Are you ready to purchase your dream home?

Everything you need to know when buying a house

Buying a home is a significant milestone, and the key to an enjoyable, stress-free home purchase is knowledge and preparation. This helpful home buyers guide sets out the important steps you need to know before buying a house.

Whether you’re a first-home buyer, you’re down-sizing, up-sizing, or securing a promising investment, the property you choose needs to suit your budget and lifestyle. This involves careful planning and research. Guided by your personal and financial goals, our expert team of property and home finance professionals will help you settle on your perfect property.

Essential steps for the home-buying process

Understand your price range

Before you start your real estate search, you need a good understanding of your price range. If you’re planning to secure a home loan to support your purchase, a mortgage specialist can advise you on:

• How much you can borrow
• The best type of loan for you
• Your ideal property price range
• The most competitive interest rate on offer

They can also help with loan pre-approvals to smooth the home purchase process. For more information contact Highland Financial Services.

Why do I need loan pre-approval?

• To establish a property price range that’s comfortable for you
• To negotiate the purchase price
• To fast track the home buying process

Our experienced in-house team of mortgage specialists at Highland Financial Services provide free, friendly advice on your borrowing capacity and loan requirements. Call 02 9523 2699 today.

Select your ideal area

Make a shortlist of suburbs that match your price range and lifestyle preferences. You may also like to consider access to schools and childcare, public transport and main road access, travel time to and from work, distance to your nearest shopping precinct, and other local facilities and attractions. When buying a house, proximity to family and friends can also be an essential consideration.

Connect with your local agent

Ready to start your search journey? Highland Property Agents have area specialists who share local insights into your target suburbs and helpful market overviews. We let you know when suitable properties matching your search criteria are presented for sale. Our team have a wealth of knowledge and are happy to assist you with finding your ideal home.

Know your market

Find out the current market value of properties in your ideal areas. Speak to your local Highland Property Agents area specialist and check out ‘Sold’ properties on realestate.com.au, domain.com.au and in The Sydney Morning Herald price guide. Recent sales are a good indicator of current house prices.

Talk with several different estate agents and attend home auctions in your area of choice.

Why should I attend local auctions?

• To confirm your ideal price range is accurate
• To learn how the buying and selling process works

To understand the different pricing points in the local market, you should compare the prices of other houses on the market to the property you’re interested in buying. Our experienced Highland Property agents can also help with professional market insights.

Select your team

Costs and services vary between different real estate agents and property professionals. Take your time to find the best possible real estate agent, solicitor, conveyancer, mortgage broker or lender for you. Shop around until you have a team of professionals you feel comfortable working with. It’s crucial you understand and trust the services they provide. Home buying is a major decision, and you deserve the best advice. A professional real estate agent should tell you precisely what you need to know when buying a house in a way that’s thorough and easy to understand.

Check for problems

For peace of mind, arrange a building and pest inspection before buying your new home. A professional inspection report provides you with an expert opinion on the property’s condition and uncovers any potential problems with the building, including both major structural damage and minor cosmetic flaws. The report highlights any issues before you invest in the property.

Understand your legal obligations

Purchase contracts and loan agreements are complex documents. Take your time and read everything carefully before you sign. It’s important to understand all the legal terms used. Ask a professional to explain anything you’re not sure of.

The end result

Work carefully to choose the best property for your needs. You should feel confident you’ve found your perfect property at the right price.

Now you're ready to buy

Our supportive team step you through the purchase process. We let you know exactly what to do before buying a house.

If you need friendly, professional advice, please contact our office.