Secured lending calculators
Exit strategy timeline
Every short-term secured loan ends with an exit. Map yours week by week, add a sensible buffer and see the term you should ask for.
Numbers look workable? Get them checked by a specialist
A calculator gives you a starting point. A 60-second enquiry gets a real person to test it against the property, the purpose and the exit. No credit check when you first enquire.
Why the exit matters more than the entry
Getting a short-term secured loan approved is usually the easy part. The real test is the last day: will the sale, refinance or payment arrive in time to repay everything? Lenders assess the exit as carefully as the property, and borrowers who plan it properly end up with lower costs and fewer surprises. This timeline turns a vague plan into dates you can check.
The three common exits
- Sale. Preparing the property, the marketing campaign and the settlement period all take time. Settlement periods vary with the contract and the buyer, and commercial property often takes longer. Our guide to buying before you sell covers the risks.
- Refinance. A bank or other lender takes over the debt once its approval and settlement are complete. Document collection is usually the slowest step. When the refinance settles, it repays the loan and the security is discharged.
- Incoming payment. A contract payment, insurance claim, tax refund or property settlement elsewhere. The key risk is slippage, so the timeline asks how far it could realistically move.
Setting the right term
The suggested term rounds your timeline plus buffer up to whole months. Choosing a term that is too short saves nothing if the exit runs late, because the conversation about extending happens under pressure. A realistic term from the outset is calmer and easier to price. Loans are flexible and can stay in place longer if needed, but a good plan means you rarely need to ask. Put the suggested term into the bridging cost estimator to see the total cost.
Show us the plan
A clear exit is the single biggest factor in a fast yes. Start a 60-second enquiry and tell us how the loan will be repaid and when. There is no credit check when you first enquire, your details stay with one team, and an accurate answer on the exit question lets a specialist size the term properly on the first call.
Questions about this tool
What counts as a strong exit strategy?
One with evidence behind it: an unconditional sale contract, a refinance approval, a contract payment date or a confirmed refund. The more certain the event and the date, the stronger the exit.
How much buffer should I add?
Enough to absorb a realistic delay. Property campaigns run long, buyers' finance slips and refinance approvals can stall on a single document. Many borrowers add four to eight weeks, and more where councils, the ATO or third parties are involved.
What if my exit is delayed past the term?
Talk to your lender before the term ends. The loans are flexible and you can keep one as long as you need it, but early contact keeps the options and the costs under control.
Can I have more than one exit?
Yes, and it strengthens the deal. A sale with a refinance as the backup, or an incoming payment plus a smaller sale, gives the lender two ways to be repaid.
Does the timeline change the cost?
Yes. Interest accrues for every month the loan is open, so a realistic term lets you estimate the true cost. Plug the recommended term into the bridging cost estimator.
Our promises
No credit check to enquire
Find out where you stand before anything touches your credit file. A check only happens once you choose to proceed.
Not shopped around
Your enquiry is not sprayed across a list of lenders. It stays with one team that works the deal properly.
A real person on your file
A secured lending specialist reads your details and calls you. Accurate answers on the form mean the right structure first time.
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Open the calculator →Bridging Cost Estimator
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Open the calculator →Equity Release Estimator
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Your first mortgage stays put. See the headroom a second mortgage could work within.
Open the calculator →Settlement Checklist
Tick off the documents and steps that get a secured loan from approval to funds.
Open the calculator →Done the sums? Let's test them against a real deal.
One short enquiry. No credit check when you first enquire, a specialist reading it, and your details kept with one team rather than shopped around.
No credit check to enquire
Not shopped around
A real person on your file