Speak to a Broker Now — 0432 634 648 · Mon–Sat 9am–7pm

Real Estate Agent

Real Estate Agent Home Loan Australia: Real Lending for Commission Income

Q: I'm purely commission with no retainer. Will banks lend?

Yes — through specialist lenders using 2-year commission averages.

Q: My income varies a lot — $80K one year, $180K next. How is that assessed?

Most lenders use 2-year average ($130K in your example). Some take lower year. Lender choice matters.

Q: I have a base retainer plus commission. Does that help?

Yes — retainer treated as PAYG (100%); commission averaged. Strong combination.

Q: How much can I borrow as a $150K-average real estate agent?

On $150K average + 20% deposit: typically $1M–$1.2M.

Q: The market is slow right now. Should I wait to apply?

Lenders use 2-year history. Past income matters more than current market conditions.

Mortgagefy Broker Team · Published 2026-04-29 · Last reviewed 2026-04-29

Real estate agent income — commission-based, irregular, peak/trough cycles — banks default to conservative assessments. Mortgagefy knows lenders who handle agent income properly.

Start Your Free Assessment 0432 634 648

Who this guide is for

Australian real estate agents — sales agents, leasing agents, principals — wanting home loans that recognise commission income.

Commission-based real estate sales agents with 2+ years' history
Leasing agents on retainer plus commission
Real estate agency principals and senior agents
South Asian real estate agents needing cultural support

The real challenge

Real estate agent income has a lot of variation — high months when properties settle, low months between sales. Commission income is treated differently by different lenders, and major banks often discount it conservatively.

Specialist lenders look at 2-year averaged commission income, smoothing out monthly variation.

How Mortgagefy helps

Mortgagefy works with lenders that handle real estate commission income properly — using 2-year averages, including retainer income, and applying realistic serviceability.

Free advice. Honest assessment.

How it works — 4 simple steps

Free real estate agent chat

20-minute call about your commission structure, retainer (if any), 2-year history.

Compare lender options

We identify lenders that maximise borrowing for commission income.

Application package

We compile your payslips/commission statements, tax returns and supporting documents.

Settle your home

Approval through to settlement with ongoing support.

Frequently asked questions

I'm purely commission with no retainer. Will banks lend?

Yes — through lenders comfortable with commission income. They typically average your commission over 2 years to smooth variation.

My income varies a lot — $80K one year, $180K next. How is that assessed?

Most lenders use a 2-year average. So $80K + $180K = $130K average. Some take the lower year. Some apply a discount factor. We choose the most favourable lender.

I have a base retainer plus commission. Does that help?

Yes significantly — base retainer income is treated as PAYG (typically 100%) while commission is averaged. The combination gives you a stable PAYG floor plus commission upside.

How much can I borrow as a $150K-average real estate agent?

For an agent on $150K average commission with 20% deposit, $1M–$1.2M borrowing is commonly achievable.

The market is slow right now. Should I wait to apply?

Probably not — lenders look at 2-year history, not current market sentiment. Past income matters more than current market conditions.

Get a real estate agent home loan assessment

Free 20-minute call about your real options on commission income.

Start Your Free Assessment Call 0432 634 648

Get your personalised answer in 2 minutes

Free, no obligation. We'll match you with the right lender for your situation.

Model your scenarios: Use our free home loan calculators to estimate borrowing capacity, repayments, and savings.