First home buyer’s e-course

You've probably heard the saying, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail". Or maybe you've heard its close cousin: "a goal without a plan is just a dream". Whatever the phrase, the point is this: If you want to really move the needle on your dream to buy a property, you have to set some really specific goals, timelines and criteria.

In this module, we're going to work through 5 steps to help you get a clear idea of:

• Price: The price range you're shopping in
• Type: The type of property you want to buy
• Location: Your top 5 suburbs to search
• Features: Which features are absolutely non-negotiable
• Bonus: Which ones are on your "nice to have" list?

In other words, you'll have a really clear property goal.

This will help you go from "I wish I could buy my first home…" to "This is exactly what I'm looking for – and this is how I'm going to go and get it."

Last week, we had to get the foundations of your situation set up right. Now, let's talk real estate and get you set up with some specific, actionable goals.

Step 2: What type of property do you want to buy?

Apartment, unit, villa, townhouse, duplex, loft, freestanding house, off-the-plan property or established home: these are your options when you want to buy a home. No wonder you're overwhelmed!

Now, the property type you decide on here is going to be largely dictated by where you live and where you want to buy. We spoke to a number of different home buyers, where location played a crucial role in what they could afford.

For Rich and his wife, they had their heart set on a townhouse with a small yard, so they decided to move from Sydney to Melbourne, where their budget stretched a little further.

Meanwhile, marketing professional Samuel decided to go regional, leaving Sydney behind for a new start in Coffs Harbour. He has a budget of around half a million dollars, which will buy him a much bigger space than he could afford in the Harbour City.

To work out the property type you're aiming to buy, do a bit of recon. Plug the details of your ideal city or suburb (eg Sydney, Port Macquarie, Cairns, Subiaco) into RealEstate.com.au (make sure you click "include surrounding suburbs") and have a look at what price points come up.

Are you dipping your toe in a suburb where houses routinely sell over $1 million? If so, now you know you need to look at apartments instead. Or, can you see a pattern where 3-bedroom homes are expensive but 2-bedroom properties are more reasonable?

Spend a few weeks researching the market, until you have a really clear idea of what types of properties fall into your "affordable" list.

Step 3: Location – Your top 5 suburbs to search

Remember when we suggested you click "include surrounding suburbs" when you search on RealEstate.com.au? There's a good reason for this: it helps you see all the options available, so you can define the exact suburbs that make it to your shortlist.

When you research the market, it's all about working out what type of property you can afford, based on your income and situation. By working through this module, you're going to get a really clear answer to the question: "Can I afford my top suburb choices, or do I need to look in different areas?"

For example, let's say your dream suburb is Paddington in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Paddington is central, sought after – and expensive. However, slightly more affordable suburbs are nearby, like Kingsford, Kensington and Daceyville. By moving your search to these areas, you might find yourself shopping in a more realistic price point.

Meanwhile, if your chosen area seems well out of reach, what can you do about it? There are options, like:

• Doing a joint venture with a sibling or friend – your parents may even be willing to co-buy with you as an investment
• Looking for a home with an extra bedroom you can rent out and get help with the mortgage
• Becoming a rent-vestor, where you continue renting where you want to live, but buy a property in a more affordable suburb, city or state

Cull your research locations from a larger area ("all of Sydney" or "all of the eastern suburbs") to 3-5 key, chosen suburbs.

Step 4: Features – Which ones are absolutely non-negotiable?

You've been dreaming about the day when you'll have your own space – one where you can bang holes in the walls to hang paintings, paint the walls a different colour, and tile the splashback bright green if it tickles your fancy.

There are so many fantastic, freeing options that open up to you once you own your home! But as a first home buyer, you have to work out what's REALLY important to you, so you can cultivate a specific list of wants and needs.

Working through this step is going to make property shopping like grocery shopping: it gives you a map that outlines exactly what you're looking for.

Think carefully about which property features are absolutely essential to your enjoyment of your home. You might include things like:

• Secure/off-street parking
• Internal (non-shared) laundry
• Secure entry to the building
• Minimum number of bedrooms
• Within XX distance of public transport

Step 5: Bonus – Which features are "nice to have"?

We included quite a few things on the list above. You know what you didn't see there? A pool. Marble benchtops. A backyard big enough to play cricket in summer.

Sometimes, first home buyers can make the mistake of equating their first home with their dream home. They're (usually) not the same thing.

Think of the first car you ever owned: it was likely to be small, safe, second-hand and suitable. It got you from A to B and it was affordable, right? Over time, as you earned more money and your financial capacity grew, you were able to upgrade.

That's the approach you want to take with your first home. It's likely to be small, safe, second-hand and suitable. It might not have a kitchen from the pages of a glossy magazine, but it's the first step on your personal property ladder – and there are plenty more steps in your future.

Think of some of the things you'd ideally love in your home, but they're not deal-breakers. This could include things like:

• A bath that you can sink into at the end of a long day
• A renovated kitchen
• A courtyard or outdoor space
• Full outdoor clothesline

Written by

Sarah Megginson

Head of editorial

As an authority on all things personal finance, Sarah Megginson is passionate about helping you save money and make money. She is an editor and money expert with 20 years’ experience and an extensive background in property and finance journalism. Sarah holds ASIC RG146-compliant Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification, and she's a regular media commentator, appearing weekly on TV (Sunrise, Channel 7 news, Nine news), radio (KIIS FM, Triple M, 3AW, 2GB, 6PR) and in digital and print media. See full bio

Sarah's expertise

Sarah has written 190 Finder guides across topics including:

• Home loans
• Personal finance
• Budgeting and money-saving tips
• Managing the cost of living