First Home Buyers

We'll help you into your first home

Rated 5 from 76 Reviews

Understand your loan options, grants and incentives - and get into your first home with confidence

Buying your first home is one of the most significant financial decisions you'll make. It comes with real complexity - loan structures, eligibility criteria, government incentives, and lender requirements that can shift depending on your circumstances. At fundfin., we work with first home buyers to cut through that complexity and put the right home loan options in front of you.

We provide access to a broad panel of banks and lenders across Australia, which means we can compare products across fixed and variable interest rates, fee structures, and features like offset accounts - finding a loan that genuinely suits your financial position rather than just ticking a box.

Understanding your borrowing capacity is a critical first step. We'll review your income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and credit history to give you a clear picture of what you can realistically borrow - and what loan structure will serve you over the long term. We'll also walk you through loan-to-value ratio (LVR) considerations and whether lender's mortgage insurance (LMI) applies to your situation.

First home buyers in Australia may be eligible for a range of government support measures, including the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG), LMI waivers, and stamp duty concessions. Eligibility varies by state and property type, and the details matter. Our team will assess your specific situation and identify which incentives you can access - potentially reducing your upfront costs significantly.

If you're also considering your first investment property, we can help you explore investment loan options alongside owner-occupier products, ensuring your broader financial goals are factored into the approach from the outset.

Getting pre-approved is a powerful step before you start making offers. It gives you a defined budget, strengthens your position with vendors, and removes uncertainty from the process. We'll manage the pre-approval process with your chosen lender, handling the paperwork and keeping you informed at every stage.

When you're ready to move forward, book an appointment with the fundfin. team and let's map out a clear path to your first home.

How we help first home buyers secure a home loan

1. Initial Consultation

Your journey starts with a conversation. We'll take the time to understand your property goals, explain the loan process from start to finish, and assess your current financial position. This is where we identify the right loan types from our panel of banks and lenders across Australia - and start building a strategy tailored to you.

2. Financial Assessment

We conduct a thorough review of your income, expenses, assets, liabilities, credit history, and any existing equity. This assessment determines your borrowing capacity and the loan amount you're positioned to apply for. We'll also explain key concepts like loan-to-value ratio (LVR), interest rate discounts, and lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) as they apply to your situation.

3. Exploring Loan Options

With a clear picture of your finances, we compare loan products across multiple lenders - weighing up interest rates, fees, repayment terms, and features. We'll explain the practical differences between fixed and variable rates and how each affects your repayments over time. The goal is to identify a home loan that fits your needs now and supports your financial position into the future.

4. Pre-Approval

Pre-approval gives you a realistic borrowing limit and the confidence to make offers on properties. It signals to vendors that you're a prepared and serious buyer, which can make a real difference in a moving property market. We manage this process on your behalf, liaising with lenders to get a clear indication of what you can borrow.

5. Loan Application

Once you've chosen a loan product, we handle the formal application. We manage the paperwork, gather supporting documents such as bank statements, and submit everything to your chosen lender. We stay in contact with the lender throughout, keeping you informed and resolving any queries that come up along the way.

6. Loan Approval and Final Steps

With approval confirmed, we guide you through the loan agreement - making sure you understand all terms and conditions before signing. We'll also advise on insurance options such as mortgage protection cover, help you set up repayment arrangements, and outline strategies for managing your loan effectively from day one.

7. Settlement and Ownership

At settlement, the loan is formally advanced and ownership of the property transfers to you. We recommend engaging a solicitor or conveyancer to oversee this stage. Once complete, you'll have online access to your loan account and can begin managing repayments - with the fundfin. team available if you need guidance on refinancing or your next property move down the track.

MW

Maria Wolfenden

James took away all the stress and hassle of finding an easy to manage loan with a straight forward processs and clear directives. As it's turned out, I've learnt that online banks usually have the best deals ... and that's where I'm set up. Feeling settled in my new home and a loan that I can easily manage from my phone.

HH

Harry Hills

This is now our 7th loan we have gone through with FundFin inc vehicles, investment properties and developments - every time its the easiest part of the project working with FundFin - recommend to your friends and family the great team at FundFin

RG

Rebecca Gray

We had a fantastic experience working with James. From start to finish he was nothing but professional and an absolute pleasure to deal with. He kept us updated throughout the entire process, always making sure we knew exactly what was happening at each stage. No question was ever too much trouble. He took the time to answer everything clearly and helped guide us whenever we were unsure or didn’t fully understand something. His support and patience really made the whole process less stressful. We would highly recommend James to anyone looking for a reliable and knowledgeable broker. We truly appreciate all the help and cannot thank him enough for everything he has done for us. Craig & Bec

Frequently Asked Questions

I've heard about an offset account. What is this and what's the difference between offset and redraw?

An offset account is a transactional account that sits against the loan. Any funds held in this account go to offsetting interest payable on the loan. For example, if your loan balance was $100,000 and you held $90,000 in your offset account, you would only be paying interest on $10,000. While the principal reduction repayments would remain the same, you would pay less interest over the life of the loan, thereby reducing the overall loan term saving you thousands or more! As with any everyday transactional account the funds are accessible at any time.

Generally if you are on a fixed rate loan you won't have access to an offset account however some lenders offer niche products that allow you to offset all or part of the fixed loan.

Redraw is where you make additional repayments above the minimum required as part of your loan contract. Some lenders allow you to draw on these additional repayments as required (sometimes for a fee) however this may impact on your loan balance and the interest payable.

I already have relationship with a lender. Why use a mortgage broker?

Mortgage brokers operate independently of any financial institution. We're not locked into any relationships with specific lenders and want you to have the most competitive option based on your own unique set of circumstances. There is no 'one fit' solution for any client and we aren't limited to one lender's suite of products.

Best of all - there is no cost to you to use our service!

Can I cash out the equity I've built up in my existing property?

Yes you can. It comes down to the purpose and use of funds, as dictated by the appropriate lending guidelines.

For example, residential loan cannot be used for business purposes and vice-versa. We can assist in determining what loan is most suitable for your circumstances.

I have a low deposit. Do I have to pay lenders mortgage insurance?

Not necessarily! Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is a premium charged by the lender's insurer for customers who need to borrow money above the maximum thresholds set by the insurer. Usually this is for loans above 80% loan to value ratio (LVR). However, some lenders offer LMI waivers for clients with certain professional qualifications up to 95% LVR, and other lenders may offer an alternate interest rate for customers with lower deposit without charging an LMI premium. There are also government backed first home buyer schemes which may allow for a deposit of 5%.

If you have any existing properties, you could also use the equity towards some or all of the deposit, including any associated costs such as stamp duty.

Some lenders also offer family pledge, or guarantor products where you can use the equity in a family member's home to borrow up to 100% of the purchase price plus costs.

My borrowing power is X and my repayments are Y. I know I could easily afford more than that per month!

Borrowing power is determinant on several factors. These can be a combination of, but are not limited to;

The lender
Your income (including rental income, pensions or super annuities, and government payments)
Your existing liabilities, such as credit cards, personal loans and HECS debts
Your monthly living expenses, fixed and discretionary

Lenders stress test the ability to afford loan repayments by running the loans against a floor rate, which is usually a couple of percentage points above the current market rate. This is to safeguard you in the event that if interest rates were to rise, you could still afford to make your repayments without experiencing significant hardship. Some lenders' floor rates are higher than others, meaning that you may be able to borrow more with Lender A than Lender B.

Existing debts, such as credit cards will also have an impact on how much you can borrow. While a $10,000 credit card might not seem like a lot in the scheme of things, it could be the difference of tens of thousands of additional borrowings on your home loan! This is where we can guide you to find the right options to suit your circumstances.

I'm a first home buyer, can you help?

Absolutely - we can guide you through the entire process, from how much you can borrow, to first home buyers concession eligibility, putting you in touch with conveyancers and much, much more!

I've heard some lenders are offering rebates to clients refinancing. Can you help with this?

Absolutely, however it is important to note about what your goal actually is. For the sake of a few thousand dollars is it worth paying a few basis points more where any cash gain you have made will be eroded by the additional interest you're paying. If you have entered in to a longer loan contract, then you will likely end up paying more interest over the life of the loan, even if your initial rate is lower than what you were on.

Many lenders are offering rebates between $1000 and $4000 and some of these multiply per property refinance. We can discuss these options with you in your initial enquiry.

Ready to get started?