First-Home Buyer's Guide to the Australian Property Market

Know what you can actually borrow

Before you fall in love with a listing, talk to a broker or your bank about your borrowing capacity. Factor in stamp duty, conveyancing, building and pest inspections, and a buffer for moving costs — these add thousands on top of the deposit.

Stamp duty and first-home concessions

Every state runs its own first-home buyer scheme. In NSW, first-home buyers may get a full or partial exemption on stamp duty for homes under certain thresholds, plus the First Home Owner Grant for new builds. Victoria, Queensland, WA and others have their own caps and concessions — check your state revenue office before you budget.

Some states also offer a choice between paying stamp duty upfront or an annual property tax for first-home buyers. Run the numbers for how long you plan to hold the home.

Searching on NoBulls

Use the Property category and filter by state and suburb. Save searches for the areas you're watching and turn on price drop alerts — you'll be notified the moment a seller reduces their asking price, which is often a sign of a motivated vendor.

Inspections and due diligence

Always order an independent building and pest inspection before you commit. At open homes, look for water stains on ceilings, sloping floors, and signs of recent quick cosmetic renos that might mask bigger problems. A 30-minute inspection can save you tens of thousands.

Making an offer

In a private sale (the kind you'll mostly find on NoBulls), offers are negotiable. Put your offer in writing with your finance pre-approval attached. A clean offer with a short settlement and no big conditions can beat a higher offer that's messy — vendors love certainty.

Settlement day

Your conveyancer handles the paperwork and transfer of funds. Do a final inspection on the morning of settlement to confirm the property is in the agreed condition. Then collect the keys — you're officially a homeowner.