Often none at all, if the sale of the family home covers the next purchase outright. Where a shortfall exists, or where you want to buy before selling, a loan bridges the gap and is repaid from the sale proceeds.

Retirees frequently find lenders cautious about term rather than amount, because a standard thirty-year loan extending past retirement age triggers an exit strategy requirement. Lenders want to see how the loan is repaid, whether from superannuation, the sale of another asset or ongoing income.

A shorter term or a smaller loan against a large equity position usually resolves it, and the equity in a long-held Logan home does most of the heavy lifting.

We identify lenders comfortable with an exit strategy before applying, which avoids a decline that sits on your file. Talk to Cube.

Buying first means moving once and choosing at your own pace, which matters more when you are sorting through decades of a family home. It requires bridging finance or enough equity to carry both properties briefly.

Selling first gives you certainty and cash in hand, and downsizers are often attractive buyers precisely because they are unconditional. The trade-off is a rental period or a tight simultaneous settlement.

Simultaneous settlement is possible and is what most downsizers aim for, but it puts both transactions on one date and any delay affects the other side.

Where you are moving matters too. Smaller stock in Springwood, Meadowbrook and Loganlea turns over faster than the larger homes being sold, so the purchase side is often quicker than the sale. We work through the sequencing with you before either side is committed.

Yes. Lenders will not lend on age, which would be unlawful, but they will ask how a loan extending past your working life gets repaid. That is the exit strategy, and it is a reasonable question rather than an obstacle.

Acceptable answers usually include superannuation balances, the sale of an investment property, ongoing rental or pension income, or simply a shorter loan term that finishes before retirement.

Lender appetite varies considerably. Some are comfortable with a documented strategy and a modest loan against strong equity, others apply firm internal limits regardless of the equity position, and knowing which is which saves an unnecessary decline.

Downsizers usually present very well once the file is framed properly, because the equity position is strong. We put it in front of the right lender the first time. Call 1800 774 756.

There is a superannuation downsizer contribution available to eligible Australians who sell a home they have owned for at least ten years, allowing a one-off contribution into super from the proceeds outside the usual caps. Eligibility rules, age thresholds and contribution limits change, so confirm current requirements before relying on them.

It can also affect Age Pension assessment, because the family home is exempt from the assets test while proceeds sitting in super or the bank are not. Downsizing can therefore reduce a pension entitlement in some circumstances.

Neither point should stop a move that suits you, but both belong in the decision rather than being discovered afterwards.

This is general information only and Cube Home Loans is not a financial adviser. Speak with your accountant or a licensed adviser about your circumstances, and we will handle the lending side.