Before Buying Your First Property, Read This First.

Domenic Nesci
Jan 19
4 min read

Text on light blue grid: "Your first property deserves a better strategy." Includes navy keys and house icon, suggesting real estate focus.

If you’re a healthcare worker in your late 20s or 30s, chances are this money wasn’t easy to save.

You’ve studied for years. You’ve worked long shifts. You may still be renting or living with your parents, not because you want to, but because you’ve been disciplined.

For many people I speak to, this is their entire savings. Not spare money. Not “extra”. Everything.

That’s why buying your first property doesn’t feel exciting. It feels heavy.

And the biggest fear I hear is not about prices or rates. It’s this:

“What if I get this wrong and undo years of hard work?”

This article exists to help you avoid exactly that.

There Is No Single “Right” Way to Buy Your First Property

One of the most common misconceptions I see is that there’s a standard path you’re supposed to follow.

Buy your first home. Live in it. Use all your savings for the deposit. Take whatever loan structure is offered.

That approach can work for some people. For others, it quietly creates limitations they don’t see until years later.

As a healthcare worker, your borrowing options depend on:

who you buy with
what the property is for
how much of your savings you use
how the loan is structured from day one

Once your savings are tied up and the loan is set, changing course later can be expensive and stressful.

Getting it right early matters.

Buying Alone or With Someone Else Changes More Than You Think

Buying your first property? Image shows options: on your own, with a partner, friend, or sibling. Blue text and icons on a grid background.

Some healthcare workers buy:

on their own
with a partner
with a sibling
with a friend

Buying together can increase borrowing power, but it also creates shared responsibility and future planning questions.

Things like:

what happens if one person wants to sell
how equity is divided later
how future purchases are handled

If you are using most or all of your savings, these details matter more than ever.

Before committing, it helps to understand your true borrowing position as a healthcare worker.

Healthcare Worker Borrowing Capacity Calculator

Your First Property Does Not Have to Be the One You Live In

This surprises a lot of people.

Some healthcare workers choose to:

buy an investment property first
continue renting where they want to live
live in the property initially, then turn it into an investment

Each option affects:

how much of your savings you need upfront
your cash flow
your future borrowing power

Using all your savings on a property you later want to change can reduce flexibility.

Understanding these pathways early helps you protect both your money and your options.

Home Loan Repayments Calculator

Family Support Can Open More Options When It’s Structured Well

For some healthcare workers, family support is part of the picture and when it’s done properly, it can be incredibly powerful.

A family guarantee can:

allow you to purchase with little or no cash deposit, in some cases accessing a 100 percent loan
help you avoid lenders mortgage insurance
keep your hard-earned savings available rather than locking them into the property

Even if you already have savings, this can still be a strong option.

Keeping your cash in an offset account can give you:

a safety buffer for unexpected expenses
flexibility during the first few years of ownership
funds available for renovations or improvements when the time is right

For many healthcare workers, that breathing room matters just as much as getting into the market.

That said, family guarantees are not something to rush.

They involve real responsibility for the guarantor and need a clear exit strategy from the start.

I’ve seen guarantees work extremely well when they’re structured thoughtfully, and create unnecessary stress when they’re not properly explained.

If family is involved, the quality of the structure matters far more than the speed of the purchase.

Read our blog for more information: Family Guarantee Loans: What Healthcare Workers Should Know

You May Not Need to Use All Your Savings

Smiling healthcare worker in blue scrubs stands confidently in front, with a diverse team of colleagues blurred in the background. Bright setting.

This is one of the most important points.

Despite what many people believe, a 20% deposit is not always required.

Some healthcare workers may be eligible for low-deposit options based on:

profession-specific lender policies
income stability
employment type

This can apply across roles such as:

doctors
nurses and midwives
allied health professionals
dentists
non-clinical healthcare staff

In some cases, government support schemes may also help.

Using less of your savings does not mean being reckless. Used correctly, it can mean keeping a buffer, preserving flexibility, and sleeping better at night.

Used poorly, it can restrict you just as much as overcommitting.

Why Loan Structure Matters More Than the Interest Rate

I know interest rates get the headlines.

But interest rates change. Your loan structure stays with you.

A well-structured loan can:

protect your cash flow through offset accounts
make future upgrades or investments easier
reduce the need to refinance just to move forward

When someone uses all their savings and locks into a rigid structure just to secure a slightly lower rate, they often pay for it later through stress and missed opportunities.

The cheapest rate today is not always the safest or smartest option over time.