First Home Buyers

The 5% Deposit Scheme in 2026: Who Qualifies and How It Works

Buy your first home with a 5% deposit and no LMI. Here's who qualifies for the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme in 2026, the price caps and the catches.

5 min read

Help to Buy Explained: Buy a Home With a 2% Deposit

The federal Help to Buy scheme can contribute up to 40% of a home's price. Here's how shared equity works, the income and price caps, and who it suits.

NSW First Home Buyer Stamp Duty Exemption: 2026 Guide

NSW first home buyers pay no stamp duty on homes up to $800,000 and less up to $1 million. Here's how the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme works in 2026.

First Home Owner Grant NSW: Who Gets the $10,000?

The NSW First Home Owner Grant pays $10,000 towards a new home. The price caps, eligibility rules, when it's paid and how to combine it with other schemes.

First Home Super Saver Scheme: Using Super for Your Deposit

The First Home Super Saver scheme lets you save up to $50,000 for a deposit inside super, with tax savings. Here's how FHSS works and the timing traps to avoid.

How Much Deposit Do You Need to Buy a House in Australia?

Do you really need 20% to buy a house? We break down 2%, 5%, 10% and 20% deposits, what each costs you in LMI and repayments, and which suits your situation.

First Home Buyer Checklist: Every Step From Saving to Settlement

A practical step-by-step first home buyer checklist for Australia, from saving and pre-approval to inspections, contracts, settlement and moving in.

The Hidden Costs of Buying Your First Home

Your deposit isn't the only cost. The upfront and ongoing costs of buying a home in Australia, from stamp duty and conveyancing to strata levies and insurance.

Can You Combine First Home Buyer Schemes? What Stacks and What Doesn't

Which first home buyer schemes can you use together? See how the 5% Deposit Scheme, Help to Buy, FHSS, FHOG and stamp duty concessions combine in 2026.

Buying Your First Home With a Partner vs on Your Own

Buying alone or with a partner, friend or sibling? We compare borrowing power, scheme eligibility, ownership structures and what happens if things change.

First Home Buyers in Victoria: 2026 Grants and Stamp Duty Guide

Buying your first home in Victoria? The 2026 stamp duty exemption, $10,000 First Home Owner Grant, off-the-plan concessions and federal schemes you can use.

First Home Buyers in Queensland: The $30,000 Grant and Duty Relief

Queensland first home buyers can get a $30,000 grant on new homes and pay no stamp duty on new builds. Here's the 2026 guide to QLD grants and concessions.

Apartment or House for Your First Home? A Lending Perspective

Should your first home be an apartment or a house? Compare price, growth, strata costs, lender restrictions and borrowing power before you decide.

Rentvesting: Buy Where You Can Afford, Live Where You Want

Rentvesting means renting where you want to live and buying an investment property elsewhere. Here are the pros, cons, tax impacts and lending rules in 2026.

Family Home Guarantee: How Single Parents Can Buy With 2%

The Family Home Guarantee helps eligible single parents and guardians buy a home with a 2% deposit and no LMI. Here's who qualifies and how to apply.

How Long Does It Take to Save a House Deposit? (And How to Go Faster)

How long will it take you to save a home deposit, and what actually speeds it up? Practical saving strategies plus the schemes that shrink the target.

Buying Off the Plan as a First Home Buyer: Finance Risks to Know

Buying off the plan? Understand sunset clauses, valuation shortfalls, pre-approval expiry and how to protect your finance before you sign.

Should First Home Buyers Wait for Prices to Fall in 2026?

Home values have fallen six months straight and rates are rising. Should first home buyers wait? What the 2026 data says and how to decide for yourself.

Building Your First Home: How Construction Loans and Grants Work

Building your first home? How construction loans release funds in stages, how the First Home Owner Grant is paid, and what to sort before signing a builder.

9 Home Loan Mistakes First Home Buyers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

From maxing out borrowing to new car loans before settlement, these are the home loan mistakes we see first home buyers make most often, and how to avoid them.