A Broker's Guide to the 2025 Expat Property Market Shift
1M
Australians Living Overseas
This community represents a powerful source of foreign-currency income ready to be invested in property back home.
$4.1B
Economic Contribution
The mortgage broking industry's contribution to the national economy highlights its critical role.
Lenders "shade" foreign income to manage currency risk, directly impacting borrowing power.
It's the practice of discounting income earned in foreign currencies. For example, a lender might only accept 80% of income earned in USD. This is the single biggest factor affecting an expat's borrowing capacity.
Lenders classify currencies into tiers. Tier 1 currencies (like USD, GBP, EUR) receive the best treatment (80-100% accepted), while Tier 2 currencies (like AED, ZAR) are shaded more aggressively (60-80% accepted).
Illustrative lender acceptance rates for different currency tiers.
A new rule will ban non-resident citizens from buying existing homes, funnelling ALL expat demand into new builds.
PURCHASE PROHIBITED
PURCHASE PERMITTED
This isn't a restriction; it's a market clarification. The government has created a captive, high-value market for brokers who can facilitate the purchase of new dwellings, off-the-plan properties, and vacant land for construction.
Success shifts from finding the best rate to de-risking the entire construction project.
| Focus Area | Pre-2025 (Existing Homes) | Post-2025 (New Builds) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Client Risk | Loan rejection | Builder insolvency / Cost overruns |
| Key Relationship | Lender BDM | Property Developer & Builder |
| Core Documentation | Contract of Sale | Fixed-Price Building Contract |
| Your Value Proposition | Finding the best rate | De-risking the construction process |