The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority last week initiated additional supervisory measures which it said would help “address risk that continues to build within the mortgage lending market”.
Thrive Investment Finance owner Samantha Bright said the majority of these measures, particularly those relating to loan-to-value ratios (LVRs), would have little impact on SMSFs given that SMSFs generally have LVRs of 70-80 per cent or less.
However, she cautioned that APRA’s focus on interest-only lending could impact some SMSFs that are looking for interest-only loans.
“I’m kind of two steps ahead but potentially if a bank had to restrict its interest-only lending in total, that may have a flow-on effect to SMSFs,” Ms Bright said.
“Interest-only loans are the only point where we might see the lenders tightening up on SMSF lending.”
Ms Bright said one lender has already said that if the SMSF wants a loan-to-value ratio above 70 per cent, the loan has to be principal and interest.
“So we may see some of those principal and interest restrictions creep in,” she said.
“There are some lenders that when you do an SMSF loan, they look at someone’s individual circumstances as well, and if serviceability becomes tighter, then that’s going to become harder.”
Ms Bright said there are only a few lenders that do this for SMSF loans now.
