Navigate the first home buyer loan process with My Finance Agent. From research to settlement, we guide you through every step of buying your first home.
1. Research and Learning
Before you dive into the home-buying process, it's important to arm yourself with knowledge. If you're reading this, you're already on the right track! Researching home loans, understanding the various loan types, and familiarising yourself with government grants for first-home buyers are crucial first steps.
Key things to research include:
Loan types available in Australia (e.g., variable, fixed, split loans)
The home-buying process and key milestones
Government grants and schemes, such as the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) or the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS)
Understanding these basics will give you the foundation you need to make informed decisions about your first home loan.
2. Assess Your Financial Readiness
The next step in the journey is to assess your financial readiness. Working with an expert can make this process a breeze. Our My Finance Agent team can help you determine how much you can borrow and what your repayments might look like, free of charge. If you’re not quite ready to apply for a loan, that’s okay. We can also help you create a customised savings plan to bring your homeownership goals closer.
Our free home ownership game plan includes:
Assessing your borrowing capacity
Outlining your expected repayments
Providing a savings strategy if needed
3. Compare Loans and Lenders
With a clearer financial picture, it’s time to compare loan options. While interest rates are a crucial factor, they’re not the only consideration. Our team will help you shortlist lenders and loan products that align with your needs, ensuring that you’re considering key elements such as:
Interest rates (fixed vs. variable)
Loan features (e.g., offset accounts, redraw facilities)
Loan fees and charges
Repayment flexibility
We'll take the guesswork out of the process and ensure that your loan is tailored to your individual situation.
4. Apply for Pre-Approval
Getting pre-approval for your loan is an essential step before you begin serious house-hunting. Pre-approval gives you a clear indication of how much you can borrow and demonstrates to sellers that you’re a serious buyer. Armed with pre-approval, you can confidently make offers on properties, knowing that your financing is in place.
Pre-approval benefits include:
Knowing your budget
Giving sellers confidence in your offer
Streamlining the final approval process
5. Start House-Hunting
Now comes the exciting part—finding your dream home! But with so many options on the market, this can also be the most time-consuming step. To make it easier, we offer free property research tools to help you narrow down your search. Additionally, we can connect you with trusted buyer's agents who will take care of the legwork and help find properties that meet your criteria.
House-hunting tools include:
Free property research tools
Access to professional buyer's agents
6. Submit Your Loan Application
Once you’ve found the perfect property and had your offer accepted, it’s time to formally submit your loan application. This step involves providing updated information about both your finances and the property to your lender. The lender will assess your application, verify your financial details, and conduct an underwriting process to ensure the property is valued correctly and is in suitable condition.
7. Review and Sign the Loan Offer
Once the lender has approved your loan, you’ll receive a formal loan offer. This document outlines all the terms and conditions of your loan. Before signing, our team will help you review every detail to ensure you fully understand the terms and that everything is in order.
Loan offer review includes:
Clarifying terms and conditions
Ensuring loan features meet your needs
Confirming that no important details are overlooked
8. Loan Settlement
The day of settlement marks the moment you officially become a homeowner! On this day, your lender transfers the funds to the seller, your solicitor or conveyancer registers the property in your name, and you finally receive the keys to your new home. Our team coordinates with all parties involved to ensure a smooth, hassle-free settlement.
Key settlement steps:
Lender transfers loan funds to the seller
Solicitor or conveyancer registers the property
You receive the keys to your new home!
9. Follow-Up and Ongoing Loan Reviews
At My Finance Agent, we don’t stop at settlement. We follow up with you one month post-settlement to ensure your first repayment has been processed correctly and that your loan is operating smoothly. Furthermore, we offer annual loan reviews, ensuring that your mortgage remains competitive, and we’ll work to find better terms for you if available.
Our ongoing service includes:
A post-settlement check-in after the first month
Annual loan reviews to seek better rates or loan conditions
DISCOVER MORE >
Is a First Home Buyer Loan right for you?
Talk with one of our business finance experts who can guide you through the process and help find the best solution tailored to your needs.
Call us on (02) 8313-8400 or request a call back.
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