Philadelphia and New Jersey match day for doctors celebration

Match Day Residents
Housing Guides

CONGRATULATIONS! You've matched in Philadelphia or New Jersey! This 2026 year was the largest Match Day on record in the program's history. It's an exciting time with so much to do.
#1 Where to live? Key considerations are cost and travel time.
#2 Rent or Buy? The critical financial decision.

Be the early bird and start looking now. There may be more buyers than great places available in the market. Choose an urban/Philly or suburban/New Jersey lifestyle.
Let's tour neighborhoods and towns and let me share my expertise so you can find the perfect residence for a new resident.

Check out 2 Essential Housing Guides

Start looking now using these helpful GUIDES—
here's where to live and how to get to work.

Ben Franklin Bridge connecting Philadelphia and South Jersey Communities

Community Guide

Hospital Housing Guide

Hospitals matched to communities and lifestyle.

NJ or Philly? Every community matched to its nearest hospital with real commute times, transit options, and neighborhood character. South Jersey and Philadelphia covered.

View Housing Guide →

Septa Station Philadelphia Transportation

📷 PATCO station
or SEPTA platform

Transit Guide

Hospital Transportation Guide

Know your commute before you choose a neighborhood.

Every major teaching hospital mapped to its SEPTA, PATCO, and NJ Transit connections. Routes, stops, and pass options for Philly and South Jersey.

View Transportation Guide →

Residency relocation moving checklist for Match Day

Relocation Guide

Relocation Checklist

Match Day to move-in — 90 days, step by step.

Moving timeline, truck rental options, hourly movers, what to budget, and everything to handle before PGY-1 starts. Printable checklist included.

View Relocation Guide →

You Deserve a Home
But Can You Buy Now?

After spending 8+ years and $200,000+ to become a doctor, no more waiting. There's a mortgage program built specifically for you — and almost nobody tells you it exists.

How Come Nobody Told Me a
Resident Can Get a Mortgage With Zero Down?

The Doctor Mortgage is one of the best-kept secrets in real estate — a loan program created specifically for physicians and residents that eliminates the biggest barrier to buying a home: the down payment.

What Is a Doctor Mortgage?

Banks created this program because physicians have the lowest mortgage default rate of any professional category. Lenders know that even a resident earning $60,000 today will earn $200,000–$400,000+ as an attending. That future earning power makes you an exceptional lending risk — in their favor.

The result: a loan that treats you like the professional you are, not like someone who just graduated with $250,000 in debt.

Banks offer special mortgage programs for physicians

Key Features

0% Down Payment

No 20% down required. No saving for years while paying rent. You can buy immediately, with nothing down.

No PMI

Private Mortgage Insurance is waived — saving you $150–$300/month compared to a conventional loan with low down payment.

Student Debt Excluded

Many lenders exclude or reduce your student loans from the debt-to-income calculation. Your $250K in loans won't disqualify you.

Who Qualifies?

MD, DO physicians — residents, fellows, and attendings
DDS and DMD dentists
Many programs include DVM, NPs, PAs, and PharmDs
Close on a home up to 90 days prior to starting a new job
No prior homeownership required

Requirements vary by lender. Jenn works with lenders who specialize in physician financing and will match you with the right program for your situation.

who is qualified? Professionals MD, DO, DDS loading=

The 5-Year Decision That Follows You

Your residency is 3–7 years. That's long enough to build serious equity — or pay $120,000 in rent and own nothing. The real question isn't "what if the market goes up?" — it's "what's the worst case if it doesn't?" With a Doctor Mortgage, even zero appreciation leaves you breaking even. Renting's worst case, best case, and most likely case are all the same: −$120,000.

Match Day

PGY-1

PGY-2

PGY-3

PGY-4

PGY-5 / Fellowship

Renting

$120,000 paid · $0 owned

Buying

Break even → $66,000 asset built*

5-Year Outcome — Three Scenarios

Scenario	Appreciation	Renting 5 yrs	Buying 5 yrs
Worst caseMarket flat	0%	−$120,000	~$0Break even
ConservativeModest growth	2.5%	−$120,000	+~$25,000net after costs
Historical avgPhilly / NJ market	5%	−$120,000	+~$66,000net after costs

* $300K purchase, ~6.75% rate, 30-yr fixed, ~9% combined transaction costs. Renting assumes $2,000/month. Not a guarantee.

Buy

Buying builds an asset during your residency

$0 down: Doctor Mortgage means no down payment required
Payment range: $1,900–$2,400/month depending on rate, taxes, and loan terms
Stable payments: fixed-rate cost, no rent increases
Build equity: Philly and NJ markets average 2.5–5% appreciation annually
Tax advantage: mortgage interest and property taxes are deductible
Student debt? Doctor Mortgage lenders already account for this — it won't disqualify you
At year 5: net asset value of $25,000–$66,000 depending on market

Rent

Renting is simple — but has a real cost

Low upfront: security deposit only to get started
Flexibility: easier to relocate for fellowship or a new position
Maintenance free: landlord handles repairs and issues
Easier exit: give notice and move without selling
The real cost: $2,000/month × 60 months = $120,000 paid with nothing to show for it
At year 5: your landlord owns the equity your payments built

When Residency Ends, Buyers Have Options

Renters give notice and move. Buyers get to choose.

💰

Sell

Pocket the equity at closing. A $300K home bought at PGY-1 could sell for $360–380K by PGY-5. Use the proceeds as a down payment on your attending home.

Most Powerful

🏠

Rent It Out

Move for fellowship or a new position — and keep the asset. A home in Collingswood purchased for $300K could rent for $2,200/month. That's a cash-flowing property that pays for itself while you build your career elsewhere.

🌳

Stay

If you match locally and love where you live, you already own it. No need to re-enter the market as an attending. Just keep building equity in a home you already know.

* Based on $300K purchase, 2.5–5% annual appreciation, ~6.75% interest rate, standard principal paydown. Selling costs estimated at ~9% combined. Not a guarantee. Actual results vary by market conditions and timing.

Let's Find Your Home Near Your Hospital

I know all the neighborhoods, towns, and their transportation options. I have experience working with busy doctors and always respect your time. Tell me where you matched and I'll reach out personally.

Search Available Homes

Don't search alone! Your search is a specialty search with time constraints. Let Jenn share her expertise. Quick view updated current listings in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

SEARCH MORE PROPERTIES IN NJ

Match Day Residents Housing Guides