The Australian mortgage industry has matured considerably over the years and has started offering some of the best mortgage options to residential or commercial loan seekers. The old tag of the mortgage industry being too rigid and overall having a painful cumbersome loan process has been almost completely wiped out and a new trend has emerged which has seen a lot more home loans or mortgages being approved in a record amount of time.

It has never been better for the Australian consumer to apply for any kind of home loan or mortgage with the mortgage companies themselves making life much easier for the person applying for the loan. Mortgage consultants now go above and beyond helping their customers choose the right loan for themselves. Each type of loan is carefully explained and it is made sure that the consumers ultimately choose the loan that is best for his or her situation.

One of the options that most mortgage corporations in Australia offer to their customers is the low doc home loans option. This is a loan that has seen a lot of activity recently and is gaining popularity with consumers.

Low doc home loans are a mortgage or home loan where there is no requirement to verify your income. But all other documents are required as they are with any other type of home loan. This loan is ideally suited to self-employed individuals, contractors who are working independently and investors. This loan type also suits people with enough income but who don’t want to waste time in bank verification and other time consuming processes. Borrowers should be aware that with low doc style loans a default or similar negative listing on your Credit Reference will make you ineligible for low doc finance.

A low doc home loan has an interest rate a little higher than normal types of loans and mortgages. This said, with some lenders the rate will reduce to their standard variable rate after say a 2 year period, provided you have meet all your interest payments on time. This loan is largely for those who want to buy investment properties, refinance their existing property and who do not have current taxation returns on their income. This normally prolongs standard investment loans. There are mainly three types of low doc home loans available.

NO RATIO LOANS: this loan is for those who don’t want to declare their income before anyone. Hence, there is no debt for income ratio for the consideration of the loan lender. This type of loan can give a very quick and easy process for those who think that an income citation is going to be their worst nightmare while applying for a loan. As the lender is taking added risk by not requiring any verification of income they will generally not lend as much against the value of the security property.

NO DOC LOANS: for obtaining this loan, the ‘no doc loan’ requires the minimum number of documents and documentations. The loan lender goes through the loan request from the borrower with no financial documents at all and maximum privacy is given to these loan candidates as well.

STATED-INCOME (LOW DOC) LOANS: for someone whose income is fluctuating every day, week or month, the stated income loan is the best. But this type of loan requires the borrower to show his earnings for the minimum of two years initially and he also has to show tax returns and all other bank statements.

Although low doc loans obviously have appeal for those who perhaps don’t have their financial documents in order or have privacy concerns, those who have low incomes that would not be sufficient to qualify for a standard variable rate loan, should not resort to overstating income on a low doc application in order to borrow. Lending guidelines are there to protect both the lender and the borrower – defaults traumatic for both parties and a mortgagee sale is almost inevitable if income is grossly overstated, particularly when the borrower is already under financial stress.

By consulting with your experienced mortgage lender you can find out whether low doc home loans are a good option for you. They are in the best position to check which type of loan is best for you and make your life that much easier.

By : Vicky Edema