From Not Knowing Where to Start, to Two Accepted Offers

Some clients come to us knowing exactly what they want. Others come to us not even knowing what questions to ask. This file was the second kind, and it turned into one of our favourite settlements of the year.

Two people, new to town, new to all of it

A young couple, both 25, had relocated to Yeppoon for work and fallen in love with the place. One was a tradie, the other a police officer, and between them they had good, stable incomes. What they didn't have was any real idea how the process actually worked. How much they'd need for a deposit. What grants might be available to them. Who they even needed to talk to first. They reached out to Talia simply wanting to understand what buying their first home in Queensland would actually involve.

Mapping it out from scratch

Talia sat down with them for an initial meeting and walked the whole picture through from the beginning. What government grants and schemes they could access as first home buyers, including the First Home Guarantee Scheme, what the relevant price caps meant for their area, which stamp duty concessions applied to them, and what costs they'd still be up for regardless. Then, based on their budget, what kind of deposit they'd actually need to bring to the table.

One detail changed the shape of their borrowing capacity significantly. As an essential worker, one of them was eligible to have their overtime counted in full as income with several lenders, particularly among the scheme lenders available to them. Once Talia knew that, the strategy became about stacking every strength they had, two solid incomes, overtime that counted properly, and the right government schemes, so it all worked together toward the home they actually wanted rather than the one they assumed they'd have to settle for.

Confidence, not just finance

This wasn't just about arranging finance. It was about giving two people who'd never done this before the confidence to actually go and do it. By the time they had pre approval in hand, just two weeks after that first meeting, they understood the process well enough to go house hunting knowing exactly where they stood.

That confidence showed. They ended up with not one but two accepted offers, and had the good problem of choosing which home they actually wanted to move into.

Settlement day

From a first meeting where they weren't sure what a deposit even needed to look like, to pre approval within two weeks, to two accepted offers on the table, this couple did the work and it showed. Settlement day was a genuine celebration, and one Talia was proud to be part of.

If you're a first home buyer feeling like you don't know where to start, that's exactly where we like to begin. Our First Home Buyers page is a good place to start, or get in touch directly and we'll map out what's possible for you.

This case study is based on a real client scenario. Details have been adapted for privacy. Loan approval is subject to individual circumstances and lender criteria. Eligibility for government grants, schemes and stamp duty concessions varies by state and individual circumstances, changes over time, and is not available through every lender on our panel. This information is general in nature and does not take into account your personal financial situation or objectives. Please speak with one of our brokers to discuss what's right for you.