Buying your first home? Don't feel daunted.

Q: How much can I borrow?

There is no easy answer without reviewing your specifics: deposit, income, debts, dependants and credit rating all matter, and every lender applies its own criteria. Online calculators are a guide only, sometimes well under or over your true capacity.

Congratulations, this is a huge milestone. We feel privileged to guide first home buyers through every step, from grants and schemes to pre-approval and settlement.

Book a free chat Call 1300 718 852

First home buyers can access grants, stamp duty concessions and low-deposit schemes that make buying possible sooner. SCF Brokerage checks your eligibility, secures pre-approval and guides you to settlement, free of charge to you.

What lenders look at

Five things decide your borrowing power.

Every lender has its own criteria, but it comes down to a few clear factors. Our job isn't just to get you approved, it's to present the best options available: the best rate and the best loan parameters, including fees.

Deposit, how much you've saved
Income, what's coming in
Existing debt, cards, car loans, HECS
Dependants, who relies on you
Credit rating, your track record

The home buying process

Six steps from first chat to keys in hand.

Let's meet

A relaxed first chat, we walk through the documents needed and the next steps. This one meeting removes most of the overwhelm.

Pre-approval

Once your forms are in, we review the best lender options and secure pre-approval with clear loan parameters, so you know your exact spending limit.

House hunting

With pre-approval in hand, enjoy the fun part, finding the perfect home, or that entry-level property you can make your own.

Purchase & conveyancing

Offer accepted! A small holding deposit is usually paid, and your conveyancer reviews titles, arranges pest and building reports and protects your interests.

Exchange

Your conveyancer gives the all-clear and contracts exchange. The settlement period is agreed, commonly around 42 days.

Settlement

On settlement day the conveyancer, vendor and lender align the final pieces, then the agent hands you the keys.

Checklist

First home buyer checklist.

Research the market you want to buy in
Know your borrowing capacity and get a pre-approval
Calculate your repayments at today's rates
Check if you qualify for first home buyer grants or schemes
Get professional guidance, no two situations are alike, and your individual needs matter

Run the numbers first. Use our free loan calculators for an instant, obligation-free guide, then we’ll refine it together.

Loan calculators →

Good to know

First home buyer questions, answered.

How much deposit do I need as a first home buyer?

Many lenders look for 20% to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), but there are options with 5–10% deposits, and government schemes can reduce what you need. Some professions even qualify for LMI waivers. We map which options fit your savings.

What first home buyer grants and schemes can I use?

Depending on your state and the property, you may be eligible for the First Home Owner Grant, stamp duty concessions or exemptions, and federal low-deposit schemes. We check your eligibility and handle the paperwork end to end. Try the stamp duty calculator to see what concessions could save you.

How much can I borrow?

There is no easy answer without reviewing your specifics, deposit, income, debts, dependants and credit rating all matter, and every lender applies its own criteria. Online calculators are a guide only. Our free calculator gives you a starting point; we'll give you the real answer.

Our lender panel

All the lenders that matter

We continually review our lenders and their products to make sure we can meet our clients’ needs. Our panel includes more than 20 residential and commercial lenders, major banks, regional banks, building societies, specialist lenders and mortgage originators.