Am I eligible for a Reverse Mortgage?

In Australia, reverse mortgages are generally available to homeowners aged 55 or over. You must own your home, meet lender property criteria, and be able to maintain rates, insurance and upkeep. The amount available depends on your age, property value and lender policy. Seniors First assesses eligibility across multiple specialist lenders.

Is a Reverse Mortgage safe for older Australians?

Yes. Reverse mortgages are heavily regulated in Australia and include safeguards such as the No Negative Equity Guarantee, mandatory legal advice, full disclosure, responsible lending obligations and broker Best Interest Duty. You retain the right to live in your home for life provided conditions are met.

How much can I borrow with a Reverse Mortgage?

Borrowing depends on your age, property value, lender LVR limits and existing mortgages. As a guide, borrowing may start around 15–20% at age 60 and increase with age. Seniors First compares multiple lenders and provides calculator estimates before personalised advice.

What can a Reverse Mortgage be used for?

Funds can be used flexibly, including retirement income, living expenses, debt consolidation, medical costs, home repairs, vehicles, family support or travel. Access options include lump sums, income streams or cash reserves depending on the lender.

Do I keep ownership of my home?

Yes. You remain the legal owner of your home. The loan is repaid when you sell, permanently move out or pass away. The No Negative Equity Guarantee ensures you or your estate never owe more than the property value.

Why choose a specialist Reverse Mortgage broker?

Specialist brokers provide access to niche lenders, broker-only rates, deep product comparisons, Centrelink expertise, regulatory compliance, loan structuring strategies and coordination of mandatory legal and financial advice. Seniors First has specialised exclusively in reverse mortgages since 2006.

What are Reverse Mortgage interest rates?

Reverse mortgage interest rates are generally higher than standard home loans due to the absence of repayments and compounding interest. Rates vary by lender, structure and market conditions. A specialist broker helps compare options and explain long-term impacts.

Will a reverse mortgage affect my Age Pension?

Usually not, but it depends on how funds are used. Money spent on exempt assets often has no impact, while cash or investments may affect Centrelink assessments. Seniors First explains general considerations and recommends confirming with Centrelink or an FIS officer.

SERAH™ - "Seniors Equity Release Access Hub" by Seniors First

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Check Eligibility

What is SERAH™?

SERAH™ stands for "Seniors Equity Release Access Hub". It's a secure portal for Australians 55yrs+ who want to learn about home equity release options. It includes 6+ hours of informational videos about downsizing, the Government HEAS, and Reverse Mortgages.

Why Over 55's Use SERAH™

Learn at your own pace

Take your time to understand the different home equity release options, without feeling rushed or pressured.

Explore privately

Ask questions about Reverse Mortgages and access educational content from the comfort of your home.

Understand what may be possible

Use calculators and tools to explore various scenarios. Compare the pros and cons of different equity release options such as downsizing, the Home Equity Access Scheme (HEAS) & Reverse Mortgage.

Get support when you need it

Book a meeting with a Seniors First specialist whenever you feel ready. Or chat online with our team.

Feel more confident

Understand the Reverse Mortgage application process step-by-step, before making important financial decisions.

What You Get Access To

Discover the tools, education and support designed to help you explore Reverse Mortgages with greater clarity and confidence.

Learning Centre

Over six and a half hours of easy-to-follow educational videos designed to explain the pros and cons between the Government's Home Equity Access Scheme (HEAS), downsizing, and Reverse Mortgages - all in plain English.

Perfect for:

Retirees researching their options
Families helping parents understand finance options
Homeowners comparing alternatives
Anyone wanting to learn before speaking to a broker

"Ask SERAH"

"Ask SERAH" is a your private AI assistant available to discuss equity release, day or night.

Ask questions such as:

How does a Reverse Mortgage work?
Will I still own my home?
What are the risks?
How much could I access?
What alternatives are available?

Get simple explanations in a safe and supportive environment.

Reverse Mortgage Calculator

Get a general estimate of what may be possible based on your age and property value.

This helps you understand whether a Reverse Mortgage may be worth exploring further.

Express Broker Access

Direct connection to expert brokers. Get loan application help when you need it. Book a meeting with a Seniors First specialist at a time that suits you.

No waiting for callbacks or complicated scheduling.

Personalised Dashboard

Everyone who signs up to SERAH™ gets a secure, personalised dashboard. You can download the app to your phone to explore equity release options 24/7, without getting hassled.

If you decide to proceed with a loan application, SERAH™ helps you track every step of your journey with clear updates and guidance.

How it Works

Step 1

Complete Eligibility Check

Step 2

Access SERAH™

Step 3

Learn & Explore Your Options

Step 4

Speak With a Specialist If Ready

GET ACCESS NOW

Who’s Behind SERAH™?

SERAH™ was created by Seniors First, Australia's leading Reverse Mortgage broker. We specialise in helping homeowners aged 55+ explore later-life finance with greater clarity and confidence.

Built on over 20 years of experience, SERAH™ combines education, support and guidance in one secure platform.

What our customers say

Rated 4.9 stars on Google with over 560 reviews. Here's what some of our customers have to say about their experience with Seniors First reverse mortgage brokers.

Michelle P.

22 hours ago

Palka has been incredibly helpful and supportive during the whole process of applying for the reverse mortgage. She explained everything very thoroughly and has been responsive to all our questions. We cannot recommend her highly enough. Thank you Palka 😍😍

Tina G.

3 days ago

Palka was very helpful, informative and supportive throughout the whole process. Would highly recommend her!

Jacqueline K.

4 days ago

I received outstanding service from Adam Oakley at Seniors First. With extensive experience in customer value creation, I do not say that lightly. Adam treated me with dignity and respect. He listened carefully, understood the outcomes I was seeking, and thoughtfully translated that understanding into a solution genuinely suited to my circumstances. His knowledge, sound judgement and professionalism inspired confidence throughout. It was an exceptional experience, in every respect, and I would recommend Adam and Seniors First without hesitation. Jacqueline Kelly

Beth M.

1 week ago

We recently used Seniors First to organise a Reverse Mortgage. Our agent was Cheryl Maclean who guided us through the whole process with absolute professionalism with the 'human touch' first & foremost. We would recommend both Seniors First & Cheryl Maclean if you are thinking of a Reverse Mortgage as it's a big decision to make & one that suited our circumstances.

Desley

2 weeks ago

Palka from Seniors First was extremely helpful and supportive through the entire process. She was helpful and able to explain any questions I had and supported me through the whole process. I would definitely recommend her services.

Peta R.

2 weeks ago

I was extremely pleased with all the help i received from Adam at Seniors First. He was patient and understanding with my questions. I would recommend him to my friends should they need to go down this path.

Mike “Magyarmeister.” R.

2 weeks ago

My experience with Seniors First has been exceptional. My dealings with my personal broker Palka Kumar have been and are excellent. Palka has been a wonderful person to deal with and has been extremely helpful in all aspects of the process. Thank you.

Sue T.

2 weeks ago

I am been blown away with all aspects of the experience with your company and the lovely and helpful staff

victor D.

2 weeks ago

Seema provided timely and useful consulting support throughout the setup process. She was a pleasure to work with.

Stephen B.

2 weeks ago

We would like to thank Cheryl for all her help and her excellent way of looking after every detail of the process. From start to the finish of the application she was amazing. Cannot thank her enough.

Judith T.

3 weeks ago

I would highly recommend Seniors First to anyone who is uncertain where to start in the reverse mortgage process. Their website is excellent. Adam Oakley made the application process so clear and precise. He was very knowledgeable and ever so patient in answering all my questions and explaining all the various options available. Thank you Adam for creating such a positive experience. My family and I are very happy with the outcome. Much appreciated…Judy

evelyn G.

3 weeks ago

From start to finish going through the whole process of the loan I found Cheryl Maclean has helped me greatly with every aspect of it she has always been accessible when ever I had a question that I was not sure of and it didn't matter what time it was so I would highly recommend Cheryl from Seniors First the place to go if you are thinking of a Reverse Mortgage Broker

Glenn R.

4 weeks ago

Andrew has been outstanding. He has assisted us in a professional manner and was always across our needs. We are very impressed and would recommend him to anyone seeking a capable broker.

Dana H.

4 weeks ago

Palka Kumar has made the process of applying for a reverse mortgage very easy. She has been extremely helpful, patient and was available at all times to explaining the whole process to us. I highly recommend Palka to anyone who is interested in applying for a reverse mortgage.

Lisa H.

4 weeks ago

Greg was excellent and guided me through the process which can be long and complex

paul B.

4 weeks ago

Having selected Seniors First as our broker, Seema took on our case and we are glad she did, Guiding us through the process, with person to person communication together with the Serah portal. Tks Seema.

Stephen L.

4 weeks ago

Palka Kumar brokered with us for the best options to take out a Reverse mortgage loan. We found her to be fully conversed with the process and able to answer every question we had about concerns. Always very pleasant and helpful, taking the stress out of what is a very big decision to make. Thank you Palka for your assistance and we would recommend you to anyone wanting to talk on this subject and financing in general.

Ian B.

1 month ago

At age 86 I was surprised to find that the bank I relied on for eighty years no longer provided reverse mortgages. Although very wary of the web I searched and found Seniors First which appeared well respected. My journey through the application process and the complications presented by an existing Government HEAS loan has been guided every step of the way to completion by their R. M. Specialist Cheryl Maclean. Thank you Cheryl and Seniors First – 100%.

Ramsay S.

1 month ago

Professional, caring, and very pleasant indeed! I don’t think there are many people out there who work with such dedication, and this is my second reverse mortgage signed successfully with Palka.

Mario B.

1 month ago

from the time we started to the time everything was done,Cheryl Maclean has been so helpful to us she has been there for us anytime we needed her.She is a huge credit to the company and it has been a pleasure knowing her .

Dina B.

1 month ago

Our experience with Cheryl has been nothing but amazing. She has helped along this process with much thought and dedication, she has been so patient and supportive throughout the whole experience. We definitely recommend Cheryl. Even when things were getting a bit complicated for us she was always patient. So many phone calls that we made to her she never made us feel like we were a nuisance. A very high praise to her. I’m sure as she went home at night she will feel she’s doing a great days work, for us and anyone else she’s helping. Thank you so much Cheryl for your help at this time of this experience we went through together. We are very grateful that you have been there for us. A very special thanks from Mario and Dina.

Frequently asked questions

Is SERAH free?

Yes. SERAH is provided 100% free to eligible Seniors First clients.You can also read a blog post about why we launched SERAH.

How do I get access to SERAH?

The first step is to check your eligibilty for a Reverse Mortgage with Seniors First. If eligible, you will then automatically receive an email invitation with a link to join on SERAH. Once you activate the link you will then get full access to SERAH

How secure is the SERAH portal?

SERAH is built on 256-bit TLS Encryption, which means it enjoys bank-grade security. The technology powering SERAH is SOC 2 Type 2 Certified, the highest grade compliance. It's also important to note that no personal documents or financial data is ever stored on SERAH. It contains only educational information, and basic loan tracking data related to the status of a loan application (should you wish to proceeed).

Does checking eligibility affect my credit score?

No, it is only a preliminary check based on initial criteria. There is no reference to your credit score at all - that will only come if you wish to later apply for a Reverse Mortgage loan, and then only after you sign application forms giving express consent for the chosen lender to conduct credit checks.

Does SERAH change or replace contact with a Seniors First broker?

No, it does not replace contact with your Seniors First broker. You would still have full access to your specialist Broker. SERAH is an additional resource, available 24/7 that can accelerate your understanding of Reverse Mortgages, and further enhance your journey from application to loan settlement.

Industry Awards & Recognition

Senior's First has developed a reputation as an award-winning Reverse Mortgage broker, and a trusted name among public policy organisations, the aged care industry, senior’s groups, older borrowers and their families.