Stop guessing.
Start modelling.

Yes — many lenders offer Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) waivers for eligible medical and healthcare professionals, including doctors, dentists, and specialists. Given the concentration of healthcare workers near the Prince of Wales Hospital and UNSW precinct, this is a common scenario we assist with. As a triple-qualified adviser — CPA, Registered Tax Agent, and Mortgage Broker — James Chee can assess your eligibility across our full lender panel and structure your application to maximise your borrowing capacity without the added cost of LMI. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Under the NSW First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme (FHBAS), eligible first home buyers receive a full stamp duty exemption on properties valued up to $800,000, with concessional rates applying between $800,001 and $1,000,000. In the Eastern Suburbs, where median house prices often exceed $1 million, many first home buyers will pay full stamp duty — making it critical to factor this cost into your budget from the outset. However, the federal First Home Guarantee (formerly the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme) allows eligible buyers to purchase with as little as a 5% deposit and no LMI on properties up to $1,500,000 in Sydney. James Chee can help you navigate both state and federal schemes, calculate your total upfront costs including stamp duty, and identify the most suitable lender for your circumstances.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) requires lenders to assess your ability to service a mortgage at 3 percentage points above the actual loan rate. For Eastern Suburbs buyers — where median prices regularly exceed $1.5 million — this buffer can significantly reduce your maximum borrowing capacity. James Chee, as a CPA, Registered Tax Agent, and Mortgage Broker, takes a holistic view of your financial position, structuring your application to maximise serviceability while ensuring your loan remains sustainable. This may include optimising your income presentation, consolidating liabilities, or identifying lenders with more favourable assessment policies for your specific income type.

LMI is typically required when your deposit is less than 20% of the property's purchase price. However, there are several pathways to avoid or reduce LMI in the Eastern Suburbs. Certain professions — including medical practitioners, accountants, and legal professionals — may qualify for LMI waivers with select lenders, even at loan-to-value ratios up to 90%. Additionally, the Federal Government's Home Guarantee Scheme offers eligible first home buyers the ability to purchase with as little as a 5% deposit without paying LMI. James Chee's expertise across lending, tax, and financial structuring means he can identify the most cost-effective pathway for your specific circumstances.

Purchasing property through a Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) using a Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement (LRBA) can be a powerful wealth-building strategy, particularly in high-growth areas like Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. However, it involves strict compliance requirements under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act, including the sole purpose test, corporate trustee requirements, and minimum net asset thresholds. As a CPA, Registered Tax Agent, and Mortgage Broker, James Chee provides integrated advice covering the tax implications, loan structuring, and compliance obligations — all in one conversation. We recommend a thorough strategy session before proceeding, as SMSF property investment is not suitable for everyone.

Self-employed borrowers typically need to demonstrate at least two years of ABN history and provide either a Full-Doc or Alt-Doc application. Full-Doc applications require two years of personal and business tax returns, Notices of Assessment, and profit-and-loss statements. Alt-Doc options — suitable for borrowers whose taxable income is reduced by legitimate deductions — may use Business Activity Statements (BAS), business bank statements, and an accountant's declaration. As a CPA and Registered Tax Agent, James Chee can review your financials and identify legitimate add-backs (such as depreciation and one-off expenses) that increase your assessable income and borrowing power. We work with a panel of lenders who specialise in complex self-employed structures including trusts, companies, and partnerships — common among Eastern Suburbs professionals and business owners. Serviceability buffers of 3% above the loan rate apply, so early preparation is essential.