A Guide to Getting a Home Loan as a Teacher
As a teacher in Australia, you may have access to special treatment tailored to your profession when taking out a home loan. From exclusive discounts to interest rates, we’ll walk you through our top tips on how to leverage your unique position and answer some of your burning questions.
How Much Can Teachers Borrow?
This ultimately depends on your income, expenses, credit history, and deposit size. Most lenders will assess your borrowing power by considering these things in line with their own criteria to determine the maximum amount they believe you can realistically afford to repay.
As a teacher, however, you may be eligible for special home loan products or discounts, which could affect the amount you’re able to borrow compared to a standard home loan. The best thing to do to get the right deal is work with mortgage brokers, who will work on your behalf to increase your borrowing capacity while keeping your costs as low as possible.
What Discounts Am I Eligible for as a Teacher?
Home loan applicants usually have to take out a Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) policy when their deposit is less than 20% of the property value. However, one of the benefits offered to teachers looking for a home loan is an LMI waiver, which may allow you to borrow up to 85% of Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) without having to take LMI on your property.
Depending on the lender and their available options, you may also be offered other discounts as a teacher, including the application fee being waived, access to professional package home loans, and discounts on interest costs for large value loans.
Other potential home loan discounts for teachers include:
- Minimal deposit for first home buyers with 3% genuine savings and 6 months of rental history
- A 5% deposit with genuine savings supported by 3 months of bank statements
These options may be accessible under various government schemes. Work with a mortgage broker who will be able to use their expertise to find the right deal for you.
Are There Any Government Grants I Can Use in Addition to an LMI Reduction?
As well as an LMI reduction, there are some government grants and schemes available to teachers in Australia that can help you with purchasing a property.
The first of these is a First Home Owner Grant (FHOG), which is a national scheme that provides a one-off payment to first home buyers who meet certain eligibility requirements. The grant amount varies between states and territories, but your mortgage broker will be able to look at the maximum amount available to you through this grant.
You may also be eligible for stamp duty concessions or exemptions, which will reduce the upfront costs of buying a property on both newly constructed and established homes.
Will I Get a Better Loan Interest Rate as a Teacher?
As a teacher in Australia, you may be eligible for specialised home loan products and discounts that can result in better loan interest rates. However, the rates you’ll be offered will vary between lenders and factors such as your creditworthiness and financial situation will be taken into account when you apply, which will influence the interest rates offered to you.