Hurstville is towers above the station and a major retail centre beneath them, and families here buy together as a matter of course. Charles reads the building and the family paperwork before you offer.
Usually, yes, but the building is assessed alongside you. In a Hurstville tower the lender checks how much it already holds in the building, the unit’s internal size, the strata records and, in developments where many units complete together, the settlement valuation.
Joint purchases across generations, documented gifts and family guarantees appear in a large share of Hurstville applications, and lenders handle all of it routinely when the paperwork is right.
Units account for 61.4% of homes in Hurstville, nearly three times the state figure. Here the building is assessed almost as closely as the borrower, from the strata report to the size of the complex. 47.4% of homes here are rented, against 32.6% across NSW. For an investor that means a deep rental market, and an agent’s rental appraisal is easy to get when a lender asks.
Separate housesTownhouses and semisApartments
apartments NSW 21.7%
separate houses NSW 65.6%
terraces and semis NSW 11.7%
rented NSW 32.6%
with a mortgage NSW 32.5%
private dwellings
Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburbs and Localities (SAL11971).
NSW first home buyer stamp duty
Assumes an eligible NSW first home buyer purchasing an existing home under the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (exempt to $800k, concession to $1m). Indicative only, check Revenue NSW for your exact position.
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Charles at Links Property Finance made buying our first home so much easier than we expected. As first home buyers, we had a lot of questions around borrowing capacity, our deposit and the different government schemes available to us. Charles explained everything clearly, compared different lenders and kept us updated throughout the whole process. He was always easy to reach and made sure we understood what was happening from pre approval right through to getting our home loan approved. We would definitely recommend Links Property Finance to anyone looking for a mortgage broker, especially first home buyers who want someone to guide them through the process.
Had a great experience with Charles. He made the home loan process straightforward, was always easy to communicate with, and really knew his stuff. Would definitely recommend Charles and the team!
Highly recommend Charles! Professional, knowledgeable and very easy to work with. He helped us navigate the home loan process and found a great solution that suited our needs. Excellent service from start to finish.
Charles Touma, Mortgage Broker.
The strata record, which matters most and gets read least. Sinking fund balance, levy history, minutes referring to defects or planned major works, and the balance of owner-occupiers to renters show how the building has been run.
The valuer reads it after you exchange, when it can only work against you; reading it first is the cheapest diligence in this market.
Yes, for the evidence: Hurstville station serves suburban and South Coast trains, with Allawah and Penshurst either side, and the retail centre sits beneath the towers, so a valuer has plenty of nearby unit sales and leases to compare.
The building itself still drives the figure through concentration caps and size rules.
Routinely.
Joint applications across generations are assessed on each borrower’s income with each owner on the title; gifts, including from family overseas, need a letter and evidence of the source, with the funds in an Australian account before settlement; and a family guarantee pledges equity without cash moving, with independent legal advice for the guarantor.
Usually one of four reasons: the lender already holds its cap of units in that building, the internal size is below its minimum, the strata records show defects or special levies, or the settlement valuation in a large completing development came in low. A different lender often says yes.
Yes. Lenders accept joint applications from siblings, parents and children or friends, assessing every borrower’s income and debts and putting each owner on the title. Decide the ownership shares and what happens if one party wants out before you apply; a solicitor documents it.
Yes, as a documented gift. The lender wants a gift letter, evidence of the source and the funds sitting in an Australian account before settlement, and some lenders still want part of the deposit as your own genuine savings. Allow time for the transfer and the paperwork.
Neither is automatically better. A walk-up avoids concentration caps and often has larger floor areas, but its strata fund and building age are checked closely. A tower has stronger rental evidence but brings size rules and settlement timing. The strata report decides either way.
Yes, for eligible first home buyers under the $1.5 million Sydney cap, which covers most Hurstville units, with no income caps and unlimited places. The unit still has to meet the lender’s own rules on size and building exposure, so the scheme and the building are checked together.
One free call covers what you could borrow in Hurstville, the lenders that suit the property you want and the order to do things in.
Prefer a callback?Charles calls back within one business day. No documents needed yet.
General information only, not credit or financial advice. Property types and lender policies differ and change over time; your position is confirmed in a full assessment. Links Property Finance works across Sydney and Australia-wide.
Official sources for the figures on this page: Housing Australia, 5% Deposit Scheme · Revenue NSW, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme. Scheme rules change; the official pages are the final word. Checked against these sources on 12 October 2026.
