The complete guide to buying a house in Australia

Buying a home in Australia has a lot of moving parts — getting your finances ready, finding the right property, making an offer and getting the contract right, then settling. This is the map: a quick overview of the whole journey, with links to the detailed guides for each stage.

Every purchase is a little different, and the rules shift across NSW, QLD and VIC — but the shape of a purchase is the same. Here's how it flows, and where to go deeper.

The buying journey, stage by stage

• Getting ready to buy — set a budget, get finance-ready, understand the costs, and line up a conveyancer before you sign.
• Finding & assessing a property — inspections, what's included in the sale, and who carries the risk before settlement.
• Offer, contract & conditions — making your offer, cooling-off, deposits, finance approval and the conditions that make it binding.
• Settlement — how settlement works, your rights if it runs late, and getting the keys.

Key guides for getting ready

• The real cost of buying a home
• Stamp duty & first-home grants
• Set a buying budget
• Getting pre-approved
• Choosing a conveyancer
• The conveyancing process

The explainers below cover a few specific situations — buying a second or investment property, auctions vs private treaty, the common pitfalls to avoid, and buying through a company, SMSF or trust.