For many borrowers, an off-the-plan purchase that rises in value can seem like an easy win. But Sydney-based finance strategist and former nurse Ronald Gatbonton (pictured) knows that without the right lending structure, even a “good” property can quietly stall a client’s long-term wealth plans.
That insight goes back to his own journey as a skilled migrant from 2013, when he saw colleagues on strong incomes still struggling to make confident, strategic property decisions.
Gatbonton, a finance strategist at Right Wealth and a 5-Star Broker, recalls working with a Sydney couple who had purchased an off-the-plan house and land package. By the time the build was completed, the property had appreciated – but the couple’s financial position told a different story.
“On paper, it looked like a great decision – the property had grown in value by the time it was completed. But when we reviewed their situation, the reality was quite different,” he says.
“They were under significant financial pressure due to high holding costs, especially now after the recent RBA rate rises in 2026, and more importantly, their borrowing capacity was already capped.”
Despite the capital gain, the way the loan and ownership were set up meant the couple had little flexibility to move forward.
“So even though the property had appreciated, it actually limited their ability to move forward and invest further,” Gatbonton says.
For Gatbonton, who migrated to Australia as a skilled nurse in 2013 and later retrained in finance and mortgage broking, the experience reinforced a message he sees across many clients – especially migrants and professionals with strong incomes but limited strategic guidance.
“I saw people buying homes without understanding the structure behind it,” he says. “Some ended up with high repayments, limited borrowing capacity, or properties that didn’t really support their long-term goals. They had focused on buying the property first, without fully understanding the structure behind it.”
Rather than just refinancing around the edges, Gatbonton stepped back and reassessed the couple’s entire position, from cash flow to borrowing capacity and long-term goals.
“What I did was step back and walk them through their overall position – cash flow, borrowing capacity, and long-term goals. We then explored ways to restructure their approach moving forward, rather than just reacting to the current situation,” he says.
Gatbonton believes this kind of strategic review is where mortgage brokers add the most value in a high-rate, complex policy environment. He sees the broker’s role evolving from “transaction facilitator” to educator and trusted adviser, especially for migrant and professional clients who are time-poor but ambitious.
“The biggest lesson I took from that experience is that in broking, it’s not just about whether a deal works today – it’s about whether it still works in the future,” Gatbonton says. “Because a good property without the right structure can actually hold a client back, while the right structure creates flexibility and long-term opportunity.”
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