Cattai mortgage broker
Cattai mortgage broker
A mortgage broker
who knows Cattai.
Acreage on the Hawkesbury floodplain, where flood mapping and insurance decide the loan long before your income does. We compare 35+ lenders and it costs you nothing.
35+
Lenders
10+
Years experience
1,000+
Clients helped
$0
Cost to you
About Cattai
What the 2756 market actually looks like
History of Cattai
One of the oldest farmed districts in the country. Thomas Arndell, a surgeon on the First Fleet, was granted land here in the 1790s and his cottage still stands within Cattai National Park. The river flats have been worked ever since, and the district has stayed rural while the growth corridor stopped short of it.
Cattai property market
Rural holdings and lifestyle acreage, from a few hectares up to substantial farms, with a small number of houses on standard blocks. The suburb is split between two councils, The Hills Shire and the City of Hawkesbury, so which one applies depends on where the property sits. Population is small and very few properties change hands in a year.
Cattai property prices
Enormous variation, because a five hundred square metre house block and a hundred acre holding are both inside this suburb. Prices track land area, how much of it is usable, and whether the property carries flood affectation. A published median across so few sales is close to meaningless here, so the address matters far more than the suburb figure.
Borrowing in Cattai
Three things decide it. Flood, because much of the district sits on the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain and lenders read the mapping. Insurance, since a lender wants the property covered before settlement and flood cover is not always straightforward. And land size, because past a certain area a residential loan becomes rural lending on different terms.
Cattai is one of the suburbs we cover across the Hills District, and the one where flood mapping does the most work.
Is the property
flood affected?
It changes the insurance, the valuation and which lenders will look at it. Better established before you offer than after.
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.
Running a business
from the property?
Your tax return rarely shows what you can actually service. Add-backs change the number, and lenders differ on what they allow.
Client stories
How we helped
Three real situations, and what actually happened in each one.
The real income was higher.
A business owner whose tax return showed a modest figure at the bottom, which is what their bank assessed them on. It was not what they actually had available. We worked through the add-backs, the items that reduced the taxable figure without costing cash, and took the position to lenders whose policy recognised them. What each lender allows differs, and that difference was the loan.
Five ninety a month back.
A car loan at a rate well above a mortgage, being paid separately. We folded it into the home loan and the monthly outgoing dropped by around $590. What we did not do was spread it over thirty years, because that would have cost more in the long run. It went onto a short split with its own term, so it still clears in a few years rather than quietly becoming part of the mortgage.
Their parents were released.
Their parents had guaranteed part of the loan years earlier and nobody had revisited it. Once the property had moved in value and the balance had come down, their own borrowing sat comfortably under the threshold where the guarantee was needed. We arranged the release. No lender offers this unprompted, so it sits there until someone asks, sometimes for years longer than necessary.
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 Cattai 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 Cattai 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, which is worth checking when the property itself already narrows the field. The lists and the limits differ from one lender to the next.
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
Cattai questions, answered
Why use a mortgage broker in Cattai?
Because we compare 35+ lenders rather than one, at no cost to you. Every lender reads the same application differently, so what you can borrow and what you pay are not fixed numbers. We take your situation to the panel, come back with the options, and handle the paperwork through to settlement. Brokers also have a legal duty called the Best Interests Duty, which means we have to put you first.
How much deposit do I need to buy in Cattai?
A 20% deposit avoids lenders mortgage insurance, and plenty of people buy with less than that and pay the insurance instead. Some professions can have it waived, and a family guarantee can reduce what you need again. If you already own a property, the equity in it usually does the same job as cash. The right starting point is working out what you can actually borrow, then the deposit follows from that.
What is lenders mortgage insurance?
It is a one off premium charged when you borrow more than 80% of what a property is worth, and it protects the lender rather than you. It can usually be added to the loan rather than paid upfront. There are ways around it, including a larger deposit, a professional waiver with certain lenders, a family guarantee, or the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme if you are eligible.
Can I buy my first home with a 5% deposit?
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 grant, so you still borrow the rest. Eligibility depends on your situation and there is a cap on the property price, and not every lender writes them. We will check whether it fits before you rely on it.
How does a guarantor loan work?
A family member, usually a parent, offers part of the equity in their property as extra security for your loan. They do not make your repayments and no money changes hands. Most are set up as a limited guarantee, so only a defined portion of their home is involved. Once your own loan has come down far enough the guarantee can be released, though someone has to ask for it rather than it happening automatically.
Can I buy with someone other than a partner?
Yes. Siblings, friends and family buy together regularly, and parents sometimes come on as co-borrowers rather than guarantors so their income counts towards the assessment. The important difference is that a co-borrower is on the title and the debt, so the whole loan shows against them afterwards. How you hold the title also matters, and your solicitor will walk you through the options.
How long does pre-approval last?
Usually around ninety days, and it can be renewed with updated payslips and statements. It tells you what a lender will consider based on your position, which is what lets you look at properties with a real number rather than a guess. It is not the same as approval on a particular property, because the property itself still has to be assessed once you have a contract.
What is an offset account and is it worth having?
An offset is a transaction account linked to your loan, and the balance sitting in it reduces the interest charged. Keep money in it and you pay less interest while the money stays yours and accessible. It suits anyone who holds a decent balance between pay cycles. Loans with an offset sometimes carry a slightly higher rate or an annual fee, so it comes down to whether the balance you keep justifies it.
What is the difference between offset and redraw?
Both reduce the interest you pay and they work differently. Offset is a separate account whose balance is netted against the loan, and the money remains yours. Redraw is money you have already paid into the loan that the lender allows you to take back out, and access can be limited or changed. Offset gives more flexibility, and redraw is often available on simpler loans at a lower rate.
Should I fix my rate or stay variable?
Fixing locks the rate for a set period, which makes budgeting certain and means you do not benefit if rates fall. Variable moves with the market and usually comes with an offset and unlimited extra repayments. Fixed loans often limit extra repayments and can carry break costs if you exit early. Neither is better in the abstract, so it turns on how much certainty you want and what you plan to do with the loan.
What is a split loan?
It divides your borrowing into separate portions that can carry different rates or terms. The common use is fixing part and leaving part variable, so you get some certainty and keep an offset and free extra repayments on the rest. Splits are also useful for keeping a consolidated debt on a shorter term. Most lenders allow it at no extra cost, and it is worth asking for rather than waiting to be offered.
Should the loan be interest only or principal and interest?
Principal and interest pays the loan down and costs less over its life. Interest only keeps repayments lower for a period without reducing the balance, so the debt is still there when the period ends and the repayment steps up. Interest only is more commonly used on investment lending than on a home. Because there are tax consequences on an investment property, that side is worth going through with your accountant.
Can I make extra repayments?
On a variable loan, usually without limit, and it makes a considerable difference over time because every extra dollar reduces the interest charged from that day. Fixed loans often cap how much extra you can pay each year. If you are likely to pay more than the minimum, that cap is worth checking before you fix rather than after.
When is it worth refinancing?
Whenever you have not checked in a couple of years, because lenders generally price new customers better than existing ones and the gap widens quietly. It is also worth looking when a fixed term ends, when your loan has come down enough to sit under 80% of the value, or when you want to release equity. Sometimes the answer is that staying put is better, and we will tell you that rather than push a switch.
How much does it cost to refinance?
Usually a few hundred dollars to around a thousand. There is a discharge fee from your current lender, government fees to move the mortgage, and sometimes a settlement or valuation fee from the new one, though plenty waive them. If you are on a fixed rate there can be break costs, which get checked before anything else so the numbers are honest.
Does my loan term reset when I refinance?
Only if you let it. Most refinances default to a fresh thirty year term, which makes the monthly repayment look smaller while quietly adding years of interest. If you have been paying for a decade, that decade goes back on. Ask for the remaining term instead. No lender offers it unprompted, so it has to be requested 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 home is still on the market, and the sale proceeds clear the bridge when it settles. Or, where you have the equity and the income, you release equity from the existing property to fund the purchase and sell afterwards without a deadline. Out this way properties can take a while to sell, so that second route often sits more comfortably.
Should I keep my current home and rent it out?
It is worth pricing against selling rather than deciding on instinct. What matters is whether your income supports both loans once part of the rent is counted, and whether you can release the equity you need without a sale. Keeping a former home also changes its tax position, so that side belongs with your accountant before you commit either way.
How much equity can I use?
Usable equity is roughly 80% of what your property is worth today, less what you still owe. Past that, lenders mortgage insurance usually comes back into it. For most people the equity is not the limit, the servicing is, so the useful exercise is working out what your income supports rather than what the property is worth.
Can I use my equity to buy an investment property?
Yes. Rather than saving a second deposit, you release equity from your existing property to cover the deposit and costs on the investment, so no cash deposit is needed. That leaves two loans, one against each property. Keeping them on separate securities preserves your flexibility later. Investment lending has tax consequences, so your accountant should look at the structure before it is set.
The property is rural. Does that change things?
It can, and this is where general answers are not much use. Around Cattai, things like land size, zoning, access and flood affectation all feed into which lenders will consider a property and how much they will advance, and every lender treats them differently. Those policies also change. Send us the address and we will check it across the panel for you before you make an offer, rather than you finding out after applying.
Do we have to meet in person?
No, and out this way that saves real time. The whole thing can run by phone, Zoom or Teams, with documents shared and signed electronically, so nobody needs to drive an hour each way for a conversation. If you would rather meet face to face we come to you, including evenings and weekends.
What does a digital appointment actually involve?
A conversation about where you are and what you want to do, then we ask for payslips or financials, statements and identification, which you send through securely. From there we compare the panel and come back with the numbers and the options. We stay in touch through to settlement rather than disappearing after approval. We are available weekday evenings until nine and on weekends.
Should I use my bank or a mortgage broker?
A bank can only offer its own loans, its own rates and its own rules, and it will not tell you when another lender would say yes where it says no. We compare 35+ lenders, handle the application and stay with it through to settlement, at $0 cost to you. Around Cattai that breadth matters more than usual, because the property itself narrows who can help.
Your Cattai mortgage broker
Your home loan.
Made simple.
Free check. No pressure. 35+ lenders compared at $0 cost to you.
Cattai sits on the Hawkesbury at the far north of the Hills, where the farmland runs down to the river. Maraylya is closest, with Sackville North and South Maroota along the river and Maroota, Lower Portland and Leets Vale further out. South the growth corridor begins at Box Hill and Rouse Hill, with Nelson and Annangrove beyond. East the acreage continues through Glenorie and Kenthurst. We cover all of them, so if your search shifts a suburb or two, you are not starting from scratch.