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 overtime help a paramedic borrow more?

Often, with the right lender and enough history. A mortgage broker will tell you how much of your overtime counts.

How can a paramedic start investing in property in Australia?

3 Oct

Written By Luke Murphy

You're going job to job with no set break, your shift runs over because the last case came in at handover, and then you're back on nights. By the time you've slept, the open home has finished and the agent has moved on to the next buyer. I've worked in healthcare as a sonographer, and I know how little is left after a roster like that. I still bought eight properties in eighteen months, but it was near impossible.

Short answer: Start with three things. Know your borrowing capacity, 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, from finding the property to negotiating it on your behalf.

Where to start

Know your borrowing capacity. Overtime and shift allowances can be a big share of a paramedic's pay. Some lenders count regular overtime, some only count part of it, and some ignore it. A mortgage broker who works with healthcare workers will know which lenders suit you, and how much overtime history they'll want to see.
Decide on your structure. Your own name, joint names with your partner, or a trust or company. It affects tax, protection and how you buy the next one. Ask your accountant before you commit.
Know what type of property you're chasing. Growth or cash flow, house or unit, and what it needs to do for you. Build the plan on your base pay, not your overtime. Overtime dries up and fatigue catches up with everyone.
Hand over the time problem. Agents call in business hours and open homes are on Saturdays, usually right after a night shift. That's the part I take care of.

Who does what

Mortgage broker: borrowing capacity, overtime and allowances, salary packaging, 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 do the job. I do the chasing, and you make the final call on every offer.

After shift call to work out your goals, budget and buying brief, at a time that fits your roster.
Research to find the right suburb on supply, days on market, vacancy and rent.
Inspections in person by me or a licensed buyers agent I trust on the ground.
Due diligence, from building and pest reports to the contract with your conveyancer.
Negotiation with the selling agent to get the right price and terms.
Settlement, managed through to the keys.
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 overtime help me borrow more?
Often, with the right lender and enough history. Your broker will tell you how much counts.

What if I'm on nights when a property comes up?
That's the point of having me. I inspect, report back and keep things moving with the agent until you're awake to decide.

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

How can a paramedic start investing in property in Australia?

Where to start

Who does what

How I help

Questions people ask

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