24-hour caveat loans: a realistic plan for the first day

“Can you do it in 24 hours?” is the question we hear most. The honest answer is: often, when the file is ready — and you have more control over that than you might think. This page lays out what a single business day looks like when a caveat loan goes to plan.

Is 24 hours actually realistic?

For $20k to $250k, same-day funding is possible on property-secured loans. For amounts up to $5m, funding is possible within 24–48 hours. The lower end of each range is where simple residential security, a single owner and a documented exit meet. The upper end is where commercial valuations, several signatories or larger amounts add steps.

Registry lodgement is rarely the hold-up anymore. Victoria moved all instruments to electronic lodgement from 1 August 2019, South Australia mandated electronic lodgement of caveats from 3 August 2020, and NSW did the same for caveats and all land dealings from 11 October 2021.

What does the day look like?

The timeline below this article shows a well-prepared file moving through one business day. The key idea is that steps overlap: the valuation can be ordered while documents are being prepared, and ID checks can happen while the title search comes back.

What can’t overlap is signing. Every registered owner, every director of a borrowing company and every guarantor needs to sign and verify ID. If one of them is on a flight, the day stretches.

What should you have ready before you enquire?

Item	Why it saves time
Property address and title owners’ full names	Title search and ownership check start immediately
A realistic value (recent valuation, appraisal or comparable sales)	Avoids a surprise shortfall at valuation
Payout figure on every existing loan secured on the property	Combined LVR can be confirmed straight away
Current photo ID for every signer	Identity verification isn’t waiting on a renewal
Evidence of the exit (contract, approval, invoice)	Terms can be issued without follow-up questions
Payee details (ATO reference, invoice, settlement statement)	Funds can be directed on the day

The full list is on our documents page.

What pushes a 24-hour loan to 48 hours or longer?

• An unexpected item on the title, like an old caveat, a writ or a name that doesn’t match ID.
• A valuation query, such as a property with unapproved works or an unusual zoning.
• Trust or company ownership that needs the trust deed or company extract checked — see trust or company property.
• Late-day starts, where the bank’s same-day payment windows have passed.
• Weekends and public holidays, when valuers and payment systems slow down.

A fuller list is on what slows a caveat loan.

Checking whether your file is a 24-hour one takes a moment in the Feasibility Checker. If the clock is already running, go straight to the enquiry.

An illustrative day

Illustrative only.

A Brisbane electrical contractor learns at 8am that a supplier will release a $160,000 bulk order at a significant discount if paid by the end of the day. The owner has a home in her name with a modest mortgage and a clear payout figure. The exit is a progress claim due in seven weeks.

• 8:20am — enquiry submitted with value, payout, amount and exit.
• 8:45am — specialist call; terms outlined, title and ID checks begin.
• 10:30am — valuation report back in line with expectations.
• 12:15pm — documents signed electronically.
• Early afternoon — caveat lodged and funds paid directly to the supplier.

Change one thing — say, a co-owner on the title who isn’t available until tomorrow — and the same file funds the next morning.

How does a 24-hour caveat loan compare with other fast options?

When the clock is short, most owners weigh up a handful of options at once. Here’s how they tend to line up:

Option	How fast	How much	What it needs
Caveat loan	$20k–$250k possible same day; up to $5m possible within 24–48 hours	Sized on property equity	Property with equity, a clear exit
Unsecured business loan	Same-day funding possible for smaller amounts	Typically $5k–$500k, sized on turnover	Trading history, bank statements
Bank overdraft or top-up	Days to weeks	Depends on the bank	Full bank assessment
Asking the creditor for time	Immediate, if they agree	—	A creditor willing to wait
Selling an asset	Days to weeks	Whatever it fetches	A buyer

Often the best answer is a combination: ask the creditor for a few days while the caveat loan settles, or cover part of the need unsecured and the rest against property. The caveat loan alternatives page compares the structures in more depth.

Does a faster loan mean a bigger risk?

Not if the basics are right. The risk in any short loan sits in two places: borrowing more than the equity comfortably supports, and relying on an exit that may not arrive on time. Neither has anything to do with how quickly the money is paid. Keep the combined LVR sensible, choose a term with a buffer beyond your expected exit date, and read the documents before you sign — even when you’re signing them on a phone at lunchtime. If anything in the loan agreement is unclear, ask. A good lender would rather explain a clause than have you surprised by it three months later.

Need it within a day? Tell us now

The earlier we start, the more of today we have.

Enquiring takes around 60 seconds and nothing is run against your credit file. Your details aren’t broadcast to a line-up of lenders; a specialist reads them and calls you. If you can, include the payout figure and the names of everyone on title, and be exact about the deadline — accuracy is what makes one-day funding possible.

Start now and beat the clock →