The short answer
For a business that owns real estate, a property-secured loan is a sensible Banjo loans alternative. According to its website (as at October 2026), Banjo offers business loans and asset finance from $20,000 to $2,000,000, generally without taking security over assets, though director guarantees may be required. BizLoansFast lends $20,000 to $5,000,000 secured on residential or commercial property, sized to equity and exit rather than turnover, with no valuation ordered.
- Banjo states a $20,000 to $2,000,000 range for business loans and asset finance
- Banjo generally lends without asset security, though it notes director guarantees may apply
- Our loans are secured on real estate and run to $5,000,000
- Credit history and missing financials weigh less when the property and exit are clear
| Banjo range (per its website) | $20,000 to $2,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Our range | $20,000 to $5,000,000 |
| What we lend against | Equity in residential or commercial property |
| Repayment style | Interest prepaid or capitalised, cleared at exit |
A Banjo loans alternative is worth a look when your business, or one of its directors, owns real estate and you’d like the loan built around that equity instead of around a personal guarantee and recent trading figures. BizLoansFast writes short-term business loans secured on residential or commercial property, anywhere between $20,000 and $5,000,000, and has been helping Australian businesses since 2004.
Banjo is a well-known name in unsecured small business lending. Below is what it says it offers, how a guarantee-backed loan differs from one secured on property, and how to tell which suits your situation.
Banjo at a glance
Banjo’s key details, according to its website (as at October 2026), in our own summary:
- It offers four business loan options, named Excel, Express, Flexi and Bridge, plus asset finance in Excel and Express versions.
- Working capital loans and asset finance both run from $20,000 to $2,000,000.
- It promotes fast decisions and access to funds with less paperwork, and describes its timing as indicative.
- The Flexi loan includes up to four months of interest-only payments.
- It does not generally take security over assets, though director guarantees may be required, and security may apply for larger loans or some loan types.
- All loans are provided by FundIT Ltd as trustee of the Banjo Small Business Loan Fund.
- It works with brokers and accountants through an accredited partner arrangement.
Guarantee or property: what actually changes?
The core difference is what stands behind the loan. An unsecured loan backed by a director’s guarantee leans mostly on the business’s trading record, bank statements and credit history, with the guarantee as a fallback. A property-secured loan leans on registered or caveated interest over real estate, plus a believable plan to repay.
That shift changes three practical things:
- Size. Lending against equity can go further than lending against turnover alone. The RBA reported in October 2025 that loans secured by residential property average four and a half times the size of loans secured by other means.
- What the lender reads. We look hardest at the title, what’s owed against it and the exit. Statements and financials matter less, and in some cases we don’t need business financials at all.
- How you repay. Our interest can be prepaid up front or added to the loan, with the balance cleared in one hit when the sale, refinance or contract payment comes in.
When is Banjo likely the sensible choice?
Plenty of borrowers are better off with an unsecured lender, and we’ll say so when that’s you. Banjo-style finance tends to suit when:
- the business owns no property, and no director wants to offer theirs
- you’re buying equipment and want the item itself to carry the finance
- the amount sits comfortably inside the trading history and the need is ongoing working capital
- you’d prefer an interest-only start, which Banjo’s Flexi loan describes
If that list describes you, our guide to cash flow lenders in Australia is a good next read. The wider comparison section also profiles private lenders who lend against real estate.
When does a property-secured loan fit better?
Real estate changes the conversation in these cases:
- You need more than $2,000,000. We go to $5,000,000 against suitable property.
- The ATO is pressing. A loan to clear tax debt secured on property can be sized to the full debt, not to what the statements suggest you can carry.
- You’re waiting on a sale or settlement. Bridging loans cover the gap between buying and selling, or between a contract and its payment.
- Your credit file has history. Past defaults or a bank knock-back don’t end the discussion when the equity and exit hold up.
- Speed hinges on paperwork. We never order a valuation. Our team assesses the property, so no valuer appointment holds things up.
The security options are set out in full under fast secured business loans. If two or more of those points sound like your business, get an indicative answer on your file.
Banjo loans vs BizLoansFast
| Banjo (per its website) | BizLoansFast | |
|---|---|---|
| Amounts | $20,000 to $2,000,000 | $20,000 minimum, $5,000,000 maximum |
| Products | Excel, Express, Flexi and Bridge business loans; asset finance | Caveat loans, second mortgages and private first mortgages |
| Security | Not generally taken over assets; director guarantees may be required; security possible on larger loans | Registered mortgage or a caveat on a home, shop, office or factory |
| Speed | Fast decisions; timing described as indicative | Same-day approval is common; clean files funded inside 24 hours |
| Interest-only option | Up to four months on the Flexi loan | Interest can be prepaid or capitalised for the term |
| Valuation | Not stated | We never order one |
| How you apply | Direct or through accredited brokers and accountants | 60-second online enquiry or a phone call |
Rolling several cash-flow loans into one
A pattern we see often: a business took one unsecured loan, then a second to get through a slow month, then a third. Each comes with its own repayment schedule, and together they eat into the cash the business needs to trade. If there’s property equity in the picture, one secured loan can pay out all of them at settlement, so there’s a single lender, a single due date and no repayments draining the account in the meantime.
Get written payout figures from each lender, check the early-exit terms in each contract, and send the lot to us with the property details. Our business loan refinancing page covers the steps.
Illustrative example
Illustrative example: a Perth engineering firm has agreed to buy the warehouse next door and must settle in three weeks, but its older site won’t sell for another four months. It needs $2,600,000. The firm owns the older site outright and it’s worth around $4,500,000. We lend the full amount on a first mortgage over that site, with interest capitalised so the business carries no monthly cost. The new warehouse settles on time, and when the older site sells, the loan is repaid from the proceeds.
Talk to a lender who answers today
Owning property gives you options a turnover-based offer can’t always match. Tell us about your deal in about a minute: the amount, the property and how the money comes back.
Here is what you can count on. There’s no credit check for making an enquiry. Your information is used to assess your file and is not passed around to other lenders. An experienced private lender reads it, not a call centre, and you get a direct answer quickly, including a no if it won’t work. Fill in the details accurately and the answer you get will be one you can rely on. Prefer to talk it through? Ring 1300 852 150 during business hours.
Banjo alternative: your questions answered
Who actually provides Banjo loans?
According to its website (as at October 2026), all Banjo loans are provided by FundIT Ltd in its capacity as trustee of the Banjo Small Business Loan Fund. It's a useful detail to know, because the entity named on a loan contract is the one you owe. Whoever you borrow from, check that name before you sign.
How quickly does Banjo make a decision?
Banjo's website (as at October 2026) talks about fast decisions and faster access to working capital with less paperwork, and treats any timing as indicative. For a firm answer on your file, ask them directly. With us, same-day approval is common when the security and purpose are clear, and simple deals can be funded within 24 hours.
Does Banjo need security for a business loan?
Its website (as at October 2026) says Banjo does not generally take security over assets, but director guarantees may be required, and security may be needed for larger loans or some loan types. Our loans work the other way round: a mortgage or caveat over real estate is the starting point, and that is what allows larger amounts and flexible repayments.
Can a Banjo loan be paid out with a secured loan?
Usually, provided there is equity in a property owned by the business, a director or a guarantor. Request a payout letter from Banjo, check your contract for any early-repayment terms, then send us the figure and the property details. We can pay the existing lender straight from settlement so there is no gap.
Banjo vs a secured loan: how do I choose?
Start with two questions: do you own property, and how much do you need? A trading business without real estate, buying equipment or topping up working capital, may be well served by an unsecured lender such as Banjo. If you hold equity and need more than $2,000,000, have credit marks, or can't produce up-to-date financials, a secured loan is generally the stronger fit.
Do you lend for asset purchases like Banjo's asset finance?
We can fund equipment, vehicles or plant, but we secure the loan on property rather than on the item itself. That suits businesses that want to buy used or specialised gear a typical asset financier may not take, or want the purchase settled within days. Our asset financing page explains how it works.
Sources we checked
Names are trademarks of their owners. BizLoansFast is not affiliated with any lender named on this page. Lender details are summarised from each lender's own website as at October 2026 and can change — check with the lender directly.
Written by the BizLoansFast lending team · Updated 2026-10-06