First Home Buyer
7 editor-reviewed guides in this category.
Steps to buying a house
The sequence from first thinking about it to having keys in hand. Roughly 6-12 months for most Australian buyers, this is what each stage looks like.
7 min readHow much deposit do I need for a home loan?
The headline answer is 20%, but a home loan can be approved with 5%, and eligible first home buyers can skip lenders mortgage insurance entirely. Here is what each deposit size costs, what counts as deposit, and how to work out your own number.
8 min readLenders mortgage insurance (LMI) explained
LMI is a one-off premium charged when you borrow more than 80% of a property's value. It protects the lender, not you, but you pay for it. Here is what it costs, who it covers, and every legitimate way to avoid it.
9 min readHome Guarantee Scheme
The federal scheme that lets eligible buyers skip LMI with a small deposit. Expanded 1 October 2025: the First Home Guarantee dropped its limits.
5 min readGuarantor home loans
A family member's property equity can top up your deposit and skip LMI. How the guarantee is structured, what it risks for them, and when they're released.
6 min readFirst Home Buyer Grants
Federal Home Guarantee Scheme + state-by-state First Home Owner Grants and stamp duty concessions. What's available where.
6 min readHome Loan Hindsight Survey
What homeowners say they would do differently with their loan: rate negotiation, lender choice and refinance timing, in one short checklist.
3 min read