I work rotating shifts. When do we actually talk?

Evenings, mostly. The booking calendar runs later slots specifically so you're not using a break to have this conversation. Pick whatever suits - if nothing fits your roster, message me and we'll find a time that does.

$15,000 plus GST, in two parts: a $4,000 + GST retainer to begin the search, and an $11,000 + GST success fee payable when your purchase is secured. It's a fixed fee, not a percentage of the purchase price - so there is no incentive for me to push you into a more expensive property. You know the full cost before we start.

Do I need finance approved before we start?

Not approved, but you do need a clear picture - and for healthcare income that conversation is worth having properly. Before the strategy call, speak to a broker who understands salary packaging, penalty rates and shift allowances. If you don't have one, I'll introduce you at no cost and no obligation. This single step is the difference between a search that ends in a settlement and one that stalls after the contract.

Do I have to attend inspections?

No. I inspect on your behalf and send video walkthroughs with a written assessment, so you can make the call from home after a shift rather than spending a rostered day off driving to opens. If you want to see a property before contract, we'll arrange it around your roster.

How long until I've bought something?

Most engagements run from strategy call to signed contract in weeks rather than months, but it depends on your brief and on stock. A tightly defined search in an active market moves fast; a narrow brief in a thin market takes longer. I'd rather wait for the right asset than fill a deadline with the wrong one.

I'm on a public health salary. Is $15,000 worth it?

That's the right question to ask. Overpaying by 3% on a $700,000 purchase is $21,000 - more than the fee, on one transaction. Buying in the wrong location costs considerably more over a decade. If after the strategy call you'd rather run the search yourself, the buying brief is yours to keep and I'll tell you honestly whether you need me.

Am I dealing with you, or with staff?

Me. Haus Haven is deliberately small - I take on a limited number of clients at a time so every search, inspection and negotiation is run by the person who built the framework. When that capacity is full, I say so rather than stretching thin.

Can a midwife buy an investment property on part time hours?

3 Oct

Written By Luke Murphy

Births don't run to a timetable. You're on call, your shift runs over because a woman in labour can't wait, and the agent who rang at 11am doesn't get a reply until the next day. You can't promise anyone you'll be at a Saturday inspection. I've worked in healthcare as a sonographer, and I know that feeling of the day never being your own. I still bought eight properties in eighteen months, but it was near impossible.

Short answer: Yes, plenty of midwives do. Start with three things: know your borrowing capacity on the hours you actually work, decide what structure you'll buy in, and get clear on what type of property you're chasing. A mortgage broker sorts out the first, an accountant the second, and a buyers agent like me handles the rest.

Where to start

Know your borrowing capacity. Lenders start with your contracted hours, then decide how much of your on call and extra shifts to count. If you're on parental leave or about to go on it, most will want a return to work letter. A mortgage broker who works with healthcare workers will know which lenders suit part time borrowers, and how much your partner's income adds if you buy together.
Decide on your structure. Your own name, joint names, or a trust or company. With part time income, who owns the property can make a real difference to tax. Talk to your accountant first.
Know what type of property you're chasing. Growth or cash flow, house or unit, and what it needs to do. If your income dips during leave, the property has to be cheap enough to hold in those months too. If your home has equity, the deposit is often already there.
Hand over the time problem. Inspections, agent calls and negotiating don't wait for a birth to finish. That's my job.

Who does what

Mortgage broker: borrowing on part time and on call income, parental leave, choosing the lender.
Accountant: structure, tax and ownership.
Buyers agent: research, sourcing, inspections, due diligence, negotiation and setting up a property manager.

How I help

You stay with your women. I deal with the agents, and every offer needs your yes.

After shift call to set your goals, budget and buying brief, whenever your roster allows.
Research on supply, days on market, vacancy and rent, to find the right suburb.
In person inspections by me or a licensed buyers agent I trust on the ground.
Due diligence, including building and pest reports and the contract with your conveyancer.
Negotiation on price and terms with the selling agent.
Settlement, handled start to finish.
Property manager, if you need one. I'll help you find and set up a good local property manager, so the property is tenanted and looked after from day one.

Questions people ask

Can I buy while I'm on maternity leave?
Sometimes. Your broker will usually need a return to work letter, and some lenders only count the income you'll earn when you're back.

Does my partner's income count?
If you're both on the loan, yes. It often makes the biggest difference for part time workers.

Do I have to inspect properties myself?
No. You get the findings, photos and numbers, and you decide.

Luke Murphy is a buyers agent who works only with healthcare workers, Australia wide. He's a sonographer himself. General information only, not financial advice.

Luke Murphy

Can a midwife buy an investment property on part time hours?

Where to start

Who does what

How I help

Questions people ask

How can a paramedic start investing in property in Australia?