Living abroad shouldn't mean
missing out on Australian property.
Echidna Equity helps Australian expats buy, invest, and refinance back home from wherever you are in the world, and helps people moving to Australia get sorted before or after their PR comes through. No fees for our service.
Expat Lending, and Lending for New Arrivals
Most lenders make expat and new-resident lending harder than it needs to be.
Australian expats face a set of lending challenges that PAYG borrowers in Australia never encounter. Foreign income, currency conversion, residency status, and the inability to attend a branch or sign documents in person all create friction that many lenders simply aren't set up to handle.
We work with expats regularly, including a strong client base in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia, and we know exactly which lenders accept foreign income, how they apply currency shading, and how to structure an application that gets approved without requiring you to fly home.
We also work in the other direction: people moving to Australia who are partway through their permanent residency process, or who have just had it granted. The lending path looks different again, and we know which lenders are comfortable with it.
We're based in Sydney, but we manage the full process remotely wherever you are and wherever in Australia you're buying, whether that's Sydney, Melbourne, or anywhere else.
What We Do For Expats
The full service, managed from wherever you are.
Distance adds complexity. We remove it.
Foreign Income Assessment
We identify which lenders accept your income currency, how much they shade it, and how to present your employment and income documentation in a format Australian lenders will accept.
Owner-Occupied and Investment Purchases
Whether you are buying a home to return to or adding to a property portfolio, we find the right lender and structure for your situation, including green and ethical lenders if an energy-efficient home is part of your plan, and manage the application end to end.
Refinancing Existing Loans
Already have an Australian mortgage? We review your current rate, compare the market, and manage a switch if it makes financial sense, all without requiring you to be in the country.
Remote Document Management
We tell you exactly what documentation is required, how to certify it from abroad, and which lenders allow electronic signing so the process moves as smoothly as a domestic application.
How Lenders Assess Expat Applications
The policies vary significantly. Knowing them is how we get applications approved.
Expat lending is one of the most policy-dependent areas of mortgage broking. What one lender accepts, another will decline outright. Here is what we navigate on your behalf.
Currency Shading
Most lenders apply a discount to foreign income to account for exchange rate risk, typically between 10% and 20%. The shading rate varies by currency and by lender. We target lenders with the most favourable shading for your specific income currency.
Accepted Countries and Currencies
Not all lenders accept income from all countries. Some exclude certain jurisdictions or currencies entirely. We know which lenders accept Philippine Peso, Singapore Dollar, US Dollar, and other common expat income currencies without additional restrictions.
Residency Status
Australian citizens living abroad, permanent residents, and temporary visa holders are each assessed differently. Some lenders restrict non-resident lending to certain loan-to-value ratios or property types. We match you to lenders whose policies fit your residency status.
Loan to Value Ratio Limits
Many lenders cap expat loans at 80% LVR, meaning you need at least a 20% deposit. Some will lend to 90% depending on your residency status and income source. We identify the lender whose LVR policy gives you the best outcome for your deposit position.
Document Certification
Lenders require certified copies of identification and income documents. We advise on the accepted certification methods for your country of residence, including which documents require an Australian consulate stamp and which can be certified locally.
Foreign Investment Review Board
Temporary residents and some visa holders may require FIRB approval before purchasing Australian property. We identify whether this applies to your situation and factor the timeline into the application process so it doesn't delay settlement.
Who We Help
Expat situations vary. We have seen most of them.
Here are the most common scenarios we work through with expat clients.
Expats Based in the Philippines
We have a strong client base among Australians working in Manila and across the Philippines. We understand Philippine Peso income assessment, local document certification requirements, and the lenders who work well with this client profile.
Expats Across Southeast Asia
Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, and beyond. We work with Australian expats across the region and know which lenders accept income from each jurisdiction and what documentation they require.
Expat Investors Building a Portfolio
Many expats use the higher income available abroad to accelerate Australian property investment. We structure your lending to support multiple purchases over time, not just the one in front of you.
Expats Buying a Home to Return To
Planning to move back to Australia in the next one to three years? We help you buy now while you are earning abroad rather than waiting until you return to a potentially higher market.
Moving to Australia on Your Way to PR
Getting your permanent residency doesn't mean starting from scratch with a lender.
We work in both directions. If you're moving to Australia rather than away from it, and your PR is somewhere between "in progress" and "just came through," lending is more accessible than most new arrivals expect.
Before Your PR Comes Through
On a temporary or provisional visa? Foreign Investment Review Board approval and tighter lender LVR limits may apply, but you can often still buy, or get pre-approved, while your PR is being finalised. We tell you exactly where you stand before you commit to anything.
Once Your PR Is Granted
Most lenders treat new permanent residents much like any other Australian borrower, often unlocking a higher LVR. Any FIRB requirement and foreign buyer duty or land tax surcharge will typically no longer apply to purchases made after your PR is granted.
No Australian Credit History Yet
New arrivals rarely have an Australian credit file, and that's not the dead end it feels like. We know which lenders will assess overseas income, savings history and employment instead of relying solely on local credit history.
Timing Your Purchase
Sometimes it's worth waiting for your PR grant date before buying, and sometimes it isn't. We model both scenarios, including any FIRB costs and foreign buyer surcharges, so you can decide with real numbers rather than a guess.
How It Works
The entire process handled remotely.
You should not need to fly home, or wait until you land, to sort out an Australian home loan. We make sure you don't have to.
Free expat or new-arrival assessment
We review your income, visa or residency status, and goals, and identify which lenders are a realistic match for your situation.
Document checklist
We provide a clear list of what is needed and how to certify each document from your country of residence.
Application submitted
We prepare and lodge the application on your behalf, managing the lender through to approval using electronic signing where available.
Settlement and beyond
We coordinate settlement remotely and stay available for refinancing, equity release, or future purchases as your situation evolves.
Client Story
Bought in Sydney from Manila without boarding a plane.
The right broker removes the friction that makes expat lending feel impossible.
Manila-Based, Sydney Property, No Trip Required
James had been working in Manila for three years and wanted to buy an investment property in Sydney before prices moved further. His employer paid him in US Dollars through a Philippine entity, which created two layers of complexity for most lenders. We identified a lender that accepted his USD income with a 10% currency shade, accepted locally certified documents without requiring an Australian consulate stamp, and offered electronic signing throughout. James exchanged contracts, completed the loan process, and settled without leaving the Philippines.
The Team
You'll always know who's working on your file.
We keep our client load manageable by design. Every file is handled directly by Lorenzo or Tom, not passed to a junior processor or lost in a queue, wherever in the world you're contacting us from.
Lorenzo Suarez
Lorenzo runs the end-to-end process for most client files, from initial strategy and lender selection through to submission, approval, and settlement.
If your situation is straightforward, he will make it fast. If it is complex, he will find the way through.
Cert IV Finance & Mortgage Broking
Tom Williams
Tom co-founded Echidna Equity with a clear brief: personal service, genuine lender access, and a business that gives back. He oversees strategy and stays close to every client relationship.
When he says the job is not done until clients start defying gravity, he means it literally.
Cert IV Finance & Mortgage Broking
Why This Matters To Us Too
We put a portion of our own profit behind conservation, wherever our clients are.
Whether you're an Australian abroad or new to the country altogether, a portion of Echidna Equity's profit goes to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, which protects native species and manages land across Australia.
We don't think a mortgage broker can solve conservation on its own. But we can make sure some of what we earn from every settlement, wherever in the world it's arranged from, goes toward looking after the country you're buying into.
A share of our profits is donated to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, supporting the protection of native species and habitat across Australia.
It's a small, ongoing commitment built into how we do business — the same one we made long before you found this page.
Common Questions
What expat and new-arrival borrowers ask us most.
Expat and new-resident lending raises questions that most Australian brokers have never dealt with. Here are the ones we hear most often.
Get in Touch
Speak to a broker today.
Fill in the form and Lorenzo or Tom will be in touch within one business day. No obligation, no sales pitch — just a straight answer on what's possible, wherever you are and wherever in Australia you're buying.
Book a free assessment
We'll get back to you within one business day.
By submitting this form you consent to Echidna Equity contacting you regarding your enquiry. We do not share your details with third parties. General information only — this does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice.
Message received.
Lorenzo or Tom will be in touch within one business day.
Wherever you are, we can help you buy back home.
Book a free chat with Lorenzo or Tom. We will assess your situation, explain your options, and tell you exactly what is possible from where you are.
Echidna Equity Pty Ltd ACN 678 592 713. Credit Representative Number 562940 of Australian Credit Licence 384704. Suite 302, 13/15 Wentworth Ave, Sydney NSW 2000. Echidna Equity is based in Sydney and provides mortgage broking services to clients all over Australia and abroad. General information only. This does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Credit criteria, terms and conditions apply. Lending policies for non-resident, expat, visa-holder and new permanent resident borrowers vary by lender and are subject to change. Foreign Investment Review Board requirements, and any foreign buyer duty or land tax surcharge, depend on individual residency and visa status and the state or territory of purchase. Interest rates, fees and product features are subject to change without notice. We recommend seeking independent legal, tax and migration advice before proceeding.