Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

Buying your first home with just a 5% deposit sounds like the shortcut many buyers have been waiting for. But while the scheme can help you enter the market sooner, borrowing 95% of a property's value also comes with risks that every first home buyer needs to understand. In this episode, Veronica and Meighan are joined by Jack Elliott from Alcove Mortgages to unpack how the 5% Deposit Scheme reall...

First home buyer grants, stamp duty concessions, shared equity schemes, 5% deposit pathways–there’s more support available than ever before. But are these incentives actually helping you make better property decisions? In this episode, mortgage broker Jack Elliott returns to break down the grants, concessions, and buyer schemes available across Australia. We cover how stamp duty relief works in ea...

Buying a property is about to involve more paperwork than many buyers expect. From July 2026, Australia's anti-money laundering reforms will introduce new checks for property transactions. That means first home buyers may be asked to provide identification, bank statements, gift letters, inheritance records, and evidence showing where their deposit funds came from. In this episode, Veronica and Me...

Most first home buyers wait until they feel “ready” before speaking to a mortgage broker. But what if that decision is actually delaying your plans by months—or even years? In this episode, we’re joined by Jack Elliott from Alcove Mortgages to unpack one of the most common mistakes first home buyers make: coming to the finance conversation too late. We explore what a broker actually does, why the...

Shared equity schemes are becoming one of the most talked-about pathways into homeownership. Lower deposits, smaller loans, and the chance to buy sooner can sound incredibly appealing—but what are you giving up in return? In this episode, Veronica and Meighan unpack how shared equity schemes actually work, who they're designed for, and the trade-offs many buyers don't fully understand until years...

You’ve found the one. The suburb works, the layout feels right, and auction day arrives. But what happens if you win… and your loan doesn’t go through? In this episode, we break down the real risks of buying at auction—especially when relying on pre-approval. From valuation shortfalls to lender restrictions and changes in your financial situation, there are several ways a deal can fall apart after...

You’ve probably seen the headlines—negative gearing changes, big shifts for investors, and talk of housing becoming more affordable. But what does the 2026 budget actually mean for first home buyers? In this episode, we break down the key property-related changes, including negative gearing, capital gains tax, and investor behaviour. While these policies are being framed as a win for buyers, the r...

Buying your first home isn’t just about saving a deposit — it’s about learning how to make confident decisions in a market filled with noise, pressure, and conflicting advice. In this episode, we sit down with Home Buyer Academy graduate Kate Howes to hear the real story behind her first home journey, from major life setbacks and uncertainty to finally buying a home she genuinely loves. Kate share...

Rising grocery bills. Higher interest rates. Constant headlines about economic uncertainty. Friends telling you to wait. Parents warning you not to buy yet. For many first home buyers, it feels like the economy is sending one clear message right now: don’t make a big move. But what if waiting comes with risks too? In this episode, Veronica and Meighan unpack the fear surrounding recessions, uncert...

Buying your first home is a high-pressure decision filled with emotion, uncertainty, and conflicting advice. And most of the time, you’re not actually arguing about the property—you’re dealing with fear, different risk tolerances, and a lack of clear direction. In this episode, we break down why couples struggle to agree during the buying process, from clashing money beliefs to outside opinions fr...

Setting your offer price sounds simple — but knowing what a property is actually worth is where most buyers get stuck. In this episode, Veronica and Meighan break down how to properly assess property value so you can make confident, informed decisions before you make an offer. They explain why relying on price guides, emotions, or outdated sales data can lead to overpaying or repeatedly missing ou...

If you’re planning to rentvest, the hardest part isn’t the strategy — it’s choosing where to buy. You might understand how rentvesting works. You’ve weighed up the pros and cons. But when it comes to picking a suburb, things can quickly feel unclear. In this episode, we break down why location isn’t just one part of the decision — it’s the foundation of your investment. Many buyers focus on price,...

Many buyers wait for their dream home, but if you’re thinking about future options and long-term growth, sometimes the smarter move is choosing a property that can act as a stepping stone and move you forward. In this episode, we unpack the stepping stone strategy and explain how first home buyers can use their first purchase to build equity, create flexibility, and open up more opportunities over...

Scrolling listings, asking friends, wondering “where should I buy?” — and still no closer to a decision? This episode breaks down why that happens, and gives you a clear, practical way to finally move forward. In this episode, we unpack why there’s no single “right suburb” and why relying on hot tips, headlines, or advice from friends and family can lead you in the wrong direction. Behind this que...

How do you actually know when you’re ready to buy your first home? In this final episode of our readiness trilogy, we move beyond market timing and deposit preparation to answer one of the most common questions first home buyers ask. After covering why trying to time the market can be misleading and what preparation really involves, this episode focuses on recognising the moment when preparation t...

Still wondering if now is the right time to buy? Or feeling like you’re not quite ready yet, and unsure what to do next? This is Part 2 of our three-part series, Is it the right time to buy? , where we shift the conversation away from timing the market and toward how to actually get yourself ready to buy with confidence. In this episode, we walk through the key areas that shape a well-prepared buy...

Is now the right time to buy your first home? If you’ve been asking that question, you’re not alone. But here’s the shift that changes everything: the market doesn’t determine your success—your readiness does. In Part 1 of this three-part series, we break down why trying to time the property market keeps first home buyers stuck, stressed, and second-guessing themselves. Interest rates move. Prices...

Buying your first home isn’t just about price. It’s about risk, lifestyle, timing, and understanding which compromises are smart—and which ones can cost you for years. In this Q&A episode, we answer real questions from our Facebook group, including whether water damage in apartments is always a deal breaker, what to consider when buying your first home at 50, and how to weigh lifestyle walkabi...

Buying in regional New South Wales used to feel like the “safe” alternative—cheaper prices, less competition, and fewer moving parts. But according to buyer’s agent Matt Ward, those assumptions no longer hold. In this episode, we unpack how regional NSW property markets have fundamentally changed since COVID, and why buyers who rely on old advice are getting caught out. Matt shares what he’s seein...

Some property rules sound responsible. Sensible, even. Never buy at auction. Never stretch your budget. Always buy the worst house on the best street. But when first home buyers follow these rules without understanding the context, they can quietly limit their options—or worse, lock themselves into the wrong decision. In part two of our two-part series, we unpack the quieter property rules that do...

If you’re a first home buyer, you’ve probably heard the same advice over and over again: never buy on a main road , never buy a one-bedroom , never buy off the plan . These “rules” get passed down by parents, friends, forums, and social media—usually with good intentions, but almost never with proper explanation. And that’s where the trouble starts. In Part One of this two-part series, Meighan and...

Auctions can bring out the best—and the worst—in first home buyers. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the common mistakes buyers don’t realise they're making, from freezing too early to getting swept up in the heat of the moment. Joined by auctioneer Peter Burgin, Meighan and Veronica unpack the real psychology of auction day and why so many people walk away saying, “We should’ve gone o...

A property that ticks every box. A sunlit living room that opens onto a leafy backyard. A quiet street that’s somehow still walking distance to the best cafés and the train station. For many Australians, that’s the dream first home—the one that feels like it was made just for you. But here’s the truth: relying on luck to find "the one" could be the reason you end up with a property that hamstrings...

What if we told you that relying on AI for your property research could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars? In this episode, we’re joined by Mike Mortlock, Managing Director of MCG Quantity Surveyors, to unpack shocking new research that proves tools like ChatGPT are getting property advice spectacularly wrong. With nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials already using AI for financial decisio...

Most first home buyers don’t fail because the market is too hard —they fail because they follow the steps in the wrong order. They start scrolling listings, falling in love with homes they’re not ready to buy, and end up overwhelmed, stressed, or stuck. In this episode, we explain why that one mistake can cost you tens of thousands of dollars—and how to avoid it. We break down our proven PACE syst...