News & Insights

Many vets pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance without knowing they likely did not have to. Here is why. Lenders Mortgage Insurance is one of the most misunderstood costs in property buying, and for Veterinarians, it is also one of the most commonly overpaid. Plenty of Vets pay LMI without ever being told they likely did not have to. This article explains exactly when LMI applies, when it does not, and why the answer depends far more on which lender you choose than most people real

Your income does not fit a standard bank form. Here is how different lenders actually assess it. Vet income rarely fits neatly into the boxes a standard bank application form expects. You might be salaried at one clinic and locuming at two others. You might be a contractor invoicing on an ABN. You might own a share of the practice you work in. Each of these situations is treated differently by different lenders, and the difference can be the gap between an approval and a decl

If you’re thinking about buying a property, this is usually the first question. The short answer is that borrowing capacity depends on your income, expenses, existing debts, and the lender’s policy. The more useful answer is how those factors are assessed in practice, and what you can do to improve the outcome. How Lenders Work Out Your Borrowing Capacity Lenders don’t just look at your salary. They assess whether you can comfortably afford repayments over the long term, incl

When Shelley and I were building our veterinary clinic, we made a lot of financial decisions under time pressure. For our home loan, we went to the bank we used for the clinic. It was the easy choice, but it cost us. What we didn't know then is that working with a broker who understands Vet income and clinic ownership would have given us a better outcome. And it wouldn't have cost us anything. So how does it work? When you use a mortgage broker, you do not pay them a fee. The

The rules changed in 2025. Here is what it actually means for how much you can borrow. If you are a vet with a HECS debt sitting in the back of your mind every time you think about buying a home, you are not alone. Almost every new graduate vet carries one, and almost every lender treats it as a reason to lend you less. The good news is the rules changed in 2025, and they changed in your favour. The better news is that once you understand how HECS actually affects your borrow

If you have ever sat across from a bank lender and watched them stare blankly at your payslips, you are not imagining it. Banks are built for simple salaries. Your income is anything but simple. Most veterinarians earn their income in ways that standard bank assessment tools were never designed to handle. Mixed locum and salaried shifts. Clinic distributions. HECS repayments chewing into your take-home. Overtime that is real and recurring but gets dismissed. The result? Banks

Buying your first home in Australia can feel overwhelming, especially with rising property prices and changing lending rules. But getting on the property ladder is possible with the right approach. If you’re a first time buyer in 2026, knowing where to focus your efforts can save you time, money, and stress. Here are five practical tips to help you secure your first home and build a strong foundation for your future. Modern suburban house ready for first time buyers Understan