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What Is an Equity Home Loan?

An equity home loan allows you to borrow against the equity in your home. Equity is the difference between your property’s market value and the balance you owe on your home loan. If you’ve been paying off your mortgage for several years, there’s a good chance you’ve built up significant equity. You can use this equity to purchase a new investment property, renovate your existing home, or even for other financial purposes.

For example: If your property is worth $1,000,000 and your loan balance is $400,000, you have $600,000 in equity.

Equity-Home-Loan

Which Factors Should I Consider When Estimating Property Equity?

To calculate your available equity, you’ll need to know two key figures:

  1. Market Value
    The market value is the price your property could sell for in the current market. Factors influencing market value include local market conditions, location, property size, and any unique features (e.g., views, recent renovations, etc.). The rate of increase in your property’s value will depend on these elements and broader market trends.
  2. Loan Balance
    This is the remaining amount you owe on your mortgage.

Once you have the market value and the loan balance, you can estimate your equity by subtracting the loan balance from the property’s market value. For instance:

  • Property market value: $1,000,000
  • Loan balance: $400,000
  • Equity: $600,000

Important:
The above example shows the equity available. However, lenders will typically only allow you to release equity up to a certain amount (capped at their LVR limit and/or dollar amount limit).

Our experienced mortgage brokers can help you assess your situation and provide tailored solutions based on your equity and overall financial profile.

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How Can I Build My Equity?

The more equity you have, the better positioned you are financially. Here are some ways to build equity in your property:

  • Make additional repayments: Paying more than the required amount each month reduces the loan principal and accelerates equity growth.

  • Increase monthly repayments: You can choose to increase your regular repayments to pay off your loan faster and reduce interest over time.

  • Switch to fortnightly or weekly repayments: This can save you interest over the life of the loan, as you make more frequent repayments.

  • Renovate your property: Improvements like updating kitchens or bathrooms, adding extensions, or enhancing street appeal can increase your property’s market value and, in turn, your equity.

  • Link an offset account: By linking an offset account to your mortgage, the balance in the account reduces the interest charged on your home loan, helping you build equity faster.

How Can I Access My Equity for a Loan?

Here’s how you can access your home’s equity:

  1. Estimating Available Home Equity
    First, estimate your equity by subtracting the remaining loan balance from your property’s current market value. Our mortgage brokers at Zenith can assist you in accurately calculating your equity and help you understand your borrowing potential.

  2. Determine How Much Equity Is Accessible
    Most lenders will allow you to borrow up to 80% LVR (loan-to-value ratio) of your property’s value. In some cases, they may approve borrowing up to 90% LVR, but you’ll need to pay Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) if you exceed 80% LVR. Your financial capacity and ability to meet repayments will also influence how much equity you can access. Lenders will need to assess your ability to manage additional debt.

  3. Choosing the Best Loan Options
    Once you know how much equity you can access, we’ll help you explore loan options from our panel of over 50 lenders, including banks and non-bank lenders. We’ll compare interest rates, features, and fees to find the best deal for your unique situation.

  4. Identify Other Fees and Costs
    When accessing home equity, there may be additional costs such as application and valuation fees. Our mortgage brokers will outline all potential fees so that you understand the full financial picture before proceeding.

Yes, you can borrow against your home equity to fund the purchase of an investment property, make renovations, or consolidate debt. Many homeowners use equity loans to leverage their property for further investments, enabling them to grow their wealth.

Working with Zenith allows you to benefit from decades of experience in the industry, helping you access the best equity loan options for your situation. We provide tailored home loan solutions that maximise your available equity and ensure you make well-informed decisions that align with your financial goals.

Refinancing or topping up your existing loan to access equity depends on your financial circumstances and long-term goals. If refinancing is necessary, we’ll help you determine whether this is the best option for your situation and whether it aligns with your investment and financial objectives.

Book an appointment with our specialist brokers to discuss your options. We will assess your financial position and provide tailored advice to help you unlock the full potential of your home equity.

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Royston Cheong profile picture
Royston Cheong
17 August 2026
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We cannot be any happier with the service we received from Calvin and his team on our property loan. Its been a long journey given the competitive market and even so, Calvin had been professional, responsive and genuinely going above and beyond to make the whole loan process as smooth and stress free as possible. What really stood out was Calvin always made sure our best interests were at the heart of every decision rather than simply focusing on getting a loan. They took the time to understand our circumstances and helped us choose the right loan structure. Will definitely use them again and highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and trust worthy mortgage broker. Thank you Calvin, Shellane, Catherine and the rest of the Zenith team for getting our property loan across the line.
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Paul
27 July 2026
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Leon is an excellent mortgage broker - knowledgeable, forward-thinking and a great communicator throughout the entire process. Highly recommend!
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Luke Vassallo
15 July 2026
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Absolutely Floorless - Totally Recommend
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Andre
30 June 2026
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Leon and the team has been amazing to work with and has supported me well throughout my entire journey in purchasing my first home. He was always available to answer any questions or confusions I had, and was extremely fast in getting all the paperwork and processes done. Though they're the only broker I've used, I can confidently say they're one of the bests. Thank you for making the entire process so stress free for me.
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Jasmine John
29 June 2026
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had an outstanding experience with the entire team throughout our home loan refinance. A special thank you to Leon Ng, our mortgage broker, whose professionalism, knowledge, dedication, and excellent communication made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Leon went above and beyond to ensure we achieved the best outcome, and we are truly grateful for all his hard work and support. Thank you also to John Quillan, our settlement agent, for handling the settlement efficiently and keeping everything on track, and to Jeam Lisondra, our lending assistant, for being so helpful, responsive, and organised throughout the process. The teamwork, attention to detail, and exceptional customer service from everyone made what could have been a stressful experience feel easy and seamless. We highly recommend this wonderful team to anyone looking for honest, reliable, and professional home loan assistance. Thank you all for your outstanding service!
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Adarsh Kumar
26 June 2026
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10/10 Leon, Jane, Shellane and the rest of the Zenith team helped us purchase our first block of land and are currently helping us build our home. Cannot recommend these guys enough!!
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brittany pearse
17 June 2026
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Calvin was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, correspondence was prompt, consistent and always well informed. Calvin's help removed a great deal of stress, making our property purchase a seamless process.
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RK
10 June 2026
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Leon and his team from Zenith Home Loans was fantastic to deal with. He helped me refinance my loans smoothly and made the whole process simple and stress-free. There were a few hiccups with the bank along the way, but Leon sorted everything out quickly and kept me updated throughout. I really appreciated his professionalism, clear communication, and dedication. Highly recommend Leon and Zenith Home Loans to anyone looking to refinance.
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Mary Lau
4 June 2026
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Leon and Shellane were extraordinarily helpful, quick to business, and happy to explain everything to me as a first home buyer. Cannot recommend them and Zenith more.
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Wing Tung Tsoi
1 June 2026
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Working with Leon as a first home buyer was a fantastic experience. He is incredibly knowledgeable and explains everything so clearly. I had a lot of questions throughout the process, but Leon and his team were always highly responsive and very patient with me. Thank you for making this milestone so smooth and stress-free!
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Sa Yi Fu
27 May 2026
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Highly recommend Calvin and John at Zenith Home Loans. They guided us through a tricky application and made sure we settled on time. Great communication and support throughout. Five stars.
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Khaled Ahmed
27 May 2026
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Calvin and John made our property purchase happen. Calvin handled the complex loan with multiple guarantors, and John kept the settlement on track. Outstanding team – responsive, professional, and got the job done.
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We understand everyone’s circumstances are different and we take the time to understand you and your goals. We value forming lifelong relationships with all our clients and we are fully committed to adding value every step of the way.
 
We know that mortgages can sometimes be complex and hard to understand. We focus on simplifying the process for you and we treat your loan as if it were our very own. Let us do what we do best so there’s one less thing for you to worry about.

Frequently Asked Questions

Partnering with a mortgage broker like Zenith can significantly streamline your home loan journey. We provide expert advice on loan products carefully tailored to your unique financial situation. By handling the legwork, comparing multiple options, managing paperwork, and negotiating better terms, we save you valuable time and help identify potential hidden fees. As we are not tied to any single lender, we can select the best loan for your needs, ensuring you secure the most suitable deal. Additionally, we proactively review your interest rate multiple times per year to ensure you remain on the most competitive rate available, maximising your savings and giving you long-term peace of mind.

Our services are provided at no cost to you. We receive compensation directly from the lender you choose once your loan is settled, ensuring that you can explore your options without incurring any upfront fees.

Each lender has unique criteria and requirements that must be met before they approve a loan. Our team takes the time to thoroughly analyse your credit history, income situation, and the specific strengths and weaknesses of your financial circumstances. This allows us to match you with the most suitable lender and loan package tailored to your needs. Our experienced professionals will provide you with comprehensive information, ensuring you have everything necessary to make an informed decision.

To begin, we’ll work closely with you to understand your goals and objectives. We’ll then gather and review all necessary supporting documents to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of your situation. Once we have sufficient information to make a personalised recommendation, the next step will depend on the chosen lender’s processing timeline. This can vary from several weeks to a few months, which is why we strongly advise initiating the process as early as possible, especially when it comes to property purchases, where timing can be crucial.

You may not always qualify for financing from a specific bank. After assessing your unique situation, we’ll work to find you the lowest possible interest rate from eligible lenders. While interest rates are important, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. We’ll also help you consider all other fees and features associated with each loan option, ensuring you have a complete understanding of your choices and can make an informed decision that best suits your needs.

Typically, lenders require a minimum deposit of 5% of the property’s purchase price to secure a home loan. However, in some cases, it may be possible to proceed with a lower deposit. Keep in mind that if your deposit is less than 20% of the property’s price, you may need to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), unless you qualify for an LMI waiver or apply for a family guarantee. Contact us to explore your options and determine the best approach for your situation.

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