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Buying property
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Getting ready to buy

Getting ready to buy

Before you find a property, a few things are worth sorting early — understanding how the buying process actually works, knowing what conveyancing will cost, getting your contract reviewed before you sign, and choosing the right conveyancer. Getting these right up front is where buyers save the most money and avoid the most stress.

Guides

Foreign buyers purchasing property

What overseas buyers need to know — FIRB approval, additional duties, and the rules for buying Australian property, state by state.

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The conveyancing process: what happens when you buy

A step-by-step walk through the conveyancing process when buying — from making an offer to settlement, and who does what along the way.

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What conveyancing costs: fees vs disbursements

The difference between a conveyancer's fee and disbursements, what sits in each, and how to compare quotes without surprises.

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Getting your contract reviewed before you sign

Why having your contract of sale reviewed before you sign matters, what a review covers, and how it protects your deposit and position.

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Choosing a conveyancer

What a conveyancer does, how they differ from a solicitor, and what to look for and ask when choosing the right one for your purchase.

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The real cost of buying a home in Australia

The sticker price isn't what you'll pay. Every extra cost of buying — stamp duty, LMI, conveyancing, inspections, insurance and more — with current figures and worked examples for NSW, QLD and VIC.

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Getting pre-approved for a home loan

Pre-approval tells you what a lender will actually let you borrow, so you can house-hunt with a real number. This guide covers the two essentials: finding the right mortgage broker and getting your documents ready.

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Stamp duty and first-home grants

Transfer (stamp) duty is a state tax on property transfers, charged on the higher of purchase price or market value. This guide covers how it is calculated, the NSW, QLD and VIC rates, and the exemptions, concessions and first-home grants buyers may qualify for.

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How to set a buying budget you'll actually stick to

Set a maximum purchase price you'll actually hold to: separate borrowing capacity from what you should spend, stress-test against rate rises, and account for every cost. Includes worked NSW, VIC and QLD examples.

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Explainers

What are the steps to buying a property, start to finish?

Buying a property runs through a set sequence: get finance-ready and pre-approved, search and shortlist, have the contract reviewed and complete due diligence, make an offer and sign, satisfy the contract's conditions like finance and inspections, then settle and collect the keys. The order matters more than the exact number of steps — each exists to catch a problem while you can still act on it.

What does a conveyancer actually do for you?

A conveyancer handles the legal transfer of ownership — reviewing your contract before you sign, managing the conditions, and getting you to settlement on time.

What upfront costs does every property buyer pay?

The costs everyone pays when buying are the unavoidable expenses that apply on top of the purchase price, whatever you buy. They include government transfer (stamp) duty, a transfer registration fee, conveyancing, and building and pest inspections — plus lender's mortgage insurance if your deposit is under 20%.

What is stamp duty, and who pays it?

Stamp duty — now called transfer duty in most states — is a state government tax the buyer pays when property changes hands. It's usually the largest upfront cost after your deposit, and the amount depends on the price and which state you buy in.

What's the difference between your borrowing capacity and your maximum purchase price?

Your borrowing capacity is what a lender will lend you; your maximum purchase price is what you can actually afford once deposit, costs and a safety buffer are accounted for. They're rarely the same number — and borrowing to your limit is how buyers get stretched.

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer — the contract review, title and property searches, identity checks, settlement calculations, and the final transfer of title and funds. A licensed conveyancer or property solicitor handles it, and their work can start before you sign and continues until any post-settlement tasks are done.

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