Can I find out how much I can borrow before I apply?
Yes, a broker can tell you roughly how much lenders are likely to consider before anything is lodged anywhere. It is based on your turnover, the security available and what you want the money for, checked against lender policy rather than run through a credit assessment. Nothing is submitted and no credit enquiry is recorded at that stage. An indication is not an approval. The numbers can move once a lender sees the full file.
What an indication covers
A useful indication tells you roughly what size facility is realistic, what structure suits and what a lender will want before saying yes. It should also tell you the awkward things early, that your last set of financials will not support the number you had in mind, or that the security you assumed was available is already committed. That is more useful than a figure you cannot rely on. If the answer is no we would rather say so at this point than after a knock back.
When it becomes a real approval
Once you decide to go ahead, the file is packaged and submitted to the lender that fits best. That is when a credit enquiry is recorded and when conditional approval, valuations and formal documents come into it. Some borrowers ask for the indication in writing so they can put an offer in with a bit of confidence behind it. A vendor or an agent will usually take that better than a maybe, though it is not a commitment from any lender.
Not sure where you sit?
Tell us what you need the money for and we’ll give you a straight read on what’s actually available to you.
Last updated 15th July 2026. Reviewed by Authorised Credit Representative 554584 of Australian Credit Licence 414426.