Skilled Start Home Loan expanded to include police and emergency services workers
More Western Australians will have access to a Skilled Start Home Loan from today, with the WA Government announcing an expansion of the successful initiative to support more frontline workers into home ownership.
The Skilled Start Home Loan, launched in December, offers a low 2 per cent deposit, no lender’s mortgage insurance, and a 1 per cent discount on Keystart’s standard variable interest rate, as well as free optional financial coaching for customers.
Skilled Start is open to anyone who has graduated from TAFE or university with a Certificate III or higher qualification, or completed their formal apprenticeship, in the past five years – with more than 60 loans already approved since launch.
From today, eligibility for Skilled Start will expand to include anyone who has graduated in the past five years from the WA Police Academy or the WA Fire and Emergency Services Academy – as well as any equivalent Australian policing or emergency services qualification. This includes anyone currently participating in those training programs.
Keystart Chief Executive Officer Mark Tomasz said the expansion would open up the opportunity for home ownership for more early career frontline workers.
“Our Skilled Start Home Loan offers low barriers to entry and lower ongoing repayments, supporting homebuyers at an early stage of their career.
“While frontline workers with a Cert III or higher could already access Skilled Start, this expansion ensures that police officers and emergency services personnel who follow a different qualification pathway have access to the same opportunity to get into a home of their own.
“It’s an important way for Keystart to support the workers that do so much for our community – and to make the dream of an affordable home a reality for more Western Australians.”
More information on Skilled Start Home Loan is available here.
Treasurer Rita Saffioti’s media statement: Media statements | Western Australian Government.
