Hand holding a house key outside a white terrace front door beneath flowering jacaranda branches.

First home buyers

How do I prepare to buy my first home in Sydney?

Understand borrowing capacity, deposit questions, pre-approval, government pathways and the home loan journey before you decide what to do next.

Talk to Will about buying

First-home buyer guide

Your first home. Exciting, daunting, and worth getting right.

Buying your first home is one of the biggest moments of your life. There’s the thrill of open homes, picturing your furniture in the lounge room, and finally having a place that’s yours.

Exciting as it is, it can also be overwhelming. There’s borrowing power to understand, deposits, stamp duty and government schemes to navigate, pre-approval and lender paperwork to prepare, and a lot of jargon in between that nobody has ever explained.

That’s where Ignite Mortgages comes in.

We take on the moving parts, so you don’t have to juggle them. We’ll work out what you can realistically borrow, check which schemes and concessions you may be eligible for, get your documents in order, and deal with lender questions along the way. You’ll always know where things stand and what comes next.

That leaves you free to focus on what matters most: finding the perfect place you’ll call home.

Start your first-home journey

No question is too early for a useful conversation.

See First-Home FAQs

Understand the journey

Three ideas to make the path easier to follow.

The exact requirements depend on your circumstances and the lender’s assessment. These stages are useful context, not a personalised recommendation.

Understand your position

Start with income, expenses, debts, savings and the deposit position you may be working with.

Explore finance and pre-approval

Understand the lending questions you may need to answer and what pre-approval can—and cannot—confirm.

Application to settlement

Keep track of the steps between preparing an application and the next milestone.

First Home Owner

Explore the support pathways you may want to ask about.

Use these topics as a starting point. Scheme names, eligibility and conditions can change, so current details should always be checked against your circumstances.

5% deposit scheme

Understand the questions around a 5% deposit.

A lower-deposit pathway can make eligibility, lender requirements and other costs especially important to understand before you plan your next step.

Talk to Will about your options

Bring what you know

A rough picture is a fine place to begin.

You can bring your questions, your time horizon and whatever information you have available. The conversation can identify what needs more detail.

Your plans

What kind of home are you considering, and what would make the next step useful?

Your position

Bring a general sense of income, expenses, savings and any questions about deposit.

Your questions

There is no need to translate everything into mortgage language before you ask.

Explore borrowing capacity Explore stamp duty

First-home FAQs

The questions worth asking before you apply.

These answers are general information. Eligibility, lender requirements and government pathways can change and need to be checked against your situation.

How much deposit do I need to buy my first home?

The deposit you need depends on the property, lender, loan structure and any applicable government or lender pathway. You should also plan for purchase costs such as stamp duty, conveyancing and registration fees.

What is the first step for a first-home buyer?

Start by understanding your income, expenses, debts, savings and the type of property you are considering. This helps frame a realistic borrowing and preparation conversation before you search seriously.

How does home loan pre-approval work?

Pre-approval is an early assessment of a potential borrowing position, subject to conditions and the lender process. It is not unconditional approval or a guarantee that finance will be available for every property.

What costs should first-home buyers plan for?

Costs can include deposit, stamp duty where applicable, conveyancing, inspections, registration, lender fees and potentially LMI. The relevant amount depends on the property, state and lending circumstances.

Can first-home buyers ask questions before they are ready to apply?

Yes. An early conversation can help you understand what to prepare, which questions matter and what may need to be checked before you decide whether to apply.

Read all FAQs

Your next step

Talk through the first question.

Will can help you understand the process and what to prepare next. The right conversation begins with your individual circumstances.

Start a first-home conversation