application fees. Some home loans come with a monthly service fee; most lenders will slug you with a fee for a late payment… Oh geez, the list goes on. One thing’s for certain: there will be fees. So ask your prospective lenders to outline exactly what fees you can expect from them.
your first home loan?
There’s no denying it, the property market can be complicated when you’re first entering. Selecting the right property, securing the loan to finance it, and all the steps along the mortgage process can seem overwhelming, but honestly it doesn’t need to be. Buying your first home is a big step. But, with an LKFS mortgage broker by your side, you’ll feel completely at ease. We promise to cut through the confusion, by providing an unrivalled service by one of our highly experienced mortgage brokers, plus – we’ve got access to over 40 lenders which means we’ll be able to secure you the lowest rate home loans.
There’s no denying it, the property market can be complicated when you’re first entering. Selecting the right property, securing the loan to finance it, and all the steps along the mortgage process can seem overwhelming, but honestly it doesn’t need to be. Buying your first home is a big step. But, with an LKFS mortgage broker by your side, you’ll feel completely at ease. We promise to cut through the confusion, by providing an unrivalled service by one of our highly experienced mortgage brokers, plus – we’ve got access to over 40 lenders which means we’ll be able to secure you the lowest rate home loans.
common first home buyer questions
The amount you may be able to borrow will vary from lender to lender, and obviously depends on your personal circumstances. However, one way to get an idea of your borrowing power is to use our borrowing calculator tool – this can give you a rough guideline.
Of course, your LKFS broker will also be able to give you a detailed response depending on your individual circumstances.
Once you’ve decided that property ownership is for you, learn the tricks of the trade and how to select the best home in the right location. Get the most out of online searches and learn how to focus on the properties and areas that will suit your lifestyle and budget. Also at this stage it’s a good idea to get a good estimation of your finances and what you can afford. You may need to shift expectations, but setting realistic goals and limitations will set you on the path to good property decisions.
There are literally hundreds of different home loans products available, and each would be vary depending on your own individual circumstance, that’s why we centre our entire process around you. Finding a loan that’s right is definitely not a “one size fits all” option and our LKFS brokers are well-versed with the knowledge and experience to secure you the best loan at the lowest rate. They’ll also help you identify any other opportunities that might help you set up your financial future.
the right type of home loan?
Let our expert mortgage brokers take you through the different types of home loans to work out which one is best for you.
Variable interest rates can fluctuate over time. If rates move up or down, your loan interest rate will adjust accordingly. Generally, interest rate movements are determined by the Reserve Bank, however, lenders have recently started independently raising their interest rates for varying economic reasons. Variable loans usually allow you to pay additional repayments, and there is less risk of penalties if the loan is paid out early.
Variable LoansFixed interest rates are locked in for a set period of time, usually between one and five years. If interest rates move up or down, your interest rate is secured. Fixed rate loans can have a downside – you’re limited in making additional repayments (if any), and you may also have to cover potential break costs if the loan contract is paid out during the fixed rate term.
Fixed LoansA split loan gives you the option to fix part of your home loan and leave the other part variable. Having part of the loan variable means you can still make extra repayments without being penalised on the variable portion, and gives you peace of mind on the fixed portion, knowing the rate won’t change. Many people tend to go with a split loan to manage some of the risks if interest rates rise.
Split LoansMost professional packages come with an annual fee. In return, the lender will provide a significant discount on the interest rate, as well as other products, such as fee free offset accounts, reward credit cards and discounts on insurance products.
Professional PackagesGenerally, basic loans are variable loans, but without the frills. They may offer an introductory rate, and there are usually no application or ongoing fees. Basic loans don’t offer as much flexibility as professional packages, such as offset and free redraw.
Basic LoansContact us to book a free, no obligation appointment to find out exactly what loan works best for your situation.
Want To Know More?