Home loans
First home or next home. I find the loan that fits your life, not the one that fits a bank’s sales target. I compare across the panel and tell you why the pick is the pick.
A home loan that works for you
The bank isn’t on your side. I am.
The bank’s job is to sell you their loan. My job is to find the one that actually suits you.
15 yrs
On the tools before broking
30+
Lenders on my panel
24 hrs
To initial feedback
$0
Cost to you
Client stories
Don’t take my word for it…
We just had Joel help us with refinancing our home loan. We picked Joel from a handful of potential brokers due to his commitment to providing us a seamless application process and being a down to earth person. He kept us notified every step of the way. Usually the application process is quite stressful but not with Joel. Nothing was ever too hard and he did answer the phone after hours which is a rare thing now. Highly recommend Joel and his team. A great experience in usually a very stressful process.
Joel went above and beyond to deliver a great result. He was persistent and proactive in dealing with the banks, keeping us informed every step of the way and never losing momentum. His communication was clear, his follow-through impressive, and his dedication made the whole process smooth and stress-free. Super happy with the outcome — highly recommend Joel!
My partner and I recently purchased our second home on the Sunshine Coast, and we couldn’t be happier with our experience working with Joel. From start to finish, the process was seamless and stress-free. Joel took the time to understand our preferences and provided excellent insights that made decision-making easier. Communication was top-notch; we were always kept in the loop and felt supported throughout. Joel was always willing to take our call, even outside of business hours.
Testimonials reflect individual client experiences. Past outcomes are not a guarantee of future results — your situation will be assessed on its own merits.
About Joel
Fifteen years on site taught me the thing finance never did.
I spent 15 years in mining. FIFO. Early flights, long swings, missed birthdays. You do it because it pays, and you tell yourself it’s for the family. And it is. Right up until you do the maths on how much of their life you’re missing to fund it.
At 39 I walked away and started again from zero.
Not because mining was bad to me. Because I wanted to build something where the hard work and the family were in the same place. So I became a mortgage broker. Bit of a jump, I know.
But here’s what those 15 years taught me that no finance course does. On site, if someone tells you a job’s done and it isn’t, people get hurt. You learn to say the hard thing early, communicate constantly, and never leave anyone guessing. Turns out that’s exactly what’s missing when most people deal with banks.
I’ve also lived on the other side of this desk. Single income stretches. A mortgage that felt heavier some months than others. Watching the bank quietly nudge the rate while the “loyal customer” letters kept coming. I didn’t start Commit Lending because I love loans. I started it because I know what that pressure feels like at the kitchen table, and I know most people have no one in the deal who’s actually on their side.
Now they do.
My family is why this business exists. Yours is why I don’t cut corners. If you’re grinding for your people, whether that’s your first home or your fourth property, I’m in your corner. Straight answers. No chasing me for updates. And the truth, even when it’s not what you want to hear.
That’s the deal.
Joel Fitzgerald
Founder · Commit Lending
How we work
You’ll always know where your loan is at.
Here’s the process in four steps.
01
Everything starts with a chat
I like to understand your current situation and what your goals are to begin with. Face to face is great, over the phone is fine too.
02
Easy document collection
I’ll set you up with a simple online portal for your documents. More of a paper person? No worries, I have solutions for that too.
03
Your options, within 24 hours
Once your documents land, I’ll come back within a day and we go through what’s on the table in plain English.
04
I handle it through to settlement
Application, bank follow-ups, approval, settlement day. I run all of it and you get updates at every stage.
You’ll never chase me. Updates at every stage, answers in plain English, and if you’re left wondering what’s happening with your loan, I’ve already failed.
Services
Four kinds of lending. One rule: straight answers.
30+ lenders on my panel means the banks compete for you, not the other way around.
Refinancing
If your loan is more than two years old, odds are you’re paying the loyalty tax. I check the gap, do the maths, and only move you if the numbers say it’s worth it. If staying put is the right call, I’ll tell you that too.
Investment lending
Structure matters more than rate when there’s an investment property involved, especially with the negative gearing and CGT changes landing July 2027. Get the structure right up front and it still works in year five, when your situation’s changed.
Commercial, asset & SMSF lending
Business premises, equipment, vehicles, or lending inside your super. These are specialist areas. I bring in the right people for each one, and I stay in the room. SMSF lending has strict rules. I arrange the loan, and advice on the fund itself comes from your financial adviser.
Quick estimate
See what the repayments actually look like.
Move the sliders for a principal-and-interest estimate. No credit check, no details, no obligation — just the maths, so you can see the shape of it before we talk.
Estimated repayment
$3,897
per month
- Total interest
- $752,997
- Total repaid
- $1,402,997
Estimate only. Not a quote, pre-approval or credit offer. Real repayments depend on the lender, product, fees, your loan-to-value ratio and a full assessment of your circumstances. Lenders also test your capacity at roughly 3% above the actual rate.
Mission
Our mission and values
First home or fourth property, it’s your name on the debt. Everyone else in the deal gets paid whether it works for you or not. Commit Lending exists to be the one person who’s actually on your side.
Family
Everything I do is driven by mine. So when someone walks in fighting for theirs, I recognise it, and I back it all the way.
Loyalty
I’m loyal to one side of the deal. Yours. From the first call to mortgage-free, you’re the only one I answer to.
Communication
When something happens with your loan, you hear it from me first. No radio silence, no jargon, no finding out at the last minute.
Honesty
If I can’t be straight with you and put your interests first, I don’t have a business. Simple as that. You’ll always get the real answer.
Bits of the job, and the reason for it.
Common questions
The things worth asking up front.
How much do your services cost, and how do you get paid?
In the vast majority of cases, mortgage broker services are free to the client. Brokers are paid by the lender via an upfront commission when the loan settles and a small ongoing trail commission. Under Australian law, brokers operate under a strict Best Interests Duty (BID), meaning they are legally obligated to recommend the loan product that best suits your needs, regardless of the commission paid by the lender.
How much can I borrow?
Borrowing capacity depends on your gross household income, living expenses, existing liabilities (including credit card limits and HECS/HELP debts), dependent children, and deposit size. Australian lenders assess serviceability using an interest rate buffer (adding 3% above the current loan rate) to test whether you can afford repayments if interest rates rise.
How much deposit do I need to buy a property?
A 20% deposit (plus savings to cover upfront costs like stamp duty and conveyancing) is ideal because it avoids additional insurance fees. However, many lenders accept deposits as low as 5% if you pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). You may also purchase with 5% or less without paying LMI if you qualify for Australian Government assistance schemes (such as the First Home Guarantee) or use a family guarantor.
What interest rate can I get?
There is no single interest rate that applies to everyone. The specific rate a lender offers you depends on several key risk and loan factors:
- Loan purpose. Owner-occupier home loans attract lower interest rates than residential investment property loans.
- Repayment type. Principal and interest repayments receive lower rates compared to interest-only repayments.
- Loan-to-value ratio (LVR). Borrowers with larger deposits (an LVR of 80% or lower) qualify for lower interest rate tiers because they present less risk to the lender.
- Loan size & income profile. Higher total loan amounts and strong household financial profiles often unlock unadvertised, discretionary rate discounts from lenders.
- Lender category. Major tier-1 banks, regional lenders, customer-owned mutuals, and non-bank lenders price their products differently depending on their funding costs and market competitiveness.
Rather than relying on headline advertised rates, brokers submit your profile across a broad lender panel to negotiate custom rate discounts specific to your financial situation.
Is the process going to be stressful?
Anything finance-related can be stressful, I understand that. I do everything within my control to make your loan process as seamless and stress-free as possible, as my testimonials from my valued clients will prove.
Let’s talk
Start with a straight conversation.
No pitch and no obligation. Tell me where you’re at, and I’ll tell you what’s actually possible — including if the honest answer is to stay exactly where you are.
Sunshine Coast based · Clients Australia-wide