What documents do you need to apply for a home loan? Applying for a home loan can be life-changing and that makes it a big decision. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home, upgrading to a larger home, investing or even refinancing, we’re here to help make the process of getting the loan that’s right for you simple and easy. To help you sail through the process, we like to make sure you know up front what will be required.

Here’s a handy list of the some of the standard documentation you will need to have before you apply. Documentation requirements may vary from lender to lender, so don’t worry – when you apply for your loan we’ll help you make sure you have everything you need!

100 point identity check

No matter what kind of home loan you are applying for, you will need to provide proof of your identity as the first step in the process. As your credit adviser, we are legally obliged to perform a 100 point identity check, which will require you to produce two of the following identification items:

– A current passport
– Your driver’s licence or other photo identification like a university identification card or a proof of age card
– Your birth certificate.

If you do not have two of these documents, you could produce one of them plus other documentation that proves your identity instead. These may include your Medicare Card or a Citizenship Certificate. If you need clarification about your identity documents, just ask us.

Proof of income

This step often sounds much more complicated than it actually is. If you have a full time job, proving your income is as easy as providing your most recent PAYG payslip, as long as it includes your year to date income for at least three months. If your payslip doesn’t provide this information, simply collect three consecutive previous payslips, or your employment contract, an ATO tax assessment, a PAYG summary from your company paymaster, or a professionally prepared tax return.

If you’re self-employed or running your own business, simply provide your individual tax return and ATO assessment notices and your basic business financial documents. These would include at least one year’s tax return for the business (lenders sometimes ask for two year’s assessments, but this will vary from lender to lender), BAS statements, your profit and loss statement and balance sheet. Any other documentation that proves your business income could be useful, so ask your accountant if there’s any further documentation they can provide.

If you have other sources of income besides your job or business, you should provide evidence of these too. If you already own an investment property for example, provide the current lease, a tax return listing the rental income or a letter from your property manager or leasing agent. If you own shares, you can also provide a statement, investment record or a tax return that details the income.

Proof of assets

Your lender will require some proof that you’ve got your deposit in order and are in a good position to service your new loan. You can provide this evidence simply by producing your bank statements. Additionally, if you have other assets, it will help to provide details and values of these too. Make a list of your other assets including your car, stocks and shares, savings accounts, term deposits and property investments and provide whatever documentation you can to determine their current values.

An accurate assessment of any debts and ongoing expenses

Lenders assess your creditworthiness on the amount of money you already owe, your ability to repay your debts and your capacity to take on more debt. Paying down any credit card debts or personal loans prior to applying for your mortgage will improve your borrowing capacity and give you the best chance of loan approval when you apply.

To help the lender make a fair assessment, you should provide evidence of your weekly outgoings and expenses. You should also provide recent statements for any credit cards, store cards, personal loans, car loans or any other debts that you may have.

What if you’re refinancing an existing loan?

In addition to the above documentation (if it is not already on file with us), if you are refinancing an existing loan, you will need to provide documentation relating to that loan. For example, you will need to provide the last three month’s loan statements plus provide the current payout figure for your loan and document any exit fees. (We can help you determine your exit fees on your existing loan if you’re not sure.)

If you have any questions about the documentation you will require to apply for a home loan, please don’t hesitate to talk with us about what you may need. Remember, we’re here to help make the process as simple and easy for you as possible. We’re also here to help you get the most competitive loan for your needs, so if you are considering making a property purchase this year, just call us to get started.