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Mortgage Broker Stanmore

Links Property Finance · Home loans in Stanmore and across Sydney: Mortgage Broker in Stanmore

Four in ten Stanmore homes are semis or terraces, more than three times the NSW share, with apartments making up most of the rest.

Reviewed by Charles Touma Updated 18 October 2026

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Buying a bigger Stanmore home around parental leave: what do lenders count?

Most lenders count your income once you are back at work, so they want a return-to-work letter from your employer with the date and hours, and enough savings to cover the gap. Some lenders count parental leave pay while you are off.

Read more

Timing the application around the leave often matters more than the rate.

Terrace houses along a tree-lined street
Of Stanmore's homes, 18.8% are houses, 40.2% terraces and semis and 38.4% apartments (ABS Census 2021).

What Stanmore is built of

Attached homes are a big part of Stanmore, at 40.2% against 11.7% statewide. Whether a townhouse sits on its own title or inside a strata scheme changes how a lender treats it, so check the contract. 45.1% 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.

  • Postcode2048
  • CouncilInner West Council
  • From the Sydney CBD3 km south west
38.4%

apartments NSW 21.7%

18.8%

separate houses NSW 65.6%

40.2%

terraces and semis NSW 11.7%

45.1%

rented NSW 32.6%

29.4%

with a mortgage NSW 32.5%

3,595

private dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburbs and Localities (SAL13665).

A house with a wide front verandah

What a lender would lend you in Stanmore

How much could you borrow?

$140,000
None

What moves the number

Choose any that apply. Each shows roughly how much it changes the figure, the way a lender’s assessment would.

$635,000

is an indicative borrowing figure at today’s typical rates. Lenders typically count around 80% of rental income, which is why an investment purchase can lift your number, your real figure comes from a proper assessment.

Confirm your numbers.

Charles Touma, mortgage broker at Links Property Finance
5.0 from 32 Google reviews

Real outcomes for real borrowers.

★★★★★
Charles and the team at links property finance recently assisted me with my purchase of my first property in Burwood. As a first home buyer, Charles made the process simple and easy. I would recommend Charles to all first home buyers
Elijah Google review
★★★★★
Charles and the team recently assisted us with a refinance of our investment property. Recommend Charles and the team to all
Tony Google review
★★★★★
Paperwork and finances were never my strong suit. He has made this process as simple and dummy proof for me as humanly possible. This is not the first time I use a mortgage broker, however it was the easiest and most pleasant.
Mikhail Google review

Parental leave and borrowing in Stanmore

Many lenders will assess your normal income while you are on parental leave, provided you have a confirmed return date and your employer confirms your role and salary in writing.

They also want to see how the repayments will be met until you return, usually from savings, the other partner’s income or paid leave.

Policies differ on how close the return date must be, whether a part-time return is accepted and how paid parental leave is treated.

Applying before leave starts can be simpler, but it is not always possible, and being open about the plan leads to a more reliable approval. Parental leave and borrowing in detail

A corner cottage with a hedge

Charles Touma, mortgage broker at Links Property FinanceCharles Touma, Mortgage Broker.

Families and terraces in Stanmore

A father holding his baby at the window of a new home
  • Links Property Finance is based in Enfield, with conversations by phone and video that fit around family life.The first one is about your plans for the next few years, not paperwork.
  • Four in ten Stanmore homes are semis or terraces, and nearly as many are apartments.Upsizing from one to the other without leaving the suburb is a common move for growing families.

What do lenders need during leave?

A family with their bikes outside their home
  • A letter from your employer.Confirming your role, salary, leave dates and return date, and whether you are returning full or part time.
  • A plan for the leave period.Savings, paid leave or the other income that covers repayments until you are back at work.

Parramatta Road, Newington College and Stanmore housing

Stanmore lies about three kilometres south-west of the city in Inner West Council. It is known for its long strip of shops along Parramatta Road, and has a small shopping centre beside Stanmore station, which is on the Inner West line.

Its parks are small ones, including Weekley Park, Crammond Park and Montague Gardens, and the Stanmore Hawks soccer club carries its name.

  • The suburb was named by John Jones, a saddler who settled in 1835 on the land where Newington College now stands and called it the Stanmore Estate, after his birthplace, now part of north-west London.
  • When a Stanmore family is planning around parental leave, Links compares a panel that includes Westpac, ING, Macquarie, ANZ and Resimac.
Read the full detail

The suburb was named by John Jones, a saddler who settled in 1835 on the land where Newington College now stands and called it the Stanmore Estate, after his birthplace, now part of north-west London.

Its heritage-listed places include Stanmore station itself and the Corunna Road sewer vent and cottage. Today semis and terraces make up about four in ten homes, and apartments most of the rest.

When a Stanmore family is planning around parental leave, Links compares a panel that includes Westpac, ING, Macquarie, ANZ and Resimac.

Example scenario (illustrative, not a real client): a couple living in a Stanmore apartment are expecting their first child and want a semi with a backyard, and one partner will be on leave for nine months.

Before applying, they get a letter from the employer confirming the return date and salary, set aside savings to cover the leave period, and apply with both incomes assessed on that basis.

Before, during or after leave

Before leave, both incomes are current, but responsible lending means the lender should know about planned leave, and it will factor it in. During leave, many lenders accept your normal income with a confirmed return date and an employer letter.

After returning, your income is assessed as it is then, including any change to part time.

The best timing depends on when you want to move and how firm your plans are, and knowing each lender’s approach lets you choose the moment that suits you. Parental leave and borrowing.

A row of red-brick terraces

Returning part time

If you plan to return part time, lenders usually assess the part-time income rather than your previous full-time salary. Some accept a return-to-work letter stating the new hours and pay, and others want to see payslips after you have returned.

Planning the purchase around the income you will have avoids stretching the loan. An offset account holding a buffer can also ease the first months back at work. Check your borrowing power.

Upsizing from an apartment

Growing families often move from an apartment to a semi or terrace nearby. If you own the apartment, its equity can help fund the next deposit, whether you sell first or keep it as an investment.

Keeping the apartment means two loans and a tenant, and the lender counts only part of the rent. Selling first is simpler for the loan but means timing the move carefully. Using equity to buy again.

Apartment, semi or terrace?

Three Stanmore homes growing families weigh, and what each means for the loan.

  • Apartment. Often the starting point, with levies and a strata report to read. Its equity can help fund the next home.
  • Semi. Usually on its own title, with a shared wall and often a small yard. Generally straightforward security for a family purchase.
  • Terrace. Narrow and often on more than one level, sometimes on a very small lot. Condition and the building report matter more with older terraces.
A brick house with a gabled roof

What should I check before buying around parental leave in Stanmore?

The groundwork for a purchase that fits the year ahead.

  • An employer letterRole, salary, leave dates and a confirmed return date.
  • A leave budgetHow repayments will be covered until you return.
  • Your return hoursFull or part time, and the income that comes with it.
  • Childcare costsAn estimate for when you return, which lenders include.
  • A bufferSavings or an offset balance for the first months back.
  • The building reportFor an older semi or terrace, before you commit.

Common questions about buying in Stanmore

Can I get a home loan while on parental leave?

Often, yes. Many lenders assess your normal income if you have a confirmed return date and a letter from your employer confirming your role and salary. They also want to see how repayments will be covered until you return.

Do I have to tell the lender I am planning parental leave?

Yes. Responsible lending means a lender needs to understand changes you expect to your income. Being open usually leads to a more reliable approval, and the lender can plan the assessment around your return date.

Is paid parental leave counted as income?

Sometimes: some lenders count employer-paid parental leave for its duration, while the government payment is usually treated as short-term. The more reliable approach is to show how repayments will be met during leave, from savings and the other income.

What if I return part time?

Most lenders assess the income you will earn on return, so a part-time return means a lower figure than your previous full-time salary. A letter confirming your new hours and pay helps.

Should we buy before or after the baby arrives?

It depends on your plans and finances. Buying before leave can be simpler, provided the lender knows about the leave, while buying after you return means your income is settled. Either can work with the right lender.

How do lenders treat childcare costs?

They include them in your living expenses, often from the point you expect to return to work. Estimating them realistically avoids an approval that looks comfortable on paper but feels tight in practice.

Talk to a broker about your Stanmore home loan

One free call covers what you could borrow in Stanmore, the lenders that suit the property you want and the order to do things in.

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A family in front of the sold sign at the home they bought together

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Charles Touma, mortgage broker at Links Property Finance
Reviewed by Charles Touma Director & Mortgage Broker · MFAA member · Credit Representative 579003 under ACL 389328 About Charles · MFAA register · ASIC register · Complaints processEvery page is reviewed by Charles before it is published and checked against current lender policy and the official scheme pages linked where figures appear.

General information only, not credit or financial advice. Lender policies and government scheme criteria differ and change over time. All lending is subject to individual assessment and approval.