Start saving for a deposit.

Most lenders require a deposit of a minimum of 5% of the total loan amount.

There is no time like the present to start stashing your cash for a deposit. The longer you put it off, the harder it can be to develop good savings habits. Unless you win the lottery, inherit or receive some other windfall, it’s a good idea to make some minor adjustments to your lifestyle to watch your savings grow.

Make an honest appraisal of all your living expenses and see where you can shave off some costs. Things like rent and utility bills should be covered first, then assign a budget for lifestyle with your remaining income. You can often make cuts in many aspects of your life. Make lunches to take to work, cut out the daily coffee run and opt for movie nights in instead of big nights out.

Once you’ve calculated a realistic savings amount, set up a direct deposit from your pay into a separate savings account with no card access. That way you won’t be tempted by ATM withdrawals or EFTPOS purchases. It will be satisfying to watch your nest egg grow, knowing your homemade lunches and big nights in will eventually reap financial rewards.

Additional costs to consider

You’ll need to cover the cost of Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance (LMI), if your loan amount is more than 80% of the value of the property.

Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance is a one-off insurance payment charged by lenders to those borrowers who are considered a higher financial risk; those borrowing more than 80%. Your risk is determined by your loan to value ratio (LVR), which is the amount you wish to borrow divided by the lender’s valuation of the property you wish to buy. Although LMI can add several thousand dollars to property purchase costs, many borrowers consider it a worthy investment to help secure a loan with a lower deposit. We can give you an LMI estimate based on your financial situation before deciding how much you need for your deposit.

As well as a deposit, you’ll also need to have enough saved to pay for stamp duty and conveyancing or legal fees associated with the purchase of the property. 

Check Out The 2024 Guide To First Home Buyer Schemes 

Why not go straight to a bank?

Of course you can go to a bank, but this can be trickier than it sounds.

Firstly, which one do you choose? Which of their products is right for you? And what about other lenders, building societies and credit unions? Australia is indeed the lucky country. We are blessed for choice when it comes to the amount of competition that exists when it comes to the mortgage market. With so many lenders, and so many products under each of their brands, it’s important you make the most of this regarding who and what you choose when it comes to your home loan.

There are a lot of options out there and, with regularly moving interest rates and new products, it’s an ever-changing market. And let’s not forget that if you’re a first home buyer, you’re probably very new to this.

That’s why a broker makes sense. We do this everyday. We know the lenders, their products and policies and we keep up-to-date with changes. We help choose what’s right for you.

Banks enjoy working with brokers, as we do a lot of the banks’ work for them and making their jobs much easier. Brokers may help speed up the application process and get you the top-notch customer service you deserve.

 In the simplest terms, having Barwon Mortgages in your corner makes finding the right loan easier and can save you time and, hopefully, money.

How much can you afford?

The first thing we will do is work out your borrowing potential.

You may have a dream home in mind but first you need to know if you can afford it. There are many factors that will influence your decision around what to buy and where – proximity to work and family and your stage of life are just a few – but the single biggest decider is nearly always what you can afford.

It’s really a case of looking at the big picture and working your way back from there. Consider your household income and what you realistically can afford in loan repayments, taking into account all of your expenses (even coffees and lunches).

As a guide a mortgage calculator can be a great place to start, but it won’t take into account all of your personal circumstances or eligibility for a loan. Talking to us will give you a much more accurate idea of what you can afford. We can look to obtain pre approval from a lender so you can put an offer on a home when you find the one you like. Of course, even with a pre approval a subject to finance clause is an important protection.

Finding your home.

Once you know what you can afford, you can get a much better idea of what type of home you can buy and where you can live.

When it comes to the type of property and location, many first buyers find they have to compromise in some way, shape or form. A free-standing home in an established, convenient, leafy neighbourhood near a CBD, great transport, family and friends might well be out of reach first time around. If convenience is important, you may be looking at apartments instead of houses, remembering that often the closer you get to a CBD, the higher the demand and price. Your budget, for example, might only stretch as far as an older, walk-up unit if you want a property within 20 minutes of a major capital city. If you definitely want a house and garden, depending on where you are, you may be restricted to the outer suburbs or regional areas.

You should consider what is most important to you now and over the next five years. Are you looking to be part of a community that’s similar in age to you? Is it important to get to and from work as quickly as possible or can you cope with a long commute, providing you have a great lifestyle when you get home? Do you have children or are you starting a family? All of these, in addition to your budget, will influence where and what you buy. Research is essential. Do your homework on suburb demographics and price trends over the past 10 years, plus existing and planned infrastructure, such as public transport, shopping centres and schools. If property values in one suburb have really taken off in the past five years, find out why and consider whether neighbouring areas have similar potential.