Key Takeaways
- My office is at 1/4-6 Gilbert Street, Torquay, and about 90% of my broking is commercial and business lending.
- Torquay business owners can use the panel of more than 60 lenders for commercial property, equipment, cash flow, business purchases and development.
- Home loans are the second half of what I do, covering first homes, refinancing, holiday homes and investment property.
- This page is general information and not credit advice.
I started Mortgage & Finance Advisory in February 2026 from an office on Gilbert Street in Torquay, after 13 years in finance across accounting, audit and banking, including commercial banking at ANZ and NAB. Most of my work is for business owners: trades and construction, transport, car repair, health practitioners, hospitality and retail, and the people who buy and build property for them. Home loans are the other part of the practice, and I give them the same preparation.
If you live or work in Torquay, Jan Juc, Bells Beach or Breamlea, you can book in to meet at the office, or we can talk by phone or video if that suits your day better.
Business Lending for Torquay Owner-Operators
Torquay businesses tend to share a few features that lenders pay attention to. Many are owner-operated, trade is often seasonal, and the owner is frequently also the main source of income, which matters when a lender is working out who stands behind the loan. A lender reading your last year of bank statements will see the busy months and the quieter ones together, so it helps to explain the pattern before the lender has to guess at it.
Before any application goes in, I look at your financials, your ATO position, your existing debts and what you want the money to do. That tells me which lenders are worth approaching and which are not. I also write the explanation of the business that goes to the credit assessor, because a lender in another city has never seen your shopfront or your workshop and relies on the page in front of them. Our business lending page lists the products in full.
Commercial Property in Torquay
Many Torquay owner-operators reach a point where paying rent no longer makes sense and buying a shed, unit or shopfront does. Lenders assess an owner-occupied purchase on the strength of the business that will occupy it. If the property will be leased out, they look at expected rent. Signed leases are not required for approval, because lenders can accept a real estate agent’s rental appraisal letter as support for speculative rent. You do not need tenants signed before you buy.
Commercial property can also be held through a self-managed super fund, which has its own rules on structure and borrowing, so it is worth speaking to your adviser first. See our pages on commercial property finance and SMSF property loans.
Equipment, Vehicles and Cash Flow
Utes, trucks, plant, workshop machinery and fit-out can be financed against the asset, and the right structure depends on how you use it and how it is treated for tax. Before I recommend a structure, I ask what finance you already have and on what terms, because that decides what will fit. See our equipment finance page.
For cash flow, businesses that invoice on terms, such as trades, transport and car repairers, often use invoice finance to release money tied up in unpaid invoices, and others use an overdraft or line of credit to smooth the quiet months. Which one fits depends on how your cash moves, and our working capital finance page and invoice finance guide explain the options.
Buying or Building a Business
If you are buying a cafe, a trade business or a practice, lenders will test the earnings you are buying, how much depends on the current owner, and your own experience. If you are building, whether a small development or a commercial fit-out, lenders look at the feasibility, the builder and the budget. We cover both on our business purchase finance and development finance pages.
Home Loans in Torquay
Home loans are the second part of what I do, and the same approach applies: understand your position, then choose the lender, not the other way around.
- First home buyers. I explain the schemes available, such as the Help to Buy scheme, and how deposit size affects lender choice. See our first home buyer tips.
- Refinancing. I compare your current loan with the panel and handle the switch if a better option exists. Our refinancing guide covers when it makes sense.
- Holiday homes and investment. Lenders treat short-stay rental income differently, and some count none of it, so I check policy before choosing a lender. See our holiday home loans guide.
- Sea change from Melbourne. If you need to buy before you sell, bridging finance may help with timing.
- Self-employed borrowers. Business owners are assessed on their financials, and I know how to present them. See our self-employed home loans guide.
Many Torquay home loan clients also own or run a business, and in that case I look at the home loan and the business borrowing together. A home loan structured without regard to the business can reduce the capacity you need later, and it is easier to plan the two at the same time.
Where I Work
- Torquay area: Torquay, Jan Juc, Bells Beach, Breamlea
- Central Surf Coast: Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Fairhaven
- Great Ocean Road: Lorne, Wye River, Kennett River
- Hinterland: Bellbrae, Moriac, Winchelsea
- Also Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, the wider Surf Coast, and business clients in SA, QLD and NSW
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only do home loans?
No. About 90% of my broking is commercial and business lending, with home loans as the other part of the practice.
Where is your Torquay office?
1/4-6 Gilbert Street, Torquay VIC 3228. You can phone on 03 9020 2699 or book a time online.
Do I need signed tenants before buying a commercial property?
Not for approval. Lenders can accept a real estate agent’s rental appraisal letter as support for expected rent, though policy differs between lenders.
Will lenders count holiday rental income on a Torquay property?
Some will count part of it and some will not count any, so I check each lender’s policy before choosing one.
Talk to a Torquay Broker About Your Business or Your Home Loan
Book a call or call the office on 03 9020 2699 and tell me what you want to buy, build or refinance.
Melanie McNaughton
DirectorMelanie has 13 years in finance across accounting, audit and banking. Mortgage & Finance Advisory was a finalist for Best New Business at the 2026 Torquay Business Awards.
This page is general information and not credit advice, and it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Melanie McNaughton is a Credit Representative (575841) of Connective Credit Services Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 389328.