The Buyer-Ready Plan: How to Get Finance Approved Before You Find the Practice

Buying a dental practice in 2026 is less about speed and more about preparation. The buyers who secure the best opportunities are rarely the ones scrambling for finance after an offer is accepted. They are the ones who are buyer ready before the right practice even appears.

With sizable differences in the lending criteria from Bank to Bank it is true to say that early financial preparation is no longer optional – it’s essential. It is now one of the most important steps you should take to protect and enhance your position, reduce stress, and improve your chances of firstly your offer being accepted and ultimately the proposal completing smoothly and successfully.

Why finance readiness matters

In a competitive market, sellers and sales agents are looking for certainty. A buyer who understands their borrowing capacity, deposit position, and affordability limits is far more attractive than one who is still “exploring options”.

Being finance ready allows you to:

• Move quickly when the right opportunity appears

• Submit credible offers backed by lending terms

• Avoid delays that risk purchases falling through

• Negotiate with confidence, knowing your limits

What lenders assess in 2026

While funding remains available, lenders are more forensic in how they assess applications. Typically, they will focus on:

• Personal Asset/Liability profile and existing financial commitments

• Clinical experience and current earnings profile

• Credit profile and historic financial conduct

• Potential deposit towards the purchase

• Overall loan serviceability and scope for growth

Preparing this information in advance removes friction from the approval process and helps secure more favourable terms.

Understanding your deposit position

Whilst 100% funding is available in certain cases this does vary markedly from lender to lender and in any event a level of background savings would be expected in any event to cover purchase costs, contingencies and initial cashflow.

Deposit expectations vary depending on the practice, your experience, and the purchase structure. Importantly, lenders will also assess where the deposit comes from and how accessible it is.

Understanding what qualifies as acceptable deposit and ensuring funds are clearly evidenced early avoids last-minute complications that can delay or derail a purchase.

The buyer-ready checklist

Before you start viewing seriously, you should be able to answer the following:

• How much can I comfortably borrow

• What size of practice fits my affordability

• What documentation will lenders request

• What repayment structure suits my lifestyle and goals

• How quickly can I proceed if my offer is accepted

Answering these questions early turns the buying process from reactive to controlled.

Getting ahead of the market

The strongest buyers do not wait for their offer to be accepted before speaking to their finance adviser. They prepare early, refine their criteria, and approach opportunities with clarity and confidence.

Being buyer ready is not about rushing. It is about putting yourself in the strongest possible position to move swiftly when the opportunity presents itself.