Securing a development site is often the most time-sensitive part of your project. Vendors want certainty, agents want clean terms, and delays can mean losing the site or paying more. If bank credit policy, slow valuation turnarounds, or serviceability hurdles are holding you back, a private lender can be a practical way to acquire the site now and refinance later once approvals, DA progress, presales, or construction funding are in place. Contact us today.
Non bank private lending for Development Site Acquisition
At Secured Lending, we provide secured short-term finance designed specifically for Development Site Acquisition when timing matters and flexibility is required. We speak to borrowers every week who need to move quickly, and we can provide guidance on what security is needed, how we assess the site, and what information helps achieve a fast decision.
We are a non bank private lender servicing Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and surrounding metro and regional areas.
Private lending
As a private lender in Australia, we focus on property-backed outcomes that prioritise speed, clarity, and a credible exit—helping you secure the site first and transition to longer-term funding once milestones are achieved.
Why borrowers use a non bank private lender for site acquisition
A development site purchase is not always bank-friendly at the acquisition stage. A non bank private lender can be a better fit when you need to act quickly or when your strategy does not align with standard bank settings.
Key benefits include:
- Fast decisions when time is critical
We use our own funds for fast decisions and have an internal property valuation team which allows us to move fast within 24 hour. This matters when you need to exchange before a competing buyer, meet a settlement deadline, or secure a site with tight conditions. - Credit appetite that matches development timelines
Banks commonly require a higher level of pre-commitment before they will support an acquisition. A private lender can assess the strength of the asset, the location, and your exit strategy without forcing you into a long approval process. - Flexible structures for complex transactions
Development Site Acquisition can involve multiple titles, mixed use zoning, existing improvements, holding income, unusual access, or consolidation potential. Non bank lending can be structured to match the purchase profile and near-term plan, including bridging to a longer-term solution. - Certainty and speed for agents and vendors
When a lender can provide quick clarity on terms, it reduces deal friction. In many cases, speed and certainty are as valuable as rate, because they protect the acquisition. - A practical bridge to the next stage
Many borrowers use acquisition funding as a bridge while they progress development approvals, planning, design, feasibility updates, equity injections, or refinance preparation. Where suitable, this can include private bridging finance.
What Secured Lending can fund for Development Site Acquisition
We focus on secured lending where the underlying property is central to the risk assessment. Typical scenarios include:
- Acquisition of residential development sites
- Acquisition of commercial or mixed use development sites
- Time-critical purchases with short settlement windows
- Site acquisitions where the borrower plans to refinance once milestones are achieved
- Purchases requiring a decisive valuation process and fast turnaround
If you are unsure whether your site qualifies, speak with us early. We can outline the requirements, the likely structure, and the quickest path to an approval outcome.
Loan details and lending parameters
Our lending is designed for business owners who need speed, clarity, and an outcome aligned to the acquisition timetable, including solutions structured as a secured business loan where appropriate.
- Funded volume: We have funded over $500million loans.
- Loan size: $250k to $10M.
- Rates: From 9.2% p.a.
- Loan term: Short term finance of 1–24 months.
- Speed and valuation capability: We use our own funds for fast decisions and have an internal property valuation team which allows us to move fast within 24 hour.
How we assess a Development Site Acquisition request
To move quickly, we focus on a clear risk picture. In most cases, the core decision points include:
The asset and location
Site attributes, zoning, planning overlays, comparable sales, and local demand drivers.
Security position
First mortgage or second mortgage security and how that position supports the risk profile.
Purchase and valuation alignment
How the purchase price compares to valuation metrics and market evidence.
Exit strategy
Sale, refinance, or progression to longer-term construction finance. A credible and time-bound exit is essential for short-term lending.
Borrower capability
Your track record, project plan, and ability to manage holding costs and key milestones.
This approach supports faster outcomes because it is anchored in the property and the execution plan, not an extended bank-style process.
Choosing the right facility: bridging, first mortgage, or second mortgage
Secured Lending are specialist private lenders in secured business loans, private mortgages including first mortgage and second mortgage facilities and bridging loans. This matters for Development Site Acquisition because the right product depends on the transaction and the exit, not a one size fits all facility.
For example:
- Bridging loans can help you acquire the site now and refinance once you reach a defined milestone (for example, DA progression, presales achieved, or equity injection completed).
- First mortgages provide stronger security and often support larger funding capacity.
- Second mortgages can be considered when there is existing senior debt and sufficient equity, and you need additional capital for acquisition or related costs.
What to prepare to help us move quickly
Speed is usually won or lost on preparation. If you can provide the key information early, it helps us assess feasibility and firm up terms faster.
Commonly useful items include:
- Contract of sale (or heads of agreement) and settlement timeframes
- Site details: address, title particulars, zoning, overlays, and any known constraints
- Your intended strategy for the site (hold, DA uplift, sell, or transition to construction)
- Existing debt position (if any) and proposed security (first or second mortgage)
- A clear exit plan with timing and supporting evidence (broker notes, indicative refinance appetite, sales strategy, upcoming milestones)
- Any feasibility inputs you already have (high level is often enough initially)
If something is missing, we can still provide guidance on the quickest path to an approval outcome and what to prioritise next.
Next steps
If you are considering Development Site Acquisition and need a private lender who can move quickly, Secured Lending can provide guidance on requirements and the most suitable facility structure. We speak to clients every week who require finance and we are happy to provide guidance and requirements for Development Site Acquisition, including what documents to prioritise and how to position the request for a fast decision.
We also assist borrowers comparing lender options across non-bank business loans, and where appropriate, a tailored private mortgage structure secured against property.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How quickly can you indicate if a site is fundable before I go unconditional?
If you can share the address, contract (or draft), purchase price, settlement date, and a short summary of your exit strategy, we can usually give early feedback on feasibility quickly. The goal is to identify any obvious issues (security position, valuation sensitivity, or planning constraints) before you are locked into timelines.
2) What makes a development site “hard” to finance at acquisition, and how do you look at it differently to a bank?
Acquisition funding is often blocked by bank requirements around presales, DA status, servicing models, or time-consuming credit process. We focus on the underlying asset quality, location, market evidence, and a credible exit plan—so you can secure the site first and then transition once milestones are achieved.
3) If the site has multiple titles or consolidation potential, is that a deal breaker?
Not necessarily. Multiple titles, mixed zoning, existing improvements, or consolidation potential are common in development acquisitions. What matters is how security is registered, how value is assessed across titles, and whether the exit strategy accounts for any staging or complexity.
4) What does “internal valuation team” change for me as a borrower?
It generally reduces delays. When valuation input is coordinated internally, it can speed up the decision process and help avoid avoidable back-and-forth during a time-critical purchase, particularly when there are tight exchange or settlement deadlines.
5) How do you assess the exit strategy if the plan is to refinance into construction funding later?
We look for a specific milestone-based path: what needs to happen, by when, and what evidence supports that plan (for example, DA progress, broker or lender appetite, updated feasibility, presale strategy, or equity contributions). A time-bound, credible exit is central to short-term acquisition finance.
6) Can you consider second mortgage funding for an acquisition if I already have senior debt elsewhere?
It can be considered where there is sufficient equity and the security position supports the risk. The key is understanding the senior facility terms, the combined leverage, and ensuring the exit strategy works for both the senior and second mortgage positions within the timeframe.
