First home · Starting again · Investing Your plan. Your pace.Home loan broker for high-income earners with a low deposit, Australia-wide
Good income, still renting? First home, starting again or investing, I work out your real number and every way in, so you set the pace.
Eric Ng, Chartered Accountant (FCA, ICAEW). I work out your real number before any lender.
Saving 20% first
- Deposit
- $170,000
- Stamp duty
- $9,797
5% Deposit Scheme
- Deposit
- $42,500
- Stamp duty
- $9,797
Illustrative. Established home, eligible first home buyer, NSW First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme concession. Excludes lender, legal and other costs. Duty from my NSW calculator, rules checked 14 October 2026.
Chartered Accountant, ICAEW
years in finance
lenders on my panel VERIFY
for the session. Lenders pay me if you go ahead, and I show you how much.
Three doors, one problem Which one sounds like you?
Most people I meet can afford the repayments. It's the deposit and stamp duty that never come together.
High income, small deposit?
Get your real number and every way in, government schemes first.
First home buyers Starting againOwned before?
Some help may still apply. See every way back in.
Buying again InvestingLove where you rent?
Keep the suburb, and get your real number for an investment.
Investment loansWho I help Not just first home buyers
I used to think my work was mostly first home buyers. Then I went back through my calls. About a third of the people who rang had owned before. They'd separated, sold, moved cities or had a business go wrong, and they were renting again, assuming the help wasn't for them.
So Pace Home Loans has three doors: first home, starting again and investing. Behind each one is the same 30-minute session. Your real number, every way in, and the catch on each.
Wherever you're starting from, you should set the pace.
The real number What is your real number?
Your real number is the cash you need on the day: the deposit, plus stamp duty, plus fees, for your state and your price. The same $850,000 home in Sydney gives three very different answers, and every state works it out differently. See your state.
| Buyer | Deposit | Stamp duty | Before fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saving 20% first | $170,000 | $9,797 | $179,797 |
| First home buyer, 5% Deposit Scheme | $42,500 | $9,797 | $52,297 |
| Owned before, more than 10 years ago, 5% Deposit Scheme | $42,500 | $32,437 | $74,937 |
Illustrative, eligibility applies. NSW stamp duty concessions are for first home buyers only, so a buyer who has owned before pays the general rate. Excludes lender, legal and other costs.
How I work The Pace Plan
The same three steps, whichever door you came through.
- Step 1
Get your real number
The deposit, the stamp duty and the fees for your state and price.
- Step 2
See every way in
Government schemes first, and the catch on each, in writing.
- Step 3
Set your pace
Choose the option and the timeline, then pre-approval, offer and settlement, timed to your lease, with a plan to pay it off.
Schemes first, every time. I tell you the catch. If waiting is the better answer, I'll say so.
Bank or broker What's the difference between a bank and a broker?
A bank can only offer its own loans. A broker compares a panel of lenders and has to recommend a loan that's in your best interests.
| Going to one bank | Pace Home Loans | |
|---|---|---|
| Lenders compared | One | 30+ on my panel |
| Government schemes | Only if that bank is a participating lender | I check every scheme you may qualify for, first |
| Who you deal with | That bank's staff, who can change along the way | Me, from the first call to settlement |
| Legal duty | Responsible lending | Best interests duty, by law |
| Cost to you | No broker involved | Usually nothing. The lender pays me, and I show you how much |
| After settlement | Up to you to ask | I review your loan every six months |
Choosing a broker How to choose a home loan broker
Every broker says they’re the best. A checklist is more useful. Hold any broker to these six, including me.
- Your real number first. Deposit, stamp duty and fees for your state and price, before any lender comes into it.
- Schemes checked first. The 5% Deposit Scheme has no income cap since 1 October 2025, so a good income doesn’t rule you out.
- The comparison, shown. Which lenders they compared, and why they recommend one.
- The commission, in writing. In dollars, before you apply. The session itself should cost you nothing.
- The catch on every option. What it costs, what it asks of you, and when waiting is the better answer.
- Someone who stays. A review of your loan after settlement, not just a handover.
FAQ Questions clients ask
What does a home loan broker do?
A home loan broker compares loans from a panel of lenders, works out which ones fit your situation, and manages the application from pre-approval to settlement. I start one step earlier: your real number, which is the deposit, stamp duty and fees for your state and price, before any lender comes into it.
How much does the Real Number Session cost?
The session is free. If you go ahead with a loan, I'm usually paid a commission by the lender, and I show you how much in writing before you apply.
Can I buy a home with less than a 20% deposit?
Often, yes. Under the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, eligible buyers can buy with 5% (2% for eligible single parents) below a price cap, and some lenders lend above 80% outside the schemes. Each way in has a catch, and I put it in writing.
I've owned a home before. Can I still get help to buy again?
Possibly. If you haven't owned property in Australia for 10 years, the 5% Deposit Scheme may still apply. Single parents can use it if they won't own any other property once the new home settles. First home stamp duty concessions usually don't apply.
Can I buy an investment property while I keep renting?
Yes, that is rentvesting. The catch is that government deposit schemes are for owner-occupiers only, and buying an investment first can rule you out of first home concessions later. I work out the numbers both ways before you choose.
Can you help wherever I am in Australia?
Yes. I work with clients in every state and territory by phone and video, so you never need to come to an office. Stamp duty and scheme rules change by state, so your real number is worked out for yours.
Will the session affect my credit score?
No. I don't run a credit check in the Real Number Session. A lender checks your credit file only when you apply, and I'll tell you before that happens.
How do I choose a home loan broker?
Choose one who works out your full cash need before talking about lenders, checks the government schemes first, tells you which lenders they compared and why, and shows you their commission in writing before you apply. Then read their reviews. Be wary of anyone who promises a yes before seeing your file.
Can you help if I’m self-employed?
Yes. I'm a Chartered Accountant, so I read tax returns and company financials the way a lender will. Lenders differ on add-backs, averaging and profit left in a company, and that can change what you could borrow.
Get your real number in one 30-minute session.
Your plan. Your pace.
Wherever you're starting from, you should set the pace.