So while our Banker friends may be offended by our little joke at their expense, we don't want their jokes to cost you! Mark our words, all loans or lenders are not created equal. We often hear conversations that revolve around interest rate, fees and charges and whilst these components are obviously relevant, to focus on them alone is to put the cart before the horse. All the moving parts in a property transaction (read people; purchasers, bankers, solicitors, investment advisors, surveyors, town planners, financial planners, finance experts, accountants, etc.) need to understand; why you are interested in a particular property or development, what it is you want to achieve through acquiring it, when and for how long you intend to hold it and for whom it is to ultimately benefit. That is, we need to understand how it fits into your life goals or business aspirations and then decide the 'how' we'll get you there from a loan perspective. After all, every property purchase, whether you recognise it today or not, should be treated as an investment, shouldn't it?