The guide Stage 01

Haven't started

You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

This is you if

  • Not sure where to start
  • May not have a deposit yet
  • Not sure what you're looking for
  • Would like to buy at some stage

By the end of this stage

  • You know why you're buying, and roughly when
  • You understand the process from savings to settlement
  • You know where you stand financially and what to fix first
  • You know which government schemes you qualify for

11 chapters

Read in order, or skip to what you need.

  1. 01Why buy property at all?The honest case for owning, including the parts of it that get oversold.3 min
  2. 02Are you ready for this journey?A worksheet for the why, the when, and the why-not. The emotional part is the expensive part.2 min
  3. 03Understanding the journey, end to endEvery stage from first savings goal to keys in hand, with honest timings.2 min
  4. 04Strengthening your financial fitnessWhere you stand, what to fix first, and how much you can actually borrow.3 min
  5. 05How much deposit do you need for a house?Why 20% is the number lenders use, what LVR and LMI mean, how to buy with 5% or less, and the costs that come on top of the deposit.6 min
  6. 06How the government can helpThe 5% Deposit Scheme, the First Home Owner Grant, stamp duty concessions, the super saver scheme and Help to Buy, with the figures dated.5 min
  7. 07The First Home Super Saver schemeSave a deposit inside super: who can use the FHSS scheme, what counts, what it saves you in tax, and the steps and deadlines for getting the money out.10 min
  8. 08Other ways to speed up a purchaseGuarantors, gifted deposits and deposit products, with the risks each one moves onto someone else.2 min
  9. 09Types of mortgages and how they workFixed against variable, principal and interest against interest-only, offset accounts, and what the interest actually costs.2 min
  10. 10All things finances around propertyUpfront costs, ongoing costs, and how returns work if you're buying to rent out.3 min
  11. 11Stage 1 checklistWhat you should be able to answer before you move on to getting prepared.1 min

Next up

Stage 2: Getting prepared

Go to Stage 2 All stages