Finance for real estate agencies, shaped around how you get paid.

Yes. Rent roll finance funds the purchase of property management portfolios against their recurring management fees, with specialist lenders and the major banks lending high proportions of the price to established agencies. Lenders look at the number of properties, average fee, retention and the agency’s history.

A line of credit or unsecured loan covers vendor-paid marketing, agent retainers and wages between listing and settlement, and is repaid as commissions land. Property management fees from the rent roll provide the steady income lenders assess, so agencies with a rent roll are well placed.

Yes. Business car finance or a novated lease funds vehicles for agents and directors, with the choice depending on who drives the car and its private use. Chattel mortgages suit agency-owned cars; novated leases suit salaried agents. Your broker and accountant work through the structure.

Yes. Reception, meeting rooms, joinery, signage and technology can be funded under one fit-out facility with suppliers paid as the work progresses, repaid over three to five years within the lease term. Franchised agencies are often financed on the group’s track record.

Yes, acquisition finance is available, though lenders assess it more closely than a working capital loan. They typically want the target business financials, the sale contract, a handover plan and evidence you have relevant experience. Goodwill on its own is difficult to lend against, so many deals combine a cash deposit, vendor finance and a loan secured by property or the acquired assets. Franchise purchases are often assessed against the franchisor system rather than the individual site.

Business acquisition finance is a loan to buy an existing business, buy out a partner or acquire a competitor, assessed largely on the target business’s financial history rather than only on yours. Lenders review the last two to three years of the target’s financials, the sale contract and the price, then fund a proportion of the purchase, with the balance coming from your contribution and sometimes vendor finance. Repayments are structured so the acquired business’s cash flow services the debt.

Lenders in Australia commonly fund 50 to 70 per cent of the purchase price of an established business on an unsecured or goodwill basis, and more where property is offered as security or where the business is in a sector with strong lender appetite such as pharmacies, childcare, accounting practices or franchises with a recognised brand. Buyers are expected to contribute the balance, often 30 to 50 per cent, from savings, equity or vendor finance. Your broker explains what your target and contribution can support.

Lenders look at the target business’s profit and cash flow over the past two to three years, whether the earnings depend on the outgoing owner, the lease on the premises, the price relative to earnings, and your own experience in the industry. They also assess your contribution, your credit history and any security. A business with consistent profits, a long lease and a buyer who has worked in the sector is the strongest case; a declining business or an inflated price is the weakest.

Yes. A partner or shareholder buyout is financed on the same basis as an acquisition: the lender assesses the business’s cash flow and the price being paid for the departing partner’s share. Because you already run the business, lenders view these favourably, and the business itself or its assets often provide the security. A valuation of the business and a formal shareholder or partnership agreement setting out the buyout terms are usually required.

Vendor finance is where the seller agrees to accept part of the price over time instead of all at settlement, usually one to three years with interest. Lenders often like it because it keeps the seller invested in a smooth handover and reduces the amount they need to fund. Most lenders will still expect you to contribute genuine equity, and they will want the vendor loan to rank behind theirs. Your broker structures the bank loan, vendor finance and your contribution so the total works.