Buying Guide

Buying a home in Australia involves more moving parts than most first home buyers expect — credit score checks, deposit savings, government schemes, stamp duty rules that vary by state, pre-approval paperwork, building and pest inspections, auction strategy or private treaty negotiation, and a 4-6 week settlement window. These guides break the process into the order most buyers actually encounter it, so you can move through each step confidently rather than scrambling when a deadline arrives.

From first conversation to keys in hand usually takes 3-6 months for a well-prepared buyer. The first month covers credit-file clean-up, document gathering, borrowing capacity assessment, and pre-approval (24-48 hours for system-generated, 3-7 days for full assessment). The next weeks cover property search, inspections, and offers or auction bids. Once contracts are signed, settlement usually completes in 4-6 weeks while the lender finalises valuation and unconditional approval.

Common pitfalls: house-hunting without pre-approval (leading to lost auctions or rejected offers), not checking the credit file in advance, missing first home buyer scheme eligibility windows, underestimating upfront costs (stamp duty, conveyancing, inspections, and LMI can add 4-7% to the purchase price), and changing jobs or taking on new debt mid-application. The guides below cover application checklists, eligibility rules, credit score thresholds, and deposit requirements in detail.