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Victoria | Lydian platform, delivered in partnership with Clark Finance Group
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Thornbury sits just north of Northcote with a similar housing stock and a slightly gentler price point. Californian bungalows and interwar homes on marginally larger blocks, with High Street running through the middle of it.
Thornbury tends to attract buyers who wanted Northcote and found the numbers difficult. The housing is a little newer and the blocks a little wider, which changes what is possible. Where a Northcote cottage offers limited room to extend, a Thornbury bungalow often has genuine scope at the rear.
That makes it a strong renovation market, and the projects are usually more straightforward than in the terraces further south. Interwar construction is generally sounder than Victorian, and there is more room to work with.
We also see a lot of first home buyers here, often buying a unit or a townhouse rather than a house, and often with family assistance in some form. Family guarantees are common in the inner north, where parents may hold substantial equity in the same suburb.
Wider blocks and sounder construction than the terraces south of here. Renovation is more straightforward.
Common in the inner north where parents hold equity locally. We structure them so everyone understands the risk.
Units and townhouses where a house is out of reach. Scheme eligibility checked against the specific property.
Whatever stage you are at, there is a path through it. Pick the one that sounds like you.
A parent offers part of the equity in their property as additional security, which lets you borrow without a full deposit and often without lenders mortgage insurance. No cash changes hands. The guarantee is usually limited to a specific amount and can be released once you have built enough equity.
It is real and should not be glossed over. If the borrower cannot repay, the lender can pursue the guaranteed portion, which could mean the parent’s property is at risk. Limiting the guarantee to a specific sum and having a plan to release it reduces the exposure. We would encourage everyone involved to get independent legal advice.
Usually. Interwar bungalows tend to have sounder foundations, wider blocks and more room at the rear, so extensions are less structurally complicated and generally less expensive per square metre. There are still surprises with any older home, but fewer of them.
Often yes. Townhouses are generally financed on standard terms provided the development is not too large and the dwelling meets minimum size requirements, which is rarely an issue for a townhouse. Whether a first home buyer scheme applies depends on the price and your eligibility.
Book a free consultation and we will walk you through your options, what you can borrow, and what it will cost.
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Lydian Financial Services Victoria
Suite 1/103 Grimshaw Street, Greensborough VIC 3088, Australia
Level 12, 15 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Copyright © LYDIAN FINANCIAL SERVICES PTY LTD 2026. All Right Reserved.