Buying Guides
How to Buy Your First Home
Buying your first home follows a fairly predictable path once you know the steps. Here is a plain-English overview to help you feel prepared from the start.
Get your finances clear first
Before you fall for a home, it helps to know what you can realistically afford. That means understanding your borrowing capacity, saving for a deposit and costs, and ideally securing a pre-approval so you can act with confidence.
A licensed mortgage broker can clarify all of this and flag any incentives you may be eligible for.
Search, inspect, and assess
Once your budget is set, the search begins. Inspect properties with a critical eye, consider the location as much as the home itself, and arrange a building and pest inspection before committing. It is easy to be swept up by emotion, so a checklist keeps you grounded.
Offer, contract, and settle
When you find the right home, you make an offer or bid, exchange contracts, and work toward settlement. A conveyancer handles the legal side. We can introduce you to independent, licensed brokers, buyers' agents, inspectors, and conveyancers to guide each step.
Related reading
- First home buyer mistakes to avoid — the most common — and most costly — errors first buyers make.
Frequently asked questions
What is the very first step?
Understanding what you can afford. Speaking with a licensed broker about your borrowing position is usually the best place to start.
Do I need a buyers' agent for my first home?
It is optional, but many first-time buyers value the guidance. We can introduce you to independent, licensed buyers' agents if you want that support.