Your first home. Without the confusion.
Navigating grants, schemes and deposit requirements can be overwhelming. We turn the complex process into a simple, step-by-step plan.
Buying your first home is tough. We make it simple.
- ✓The confusion: we explain the jargon and map a clear path from saving to settlement.
- ✓The deposit: think you need 20%? We help you access schemes to buy with as little as 5%.
- ✓The speed: we get your pre-approval sorted quickly so you don't miss out.
The First Home Buyer Checklist
Every step from saving to settlement — deposit paths, schemes, what to prepare and what to check before you sign. Pop in your email and it's yours.
No spam — just the checklist and the occasional genuinely useful update. Unsubscribe anytime.
Five steps, handled.
Chat & assess
We review your income and savings to see how much you can borrow.
Pre-approval
We secure a 'green light' so you can hunt with confidence.
House hunt
You find the home. We can provide property reports to help you value it.
Formal approval
Once your offer is accepted, we finalise the loan with the bank.
Settlement
Funds are transferred, and you get the keys to your first home!
Most first home buyers miss out. You won't.
First Home Guarantee
The federal government guarantees part of your loan so you don't pay LMI.
- ✓ 5% deposit for standard buyers
- ✓ 2% for single parents (Family Home Guarantee)
- ✓ Save approx. $15k–$30k in fees
First Home Owner Grant
A one-off cash grant for buying or building a brand-new home. Amount varies by state.
- ✓ $10,000 cash (NSW/VIC/WA)
- ✓ $15,000–$30,000 (QLD)
- ✓ Strictly for new builds
Stamp Duty Concessions
States often waive or reduce stamp duty for first home buyers up to certain price caps.
- ✓ Full exemption for lower-priced homes
- ✓ Partial discount for mid-range homes
- ✓ Can save you $20k+ upfront
Guarantor Loans
The "Bank of Mum & Dad." Use family equity as security to buy with little or no deposit.
- ✓ Buy with small or no deposit
- ✓ Avoid paying LMI fees
- ✓ Get into the market years sooner
First home buyers of every kind.
Whatever your deposit or situation looks like, there's usually a path in — we help you find the one that fits.
Couples & singles
Saving hard but not quite at 20%? We map the 5% First Home Guarantee, low-deposit options and what you can comfortably borrow on one or two incomes.
Single parents & families
The Family Home Guarantee can let eligible single parents buy with just a 2% deposit and no LMI — a genuine fast-track into your own home.
Buyers with family help
A parent willing to go guarantor, or a gifted deposit, can get you in years sooner and often avoid LMI. We structure it so everyone's protected.
What it really takes to buy your first home.
"You need a 20% deposit" is the belief that keeps more first home buyers renting than any other — and it's usually not true. In Australia today you can often buy with far less; the real question is which path makes the most sense for you.
The deposit paths, plainly
A 20% deposit avoids Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) and gets the sharpest rates. A 5–10% deposit with LMI gets you in years earlier for a one-off insurance cost. The First Home Guarantee lets eligible buyers purchase with a 5% deposit and no LMI, and the Family Home Guarantee drops that to 2% for eligible single parents. A guarantor loan using family equity can bridge the gap with little or no cash deposit.
Don't forget the costs beyond the deposit
Your deposit isn't the only cash you'll need. Budget for stamp duty (first home buyers often get a concession or exemption), conveyancing, building and pest inspection, loan fees and a moving buffer. Our upfront cost calculator adds it all up so you know the real number before you commit.
Work backwards from what you can borrow
Start with what you can comfortably borrow and repay, not a deposit figure you've assumed. Get a quick read with our borrowing power estimator and our deposit savings planner, then read the full first home deposit guide in our Knowledge Hub.
"Do I really need a 20% deposit?"
The most common myth in real estate. The answer is no — here are three ways in.
20% deposit + costs
The safest route. No LMI and the lowest rates. Great if you have the savings, but hard to achieve quickly.
5–10% deposit + LMI
A one-off insurance fee (LMI) to the lender. Costs a bit more, but gets you in years earlier.
5% deposit + govt scheme
With the First Home Guarantee you pay 5% and the government guarantees the rest — early entry AND zero LMI.