First Home Buyers
How Do I Set Up Water, Gas and Electricity After Moving Into My First Home?
How to organise water, gas and electricity around settlement day when buying your first home — timing, what varies by state, and what to compare.
Guides & explainers
Page 2 of 12.
First Home Buyers
What Are the Ongoing Costs of Owning a House vs Renting in Australia?
The ongoing costs of owning versus renting a home in Australia, compared side by side — mortgage, rates, insurance, maintenance and rent.
First Home Buyers
How Long After Settlement Do I Get the Keys to My New Home?
Settlement day usually means key day too, but there's no fixed rule. What decides the timing on the day, and what can push a handover back.
First Home Buyers
What Is a Pre-Settlement Inspection and What Should I Check?
What a pre-settlement inspection covers, when it happens and what to check before settlement — and how it differs from cooling-off rights.
First Home Buyers
When Should I Arrange Home and Contents Insurance When Buying a House?
There's no single date — it depends on when contract risk passes to you, which varies by state. What to check before you buy.
First Home Buyers
How Much Cash Buffer Should I Keep After Paying My Home Deposit?
No single figure exists for a post-deposit cash buffer — the settlement costs it usually covers, and the factors that decide how much you need.
First Home Buyers
What Are Settlement Adjustments (Rates, Water) and Who Pays Them?
How settlement adjustments split council rates and water charges between buyer and seller, and who ends up paying what.
First Home Buyers
When Do I Pay the 10% Deposit After Signing a Property Contract?
The 10% deposit is due at exchange of contracts, not later — how exchange, trust holding and cooling-off risk work, and what still varies by state.
First Home Buyers
What Is Settlement Day and What Happens During Settlement in Australia?
What happens on settlement day when buying a home in Australia — funds transfer, the title transfers, and what to check beforehand.
First Home Buyers
What Is Combustible Cladding, and How Do I Check an Apartment Building for It?
What combustible cladding is, why it's a fire-safety issue in apartment buildings, and practical ways to check before you buy.
First Home Buyers
How does buying 'off the plan' work, and what are the risks in Australia?
How an off-the-plan purchase works in Australia, plus the risks — sunset clauses, valuation shortfalls, duty and grant rules — before you sign.
First Home Buyers
Can a Seller Pull Out of a Contract of Sale After Exchange in Australia?
Once contracts are exchanged, a seller is legally bound to sell. What can let them withdraw, and what happens if they refuse to settle.