Turramurra mortgage broker
Turramurra mortgage broker
A mortgage broker
who knows Turramurra.
Deep blocks, plenty of them subdivided, and a fair few homes reached down a driveway rather than off the street. Valuers read those differently. We compare 35+ lenders and it costs you nothing.
35+
Lenders
10+
Years experience
1,000+
Clients helped
$0
Cost to you
About Turramurra
What the 2074 market actually looks like
History of Turramurra
The railway arrived in 1890 and the estates followed, laid out with the deep blocks that still define the streets. Federation homes went up first and the interwar and post war houses filled in behind them. Much of the older core now sits inside heritage conservation areas, and the northern edge runs into Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.
Turramurra property market
Family homes on large blocks, with a modest band of townhouses and apartments near the station. Three parts really. The village and the streets around it, North Turramurra running towards the national park, and South Turramurra which sits on the other side of the valley with no station of its own. Homes are tightly held and the competition at auction reflects that.
Turramurra property prices
Houses sit well into the millions and the spread is wide, because an original home on a battle axe block and a renovated home on a level street frontage are very different propositions. Apartments near the station sit far lower. Published medians blend North, South and central Turramurra together, so treat any single figure as a guide rather than a price.
Borrowing in Turramurra
The block does a lot of the work here. Rear lots reached by a shared driveway, heritage conservation over much of the older core, and bushfire mapping towards the national park all show up on a valuer's report. Add loan sizes past where lenders apply their own limits and you have two questions running at once rather than one.
Turramurra is one of 32 suburbs we cover across the North Shore, and the one where how you reach the house matters to a valuer as much as the house itself.
Looking at a home
down a shared driveway?
Send us the address before you make an offer and we will email you a free RP Data property report. We can also talk through how lenders on our panel tend to look at properties like it.
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.
Found the one
before yours has sold?
Bridging funds the purchase before your sale settles. In a suburb where the right house comes up rarely, that matters.
Client stories
How we helped
Three real situations, and what actually happened in each one.
Bridging bought them time.
They found the home they wanted before their own had sold, and the choice was to lose it or find a way through. We arranged bridging, which funds the new purchase while the old property is still on the market, so they bought first and sold afterwards without a deadline hanging over the sale. It costs more while both loans run, and that was a few months rather than years.
The rate paid for the work.
They wanted two things that usually get done separately: the sharpest rate available to them, and cash out of the property to fund a renovation. We did both in the one refinance rather than a rate switch now and an equity release later, which would have meant two applications, two valuations and two sets of costs. The renovation funds came out at a home loan rate, and repayments came down by $490 a month.
Three cards, one problem.
They had three credit cards between them, two of them barely used, and could not work out why their borrowing capacity kept coming back short. Lenders assess a card on its limit rather than what you owe, so an untouched card with a high limit is treated as though it is drawn to the top. We went through which ones to reduce or close before the application, not after. The capacity moved enough to change what they could buy.
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 Turramurra 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 Turramurra plan
First home
Learn more
Next home
Learn more
Investment property
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Refinancing
Learn more
Construction loans
Learn more
Bridging loans
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Guarantor loans
Learn more
No LMI and waived LMI
Learn more
Self employed home loans
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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 Turramurra house prices that is a very large 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
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Home loans for
Dentists
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Home loans for
Accountants
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Home loans for
Lawyers
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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
Turramurra questions, answered
Why use a mortgage broker in Turramurra?
Because two things run at once here. Loan size, since Turramurra house purchases sit past the point where lenders apply their own internal limits. And the block, because rear lots down a shared driveway, heritage listings and bushfire mapping all shape what a valuer writes and how a lender reads it. A bank has one view of both. Brokers also have a legal duty called the Best Interests Duty, which means we have to put you first.
Does a battle axe or rear block value differently?
Often, yes. A valuer looks at how the property is reached, so a home down a long driveway with no street frontage is compared against similar rear lots rather than against the house at the front. Access can also affect what emergency services and a builder can reach, which matters if you plan work later. It is not a reason to avoid them and they are often better value for the land. It is a reason to expect the valuation to carry more judgement.
What is a right of carriageway and does it worry a lender?
It is a registered right to cross someone else's land to reach yours, and it is how most rear lots here are accessed. Lenders are generally comfortable with it where it is properly registered on the title, which your conveyancer confirms. Where it becomes a question is an informal or unregistered arrangement, or where the driveway is shared by several properties with unclear maintenance responsibility. The title tells the story, so it is worth reading before you offer.
Can I subdivide a large Turramurra block?
Sometimes, and the answer sits with council rather than with a lender. Minimum lot sizes, heritage controls and tree protection all bear on it, and much of the older core is inside a conservation area where subdivision is heavily restricted. For lending, what matters is that a lender values the property as it stands today, not on what it might become with approval. So the borrowing has to work on the current value, and any upside comes later.
Does the heritage conservation area affect my loan?
Not for a straightforward purchase. Where it matters is renovating, because a conservation area changes what council will approve and how long approval takes. A construction loan is written against approved plans and a fixed price contract, so delays on the council side hold up the drawdown rather than the other way round. In Turramurra the period character is generally part of the value rather than a deduction from it.
What about homes near the national park?
North Turramurra runs up against Ku-ring-gai Chase, and properties along that edge carry a bushfire attack level on the title. It rarely stops a loan. Where it matters is insurance, because a lender wants the property insured before settlement and cover on a highly rated site can be expensive or slow to arrange. Get a quote early rather than in the final week, and remember the rating also lifts the cost of any building work.
Is South Turramurra treated differently?
Not by lenders, who assess the property rather than which side of the valley it sits on. What differs is the market. South Turramurra has no station of its own and a different mix of housing, so its sales evidence is largely its own. That matters for valuations, because a valuer compares against nearby similar sales rather than against the village. If you are working from a suburb wide median, it may not describe what you are buying.
Should I sell first or buy first?
It is the question that decides everything else, and it bites here because suitable homes come up rarely and go quickly at auction. Sell first and your number is certain but you may be renting while you wait. Buy first and bridging funds the purchase before your sale settles, which costs more while both loans run. Keeping the first home and letting it is the third route. Your equity and whether your income holds both loans decide which is open.
How does bridging finance actually work?
The lender funds the new purchase while the old property is still on the market, so for a period you hold both. Interest usually accrues on the whole amount rather than being repaid monthly, and once your sale settles the proceeds clear the bridging portion, leaving the ongoing loan. Lenders set a maximum period, commonly six or twelve months, and assess you on the end position rather than the peak. Pricing the sale realistically matters more than anything else.
Are large loans assessed differently?
Not harder, but they are looked at more closely. Past certain loan sizes some lenders add extra checks, want more documentation, cap how much of the value they will lend, or apply internal limits. Others barely change their process. At Turramurra prices most buyers are well inside that territory, so knowing which lenders are comfortable at what size saves weeks and sometimes saves the purchase.
Do credit card limits matter if I do not use them?
A great deal, and it catches people out constantly. Lenders assess a card on its limit rather than its balance, so a card sitting at zero with a high limit is treated as though it is drawn to the top and repaid monthly. Two or three unused cards can quietly remove a significant slice of your capacity, which at Turramurra prices can be the difference between two very different houses. Reducing them before you apply works far better than afterwards.
Should renovation money come out of the home loan?
For cosmetic work, usually yes, because home loan rates sit well below personal loan rates and a top up on the existing loan is simple. Once you are changing the structure, most lenders want a construction loan instead, which releases funds in stages and values the property on what it will be worth finished. On a heritage listed home the approval timeline drives the drawdown schedule, so get council underway first.
Can I release equity and get a better rate at the same time?
Yes, and doing both in one move is usually cheaper than doing them separately. A rate switch now and an equity release in six months means two applications, two valuations and two sets of costs. Combining them means one. The catch is that the amount you release is set at the time, so it needs to cover what you are actually planning rather than a guess, and the valuation has to support it.
How much equity can I use?
Usable equity is roughly 80% of what your place is worth today, less what you still owe. Go past 80% and lenders mortgage insurance usually comes back into it. In Turramurra that figure surprises people, because homes here are held for a long time and have had years to move while the loan came down. Since it follows the valuation, and rear lots value differently from street frontage homes, it is worth checking properly rather than guessing.
Can I buy my first home in Turramurra with a 5% deposit?
If you are an eligible first home buyer it is possible, though at that deposit it means an apartment or townhouse near the station rather than a house, and the price still has to sit under the scheme's property cap. The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme lets you buy with a 5% deposit and pay no lenders mortgage insurance, with Housing Australia guaranteeing the gap between your deposit and 20%. It is a guarantee, not a grant.
How much deposit do I need in Turramurra?
A 20% deposit avoids lenders mortgage insurance, and at local house prices that is a very large number. Townhouses and apartments near the station are far more reachable. If you already own, the equity in that property usually does the job instead of cash. Some professions can skip the insurance entirely, which is worth checking before you assume you need the full amount.
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 cash changes hands. Most are set up as a limited guarantee, so only a defined portion of their home is at risk. On the upper North Shore the parent is often sitting on a house held for decades, which means the portion needed is a small share of what they have.
What is the difference between a guarantor and a co-borrower?
A guarantor supports the loan with their property but is not on the title or the debt. A co-borrower is on both, so the whole loan shows on their credit file and counts against whatever they want to borrow next. Co-borrowing lifts what the buyer can afford because both incomes count. For a Turramurra parent who may want to release equity for their own renovation later, that difference decides whether they still can.
What is an offset account and is it worth having?
An offset is a transaction account linked to your loan. Every dollar in it reduces the balance interest is charged on, without being locked away. At Turramurra loan sizes the effect is significant, because the saving scales with the loan, so an offset usually earns its keep even where the loan carries a package fee. If your account runs close to empty each month, that fee can cost more than the offset saves.
Offset or redraw. What is the difference?
Redraw means paying extra off the loan and taking it back later. Offset means the money sits beside the loan in its own account. The interest effect is similar. What differs is access and treatment, because redraw can be restricted by the lender and money you redraw counts as new borrowing rather than your own savings returning. Where a family home might one day be let while you move up, offset is the cleaner structure. Your accountant can explain why.
Should I fix my rate or stay variable?
Fixed gives certainty for a set period, usually one to five years. Variable gives flexibility, an offset account and unlimited extra repayments. Most fixed loans do not come with a usable offset, which matters more at these loan sizes because the offset works against a very large balance. Breaking a fixed loan early can be expensive, so if a renovation or a move might land inside that period, the term matters more than the opening rate.
Can I split the loan between fixed and variable?
Yes, and at Turramurra balances it is often the sensible answer. You fix a portion for repayment certainty and leave the rest variable so the offset still works against it. A good rule is to leave at least as much variable as the balance you typically hold in offset, so it is doing full work rather than partial. Neither decision then has to be all or nothing while plans are still forming.
Interest only or principal and interest?
On a home you live in, principal and interest is almost always the answer, because interest only means you owe the same at the end of the period as at the start. On an investment it is a genuine question and depends on your wider position. The catch is that lenders assess an interest only loan on the repayment it reverts to, not what you pay now, so at Turramurra loan sizes it eats a long way into what you can borrow next. Worth discussing with your accountant as well as us.
When I refinance, does my loan term reset?
Only if you let it, and at these balances letting it is expensive. Most refinances default to a fresh thirty year term, which makes the monthly repayment look better while quietly adding years of interest on a very large loan. Ask for the remaining term instead, so a loan with eighteen years left stays an eighteen year loan. Nobody offers this, so it has to be asked for every time.
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. Here that matters twice, because one lender's internal limit at your loan size and one lender's view of a rear lot or a bushfire rated block both have to go your way. You usually find out after you have applied and paid for a valuation. A broker checks it against many lenders first. Buyvest compares 35+ lenders at $0 cost to you.
Your Turramurra mortgage broker
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Turramurra sits in the middle of the upper North Shore line, so its neighbours run north and south of it. Pymble and Wahroonga are either side, with Gordon, Killara, Lindfield and Roseville continuing south towards Chatswood. Hornsby sits north where the lines meet, and St Ives east across the ridge. West of the line sit Pennant Hills, Epping and Ryde. We cover all of them, so if your search shifts a suburb or two, you are not starting from scratch.