First Home Buyers

Buying your first home as an essential worker

You have more options than you think. We compare every pathway and find the right one for your situation.

Getting into your first home as an essential worker in regional Australia comes with real advantages. LMI waivers, government schemes, lenders who count your full income. The challenge is knowing which combination works best for your profession, your deposit, and the property you want to buy.

That is exactly what we do.

Two main paths to your first home. We help you choose the right one.

Option A

Government 5% Deposit Scheme

5% deposit required (as low as 2% for single parents)
No LMI and no income caps since October 2025
Must use a participating lender, which limits your options
Property price cap applies: $650,000 in most regional Victoria areas, $700,000 regional QLD, $800,000 regional NSW, $600,000 regional WA, $500,000 regional SA
Owner occupied only with ongoing obligations to maintain the guarantee

Option B

Essential Worker LMI Waiver

Open the better path

10% deposit required
No LMI with eligible lenders for qualifying professions
No property price cap, works on homes above government scheme limits
Access to lenders who count 100% of your overtime and shift income
More lender choice and greater flexibility in loan structure

The Key Point

If the home you want is under the government price cap, the 5% scheme could mean a smaller deposit upfront. But if the property is above that cap, which many regional homes now are, the LMI waiver at 10% is often the better path and still saves you the full LMI cost. We run the numbers for both and tell you which one puts you in the better position.

Other first home buyer benefits

Stamp Duty Concessions

First home buyers in most states access stamp duty concessions or exemptions. We factor these into your total upfront cost calculation so you know exactly what you need.

First Home Owner Grant

Eligible first home buyers building or buying a new home may access the First Home Owner Grant in their state. We check eligibility as part of your assessment.

HECS Debt

Many first home buyers in essential services carry HECS debt from their degree. Depending on how close you are to paying it off, we can find lenders who significantly reduce its impact on your borrowing capacity.