SMSF loans
Buy commercial property through your self-managed super fund using a limited recourse borrowing arrangement, or refinance an existing SMSF loan.
Common uses
Commercial property
Buy your business premises through your SMSF.
Existing residential loans
Refinance a residential SMSF loan set up before 10 August 2026.
Refinancing
Move an existing SMSF loan to a better-suited lender.
Fund structure
Work alongside your accountant on the required trust structure.
How lenders assess an SMSF loan
SMSF loans have stricter rules than standard loans and fewer lenders offer them. A credit team looks at the fund as well as the property.
The fund’s balance and liquidity
Lenders want enough left in the fund after the purchase to cover costs and repayments, often a set percentage of the fund balance.
Contributions and rent
Super contributions and rental income need to cover repayments, fees and the fund’s running costs.
The trust structure
The property is held in a separate holding trust (also called a bare or custodian trust) and the SMSF trust deed must allow borrowing.
The property
New SMSF loans can only be used to buy business real property, such as offices, warehouses and shops. Residential SMSF loans set up before 10 August 2026 can still be refinanced. Lenders usually set lower maximum LVRs than for standard loans.
Related-party rules
You can’t live in or rent a residential property owned by your SMSF. Commercial property can be leased to your business at market rent.
Advice
Lenders often want confirmation that you have received advice from a licensed financial adviser.
Source: Australian Taxation Office. Last reviewed October 2026.
WHO IT SUITS
Four steps, one point of contact
Tell us the plan
What you are trying to do and the approximate amount.
Get a straight answer
Whether it is fundable and which lenders suit it.
Compare the options
Rates, structure, fees and conditions side by side.
Through to settlement
Application prepared, submitted and managed.
Fix these first
These are the issues that most often slow an application down, and what to do about each one.
- Trust deed not checked
Have your accountant or lawyer confirm the SMSF trust deed allows a limited recourse borrowing arrangement.
- Holding trust set up late
Set up the holding trust before you sign the contract so the property is bought in the right name.
- Contract in the wrong name
The contract must name the holding trust’s trustee. Getting this wrong can create extra costs, including stamp duty.
- Too little left in the fund
Check how much will remain in the fund after the deposit and costs, as lenders set minimum liquidity.
- No financial advice
Get advice from a licensed financial adviser on whether the purchase suits your retirement strategy.
What is an LRBA?
A limited recourse borrowing arrangement lets an SMSF borrow to buy a single asset, held in a separate trust. The lender can only claim that asset if the loan defaults.
Can my business rent the property from my SMSF?
Business real property can be leased to a related party at market rent. Your accountant or adviser should confirm this suits your fund.
Do I need advice before using an SMSF loan?
Yes. We arrange the finance but you should get advice from a licensed financial adviser or accountant about whether the strategy suits you.
Tell us what you need.
No documents needed to start. Call (02) 7822 0255 or 0481 877 727, or answer a few quick questions.