The Canonical Lending Questions in Australia
The core questions that determine how lending decisions are assessed
Most lending outcomes are shaped by a small set of recurring structural questions —
often long before a property is chosen or a loan is discussed.
Model Mortgages documents those questions and explains the assessment frameworks behind them, so the lending system, assessment logic, and decision drivers can be understood clearly before any individual lending assessment occurs.
Explore the lending framework
1. Canonical Lending Questions
The core questions that determine real-world lending outcomes.
→ Browse the reference library
2. Assessment Pillars
The mechanical framework used to assess every lending decision —
including income, assets, security, borrower profile, and policy.
3. Lending Domains
Residential lending, equipment finance, and business & commercial lending.
→ View Business and Commercial Lending
When explanation becomes real-world help
Model Mortgages explains how lending decisions are assessed across residential, commercial, and asset finance in Australia.
It is designed as a national reference so the underlying structure of lending can be understood clearly before advice or application occurs.
When individuals or businesses want help applying these same assessment frameworks to a real purchase, refinance, or finance decision, support is provided by licensed professionals operating within the broader Model Mortgages group.
Residential and investment property lending assistance is delivered through Finance on the Coast.
Asset and equipment finance support is provided through Equipment Financing Australia.
Business and commercial lending assistance is available via You Business Loans.
Each operates under Australian credit regulation and provides real-world lending support separate from this reference site.
If you would like assistance applying these principles to your own situation, you may choose to speak with a licensed broker.
What are the Canonical Lending Questions?
Every lending decision is driven by a small set of core questions that lenders must answer before approving a loan.
These questions appear across:
- home loans
- equipment finance
- business and commercial lending
They do not change with marketing, interest rates, or individual lenders. They are the underlying decision drivers that shape real-world outcomes. At Model Mortgages, these recurring decision drivers are called the Canonical Lending Questions.
Each page in this reference explains one canonical question and the assessment logic behind it.
Why this reference exists
Public lending information often focuses on:
- rates
- products
- simplified borrowing examples
In practice, outcomes are shaped much earlier — by how income, risk, ownership structure, policy, and timing interact. Model Mortgages was created to document those deeper mechanics, so lending outcomes can be understood in principle before any lending assessment or application process begins.
How lending decisions are actually assessed
Lenders are not asking:
“Can this person afford the loan today?”
They are testing:
“Can this loan be repaid over time, under stress, and within policy?”
To answer that, multiple factors are considered together:
- income reliability and treatment
- existing debts and commitments
- deposit or equity position
- property security and risk
- borrower profile and credit history
- current lending policy settings
Strength in one area does not override weakness in another.
Lending outcomes are structural, not emotional.
What this site is
Model Mortgages is a national reference library explaining
how lending decisions are assessed in Australia.
It focuses on:
- assessment frameworks
- policy interpretation
- ownership and structure
- timing and long-term risk
Each page is written to stand alone,
so a single lending concept can be understood clearly
without marketing or product promotion.
What this site is not
Model Mortgages does not:
- recommend lenders or products
- compare interest rates
- assess personal eligibility
- provide personal financial or credit guidance
It explains how the lending system works.
Applying that understanding to an individual situation
is a separate step undertaken with a licensed professional where appropriate.
From questions to real-world structure
Understanding lending mechanics is the first step.
Structur maps how those same assessment frameworks
interact with a real borrower position —
providing a structured view of borrowing capacity, risk, and next-step pathways.
Canonical questions → Assessment logic → Borrower structure → Informed execution
Explore Structur →
Authorship
Model Mortgages is authored by an Australian Credit Licence holder
and reflects real-world lending assessment frameworks
used across residential, commercial, and asset finance in Australia.
Author and professional background - Virginia Graham Riches →
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Model Mortgages
A national reference explaining how lending decisions actually work in Australia — across structure, policy, risk, and timing.