Buying a home
Breaking down banking jargon
Need help with confusing banking jargon? We've put together a list of the most common banking jargon terms people don't understand and explained them in plain English.
What is LVR?
Learn more about Loan to Value Ratio (LVR), how it’s calculated and what effect it can have on your mortgage.
The banking jargon you need to know
From direct debits to lenders mortgage insurance and offset accounts, there’s lots of jargon you’ll come across when reviewing your banking or looking for a home loan.
What is an offset account?
Front and centre of saving both money and years off your home loan is having an offset account.
Buying property at auction in Queensland
Buying property at auction in Queensland differs from other states. Find out what you should consider doing before attending an auction in Queensland.
Are you ready to buy a house?
Got all your ducks in a row? This handy infographic takes you through four things you'll have if you are ready to buy a house.
6 things every first home buyer needs to do
Buying your first home is a huge undertaking. Here's 6 things every first home buyer should do.
Buying your first house as a young person
Buying a house as a young person often means buying your first home and with that comes lots of things you’ll need to consider.
3 must do steps to prepare for buying a house
Doing research and preparing to shop around is an important part of securing a dream home. Here's three must-do steps to help prepare yourself.
4 things you need to buy a house
Ready to buy your first home? That's super exciting...and a little daunting. Here's four things you'll need before you can get your hands on the keys to your own place.
Change of address checklist
Moving house? Here's a printable checklist of places you might need to consider changing your address with.
What to look out for at an open house from a tradie
While the inspections carried out by the professionals will give you thorough information when buying a property, there are things you can do at an open house inspection that might help you decide whether it's a property you want to buy. Guest blogger and Plumber, Bec Senyard shares her top 9 things to look at when inspecting an open house.
Costs associated with buying a property
Aside from the purchase price, there are a number of other costs associated with buying a property. Here's 8 costs to consider.
The home loan application process
Here's a list of steps to help you understand the process a home loan application goes through.
What is a cooling-off period?
A standard contract for buying a home in Queensland comes with a five day cooling-off period. Here's what it means.
3 stylist tips to maximise the sale price of your home
The more you can do to help your house look its best the more chance you will have of securing the price you want. Here's 3 things stylists recommend to help maximise the sale price of your property.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A House?
Building a house can be an expensive and daunting task. Don’t get caught short.
What is a construction loan?
If you’re building a house rather than purchasing an established property, you’ll want to investigate construction loans.
Bidding Strategies to help you win at auction time
Attending an auction can be scary, but with these strategies you’ll be itching to stand front and centre.
The Sunset Clause in QLD: What You Need to Know
If you’re thinking about buying off the plan, be sure to look out for any sunset clauses in the contract. But what is a sunset clause and how could it impact on your purchase?
Selling property? Preparation is key
Every seller wants to get the best price possible for their property. If you are serious about selling your home and generating buyer interest there are two key areas you need to look at.
What to do in the final 10 minutes before your open house
You've spent weeks, maybe even months, preparing for your house to be on the market - you've touched up paint, improved lawns and spent hours removing scuff marks. Here's what to do in the final 10 minutes before your house is open to the public.
Selling property? Two easy traps to keep clear of
If you are serious about selling your home here's two key areas you need to research, understand and act on to ensure your home becomes somebody else’s home as soon as possible.
Moving in with a partner: discussing money
Discussing money is an important step when planning to move in with a partner. Here's a list of things to discuss.
How to help parents downsize
Helping a parent to downsize from the famaily home is an emotion-charged experience. Guest blogger and Psychologist Ellen Jackson shares four tips to help make the process easier.
Buying property with friends: How do you save the relationship
Pooling your dollars with parents. siblings or friends to get a foothold in the housing market can allow you to split purchase costs and spread the repayment load. Guest writer, Ellen Jackson from Potential Psychology takes us through her top tips to reap the upside of property co-ownership without ruining the relationship.
Building equity in your property
Having equity in your home means the difference between the value of your property and how much you owe on it. Check out the ways you could build equity in your property and how you might consider using your equity.
3 ways to add value to your home before selling
There are many quick and easy ways to add value to your home – from giving your digs a lick of paint to replacing tired tap ware. Here's 3 ways to consider adding value to your home.
Home buyer brain storm
Use our printable home buyer brainstorm sheet to help get your thoughts onto paper.
5 ways to keep your home safe this holiday season
Keep your family safe this holiday season with these 5 easy tips.
Buying property off the plan
A boom in approved units, townhouses and apartments across the country could be seen as a good thing for Aussie home buyers, who may benefit from increased affordability and the option to purchase off the plan.
How much money can I borrow?
How much money you can borrow will depend on a number of things. Here's four to consider.
How to negotiate like a pro
So, you’ve found a property you love and want to make an offer. Here's four inside tips on how to negotiate like a pro.
Housing clichés which ring true
Some clichés are worth taking seriously when choosing a suburb and selecting a home.