Why getting property finance can be harder for doctors
Long shifts leave little time to check out the market. The pace of clinical life means that when the right property
appears, there's rarely time to stop and organise finance. And irregular income structures often confuse
lenders. These barriers can mean for many doctors it’s all much harder than they expect.
A doctor's situation is different
Finding time to submit a mortgage application or restructure finances can genuinely be difficult. The experience
when dealing with a regular bank can be dispiriting.
Dr Mark Loman, a musculoskeletal medicine practitioner in Port Macquarie, needed to refinance a bridging loan as his family moved from an acreage property back into town. He found the major banks were hard to deal with. "I was led around the garden path," Dr Loman says. "The big banks do not get it. If you're not there during office hours, tough."
What he needed was a lender who understood a procedural clinician's schedule; someone who would reply to emails after hours and turn things around without requiring him to take time off work.
It's a version of the same problem Dr Nitin Dhanani encountered when expanding his practice portfolio. During a period of rapid growth, his cash flow situation was misread by a lender focused on the wrong metrics.
"The cash flow is where everyone struggles," he says. "Any profit is going in taxes and paying your principal at
the beginning."
Complexity isn’t unusual
For doctors with more complex property goals, such as ownership of practice premises, SMSF structures
and investment properties, the challenge isn't just finding a lender willing to provide funds. They also need to work with people who have the depth of knowledge to structure finances suitably for their specific needs, and the flexibility to handle multiple property-related transactions over time.
Dr Loman's property journey spanned a home loan, a practice purchase, a fitout loan and an investment property, all requiring a different structure. Having an Avant Finance specialist to work with on these loans reduced the friction he experienced elsewhere. What struck him was not just their efficiency, but how well the team grasped his broader situation. "They didn't just deliver for my business dreams," he says. "They delivered for my family dreams."
Deposit dilemmas
The complexity of the property market doesn't only affect established practitioners. For doctors earlier in
their careers, securing a first home comes with its own set of hurdles. Many don’t know where to begin,
what the process entails, or what documentation or insurance is needed. And the same mainstream
lenders who struggle with complex portfolios often struggle with a training salary or a non-standard deposit.
Chelsea, a PGY3 critical care trainee, tried several mortgage brokers when looking for her first property. She
found most weren't equipped to see the full picture. When she turned to Avant Finance, the difference was
immediate. "They understood that I probably had a smaller deposit but I have a secure job with being a doctor," she says. That understanding translated to a 5% deposit loan — enough to get her foot in the door.
Paediatric registrar Dr Angelica Ronquillo had a similar experience buying her first home with her partner.
“Buying a home for us was quite a daunting thought and process,” Dr Ronquillo says. "Having the right team on our side made the entire process seamless and stress free."
When should you speak to a specialist?
Doctors have a financial profile that differs from most other professions, and a working life that makes it hard to
find the time to invest. Avant Finance has helped thousands of doctors navigate property finance – from first homes on a training salary to complex SMSF and multi-property arrangements. Reach out to us:
• Before you start looking, to understand your borrowing power.
• When you're ready to buy a practice or fitout, before you make an offer.
• If your bank has said no, or you can't get to speak to them at a time that suits you.
Our specialists work around clinical schedules, making themselves available outside office hours, and are familiar with the income structures of salaried, VMO and practice-owning doctors. They are also experienced in navigating SMSF and complex multi-property arrangements.
Find out more
Commercial and residential property loans - Avant
This article was originally published in Connect magazine issue 26 in May 2026.
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