SMSF Commercial Property Finance · Specialist Lending
Most brokers say they can’t do this. We tell you how it works.
Your SMSF may be able to borrow for commercial property, including your business premises. We tell you plainly what the fund can and cannot do, and what it costs, before you spend a dollar.
$1.5b in settled lending
MPA Top Commercial Brokers
5.0 Google rating
Phone answered 24 hours
What happens next
SMSF lending is fee for service. The fee is explained in writing before any work starts, and half of it is payable only if the loan is approved.
Why commercial through Evolve
Commercial is where we do our best work
Rules known upfront
Sole purpose test, bare trust, one asset per loan, repairs but not improvements. We know these rules before your deal starts, not halfway through it.
15 to 20 lenders
SMSF lending sits with a narrow group of specialist lenders. Our deep working relationships with 15 to 20 lenders include those still writing it.
Your accountant, included
We work alongside your accountant or adviser from the first call, so the trust deed, contract and loan land in the right order.
Honest scoping first
Sometimes the answer is that an SMSF loan is not right for you. You hear that before a fee is charged, not after.
“Les is so polite and made us feel like we could ask anything knowing he would guide us in the right direction. I would recommend Les to anybody looking for a mortgage broker, he was amazing.”
Samuel, Google review
“After selling this house we reengaged and leveraged his services to purchase our new house. Les is prompt, professional, and a pleasure to work with. He has a great understanding of the market and provides exceptional guidance throughout the process.”
Joshua, Google review
In plain terms
SMSF loans, explained plainly
SMSF loans work differently from every other loan you have taken. The fund borrows through a limited recourse borrowing arrangement, the property sits in a separate holding trust until the loan is repaid, and the lender’s claim is limited to that one asset. Since 10 August 2026, new borrowing is only available for business real property, such as commercial premises and working farms, not houses.
The major banks left SMSF lending years ago, so the work sits with specialist lenders who each read a fund differently: balance, liquidity after settlement, rent and contributions. We hold deep working relationships with 15 to 20 lenders and know which of them will lend against your business premises, a leased industrial unit or a working farm. If the fund is the wrong vehicle, we can finance commercial premises outside it.
Tell us about the fund, the property and who advises you. We work from Sydney with trustees Australia-wide, and the answer will be straight: possible now, possible with changes, or not yet.
How it works
From first call to settlement
- Step
The first conversation
A call, usually within one business day, covering the fund, the property you have in mind and who advises you on the super side.
- Step
Structure and documents
Fund financials, trust deed and investment strategy checked, and the holding trust arranged with your accountant. We list exactly what the lender needs.
- Step
The recommendation
Lender, structure, costs and our fee in writing, shared with your accountant. You decide before anything is lodged.
- Step
Approval to settlement
We manage valuation, formal approval and the loan documents, and keep your solicitor and accountant in the loop to settlement.
Understanding SMSF lending
How borrowing inside super works
What is an SMSF loan?
An SMSF loan lets a self-managed super fund borrow to buy a single property under a limited recourse borrowing arrangement, or LRBA. The property sits in a separate holding trust until the loan is repaid, and if the loan fails the lender can only claim that property, not the rest of the fund.
The structure is strict: one loan buys one asset, borrowed money can pay for repairs but not improvements, and the property cannot be fundamentally changed while the loan runs. Errors in the paperwork are expensive to unwind.
What changed for SMSF borrowing in 2026?
From 10 August 2026, a new SMSF loan can only buy business real property, meaning property used wholly and exclusively in a business. New borrowing for residential property has closed.
Existing arrangements are unaffected: a residential SMSF loan already in place keeps running, a contract exchanged before 10 August 2026 can still settle, and an existing SMSF loan can still be refinanced. Commercial property inside super continues unchanged.
What do lenders look for in an SMSF property loan?
Lenders assess the fund: its balance, the cash it holds after settlement, the rent and the contributions coming in. They also assess the property itself and the strength of any lease.
As a working guide, SMSF lenders cap commercial lending at around 70 to 80 per cent of the property’s value, so expect a deposit of 20 to 30 per cent, with purchase costs on top. Some lenders also want cash left in the fund after settlement; others do not. The figures here are a guide only.
Can my SMSF lease property to my own business?
Yes, if the property is business real property. Your fund can own commercial premises and lease them to your own business, and the rent your business pays becomes income of your super fund rather than a landlord’s.
The lease must be on arm’s length terms at a market rent, and properly documented. For owners tired of rent reviews, this is usually the conversation worth having.
Keep exploring
For the files a bank has already declined.
Farms and rural holdings, financed properly.
Guide · What your fund can and cannot buy after the 2026 changes
Guide · Your fund owns the premises, your business pays the rent
Find out what your fund can do
Call 1300 112 355
Questions SMSF trustees actually ask
What is an SMSF loan?
An SMSF loan is usually a limited recourse borrowing arrangement used by a self-managed super fund to acquire property within the rules that apply to SMSF borrowing. The ATO says the borrowed money is used to acquire a single acquirable asset, which is held on trust until the fund can obtain legal ownership, and the lender’s recourse is limited to that asset.
What types of property can an SMSF loan be used for?
SMSF lending may be used for commercial investment property, business premises and some existing or transitional residential SMSF loan scenarios.
The key change is residential property. An SMSF may still be able to own residential investment property, but new borrowing arrangements for residential property are being restricted. Existing arrangements and transitional scenarios may be treated differently, so timing and lender policy need to be checked carefully.
Commercial SMSF lending remains a separate area. This can include commercial investment property or business real property used by a related business, provided the arrangement meets SMSF rules, is properly documented and is on commercial terms. ASIC’s MoneySmart notes that SMSF business premises can be leased to a fund member if specific rules are followed and the property is leased at market rates.
Can I refinance an existing SMSF loan?
Yes, in some cases an existing SMSF loan can be refinanced. The ATO’s safe-harbour guidance specifically refers to refinancing a borrowing used to acquire real property under an LRBA. But SMSF refinance is not the same as ordinary cash-out lending, and it should be assessed carefully before any assumptions are made.
Can I access equity or take cash out from a property held in my SMSF?
This is not something that should be positioned like a standard equity release. SMSF lending is much more restricted, and the safer framing is that refinance may be available in some scenarios, but not general-purpose cash-out in the way many borrowers expect outside super. The ATO’s LRBA material is focused on acquisition and refinance of qualifying borrowings, not broad equity access.
Why do SMSF loan applications take more coordination?
Because there are usually more parties involved and more steps that need to line up properly. Depending on the transaction, that can include the broker, accountant, financial planner, solicitor or conveyancer, lender, and selling agent. SMSF lending also carries additional legal and compliance requirements compared with standard property lending.
What documents are usually needed for an SMSF loan?
The exact list depends on the lender and the scenario, but it commonly includes SMSF documents, trust and trustee information, financials, identification, property documents, and supporting material relevant to the proposed transaction. Because requirements vary materially between lenders, document preparation is one of the areas that benefits from getting the structure right early.
What should borrowers look for in an SMSF lender?
Not just rate. Borrowers should be looking at lender appetite, structure fit, documentation requirements, treatment of the scenario, turnaround times, and whether the lender genuinely suits the proposed property and fund position. That is especially important in SMSF lending, where lender appetite is narrower and policy differences matter more.