Cathro Financial Services

15/06/2026

Another happy family moved in over the weekend! 🔑

08/06/2026

Thinking of buying your first home soon? This could save you 12–18 months.
When I sit down with first home buyers, I simplify things into three key boxes you need to tick before you’re ready:
Deposit
Income (servicing ability)
Short-term debt
If you pass all three, you’re essentially “good to go”. Then it just becomes a question of how much you can borrow.
But here’s where a lot of people get caught out…
Short-term debt quietly kills buying plans.
We recently worked with someone who had:
• A 5% deposit ready
• Income that met servicing
• Car finance, a jet ski loan, credit cards, and a personal loan
The problem?
Their total debt was actually higher than their deposit.
That’s a red flag for lenders, and it meant they couldn’t proceed right now.
(Note: this is situation-dependent, so getting advice early matters.)
So what happens next?
Instead of pushing ahead and getting declined, we put together a clear, structured plan:
Prioritise which debts to eliminate first
Look at consolidation options (only if we can improve the interest rate. If not, we leave it)
Build a realistic timeline back to buying
Yes, it delayed their purchase. But it also put them back in control with a clear path forward.
Here’s the big takeaway:
If you're planning to buy in the next 6–18 months, every financial decision matters.
Taking on “nice to have” debt (cars, toys, etc.) can cost you a home, or at least delay it significantly.
Sometimes it’s fine.
Other times, it can push your plans out by a year or more.
The difference is planning.
The people who get in fastest aren’t always the ones earning the most.
They’re the ones who plan early and avoid the common traps.
If you’re not sure where you sit right now, this is exactly the kind of scenario worth getting clarity on early.
Question for you:
What’s the biggest thing you’re currently weighing up — paying off debt or saving for a deposit?

01/05/2026

From first conversation to first home. This young couple settled on their very first property last week - love seeing first‑home wins like this! 🥂

09/04/2026

We’ve been a bit quiet on the posting front as we play catch up after Easter.

The Easter bunny brought this young family their first home just before the break 🐰
No more house-hunting here, strictly chocolate eggs.

01/04/2026

Saving money for First Home Buyers and existing homeowners refinancing.
Late last year we became accredited with a new provider. There are three critical points of difference with this provider.

1-Low deposit lending
Most lenders, as a matter of policy, require you to have a registered valuation(RV)done as part of meeting finance obligations. The cost around 1000 dollars.
With the new provider it's their stated policy that RV is not required. This saves first home buyers 1000 dollars. Almost 25% of the cost to originate a mortgage.
Also, when it comes to refinancing low deposit loans there is No RV required. You can get upto 5000 cash and you only need to pay 250.00 for the legal fees to do the refinance. This applies to situations over 80% and upto 90% LVR. No new lending involved.

2-Refinancing 80% or less LVR
Here there is a simplified fast track process. Which means the application process is simplified. All one needs is stable payment histories. Proof of income and loan balance. With us doing so affordability checks and BOOM application good to go. Generally 2-3 day turnaround. Other providers require a full application and can take upto 6 business days to get an approval.
Legal fees -there are no legal fees here. The provider uses in-house lawyers. PLUS you still get 0.85% of the loan amount as a cashback contribution.

3-Rate lock
This is a massive point of difference. To make sure you are not impacted by rate changes. One can at the point of application (new or refinance) secure a rate free of charge to be held for 45 days.
Exciting times as we continue to look for ways to add value for our existing clients.
Note detailed terms and conditions apply. Lender policies can change at anytime.
Looking to buy your first home or refinance existing mortgage. Feel free to reach out.

Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you.

01/04/2026

The last thing you want during your homebuying journey is a surprise bill 💸

Setting aside at least $5,000 for common upfront mortgage costs can make the process much smoother.

**These costs are estimates and will differ depending on your situation.

30/03/2026

Don’t let this be you…

We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again (and keep saying it as much as we need to). Not having a 20% deposit does not automatically exclude you from getting a home loan.

We’ve worked with plenty clients with a low deposit. Chat to us today 📩

27/03/2026

5% Deposit First Home Buying-The Facts

-People still think you can't get 5% deposit lending. Here are some quick-fire tips.
-Available with a major lender, one of the big 5.
-No price or income caps.
-Often in the top 3 for how much you can borrow.
-You pay a premium ie 1.20% over and above the special rates applicable. This reduces at 10% equity and again at 15% equity. Drops off at 20%.
-This provider is stricter on the stage of life, perhaps one of the strictest. Relevant to the loan term.
-6 business days to assess application.
-Requires you to have a live deal in order to assess the application.
Want to see where you stand in terms of readiness to buy. Reach out to us.

Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you.

27/03/2026

An incredible time at the 2026 Annual Conference in Samoa!

So many learnings to take away and new connections made, as well as some R&R time 🍹 Definitely left feeling positive and energised for the year ahead.

Massive thank you to and partners for making it happen!

20/03/2026

If your fixed rate expires anytime between now and June, it’s worth reviewing your options now. Leaving it too late can cost you.

A quick review can help you:
✅ Lock in a rate before any changes
✅ Avoid rolling onto higher floating rates
✅ Check if another lender can offer something sharper
✅ Make sure your loan structure still fits your goals

Flick us a message and we can review things for you.