Overpaying is the default. This is the fix.
The complete guide to buying property in Australia, written for the buyer you actually are: first home, upgrading, investing or downsizing. What you can really spend, the schemes worth tens of thousands, and how the selling side plays you. Free, in your inbox in 60 seconds.
- 2026 schemes state by state, worth tens of thousands
- What lenders will actually approve, buffer included
- Underquoting and auction psychology, decoded
- A printable 12-week buying timeline
10 chapters 60-second form Never shared with selling agents
What happens next
- 01Answer six quick questions, about 60 seconds
- 02Download instantly, plus a copy lands in your inbox
- 03We point you at the chapters for your situation
What knowing the game is worth
5%
the deposit that skips lenders mortgage insurance entirely under the 2026 federal scheme, if you know to use it
$10k to $50k+
what first home buyer schemes and duty concessions are worth, state by state, chapter 3
5 to 10%
how far auction price guides routinely run under the final result, decoded in chapter 6
Figures are typical ranges from the guide. Your purchase will vary. That is exactly why chapter 2 exists.
Ten chapters, four buyers, no filler.
Which buyer are you?
First home, upgrader, investor, downsizer: the playbook for each
What you can actually spend
Borrowing power, the lender buffer, deposits, LMI, true upfront costs
Schemes, state by state
2026 settings: 5% Deposit Scheme, Help to Buy, FHOG, duty concessions
Finding the right suburb
The data that matters, school catchments, growth signals
Inspecting like a professional
The 30-minute method, building and pest, strata, when to walk
How the selling side plays you
Underquoting, price guides decoded, auction psychology
Making the offer
Negotiation, protective conditions, auction strategy
Finance to unconditional
Pre-approval realities, valuation shortfalls, investor lending
Contracts to keys
Conveyancing, cooling-off by state, settlement day
Your 12-week buying timeline
A printable week-by-week plan, persona footnotes included
Selling as well? The selling guide is the other half of the move, also free.
Questions buyers ask us.
Is the buying guide really free?
Yes. The guide is a free PDF and there's no charge for anything on Your Property Guide. Your details are never sold and never passed to selling agents. If you ask us to, we can introduce you to a vetted mortgage broker or buyer's agent, and they pay us for that introduction, never you.
Which first home buyer schemes apply in 2026?
The big ones: the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme (no place caps and no income test since October 2025, with city price caps like $1.5m in Sydney and $1m in Brisbane), Help to Buy shared equity from 2% deposit, the First Home Super Saver scheme, plus state grants and stamp duty concessions that differ in every state. Chapter 3 has the full 2026 table.
How much deposit do I actually need?
Twenty percent avoids lenders mortgage insurance, but it isn't the only path. Five percent under the federal scheme skips LMI entirely if you qualify, and ten percent with LMI can beat waiting years while prices move. Chapter 2 runs the numbers on all three paths, including what LMI typically costs on a $750k purchase.
What does this guide cover for investors and downsizers?
Every chapter carries persona callouts where the advice diverges: investor lending differences (rates, interest-only, rental income shading), yield versus growth suburb selection, strata due diligence for downsizers, and the bridging decision for upgraders buying before they sell.
Buy it once. Buy it well.
60 seconds, matched to your situation, free.
Selling, not buying? There’s a selling guide too