Fran Jerome is a CPA-qualified mortgage broker and strategist at Oliey Finance, specialising in helping nurses, doctors, paramedics, police officers, and firefighters in SE Melbourne secure home loans that work with their income not against it.
If you work shifts, earn allowances, or move between casual and permanent contracts, you already know the standard loan application process wasn’t designed for you. Some lenders don’t know how to read your payslips. Others will discount your allowances entirely. The right broker knows which lenders actually understand frontline income structures and how to present your application so it gets approved.
Why Frontline Workers Need a Different Approach
Your income looks different on paper. Shift penalties, overtime, casual hours, salary packaging, and allowances all show up in ways that vary from lender to lender in how they’re assessed.
Some lenders will count 100% of your regular overtime. Others will only count 80%. Some require 12 months of casual employment history before they’ll consider your income at all. Getting this wrong at the application stage can mean a lower borrowing capacity than you actually qualify for or a decline that shouldn’t have happened.
Fran’s accounting background means he reads income the way a lender’s credit team does. That saves frontline workers in Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Narre Warren and surrounding areas from applying to the wrong lender and paying for it.
What Frontline Workers Often Don’t Know They’re Entitled To
Some lenders offer specific benefits to healthcare and emergency services workers including:
- Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) waivers for eligible healthcare professionals, meaning you may be able to borrow above 80% of the property value without paying LMI
- Reduced application fees with certain lenders
- More flexible income assessment for shift workers and those with salary packaging arrangements
Not every frontline worker will qualify for every benefit. Eligibility depends on your role, employer, income, and the lender’s current policy. A broker who knows which lenders offer these concessions and whether you qualify is the difference between paying for something you didn’t need to and not.
Who This Page Is For
- Nurses and midwives (public and private hospital)
- Doctors and allied health professionals
- Paramedics and ambulance officers
- Police officers and protective services
- Firefighters (CFA and MFB)
- Prison officers and emergency management workers
If you work in healthcare or emergency services anywhere in SE Melbourne’s suburbs, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Officer, Narre Warren, Botanic Ridge, Frankston, Berwick, Clyde, Clyde North Oliey Finance can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do nurses and healthcare workers get special home loan deals in Australia?
A: Some lenders offer LMI waivers or reduced fees for healthcare professionals. Eligibility depends on the lender, your employment type, loan size, and role. Not every nurse or doctor will qualify automatically — it requires matching your profile to the right lender’s current policy. A broker who knows these policies can identify whether you qualify before you apply.
Q: Can a nurse on casual hours or shift allowances get a home loan approved?
A: Yes — but lender policy varies significantly. Some lenders require 12 months of casual employment history before they’ll include your income. Others will count shift allowances and overtime in full, while others discount them. Getting your application in front of the right lender from the start is critical. The wrong lender can result in a lower borrowing capacity than you actually qualify for.
Q: What is an LMI waiver and do I qualify as a frontline worker?
A: Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is normally charged when you borrow more than 80% of a property’s value. Some lenders waive this fee for eligible healthcare professionals, potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars. Eligibility criteria vary by lender and are subject to change. Speak with Fran to confirm whether you currently qualify based on your role and loan size.
Q: I’m a police officer with a steady income — why would getting a home loan be complicated?
A: Your income is steady but it may include allowances, penalty rates, or shift loadings that lenders assess differently. Some will include these in full, others won’t. Additionally, if you hold any salary packaging arrangements, these need to be presented correctly or they can actually reduce your assessed income. The structure of your application matters as much as the income itself.
Q: Can paramedics with overtime income borrow more than someone on a flat salary?
A: Potentially yes if the application is structured correctly. Some lenders will count 100% of regular overtime toward your borrowing capacity. Others will only use 80%. Choosing the right lender for your income profile can meaningfully increase what you’re able to borrow.
Q: Does Oliey Finance help frontline workers with investment properties, not just a first home?
A: Yes. A number of Fran’s frontline worker clients are buying their first home and simultaneously thinking about a future investment property. Getting the initial loan structure right, particularly around offset accounts and how equity builds, sets you up to make that next move without refinancing everything from scratch.
Q: Which suburbs in SE Melbourne does Oliey Finance service for frontline workers?
A: Cranbourne, Pakenham, Officer, Narre Warren, Botanic Ridge, Frankston, Berwick, Clyde, Clyde North and surrounding suburbs across the SE Melbourne corridor.
Q: How do I get started?
A: Book a free 30-minute strategy call with Fran. Bring your most recent payslips and a rough idea of what you’re looking to buy and where. No obligation, just a straight conversation about your situation and what’s possible.
Book a Free 30-Minute Strategy Call with Fran
Or call directly: 0409 961 703 Email: fran@olieyfinance.com.au
Fran Jerome | Credit Representative 442427 | Authorised under Finsure Finance & Insurance Pty Ltd | ACL 384704 | MFAA Member
General advice only. Credit eligibility is subject to individual assessment. LMI waiver eligibility varies by lender and is subject to change. Always consider your personal financial situation before making lending decisions.