The untapped opportunities for established businesses

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ACCORDING TO the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), the total book value of commercial lending written by brokers reached a record $85.89 billion between April and September 2024. Matthew Heinnen, group manager, commercial at Liberty, says within the commercial lending momentum there are many ways to help businesses that brokers might not be fully aware of. “Often established businesses have clear trading histories and a strong sense of where they want to go when it comes to their property ambitions,” Heinnen says. “Brokers have the opportunity to connect established businesses with flexible lending options that recognise longevity.”

As one of Australia’s leading non-bank lenders, Liberty offers innovative solutions to support customers with greater choice. For close to 30 years, this free-thinking approach to loan solutions has seen us help nearly one million customers across a wide range of home, car, personal and business loans, as well as SMSF lending and insurance. Liberty remains the only non-bank lender with an investment-grade credit rating offering custom and prime solutions to help more people get financial.

Matthew Heinnen, Liberty

For brokers, this creates a clearer framework to position strong business customers and move discussions forward with confidence. “Established businesses often bring consistency, experience, and clearer intent,” Heinnen says. “When brokers can demonstrate this through straightforward criteria, it supports more productive lending discussions.” Turning business maturity into momentum Broker Paul Shahinian of Econ-Finance, who has been writing Liberty loans for the last 20 years, used the flexibility of the Established Business Benefit to support a recent customer’s property purchase. The customer was well asset-backed and had been running a very successful business for a long time. When two adjacent properties came onto the market, the opportunity aligned with a longer-term strategy. “The goal was to consolidate the land holdings, generate rental income in the short term and preserve flexibility for future use,” Shahinian says. “As an evolving business, they were looking to consolidate the sites without locking themselves into something too rigid.” Rather than treating the customer as a standard self-employed borrower, with Liberty’s Established Business Benefit, Shahinian was able to frame the application around the business’ maturity and asset position. “Liberty supported a borrowing outcome that balanced capacity, structure and certainty without adding unnecessary complexity to the process,” Shahinian says. This flexibility gave the customer room to accelerate their goals, plan ahead and move forward with confidence. From a broker perspective, it also helped simplify the process.

“Brokers have the opportunity to connect established businesses with flexible lending options that recognise longevity”

Businesses trading for years often have different needs and asset positions than those newly established. Non-bank lender Liberty is helping brokers broaden their offering to support a variety of businesses

Published 27 Jul 2026

Supporting broader broker conversations Many brokers initially work with established business owners on residential property purchases before the conversation turns to commercial opportunities. Heinnen says this creates a natural opportunity for brokers to broaden the support they offer, without needing to overhaul how they operate. “Brokers often have these customers on their books already,” Heinnen says. “It can be helpful to start by asking a few questions about how their business is tracking, what the next stage looks like and where property might fit into that plan.” Rather than stepping into unfamiliar territory, engaging in commercial property lending can be an extension of existing relationships. With the right support and clear lending frameworks, brokers can explore these opportunities confidently while continuing to support customers as their needs evolve. “We're here to help brokers do their best work with the right support at the right time,” Heinnen says. “Having strong conversations early can open up opportunities that make sense for customers and for brokers alike.”

Leading more confident conversations Beyond lending products, brokers should look for lenders who understand and value the whole picture, rather than only relying on rigid criteria. At Liberty, this free-thinking approach guides how teams work with brokers. They focus on simplifying commercial lending, providing clear guidance and refining deal structures early. Shahinian points to the value of working closely with Liberty’s team. “Being able to workshop a deal with my Liberty BDM before submission goes a long way to achieving a smoother outcome,” he explains.

Early engagement with Liberty BDMs to workshop servicing and structure can give brokers greater confidence when presenting options to clients. This collaboration continues through assessment. Heinnen says that when a scenario has been discussed upfront, the alignment between broker, BDM and credit assessor can support a more streamlined outcome. “Transparent communication, knowledgeable assessors and a willingness to consider alternative documentation can make a meaningful difference,” he notes. For brokers, the message is clear: having access to free-thinking lending solutions across a wide range of business profiles could support more confident and informed conversations. Whether it’s working with evolving businesses and their accountants to understand individual circumstances, or with established businesses with longer trading histories, Liberty commercial loans support diverse business needs. When engaged in early, scenario-based discussions, brokers are encouraged to speak with their Liberty BDMs to explore tailored lending solutions. For more information visit liberty.com.au/broker or call 13 11 33.

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“Transparent communication, knowledgeable assessors and a willingness to consider alternative documentation can make a meaningful difference”

Matthew Heinnen, Liberty

Approved applicants only. Lending criteria apply. Fees and charges are payable. Liberty Financial Pty Ltd ACN 077 248 983 and Secure Funding Pty Ltd ABN 25 081 982 872 Australian Credit Licence 388133, together trading as Liberty Financial.

A different lens for established businesses Many businesses that have traded successfully for years and built strong asset positions are thinking strategically about property as part of their long-term plans. Yet some may still be assessed through broad self-employed lenses that might not reflect the strength of their position. Liberty acknowledges this cohort more directly and has continued to refine its business loan product to open more doors for business borrowers. Liberty’s Established Business Benefit recognises the strength that is already there. It applies simple criteria for businesses that have been actively trading for more than five years and have recorded sales turnover above $1 million in the past 12 months, across preferred commercial property loans.