Thinking of buying a home? Here’s what you should know

Buying property is probably one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in your lifetime. As such, it requires a large amount of consideration. Whether your a first home buyer or looking to buy again we've created this in depth article that helps you to understand the major steps in the process and some key considerations

Guide to buying a house

Where do I start when buying property? What are the costs of buying a house?

Buying property is probably one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in your lifetime. As such, it requires a large amount of consideration. It doesn’t matter if you’re buying a six bedroom house on Wolseley Road – or a studio apartment in Tuggeranong, buying property is a very big deal.

Where to start? As a first step, it’s a good idea to work out what your budget is – based on your deposit and how much you can borrow. Luckily, UNO has a borrowing power calculator that helps you work out how much you’re working with. We also have a section which details everything you need to know about your
so be sure to check that out too.

Securing pre-approval for your expected maximum loan amount will then help you negotiate the best purchase price when it comes time to buy. Once you know your budget, you can begin that exciting home search.

Steps to buying a home:

  • Step 1: Budget
  • Step 2: Apply for a home loan & get pre-approval
  • Step 3: Find a home
  • Step 4: Bid with confidence
  • Step 5: Celebrate and settle

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How much money do I need for a house deposit?

There is no magic number when it comes to a deposit, however in Australia the majority of lenders require you to have saved 10% of the property’s value (a couple of lenders may only require 5%).

How do I calculate a deposit?

This means if you’re looking to buy a residential property with a value of $800,000, you’ll need a deposit somewhere between $40,000 (5% of $800,000) and $80,000 (10%).

Ask a lender what to know when buying a house and they will likely tell you about a general rule of thumb; the smaller your deposit, the more rigid the regulations are on it. If you only have a 5% deposit, be aware that this needs to comprise “genuine” savings – i.e. it’s not dependent on your brother selling his car, or a loan from a friend. These are the things that make lenders nervous. Your deposit will affect how much you are able to borrow from your lender. Please keep in mind that money from a parent or third party is known as a gift and not considered genuine savings.

If you’ve only got a 5% deposit it has to be genuine savings. if you’ve got 10% or more, a gift (from a parent, for example) can be part of it.

If you’re buying an investment property, lenders tend to be more rigid, with most requiring a deposit of at least 10% of the property’s value.

A UNO broker can help you work out what you can purchase with the deposit and income you have, use the booking icon below to book in a call at a time that suits you

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

Whether you are buying your first home or your sixth property – and using equity from your previous homes to do so – the rules are still the same. You’ll need at least 5% (and 10% for investors) of the value of the home to put down as a deposit. The same rules apply if you bought a home back in ‘82 and sold it in ‘95, and want to buy a new property in 2022. Just because you’ve done it once, doesn’t mean you get a special deposit discount the second time round.

How do I buy property with no money down?

If you haven’t saved a deposit but want to buy property, and don’t have a sugar mummy, all is not lost. You’ll need to qualify for what’s known as a guarantor loan. A guarantor is usually a family member who is legally responsible for paying back the entire loan if you cannot – or will not (I will not, I say!) – make the loan repayments.

The guarantor will also have to pay any fees, charges and interest. If you have a direct family member who can act as guarantor and use their property as guarantee, you may be eligible for a guarantor loan. Read more about guarantor loans and how to get a loan with no deposit

Can I get a home loan with a 5% deposit?

These days, it’s recommended home buyers save as much as 20% of the home’s value to put towards a deposit. But when you look at the, raising a 20% home loan deposit makes it challenging for first-time buyers to enter the property market – particularly given the cost of buying a house in our capital cities. The good news though, is that under some circumstances you may be able to secure a mortgage with as little as a 5% deposit. You’ll need to meet eligibility criteria and you’ll have to look ‘safe’ on paper to offset the increased risk your high loan-to-value ratio (LVR) presents.

Typically you’ll need:

  • A clean credit history – on-time repayments on existing debts over at least the last six months
  • A strong asset position – the lender will determine the strength of your assets based on your age and income
  • stable employment – you will typically need at least six months in your current job, although some exceptions may apply
  • Low personal debt – this figure should not amount to more than five per cent of the value of your property
  • Some genuine savings – this should amount to at least five per cent of the property’s value to make up the shortfall of the loan, and cover the expenses associated with buying a property

What costs are involved in buying a house in NSW?

The costs involved in buying a home differ from state-to-state across Australia, not only because of the variance in house prices but due to things like stamp duty and legal costs – which tend to be higher in metropolitan cities.

How much is stamp duty on a house in NSW?

, we can see that the stamp duty on a $32 million house in Wolseley Road, NSW is $2,180,768; whereas on a $322,000 studio apartment in Tuggeranong, ACT it is $6,548.

As well as the stamp duty fee itself, you’ll have to pay a transfer fee and a mortgage registration fee. The transfer fee is usually around $200-$300 and the mortgage registration fee around $100-$150.

Before you exchange contracts with the seller, you’ll want to hire a conveyancer. The legal work involved in preparing the contract of sale for a property (if you’re selling), reading it thoroughly and making any changes (if you’re buying), home loan documents and other related docs, is called conveyancing. Costs will differ depending on who you use, but you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $1500.

How can I invest with no money?

When it comes to buying an investment property, most lenders will want to see a deposit that equates to around 10% of the property’s value and will expect you to have saved a chunk of this yourself (as opposed to someone just gifting it to you). The only way to get a loan without much in the way of deposit yourself is through the use of a loan structure known as a family pledge. In short, these loans enable a family member (typically a parent) to allow the equity in their property to be used as the deposit for yours. They can be very effective but of course come with some nuances and considerations for you and the family member. If this is an option for you best to line up a call with uno so we can step through the specifics of your situation.

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David Norman
October 31, 2025
5 stars for our service reviews from clients
Outstanding service with almost daily check Ins to help us navigate a very complex process, thank you so much to Paul and team for your highly professional but also personal service to help us achieve our first home purchase in Australia. I highly Recommend Paul Davey for helping to achieve your next property purchase.
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October 31, 2025
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Paul was so helpful throughout the whole process of house purchase. We highly recommend his service :)
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October 29, 2025
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Paul and the team at UNO Home Loans have been absolutely amazing, helpful and transparent during the process of purchasing our home. This team has made buying a house an absolute breeze. It has been a 9 year goal for my family and I to get back into the market and from the first zoom call with Paul all the way to settlement I have felt taken care of and at ease. I am so excited to be in our own home and am very grateful for how easy UNO made the experience. UNO offered great communication, clear instructions and got the job done. Thank you Paul and the UNO team. I will definitely be using these services again.
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October 27, 2025
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Working with Scott Wilkinson at UNO Home Loans was a genuine pleasure. We used Scott to refinance our home loan and to structure an investment property loan. Both experiences were excellent from start to finish. Scott provided high quality advice, quick turnaround times and sharp pricing outcomes. Nothing was too much trouble. I look forward to using Scott’s services again and highly recommend to others.
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October 25, 2025
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Scott and the entire team at UNO has been skilfully in helping and assisted with my complex property financing structure in a such short time frame to execute my first investment property. He has engineered a powerful strategy to accelerate my investment property purchase while ‘Optimising’ my financial position efficiently. I couldn’t be happier with experience. They made the whole process smooth and willing to go extra mile to get me best deal possible. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for reliable and professional broker.
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Jonathon Tanner
October 20, 2025
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If only we could leave 10 stars... We've worked with Scott Wilkinson from Uno on the purchase of our principal place of residence, as well as a recently completed investment property. Scott was excellent throughout the entire process. He's got great communication, works incredibly hard and did everything he could to negotiate us the best deal. As business owners, the investment property was particularly complex and tricky to navigate. Scott helped us from start to finish and ensured we could maximise our borrowing capacity as well as secure a competitive rate. We've got nothing but amazing things to say about the guy and would highly recommend him to anyone considering buying property.
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October 18, 2025
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Mike Parsons at UNO is absolutely fantastic to work with. He makes the entire home loan and refinancing process so easy and stress-free. Mike is incredibly responsive, proactive with follow-ups, and always goes the extra mile to make sure everything runs smoothly. He takes on all the heavy lifting and explains things clearly every step of the way. A great communicator who genuinely cares about getting the best outcome for his clients. Mike is my go-to mortgage broker, and I’ll continue to use his services for years to come. Highly recommend!
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I honestly couldn’t recommend Paul Davey from Uno enough. He went above and beyond to get my pre-approval sorted, even with my tricky circumstances. He guided me through the whole process right through to settlement day and made everything so easy and stress-free. If you need a mortgage broker who actually cares and knows their stuff, he’s the one to call! Epic Service!
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10/10 Stars Fantastic experience with Mike Parsons (and his team). Mike was quick to respond, explained everything clearly, and secured us a great rate with cashback. The whole refinance process was smooth and stress-free. Mike went above and beyond for us and exceeded all my expectations. 10 out of 10 Stars. Highly recommend!
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Great experience buying my first home with Mike Parsons and his team. He made the process simple and stress-free, explained everything in great detail along the way and helped me get a great deal. Highly recommend!
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