Barangaroo mortgage broker
Barangaroo mortgage broker
A mortgage broker
who knows Barangaroo.
A harbourfront precinct built from nothing in a decade, where every home is an apartment and most were bought off the plan. We compare 35+ lenders and it costs you nothing.
35+
Lenders
10+
Years experience
1,000+
Clients helped
$0
Cost to you
About Barangaroo
What the 2000 market actually looks like
History of Barangaroo
Named for a Cammeraygal woman of the Eora nation, a fisherwoman and a figure of standing at the time of the First Fleet. The headland spent most of the twentieth century as working wharves and container terminal, known to the men who queued for casual work there as the Hungry Mile. Redevelopment began in 2010 and the precinct has been built out since.
Barangaroo property market
Twenty two hectares of reclaimed and rebuilt waterfront, with Barangaroo Reserve occupying six hectares of headland parkland at the northern end. Housing sits in a small number of towers, notably One Sydney Harbour and the residences at One Barangaroo, alongside the commercial towers and the Metro station that opened in 2024. There are no houses here at all.
Barangaroo property prices
Among the highest in the country, and spread across a very wide range within the precinct itself. A one bedroom apartment and a full floor residence sit in the same postcode and sometimes the same tower. Strata levies reflect the level of amenity, so the ongoing cost of ownership matters here as much as the purchase price.
Borrowing in Barangaroo
Almost every purchase involves an apartment in a strata scheme, and a great many were contracted off the plan well before completion. That means the building forms part of what a lender assesses alongside you, and the timing between signing and settling is longer than a standard purchase. Both are worth planning for rather than discovering.
Barangaroo is one of the precincts we cover across the Sydney CBD, and the newest on the list.
Settling on an
off the plan purchase?
The gap between signing and settling is where problems surface. Better to have the finance reviewed well before the date.
Your broker
Meet Ali Hasani
Ali Hasani is the founder of Buyvest. He has worked in home loans for more than ten years, a lot of it at Commonwealth Bank. We meet clients face to face, or by phone, Zoom and Teams, at night and on weekends as well as work hours. We take your loan to 35+ lenders, compare the numbers, and show you the options. Ali is an MFAA accredited broker with a Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management and a Post Graduate in Accounting.
Bought here
and never reviewed it?
Lenders keep their sharper pricing for new customers. We will compare your loan against 35+ of them and show you the numbers.
Client stories
How we helped
Three real situations, and what actually happened in each one.
Their bank was not the only one.
They had bought off the plan and held approval with their own bank. When the building was finished that lender valued the apartment below the contract price, leaving a gap they had no way to cover with settlement approaching. We put the property to several other lenders, because each uses its own panel of valuers, and one came back supporting the purchase price. Same apartment, different valuer.
Loyalty was quietly costing them.
They had been with the same lender since settlement and had never thought to check. Lenders price new customers more sharply than existing ones, and that difference widens quietly over the years without anyone mentioning it. We compared the panel and moved the loan, and the repayment came down by around $400 a month on a loan that was otherwise unchanged in size and term.
Their savings stayed untouched.
They wanted an investment property and assumed a second deposit had to be saved first. We reviewed the loan on the place they already owned, moved it to sharper pricing and released equity at the same time. That equity covered the deposit and the costs on the purchase, so the savings account was never touched. Investment structure affects tax, so they worked that side through with their accountant.
These are past client stories, with details changed for privacy. Your own result depends on your situation and what the lender decides.
Free guides
What to know before you buy
Three free guides covering how a Barangaroo purchase actually runs, from pre-approval to settlement.
Home loan pre-approval
What it covers, and how long it lasts.
Read the guide
Choosing a home loan
Fixed, variable, offset and redraw.
Read the guide
Settlement day
What has to be ready before then.
Read the guide
Read the free guides in the Loan Vault to know how the home buying process works in NSW.
What we do
Home loans for every Barangaroo plan
First home
Learn more
Next home
Learn more
Investment property
Learn more
Refinancing
Learn more
Construction loans
Learn more
Bridging loans
Learn more
Guarantor loans
Learn more
No LMI and waived LMI
Learn more
Self employed home loans
Learn more
Not sure where to start? See what a mortgage broker actually does.
When did you last
check your rate?
We compare your current home loan against 35+ lenders. If a refinance saves you money we will show you the numbers, and if it does not we will tell you that too.
Your job matters
Home loans by profession
Some lenders drop lenders mortgage insurance for certain jobs, and at Barangaroo prices that is a considerable sum. The lists and the limits differ from one lender to the next, so it is worth checking where yours sits.
Home loans for
Doctors
Learn more
Home loans for
Dentists
Learn more
Home loans for
Accountants
Learn more
Home loans for
Lawyers
Learn more
Not sure if your job is on a list? See No LMI and waived LMI home loans, or ask us and we will check every lender on our panel.
Plan ahead
Run the numbers
Free tools that show you where you stand right now.
How it works
Three steps to your loan
1
Financial health check
2
Get pre-approved
3
Settle, then stay in touch
Client reviews
5.0 ★★★★★ on Google
Reviews from clients across Sydney.
★★★★★
"Cannot recommend Ali highly enough. He made a complicated and daunting process incredibly easy, and continually went above and beyond. Would absolutely recommend him to everyone."
★★★★★
"Ali is super knowledgeable, reasonable and personable! He will be realistic with what is possible but always find you the best deal whilst making you feel looked after."
★★★★★
"Ali is a maestro with a wealth of experience in home lending business, mixed with excellent people skills. His professional and supportive approach is a safe pair of hands to work with to get the required funds for your goal in the property market."
FAQ
Barangaroo questions, answered
Why use a mortgage broker in Barangaroo?
Because lenders reach quite different conclusions on the same borrower and the same apartment, and going to one bank shows you a single view. We compare 35+ lenders at no cost to you, prepare the application properly and stay across it through to settlement. Brokers also work under a legal obligation called the Best Interests Duty, which puts your interests ahead of ours.
What deposit will I need?
Twenty per cent avoids lenders mortgage insurance, and at Barangaroo prices that is a substantial figure. Buying with less is possible where you pay the insurance instead. Certain occupations qualify for a waiver, and if you already own something the equity in that property generally does the job of cash. The practical first step is establishing what you can borrow, then working back to the deposit.
What is lenders mortgage insurance?
A one off premium charged when your borrowing goes past eighty per cent of the property value, and it protects the lender rather than you. It can usually be added to the loan instead of paid separately. A larger deposit removes it, as can a professional waiver with certain lenders, a family guarantee, or the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme where you are eligible.
Can a first home buyer use the 5% Deposit Scheme here?
Prices in the precinct generally sit above the scheme cap, so realistically not. The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme lets an eligible first home buyer purchase with a 5% deposit and pay no lenders mortgage insurance, with Housing Australia guaranteeing the gap to 20%. It is a guarantee rather than a payment. Nearby suburbs where apartment prices are lower are where it genuinely applies.
How does a guarantor loan work?
A family member offers part of the equity in their property as extra security behind your loan. No money changes hands and they take on none of your repayments. Most are limited guarantees covering a defined portion rather than their whole home. Once your loan has come down far enough the guarantee can be released, though it stays in place until someone asks.
Can I buy with someone other than a partner?
Yes. A co-borrower goes on the title and the debt, so their income counts towards the assessment, and the whole loan then shows against them for anything they want to borrow later. That is the part people most often overlook. How the title is held matters too, and your solicitor will take you through the options before anything is signed.
How long does pre-approval last?
Usually around ninety days, and it can be renewed with fresh payslips and statements. It tells you what a lender will consider based on your position, so you can look with a real number rather than a guess. It is not approval on a particular apartment, because the building forms part of the assessment once there is a contract in place.
Do strata levies affect what I can borrow?
Yes. Levies count as an ongoing commitment in the assessment, so a building with extensive amenity and higher levies reduces borrowing capacity compared with a plainer building at the same price. In a precinct where amenity is part of the proposition, that is worth weighing alongside the purchase price rather than treating as an afterthought.
What should I look at in the strata report?
The capital works fund set against the age of the building, the forward maintenance plan, any special levies raised or foreshadowed, and whether there is litigation on foot. Your solicitor will go through it with you and flag anything that needs raising before you are committed. It is worth ordering early rather than in the final days.
What is an offset account?
An everyday account linked to your loan, where the balance is deducted from the loan before interest is calculated. Money held there reduces the interest you pay while remaining fully accessible. It suits anyone carrying a working balance. Loans that include an offset can come with a slightly higher rate or an annual fee, so the balance you keep decides whether it pays.
Offset or redraw?
Offset money stays in your own account and never becomes part of the loan. Redraw money has already been paid into the loan as extra repayments, and the lender allows you to take it back on terms it can change. Offset gives firmer control over access. Redraw usually comes attached to simpler loans at a lower rate.
Should I fix the rate?
Fixing sets your repayment for an agreed period, which helps with planning, and you forgo the benefit if rates fall. Variable follows the market and normally keeps an offset and unrestricted extra repayments available. Fixed loans commonly cap extra repayments and can carry break costs if you exit early. Which suits depends on your plans rather than on any general rule.
Can I split the loan?
Yes, and most lenders allow it at no extra cost. A split divides the borrowing into portions carrying different rates or terms, so you might fix one part for certainty while leaving another variable with an offset attached. It also lets you hold a portion on a shorter term. Lenders rarely raise it, so it is worth asking about.
Interest only or principal and interest?
Principal and interest reduces the balance and costs less across the life of the loan. Interest only keeps the repayment lower for a period without touching what you owe, so the debt is unchanged when the period ends and the repayment then steps up. It is used far more on investment lending than on a home, where the tax side belongs with your accountant.
Can I make extra repayments?
On a variable loan, usually without limit, and it compounds because every extra dollar reduces the interest charged from that day forward. Fixed loans normally cap what you can pay ahead each year and charge once you exceed it. If paying the loan down faster is part of the plan, check that limit before fixing rather than afterwards.
What happens if the valuation comes in under the price?
The lender lends against the valuation rather than the contract price, so any gap is covered in cash at settlement. On an off the plan purchase this matters more, because the valuation happens close to completion rather than when you signed, and the market may have moved either way in between. A different lender uses a different panel and can return a different figure.
When is refinancing worth looking at?
Whenever a couple of years have passed without comparing, because lenders reserve their sharper pricing for new customers and the gap widens quietly. It is also worth a look when a fixed term ends, or once your loan has come down under eighty per cent of the value. If the comparison shows staying put is better, we will say so.
What does refinancing cost?
Generally a few hundred dollars to around a thousand. Your current lender charges a discharge fee, there are government fees to move the mortgage, and the incoming lender may charge settlement or valuation fees, though many waive them. Break costs on a fixed rate get checked before anything else, since on a large balance they can outweigh the saving.
Does the loan term reset when I refinance?
It does unless you ask otherwise, because refinances default to a fresh thirty year term. That makes the monthly repayment look smaller while quietly adding years of interest, handing back progress you have already made. Ask for the remaining term instead. No lender offers this unprompted, so it needs requesting every time you move.
Can I buy my next home before I sell this one?
Yes. Bridging finance funds the new purchase while the current property is still on the market, with the sale clearing it once settled. Or, where the equity and your income allow, you release equity from the existing property to fund the purchase and sell afterwards with no deadline pressing on the price you accept.
Should I keep this apartment and rent it out?
Worth pricing against selling rather than deciding on instinct. The questions are whether your income supports both loans once part of the rent counts, and whether equity can be released without a sale. Keeping a former home also changes how it is treated for tax, so that conversation belongs with your accountant before anything is settled.
How much equity can I use?
Broadly eighty per cent of what the property is worth today, less what you still owe, with lenders mortgage insurance generally returning past that. On an apartment bought off the plan the figure depends heavily on when you contracted and when you settled. What your income supports usually sets the practical limit rather than the equity itself.
Can equity fund an investment purchase?
Yes. Rather than saving a second deposit, you release equity from a property you already own to cover the deposit and costs on the investment, so nothing comes out of savings. Two loans result, one secured by each property, and keeping them separate preserves your flexibility later. Have your accountant review the structure before it is put in place.
How much of the rent will a lender count?
A portion rather than all of it. Expected rent is discounted for vacancy, management and costs, with the amount varying between lenders, and the loan is assessed at a rate above the one you actually pay. Strata levies are then counted as an expense on top, so an apartment carries a cost in the assessment that a house does not.
Does it matter which building I buy in?
It can, and this is not something to answer in general terms. How much a lender will advance, whether they are comfortable with a particular tower, and how they treat apartment size or a building with commercial space in it all differ between lenders and change over time. Send us the address before you commit and we will check it across the panel.
Do we have to meet in person?
No. Everything runs by phone, Zoom or Teams, and most of our clients never sit across a desk from us. Documents are shared and signed electronically, which suits an off the plan purchase where the process stretches over a long settlement. If you would rather meet face to face we come to you, including evenings and weekends.
What does a digital appointment involve?
A conversation about where you are and what you want to do, then payslips or financials, statements and identification sent through securely. We compare the panel and come back with the numbers and the options. On an off the plan purchase we check in as completion approaches rather than leaving you to find a problem at settlement. Weekday evenings until nine and weekends.
Should I use my bank or a mortgage broker?
A bank can only offer its own loans, its own valuation panel and its own rules, and with an apartment those rules cover the building as well as you. If something does not suit them the answer is no, and you usually find that out after applying and paying for a valuation. We compare 35+ lenders first, at $0 cost to you.
Your Barangaroo mortgage broker
Your home loan.
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Free check. No pressure. 35+ lenders compared at $0 cost to you.
Barangaroo sits on the western, harbourfront edge of the city centre, so the rest of the core is a short walk in any direction. Wynyard is the transport hub just inland, and Circular Quay wraps around the harbour to the northeast. Martin Place runs through the middle of the city, with Town Hall and World Square to the south and Chinatown at the southern end. All of these sit inside the Sydney CBD, and Sydney as a whole spreads out from there. We cover every one, so if your search shifts a block or two, you are not starting from scratch.