Unpack Property
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Where do I start?

Buying your first home in Australia, laid out as one calm path. Tell us roughly where you are and we'll point you to the next sensible step, in plain English, with no jargon assumed.

  • Six steps
  • Pick yours or read them all
  • Free, no sign-up

Where are you right now?

Pick whichever sounds most like you. We'll mark the step to start with. The whole path stays below, so you can read ahead any time.

  1. Step 1 of 6

    First, work out if now is the right time

    Before you look at a single house, it helps to be honest about whether buying suits you right now: your income, your savings buffer, and whether owning actually fits the life you want. There are no wrong answers here, just a clearer picture.

    Do this first

    Am I Ready to Buy?12-question readiness diagnostic across finances, lifestyle, knowledge, and emotional prep.3 min
    More tools for this step (13)
    Rent vs BuyCompare renting vs buying over 10 years with stress tests, rentvesting, and lifestyle scoring.5 minRentvesting CalculatorRent where you want, buy where you can afford. 10-year wealth with AU tax.4 minWhat Can I Afford?Interactive suburb explorer based on your borrowing power and government schemes.3 minSchool Zone PremiumSame house, different school zone. Is the premium worth it vs paying private fees?3 minBuy Now vs WaitBuy now with 5%? Wait and save 20%? Compare wealth at year 10/15/30 across 5 wait periods side by side.4 minPay CalculatorSee your real take-home pay after income tax, Medicare, HELP repayment and employer super. Any salary, any pay frequency.1 minIncome Tax Bracket ExplorerSee exactly how Australia's progressive tax brackets apply to your income. Marginal and effective rates for residents, non-residents, and working holiday makers.2 minHELP/HECS Payoff CalculatorProject how long until your study loan is cleared. See your payoff date, years to clear and total repaid including indexation, with optional extra repayments.2 minIncome Percentile CalculatorSee where your taxable income ranks among Australian taxpayers. Covers ~13.2M lodging taxpayers from ATO 2023-24 data.1 minInflation CalculatorSee what a past salary or amount is worth in today's dollars, adjusted for inflation using ABS CPI data.1 minTax Distribution CalculatorSee how your estimated income tax maps across federal government spending, from social security and health to defence and education.1 minChild Care Subsidy EstimatorEstimate your Child Care Subsidy rate and weekly out-of-pocket cost based on your family income, care type, and hours used.2 minFamily Tax Benefit CalculatorEstimate your Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B payments based on family income and children's ages.2 min

    Should I wait for rates to drop?

    There is no universal answer. Waiting for a lower rate can cost more in price growth than it saves in interest, so running the numbers for your target suburb helps weigh both sides. A broker or adviser can factor in your specific timing and cash flow.

  2. Step 2 of 6

    Find the free money you might be owed

    Australia has dozens of grants, discounts and schemes for first home buyers. Most people only ever hear about one. A quick check shows which ones you may be able to use, and they can often be stacked together.

    Do this first

    First Home Buyer Quiz10 or 11 questions. Every scheme you may be eligible for, side by side.2 min
    More tools for this step (9)
    Grant StackerEvery federal and state grant, concession and scheme you may be eligible for.4 minScheme ComparisonHelp to Buy vs 5% Deposit side by side with long-run wealth impact.3 minNegative Equity RiskIf the market dips, what happens to your equity? Compare Help to Buy, traditional 20%, and 5% Deposit Scheme side by side. Honest downside math.3 minDeposit Boost ComparatorCompare every path to a deposit. Bank savings, FHSS, parental gift, guarantor, 5% scheme, Help to Buy - side by side.4 minDeposit TimelineMap your deposit month by month. Compare plain savings vs First Home Super Saver, with tax savings and 2/5/10/20% milestones.3 minGrant DashboardLive countdowns for expiring grants, eligibility checker, state-by-state FHOG.BrowseFHSS CalculatorFirst Home Super Saver salary sacrifice plan. Couples, tax savings, release timeline.3 minPrice Cap CheckerSee the maximum property price for Help to Buy and the 5% Deposit Scheme, side by side, for your state and location.1 minCo-Buying CalculatorBuying with a friend, sibling, or family member? Per-buyer scheme eligibility, combined upfront costs, and three exit scenario models.6 min

  3. Step 3 of 6

    Add up what it really costs

    The asking price is never the full price. On top of it sit things like stamp duty, lender's insurance, a conveyancer and moving costs. Knowing the real number now means no nasty surprises later.

    Do this first

    Stamp Duty CalculatorPer-state estimate with FHB concessions auto-applied, foreign surcharges, total upfront.1 min
    More tools for this step (4)
    LMI CalculatorYour LMI cost, upfront vs capitalised, and how FHG or Help to Buy can waive it.2 minTrue Cost CalculatorHidden costs of house and land: site works, landscaping, fencing, coverings.3 minBuilder Quote ComparisonGot 2-3 builder quotes? Side-by-side standardiser shows which is really cheapest after filling every exclusion.5 minMoving CostsRemovalists, cleaning, connections, furniture, admin. Total your moving-day budget.2 min

    How much buffer should I actually keep?

    Minimum 3 months of repayments after settlement, separate from stamp duty. 6 months if you're self-employed.

  4. Step 4 of 6

    Sort out your loan

    This is where you find out how much a bank may lend you, and get that in writing before you start making offers. It also pays to check how your repayments would cope if interest rates rose.

    Do this first

    Borrowing PowerHow much you can borrow, and how government schemes extend your capacity.2 min
    More tools for this step (5)
    Guarantor Loan CalculatorBoth sides: the deposit saving for you, the equity exposure for the guarantor.3 minMortgage ComparisonCompare two loan scenarios: rate, term, fixed vs variable, P&I vs interest-only.2 minRate Shock TesterRepayments if rates jump 1-3%. Banks stress-test at +3%. Now you can too.1 minLayered Stress TestStack rate rises + pregnancy + job loss + medical. See which combinations break the budget and how big a buffer you need.4 minRefinance Break-EvenHow many months until a refinance pays off after fees, new LMI, cashback, and the fresh-30-year-term trap.3 min

    Fixed or variable?

    Variable offers flexibility, such as offset accounts and extra repayments. Fixed offers certainty on repayments for a set period. A split loan gives some of both. Which suits you depends on your circumstances, and a broker can help weigh it.

  5. Step 5 of 6

    Look at homes and make an offer

    Now the research gets put to use. The key is knowing your absolute walk-away number before you fall in love with a place or get caught up in an auction.

    Do this first

    Can I Afford This Property?Found a listing? Enter its price with your income and savings to see upfront costs, the loan needed, repayments and which schemes could apply.2 min
    More tools for this step (3)
    What Can I Afford?Suburb-level explorer with scheme-boosted capacity overlay.3 minAuction Max Bid CalculatorOpen on your phone at the auction. Cash + loan + state = absolute max you can bid, stamp duty, LMI and buffer all included.2 minCooling-off CountdownJust signed? Countdown shows when your cooling-off expires and what it costs to rescind.1 min

    Auction or private treaty?

    Private treaty gives you more time and negotiation leverage. Auctions are unconditional, with no cooling off. Know your absolute ceiling before you raise your hand.

  6. Step 6 of 6

    Settle in: the first few weeks

    Most people go quiet after they sign, then get surprised by the costs of actually owning a home. Here's what really happens in the first month and the year that follows.

    Do this first

    First-Year Cost SimulatorSee month-by-month what the first year of ownership actually costs - mortgage plus every other line that nobody mentions.3 min
    More tools for this step (5)
    Strata Fee EstimatorPredict the quarterly body corporate fees on an apartment before you make an offer, from building features.2 minOff-the-Plan Risk CalculatorModel the cash risks unique to buying a new build - valuation shortfall at settlement, stamp duty saving, deposit-at-risk and completion delay costs.5 minSettlement Adjustment CalculatorAt settlement you reimburse the seller for prepaid council rates, water, and strata. Compute it line by line.2 minMortgage Offset CalculatorOffset account vs extra repayments vs doing nothing. Interest saved and payoff timeline.2 minRenovation ROIFor Help to Buy participants: how renovations affect the government equity share.3 min

    What happens on settlement day?

    Your solicitor, the bank, and the vendor's solicitor exchange documents and funds. You get the keys the same day. Make sure insurance starts from settlement, not move-in.

Words you'll hear

Open any term for a plain-English explanation. No prior knowledge needed.

Deposit
The cash you put in up front. Often 5% to 20% of the price. The bigger it is, the less you borrow and the less interest you pay.
Stamp duty
A one-off state tax you pay when you buy property. It can be thousands of dollars, but first home buyers often pay less or nothing depending on the state and price.
LMI
Lender's Mortgage Insurance. A one-off cost the bank can charge if your deposit is under 20%. It protects the bank, not you, but some schemes can waive it.
LVR
Loan-to-Value Ratio. The size of your loan compared to the property's value, as a percentage. Borrow $450k on a $500k home and your LVR is 90%.
Pre-approval
A letter from a lender saying it will probably lend you up to a certain amount. It lets you bid or make offers with confidence. It is not a final yes.
FHOG
First Home Owner Grant. A one-off cash grant from your state or territory for eligible first home buyers, usually for new builds. Amounts and rules vary by state.
FHSS
First Home Super Saver. A scheme that lets you save part of your deposit inside super, where it can be taxed less, then withdraw it to buy your first home.
Help to Buy
A federal scheme where the government chips in part of the purchase price in exchange for owning a share of the home, lowering what you need to borrow.
Conveyancer
The person who handles the legal paperwork of buying a property: checking the contract, the title and the settlement. A solicitor can do this too.
Settlement
The day it all becomes official. Money and documents change hands, and you get the keys. It usually happens a few weeks after you sign the contract.
Equity
The slice of the home you actually own: its value minus what you still owe. It grows as you pay down the loan or the property rises in value.
Offset account
A savings account linked to your loan. The money in it is subtracted from your loan balance when interest is worked out, so you pay less interest.
Body corporate (strata)
If you buy an apartment or townhouse, owners share the cost of running the building, such as lifts, gardens and insurance. You pay regular strata fees for this.
Cooling-off period
A short window after signing where you can change your mind and pull out, usually for a small penalty. It does not apply when you buy at auction.

These tools are a starting point, not advice

Everything here is general in nature and does not take into account your personal circumstances. The tools give you estimates and plain-English context so you can ask better questions. A mortgage broker, conveyancer or financial adviser can take it from there with advice tailored to your situation. When you're ready, the First Home Buyer Quiz is a quick way to compare the schemes side by side for your inputs.
Data verified October 2026

For illustration only. These tools do not constitute personal financial advice. Grant amounts, rates, caps and eligibility rules may change. Always verify with the relevant government agency, such as your state revenue office, Housing Australia, the ATO or Services Australia, and consider seeking independent financial advice before making decisions.