Potentially, yes. Some specialist lenders advertise alternative-documentation home loans above 80% loan-to-value ratio (LVR). But having 10% of the purchase price saved does not automatically mean you can borrow the other 90%, or cover the whole purchase.
The answer depends on the lender’s income-verification pathway, the property valuation, your financial position and the costs payable alongside the deposit.
Which lenders publish higher-LVR options?
These are selected public examples checked on 19 October 2026, rather than a complete market comparison or confirmation that you qualify.
Pepper Money: its Alt Doc page advertises loans up to $3 million at 95% LVR. It also describes six months’ ABN and GST registration, plus a financial-position declaration supported by specified income evidence. These published features do not establish that every applicant can combine the shortest business history with the highest LVR. Pepper assesses the full application.
Bluestone: its rates and fees page, marked correct as at 7 October 2026, lists a 90% maximum LVR for residential principal-and-interest loans using flexible income verification. However, its self-employed FAQ still describes a deposit as low as 15%, depending on circumstances. Those pages do not provide a consistent answer for every self-employed applicant. Confirm the applicable product and deposit requirement before relying on the 90% figure.
La Trobe Financial: its Self-Employed Lite Doc loan lists an 80% maximum LVR, subject to its conditions and security. The same page’s higher 95% figure belongs to Full Doc. It should not be read as a 10%-deposit Lite Doc offer.
The useful question is therefore: which lender’s alternative-income pathway is available at the LVR you need?
Why can a 10% deposit still leave a cash shortfall?
LVR compares the loan with the property value accepted for lending. The purchase price, accepted value and amount approved may differ. Buying costs also need funding. Moneysmart’s deposit guide includes costs such as stamp duty and legal fees when working out the savings needed.
For a simple hypothetical purchase:
- Price: $700,000. Assume the lender also accepts a $700,000 value and permits 90% LVR. That gives a $630,000 LVR-based loan ceiling, leaving $70,000 of the price to fund before costs.
- If the accepted value is instead $660,000, the same 90% limit gives $594,000. The price contribution becomes $106,000 before costs.
- These are arithmetic examples, not borrowing-capacity assessments. The lender could approve less, or decline the application.
If a fee is added to the loan, check whether it uses part of the LVR limit. Bluestone’s published terms require the loan including capitalised setup fees to stay within the product’s maximum LVR. Adding fees does not necessarily preserve the amount available toward the purchase price.
Do low-doc loans require LMI or a risk fee?
It depends on the product. Moneysmart explains that borrowing above 80% LVR may involve lenders mortgage insurance (LMI), which protects the lender rather than the borrower.
Specialist lenders also publish charges described as risk fees or lender protection fees. Pepper’s Alt Doc page lists these among fees that may be added to the loan; Bluestone’s current fee page separately lists a risk fee. Do not treat the different labels as proof of identical cover, or assume a loan without LMI has no additional charge.
Ask for the actual fee, whether it is paid in cash or added to the balance, and how it affects both the loan limit and repayments. Also allow for valuation, lender legal, establishment and other applicable purchase costs.
What else will the lender check?
Alternative documentation still means verified income. Pepper’s published Alt Doc examples require a declaration plus business statements, lodged BAS or its accountant’s letter, with the exact documents depending on the application.
ABN and GST history, income, expenses, existing debts, credit history, the property and the proposed borrowing all remain relevant. A high advertised LVR is not a promise that a particular income record, credit history or property will qualify.
Our business-bank-statements guide explains named evidence options. The short-ABN guide separates business history from the period of documents supplied.
What should I confirm before choosing a lender?
Start with three questions:
- Does this lender accept my income evidence at the LVR required for this property?
- After valuation and any capitalised fees, how much of the purchase price will the loan actually fund?
- What cash is needed for the remaining price and costs, and what rate, repayments and ongoing fees apply?
If you have full financial records, include them in the discussion. Being self-employed does not automatically mean you need an alternative-documentation loan. The 5% Deposit Scheme is a separate pathway with its own eligibility and lender assessment; it is not evidence that a low-doc product accepts a smaller deposit.
Flexdoc helps self-employed borrowers explore residential lending options. A useful starting point is your intended purchase price, deposit, business history and available income evidence. The lender makes the approval decision.
Public sources checked 19 October 2026. Product limits and requirements can change. This is general information, not a loan offer, eligibility assessment or personal financial, tax or legal advice.