If you've just started a new role or you're still in your probationary period, you're probably wondering whether a home loan is even on the table right now. The short answer is yes, but the lender you approach makes a bigger difference here than in almost any other situation.

Most lenders treat probation as a risk flag and want it cleared before they'll approve an application. A smaller number will lend during probation if the role is in the same field as your previous one, your income is stable and your overall position is strong. That gap between lender policies is where the outcome is decided, and it's wide enough that the right lender choice can mean approval now versus waiting another three to six months.

Our team helps buyers across Logan, QLD work through exactly this kind of situation, comparing across 60+ lenders to find which ones will look at your application right now. The home loan options available to you on probation are narrower than a standard application, but they're real.

Can you get a home loan while on probation in Logan, QLD?

Yes, and it happens regularly. The catch is that only a subset of lenders will consider it, and the conditions they apply vary enough that applying to the wrong one can cost you a credit enquiry and six months of waiting. Lenders broadly divide into three groups on this question: those that require probation to be completed before any approval, those that will approve during probation if the role is in the same field, and those that will lend from day one of a new role where the overall application is strong.

Source: APRA.

How do lenders assess income when you've just started a new job?

The question lenders are trying to answer is not whether you have a job today but whether you'll have one and be able to service the loan for the next thirty years. That leads them to look at your income history as a whole, not just your current payslips.

For a straightforward permanent role in the same field, most lenders will accept a signed employment contract as evidence of the income, backed by one or two payslips once you've received them. The contract needs to confirm the role is ongoing, name the salary, and ideally have no unusual conditions attached. Where the contract is conditional on passing a probationary review, lenders read that condition differently. Some treat a conditional contract as if probation is already passed, particularly where the employer is a large institution like Logan Hospital or a government department. Others treat it as a genuine risk and want the review completed first.

Variable income components such as overtime, shift penalties, commissions or bonuses are rarely assessed on a new contract alone. Most lenders want to see a consistent history of that income before counting it, which means a brand-new role that pays base salary plus substantial overtime is assessed on base only until you've built up enough payslip history.

What do you need to qualify for a home loan with a new job?

The documentation set is similar to any other application, with a few additions that matter here. Lenders want to see that this role fits a credible employment history, not that it appeared from nowhere.

What most lenders will ask for:

• › Signed employment contract: confirms the role is ongoing, the salary, and the start date. Where the role is casual or contract, a letter of engagement works, but ongoing intent needs to be clear.
• › Payslips: one to two recent payslips where you've received them. Before your first pay, most lenders will proceed on the signed contract and bank statement evidence of the previous role's income.
• › Previous employment history: tax returns, group certificates, or payslips from your last role demonstrating a consistent income stream in the same field.
• › Return-to-work letter (if on parental leave): if the new role follows a parental leave period, lenders want confirmation the return to work has been arranged and the date.
• › Credit file, savings and liabilities: the standard position. A strong savings history and a clean credit file carry more weight on a new-job application than a standard one, because they partially offset the employment-continuity question.

How much can you borrow in Logan, QLD with a new job?

Your borrowing capacity is calculated on the income the lender will accept, which on a new contract is usually your base salary only. Any variable component you were earning in your previous role is assessed only once you've built a payslip history in the new one. That distinction matters most for people who've moved into roles with significant overtime or commission, where the base salary alone may look modest relative to what they were actually taking home.

The APRA serviceability buffer of 3.0% is added to your actual rate when lenders assess whether you can afford the repayments. That buffer applies regardless of your employment status. What the new-job question affects is the SIZE of the income they're buffering from, not the buffer itself.

For context across Logan, QLD, CoreLogic data shows house medians ranging from around $720,000 in Logan Central and $740,000 in Woodridge through to $835,000 in Loganholme and $880,000 in Browns Plains. Unit medians sit lower, with Woodridge at around $520,000 and Logan Central at approximately $441,000. On a base salary assessed by a lender, those entry-level medians are more accessible than a lot of buyers on new contracts realise.

Source: CoreLogic (via YIP, mid-2026) and APRA.

Get in touch Need help with a home loan on probation? We're a local team who understand how lenders actually assess your situation, not just your rate. We'll compare your options across 60+ lenders to find the right fit. Chat to Our Team Call 1800 774 756

What government schemes can help you buy with a new job?

Your employment status doesn't disqualify you from the main federal schemes, which is worth knowing if you were waiting to apply until you were more established.

The main options for buyers in Logan, QLD:

• › First Home Guarantee: 5% deposit, no LMI, no income test. The Logan price cap is $1,000,000, which covers the majority of house and unit medians across the area. New-job buyers can use this scheme provided the lender accepts their employment status.
• › Family Home Guarantee: 2% deposit for single parents and single legal guardians. First home buyer status is not required. The same $1,000,000 cap applies in Logan.
• › Queensland First Home Owner Grant:$30,000 for new homes with a value under $750,000. No income test, no means test. Continued under the 2026-27 Queensland Budget for contracts from 1 July 2026.
• › Help to Buy: the federal shared-equity pathway, with income caps of $103,000 for singles and $165,000 for joint applicants from 1 July 2026. The Logan price cap is $1,000,000. Participating lenders are limited, and a new-job application adds a layer of assessment complexity worth discussing with a broker first.

Source: Housing Australia and Queensland Revenue Office.

How does a mortgage broker help buyers on probation get approved in Logan, QLD?

The lender choice decides the outcome on a probation application more than on almost any other type. Three policy differences move the result, and they're not published side by side anywhere.

• › Same-field definition: some lenders define same-field narrowly, requiring the same job title or industry code. Others take a broader view and will accept a move from, say, a public sector role to a private sector equivalent in the same profession. That definition changes whether your application goes through today or in three months.
• › Contract conditions: lenders read conditional employment contracts differently. Some treat a standard probationary review clause as routine and approve past it. Others require written confirmation that probation has been passed before they'll issue formal approval.
• › Income type at the new role: if your previous role paid base plus overtime and the new role pays base plus commission, some lenders will assess the commission history from the old role while others require it to be re-established from scratch. That difference can move your assessed income significantly.

Comparing across the panel finds which lenders will look at your file right now, and which are better approached once you're three payslips in.

When does waiting make more sense than applying now?

Applying now isn't always the right move. If your new role is in a different field from your previous one and you don't yet have payslips, most lenders will decline, and a decline sits on your credit file. Waiting until you're past probation or until you've built a payslip history often produces a stronger application at a better rate, and that outcome is frequently worth the delay.

If you've also changed employment type at the same time, for instance moving from permanent employment to a contracting arrangement, the complexity compounds. Most lenders treat that shift as a risk flag independent of the probation question, and a contractor on a three-month contract who's just started is a much harder application than a permanent employee a month into a new role.

Where the property is genuinely time-sensitive, it's still worth understanding which lenders will look at the application now, even if the final decision is to wait. That conversation costs nothing and gives you a clear picture of where you stand.

How to get a home loan with a new job in Logan, QLD, step by step

Step 1: Talk to us

We start by mapping your employment situation against the current lender panel, so you know which lenders will consider your application right now and which are worth approaching once you're further into the role.

Step 2: Gather your employment evidence

We work through what documentation your strongest lender options will need, whether that's a signed contract, payslips you've received, your previous employer's records, or a return-to-work letter, and help you identify anything that needs to be sourced before you apply.

Step 3: Submit to the right lender

We prepare and lodge your application with the lender whose policy best fits your employment timeline and income structure, minimising unnecessary credit enquiries on your file.

Step 4: Manage approval through to settlement

We stay across the approval conditions and the settlement timeline, so if a lender wants updated payslips at a later stage or has questions about your contract, those are handled without delays.

What approval challenges do new-job buyers face?

The hurdles most likely to slow or stop an application:

• › Applying to the wrong lender: a lender that requires probation to be cleared will decline the application, and that enquiry stays on your credit file for five years. Identifying which lenders will look at your situation before lodging is the most important step.
• › Variable income not yet established: if overtime, penalties or commission made up a meaningful share of your previous income, most lenders won't count it until you've built a consistent history in the new role. Borrowing capacity looks lower at application than it will once the history is there.
• › Field or employment type change: moving fields and moving from permanent to contract in the same transition is the most common combination that stalls an application. Both factors need to be addressed, not just one of them.
• › Conditional contracts misread: a probationary review clause that the applicant considers routine can stop an application at a lender that reads it as a genuine condition. Understanding how each lender interprets your specific contract before applying avoids this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a home loan on my first day in a new job?

Some lenders will consider it where the role is in the same field as your previous one and you have a signed employment contract. Most require at least one payslip before issuing formal approval, so timing the application to when you've received your first pay often produces a smoother process.

Does probation disqualify me from the First Home Guarantee?

No. The First Home Guarantee has no income test and no employment-status requirement beyond having a signed contract from an eligible lender. Whether the lender accepts your employment situation is a separate question from whether you qualify for the scheme.

How does a lender define same-field employment?

Definitions vary. Some lenders use the industry code or job title from your previous role, others take a broader view of the profession or sector. A broker who knows which lender applies which definition can match your situation to the right one before you apply.

What if I moved from permanent employment to a contract or casual role?

A change in employment type alongside a new role adds complexity. Most lenders assess contractors and casual workers differently from permanent employees, and the combination of a new role and a new employment type is assessed more conservatively. Waiting until the contract has been renewed at least once typically produces a stronger application.

Will my partner's income help if they're not on probation?

Yes. On a joint application, lenders assess both incomes. If your partner is in stable permanent employment, their income is counted at full value alongside your base salary from the new role. The overall servicing position is often stronger than a single-applicant application on the new job alone.

Is a mortgage broker better than going directly to a lender when I'm on probation?

A mortgage broker, every time. A broker knows which lenders on the panel will look at a probation application right now and which won't, without you spending a credit enquiry finding out. Going directly to one lender and being declined leaves a mark on your file and narrows your options.

Your Next Steps

Starting a new role doesn't put a home loan out of reach in Logan, QLD. It shifts which lenders will look at your application and what documentation they'll want, and navigating that well requires knowing the panel. The difference between approval now and waiting three months often comes down to one lender policy question, and knowing the answer before you apply is the whole point of the conversation.

Ready to find out which lenders will work best for your situation? Contact the Cube Loans team or call 1800 774 756. We'll canvas our 60+ lender panel and find the most suitable options for your circumstances.

About the author Nevada Matthews Mortgage Broker and Co-Owner, Cube Loans Nevada Matthews is a mortgage broker and co-owner of Cube Loans, helping first home buyers, investors and business owners across Loganholme and the wider Logan region. He started broking in 2019 and was named New Broker of the Year (QLD) in 2023, and operates under Cube Central Pty Ltd (Credit Representative 472851), authorised under Australian Credit Licence 517192. Meet Nevada → LinkedIn

Cube Loans, Loganholme and Logan, QLD, Cube Central Pty Ltd, Credit Representative 472851, authorised under Australian Credit Licence 517192, General information only - this article does not constitute financial advice. Please consider your own circumstances and seek professional advice before making any financial decisions.