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Steps to buying your first house

We’re dedicated to helping you into your first home sooner. That’s why we’ve designed this guide to give you clarity and confidence around how to buy your first home in Queensland. Follow our tips and get into the property market with your own slice of paradise.


Step 1

Planning to buy a house

Before you look for the perfect property it’s good to know what you can borrow and how much you’ll repay each month. Our online calculators use your income and expenses to help give a guide on your borrowing power.

Step 2

Understand the costs of buying

A deposit is the first and most obvious cost that you’ll need to consider. Getting this together can take some time, so to help speed things up, read our tips on saving for a deposit.

There are also plenty of other costs that are often forgotten about that will also need to be factored in. Neglecting these could mean you won’t have enough to cover the price of your dream property.

Home buying tip!

Get a bigger deposit with the First Home Buyer Grant. To see if you qualify and to find out more on buying your dream home, read our article on the home loan process.

  • Lenders Mortgage Insurance
  • Lending fees
  • Moving costs
  • Stamp duty
  • Legal and conveyancing fees
  • Building and pest inspection
  • Utilities and connections
  • Home and contents insurance
Step 3

Get pre-approval and be ready to buy

Once you have an idea on how much you can borrow, chat to a lending specialist and get pre-approved for your home loan. Securing pre-approval is a super smart move as it clarifies your borrowing power, what you’ll repay and helps you search for a house in your budget. Pre-approval is free and valid for up to 3 months. This gives you plenty of time and confidence to find your dream first house.


Enquire about conditional approval Download fact sheet
Step 4

Get your first home loan

If you have pre-approval and you’ve found a house you love, getting a home loan is your next big step. After you complete the contract of sale, usually including time for finance approval and building and pest inspections, it’s time to get in touch with your bank and download the home loan application checklist. Once the bank completes all their checks you’ll get written confirmation you’re approved for your home loan.


Home loan interest rates

You’ll be able to choose whether you’d like a home loan with a fixed interest rate or variable rate. Each type of loan has its own pros and cons and both can save you a bit of money. If you’re after reassurance you know what you’ll be paying each month it may be worth locking in your interest rate. If you’re after flexibility and extra features, check out a variable loan. For a little more information read our page on home loan interest rates and pick the one best for you.

Owner occupied rates

Fixed Rate

Lock in your repayments and plan your budget with confidence.

2 year fixed - Choices 3.72 % p.a Owner occupied
4.80 % p.a Comparison rate
View key features
  • Security of fixed repayment amounts
  • Additional repayments available, up to $10,000 p.a.
  • 1,2,3 and 5 year terms available
Enquire now Learn more

Mortgage Saver Special

Enjoy a low variable interest rate with no establishment or ongoing fees.

Mortgage Saver Special 3.62 % p.a Owner occupied
3.62 % p.a Comparison rate
View key features
  • Available for new lending only
  • Flexibility of a split loan option
  • No annual or monthly account keeping fees
  • Unlimited additional repayments
Enquire now Learn more

Mortgage Breaker

Enjoy a variable interest rate and pay off your loan faster.

1 year intro 3.72 % p.a Owner Occupied
4.91 % p.a Comparison rate
View key features
  • 100% offset facility
  • Access to 3-month repayment pauses
  • Flexibility of a split loan option
  • Unlimited additional repayments
Enquire now Learn more

Home loan package

Bundle it all up and save on your home loan and across our RACQ products and services.

Mortgage Breaker variable - Choices 4.09 % p.a Owner Occupied
4.47 % p.a Comparison rate
View key features
  • Discounted interest rates
  • Flexibility of a split loan option
  • No annual fee on an RACQ Platinum Rewards Credit Card
Enquire now Learn more
Step 5

The buying process

When you’re a first time home buyer there’s a lot of new documents you may not have seen before and it can all get a bit confusing. Remember, this is a legal process so everything needs to be ticked and signed to make the transaction run smoothly. It’s a good idea to get professionals around you who you can trust and who can offer guidance when you need it.

Hire the right professionals

Get all your ducks in a row and speed up the buying process with professionals you can count on. Find trustworthy specialists and know what you’ll be paying before you hire them.

Home buying tip!

Get a building and pest inspector around before you buy. They’ll check the property is structurally sound and free of pests that cause damage, like termites.

Building and pest inspector

They’ll check the house is in good nick and identify if there’s any pest problems before you buy. If you get a conditional purchase inspection the same company may even give you a discount on treating pests once you’re in the house.

Solicitor or conveyancer

These legal professionals act on your behalf, make sure the contract is complete and perform title checks so everything is legit.

Lending consultant

Often working for your bank, your lending consultant will approve your home loan, set up your mortgage, transfer funds to the sellers and let you know what you need to pay, and when.

Movers

You may be able to do it all yourself or you can hire a mover and have reassurance you won’t be stuck lifting anything too heavy.

Home and Contents Insurance

Consider getting home and contents insurance once the contract goes unconditional. It’s this extra reassurance that helps if anything unexpected pops up.

What happens at settlement

When it comes to settlement there’s a few things to cover off. From real estate agents, solicitors, sellers and purchasers, there’s a lot of different parties who all will all work together on your purchase. On settlement day your bank will follow the direction of the solicitors and will transfer money from your bank account to the sellers account once all the conditions on the contract have been met. Once the funds have been transferred you’ll be able to pick up the key to your new home and start to move in!