Self-employed
How lenders read self-employed income
Tax returns, BAS, business statements, add-backs and shorter trading histories.
Read this guide
Mortgage guides by John Carson-Zangor
Start with the mortgage question in front of you
Plain-English guides about the income, deposit, credit, property and policy checks that can change a home-loan decision.
Thirteen useful starting points
Choose the guide that sounds most like your situation
Each guide explains the common checks and trade-offs. It does not assume that one lender, product or answer suits everyone.
Credit issues
What a home loan decline actually means
Work out whether the problem was income, credit conduct, documents, property or lender fit.
Read this guideDeclined loans — new 17 July 2026
Declined for a home loan: the complete playbook
The exact order to work a decline: get the real reason, check your credit file, fix the fixable, then match written policy.
Read this guideSpecialist lending — new data
The Specialist Lending Index
What Australia’s specialist and non-bank lenders will actually consider — counted from a 60-lender policy library. No names, no rates, just numbers.
Read the indexDeclined loans — new 14 August 2026
The Decline Register
The common home-loan decline reasons, indexed — what each usually means and the first check John runs before anyone applies again.
Browse the registerTax debt
ATO debt and home-loan options
The evidence, payment arrangements, equity and policy questions that can narrow the lender set.
Read this guideBuying a home
Low-deposit pathways
Understand deposits, genuine savings, lender mortgage insurance and government schemes.
Read this guideFamily support
Ways parents can help their children buy
Compare gifts, family loans, equity support and guarantor arrangements in a sensible order.
Read this guideSMSF — law change 10 Aug 2026
SMSF property loans in plain English
The structure, deposit, property and lender questions to understand before buying through super. Note: new residential SMSF borrowing is generally closing from 10 August 2026 — details inside.
Read this guideNew — 17 July 2026
What changes on 10 August 2026Construction
Construction and vacant-land loans
Why contracts, progress payments, valuation, timing and funds to complete need the right order.
Read this guideRefinance
The loyalty tax
Review the cost of staying with your lender, including repayments, fees, features and loan term.
Read this guideInvesting
Investment loan structure
Think through cash flow, purpose, equity use and future borrowing before focusing on rate alone.
Read this guideVisas and expats
Visa-holder home loans
Residency evidence, overseas income, deposit sources and the lender questions that may apply.
Read this guidePolicy research, explained clearly
Useful information before an application starts
60+lender policies tracked for research
40+lenders available through John's accredited panel
Directconversation with John when personal review is needed
What changes the answer
Three checks sit behind most mortgage questions
Lender policy changes frequently. These are the practical parts John brings together before discussing a possible pathway.
Income and evidence
How income is earned, how long it has been received and which documents can verify it.
Deposit, debts and credit
Funds to complete, existing commitments, repayment conduct and any events that need context.
Property, purpose and timing
The security, loan purpose, contract dates and whether the proposed structure still makes sense.
Need the personal version?
A guide can explain the question. John checks your actual position.
Tell John what you are trying to do and which part is unclear. No lender application is made from the enquiry form.
General information only. Lender policies, rates and eligibility rules can change. Personal credit assistance requires a review of your objectives, financial situation and documents.
Useful mortgage information
Understand the question before making the decision
These resources are here to help you prepare for a practical conversation with John.
John Carson-ZangorDirect help from a residential mortgage broker based in Bethania, Logan.
John's AI mortgage helper
Prepare the right question for John
General information only. This helper cannot confirm approval, choose a lender or give personal credit advice.
Do not enter passwords, account numbers, tax file numbers, dates of birth or identity-document details.
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