First Home Buyers
The stress-free guide to buying your first home.
Which Home Loan Is Right For Me?
With so many different loan products on the market, finding a home loan is not as simple as it used to be. There is a range of options available to you that may save you money, provide you with greater flexibility and peace of mind.
Impact Finance consultants use their expertise and experience in the home loan market coupled with a unique computer software program that enables them to compare hundreds of loans in a matter of minutes. Our consultants will then be able to provide you with a short list of loans that are both competitive and suitable – simplifying the loan selection process.
First Home Owners Grant – FHOG
The Federal Government introduced the FHOG in 2000 to assist First Home Buyers meet the cost of buying or building their first homes.
When introduced it was a non means-tested grant of $7,000. However the Rudd Government recently introduced a FHOG “Boost” as part of the package to “stimulate housing activity and give first homebuyers a better chance in the housing market”.
Effective immediately, first homebuyers purchasing established homes will be entitled to a $14,000 FHOG (up from the previous amount of $7,000). For those who purchase a newly-constructed home an additional $14,000 will be available, taking their total grant to $21,000.
The FHOG “Boost” was reviewed in the recent Federal Budget and will be available in full until 30 September 2009 and at a reduced rate until 31 December 2009
In some states additional bonuses may be available. Please give us a call to discuss your opportunities and for assistance in accessing the FHOG.
FAQ'S
How much you can borrow, also known as your borrowing capacity, will depend on how much of a deposit you have, your current income and what expense commitments you have. It will also vary from lender to lender.
This one-off grant is available to First Home Buyers intending to live in the home they are buying. Basically, you are eligible if you are an Australian citizen or a permanent resident who is buying or building your first home in Australia and intend to occupy it as your principal place of residence within 12 months of settlement. Note that if you are purchasing the property in conjunction with others, they must also meet the same criteria for the grant to be available.
First home owners are only entitled to the full amount of the FHOG Boost if the contract is entered into on or after 14th October 2008 and before 30th September 2009. For contracts entered into from 1 October 2009 to 31 December 2009 they will have access to the Boost at a reduced rate.
It is one thing to work out how much you can borrow, but you need to know if you can afford the repayments.
The amount you need as a deposit will depend on the type of home loan and the lender you select. Generally you will require a minimum of 5% of the property value.
Stamp duty is a tax levied on the purchase of a property. It is calculated according to the purchase price of the property and the state or territory the property is situated in.
As a rough guide, you should budget for between 5-7% of the purchase price, in addition to your deposit, to cover fees and charges. While mortgage and stamp duties will make up the bulk of this 5-7%, the balance may include:
- Building and pest reports
- Valuation fees
- Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI)
- Solicitors fees
- Insurances
- Utility connection fees – phone/gas/electricity
- Council and water rates
- Removalist costs
When deciding on the area to live in, apart from considering proximity to family, friends and work commitments, you will obviously need to think about prices. Prices will vary greatly from suburb to suburb.
You can make an appointment with an Impact Finance consultant by calling 07 3262 1122