Avoid Declaring Bankruptcy
If you're a Sunshine Coast homeowner trying to avoid bankruptcy, clear mortgage arrears or stop a forced sale before the bank gets there, we're the Australian team to call first. We're based in Noosaville, and we buy houses - not in the way a real estate agent does, and not in the way the big national "we buy houses" brands do. We buy them ourselves, directly, with our own money.
Most people who find us are sitting in a hard place worried about becoming bankrupt: behind on the mortgage, behind on personal loans, holding default notices they're scared to open, watching the bank inch toward foreclosure, and worried that bankruptcy is somewhere on the horizon. The good news is that for a lot of homeowners in that position, selling the property at the right time is the move that lets them avoid bankruptcy altogether, repay the debt, and start a new chapter.
If that's where you are right now, we get it. And we'd rather have a coffee with you than send you a form to fill out.
Meet the Hortons
We're the Hortons, a couple based in Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast. Between us, we've spent years buying, renovating and selling property across Queensland. We started Prop-Assist after noticing that almost every distressed homeowner we met had the same problem: by the time someone offered them a real conversation about home loans, paying their debts and repayment options; the bank was already deep into the foreclosure process and most of their good options had quietly disappeared.
We're not a franchise, not a fund, and not a referral service. Just a couple of people who buy houses on the Sunshine Coast and prefer to do it honestly.
Why we help people avoid bankruptcy
We've been buying and renovating property in Queensland for 11 years. Over that time, we kept noticing the same thing: by the time most people called for help; the bank was already deep into the foreclosure process. They'd been embarrassed to talk to anyone, didn't know they had legal rights, and assumed the only path forward was waiting for the bank to repossess the house and then declaring bankruptcy to deal with the shortfall. Applying for bankruptcy can often be avoided if borrowers connect with us early in the process.
That's the gap Prop-Assist exists to close.
Sometimes the right outcome is selling us the house quickly so the mortgage and other debts are cleared and you can move on without bankruptcy on your credit file for the next seven years. Sometimes the right outcome is a hardship variation with the bank, a chat with a free financial counsellor, or a complaint to the Australian financial security authority (AFCA) - and we'll be the first to tell you so.
We're not here to push you into a sale that doesn't suit you. We're here to give you a confidential, honest conversation about what your options actually are.
Selling your home to avoid bankruptcy
Here's the part nobody explains clearly when you're in mortgage stress: bankruptcy is not the only option, and it's rarely the best one.
If your home is worth more than what you owe on it (even a little more), selling the property before the bank forces a mortgagee sale usually gives you a much better outcome than letting events run their course. Here's why:
- You stay in control of the sale. A mortgagee in possession sale typically achieves below-market prices because the bank is selling to recover the debt, not to maximise your equity.
- You clear the mortgage debt cleanly. The settlement funds pay out the bank, your council rates, your utility arrears, and any other secured debts attached to the property.
- You may walk away with money. If there's equity left over after debts are cleared, that's yours - a fund to start fresh with.
- Bankruptcy stays off your record. A bankruptcy lasts three years in Australia and stays on your credit file for at least five years after that. Selling early often means you avoid it entirely.
That's the path Prop-Assist is built around. We move quickly because banks don't wait. Where it makes sense, we can settle in cash in as little as seven days, which is often the difference between staying ahead of the bank and falling behind it.
Professional & Transparent
Easy To Understand
We Understand The Banking System
You'll Get Relief From Financial Stress
We Only Negotiate Win/Win Outcomes
We Understand The Legal System
How we help homeowners stop foreclosure in Queensland
Foreclosure in Queensland follows a set process under the Property Law Act 1974 (QLD). Once your lender serves a default notice, the clock starts on a sequence that, if left to run its course, ends in a mortgagee sale. Most people in that situation feel powerless because they've never seen the process before and the bank's communications are deliberately legal and one-sided.
We've worked alongside enough Sunshine Coast homeowners through this process to know that there are usually more options than people realize - but only if you act early. Once a Form 4 notice is in your hands, the window narrows. Once court proceedings start, it narrows again.
Whether we end up buying the house or not, the first thing we'll do is explain what stage you're at and what options exist. If a hardship variation will save the house, we'll tell you. If selling to us would clear the debt and protect your credit file, we'll tell you that too. The decision is always yours.
Will I Get Into More Debt?
No, our alternative to a bankruptcy loan is designed to get you out of debt. you currently have a mortgage which is dragging you down, so we look to relieve you of that liability so you can have a fresh start.
Will A Bankruptcy Loan Affect My Credit Score?
No, if anything, our alternative will save your credit score from becoming unsavable. If we work together on a Prop-Assist bankruptcy loan alternative, we'll be able to work on improving your credit score immediately.
How Do I Apply?
It's as simple as connecting with us for a confidential discussion about your financial situation. This can be done in a relaxed environment over a coffee, ideally at your home. It's best if all decision makers are present.
What makes us different
We're local, not a national franchise
We live here. Our office is on Lake Weyba Drive in Noosaville, and we work with homeowners from Noosa down to Caloundra and out through Nambour, Cooroy and Gympie. When we meet you, it's us at your kitchen table, not a regional rep on commission.
We don't pretend to be something we're not
We're a private property buyer. We are not a real estate agent, a lawyer, a mortgage broker, a financial counsellor or a credit provider. That matters, because in a niche where some operators muddy those lines, we don't. Every conversation starts with us explaining exactly what we can and can't do, and what other free services might suit you better.
Free, independent help comes first
Before you talk to us about selling, we'll often suggest you call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 first. Their service is free, and a financial counsellor may be able to help you negotiate directly with your bank. If that works out, fantastic — that's a better outcome than selling. We'd rather you have that conversation than not.
Properties in any condition
Mould. Flood damage. Fire damage. Tired bones. Hoarder houses. We've bought all of them. You don't need to clean, paint, repair, or styled-and-staged before we look. The condition is our problem to solve, not yours
Our experience clearing mortgage arrears across the Sunshine Coast
Between us, we've spent 31 years buying, renovating and selling property in Queensland. We've worked with homeowners facing every kind of situation - mortgage arrears across the Sunshine Coast, deceased estates we needed to coordinate with executors and probate, properties under caveat, flood-affected homes in Noosa and the hinterland, and inherited houses where family members couldn't agree.
To date, we've helped over 40 homeowners across the Sunshine Coast resolve their property situations - sometimes by buying the house ourselves, sometimes by helping them stop foreclosure in Queensland before the bank reached a forced sale, and sometimes by pointing them toward the right professional or free service for their circumstances.
We've also seen what happens when people don't get help early. That's why our first message is always the same: please don't wait. Even if you don't end up working with us, the earlier you have a real conversation about your options, the more of those options you still have - and the more likely you'll be able to avoid bankruptcy, keep your credit history intact, and walk away with something to start fresh.
What we believe
Three things shape how we work:
- People in financial difficulty deserve a straight conversation. Not jargon, not pressure, not pretend urgency.
- The first piece of advice should never cost you anything. Free, independent help exists. We'll point you there before we point you at ourselves.
- Speed only matters if it serves you. A 7-day cash settlement is great when you need one. It's not great when a hardship variation or a longer-marketed sale would have netted you more. We'll be honest about which is which.
What happens when you contact us about your mortgage
Here's exactly what to expect, so there are no surprises:
Step 1 - a phone call or coffee.
Tell us what's going on with the property, your mortgage and your situation. This is free, confidential, and no-obligation. About 30 minutes.
Step 2 - we look at the property.
In person, at a time that suits you. We do not need it cleaned or staged.
Step 3 - we tell you honestly what we think.
That includes whether we'd make an offer, what we'd offer if so, and whether you might do better with a different option (we'll explain which).
Step 4 - your decision
If our offer suits you, we move to a written contract and you take it to your own solicitor or conveyancer for independent review. If it doesn't suit, we shake hands and that's that. No pressure, no follow-up phone calls.
Why we live and work on the Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is home. We chose to build Prop-Assist locally because we plan to be here for a long time - this isn't a roving operation working out of a PO Box. We know the suburbs we work in, we know the local solicitors, conveyancers and financial counsellors, and we care about the reputation we hold in this community.
That matters in this kind of work. Reputation is the only marketing that ultimately counts when you're trusted with someone's home at one of the hardest moments of their life. We'd rather earn yours by being decent than by being clever.
If you'd like a confidential chat about your mortgage situation, your options to avoid bankruptcy, or just a property you need to move on from - we'd be happy to talk.
Get in touch
Phone: 0431 397 368
Email: [email protected]
Or use the contact form at propassist.com.au/contact-us
If you'd rather start with a free, independent service first, the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 is a great place to begin. Either way, please don't wait. The earlier the conversation, the more options you have - and the more likely you'll be able to avoid bankruptcy and keep your future on your own terms.