Five per cent down, no mortgage insurance and no stamp duty up to $800,000, if you qualify. One 30-minute call with Charles checks all three.
Yes. Eligible first home buyers can buy in Sydney with a 5 per cent deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance under the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, up to the $1.5 million Sydney price cap.
Add the NSW stamp duty exemption to $800,000 and the cash you need at settlement falls to the deposit plus legal fees and inspections. Charles confirms both schemes and your borrowing power before you inspect anything.
How three recorded first home files were structured, from deposit to lender.
A quick check of whether the 5% Deposit Scheme could fit you.
The four schemes that can cut the cash a first home buyer needs, with the official figures.
Your sold sign could be next.
A free 30-minute call shows where you stand.
Book my free callOne broker, a panel of more than 70 lenders and no broker fee on most loans.
You deal directly with Charles from the first call to settlement. No call centre, no hand-offs.
Major banks, non-bank lenders and specialists through Connective, so the loan is matched to your file rather than to one bank’s policy.
The lender pays a commission, disclosed in writing before you apply.
No LMI: an estimated $22,800 premium avoided (a broad guide; real premiums vary by lender and loan).
Stamp duty: $0 for eligible NSW first home buyers on purchases up to $800,000, with concessional rates to $1,000,000. Saving shown is indicative and depends on purchase price. Eligibility criteria apply and are assessed by Revenue NSW.
Indicative only. The deposit excludes stamp duty, legal and inspection costs, and a participating lender, not this calculator, confirms 5% Deposit Scheme eligibility.
Confirm your numbers.
First home buyers who have worked with Charles.
Charles at Links Property Finance made buying our first home so much easier than we expected. As first home buyers, we had a lot of questions around borrowing capacity, our deposit and the different government schemes available to us. Charles explained everything clearly, compared different lenders and kept us updated throughout the whole process. He was always easy to reach and made sure we understood what was happening from pre approval right through to getting our home loan approved. We would definitely recommend Links Property Finance to anyone looking for a mortgage broker, especially first home buyers who want someone to guide them through the process.
A huge thank you to Charlie for his exceptional support and expertise throughout the process of securing finance for my first home.
Charles and the team at links property finance recently assisted me with my purchase of my first property in Burwood. As a first home buyer, Charles made the process simple and easy. I would recommend Charles to all first home buyers
Six quick questions. No documents, no credit check.
Indicative only, not advice or an eligibility decision. Eligibility is assessed by Housing Australia and your lender.
The scheme and the duty exemption are assessed separately, so a buyer can qualify for one and not the other.
Your deposit position, realistic buying range, which schemes fit, and your next three steps. Built in two minutes, no credit check.
Prefer to build the report yourself? Start here. It takes about two minutes and there is no credit check.
Charles Touma, Mortgage Broker.
The one whose policy fits your income and the property, not the one with the lowest advertised rate. Casual income, probation, HECS debt and small apartments are each treated differently across the 70+ lenders on the panel.
The match is made before the application, so you are not collecting enquiries from lenders that were never going to say yes.
As a rough illustration, many lenders end up around five to six times gross income for a buyer with no other debts, but the real figure comes from each lender’s serviceability test: your income, debts, living costs and a buffered rate.
Credit card limits, car loans and HECS repayments cut the figure quickly, and closing an unused card before applying often lifts it. The borrowing power calculator gives a range; Charles confirms it against real lender policy.
There is no single minimum score in Australia. Lenders read your full credit report: repayment history, defaults, enquiries and existing debts. A clean file with steady repayments usually passes, while recent defaults or many enquiries narrow the lender choice.
A broker checks the report before any application.
Beyond the deposit, budget for conveyancing, building or strata reports, lender application and valuation fees, government registration fees and settlement adjustments. Stamp duty applies above the NSW first home buyer thresholds. Lenders mortgage insurance applies on small deposits unless a scheme or guarantee removes it.
Pre-approval usually takes a few business days once payslips, statements and identification are in. Formal approval after a contract takes one to two weeks, depending on the valuation and the lender queue. A complete file lodged with the right lender is the fastest path.
The answers below cover the questions first home buyers ask most; anything else is a free 30-minute call away.
At least 5 per cent of the price plus costs under the 5% Deposit Scheme, with no lenders mortgage insurance. Outside the scheme, 10 per cent is still possible with the insurance added to the loan, and 20 per cent avoids it everywhere. Your price range sets the dollar figure.
No duty up to $800,000 and a concession to $1 million for eligible first home buyers who move in within 12 months and stay 12 months. Above $1 million, full duty applies. The stamp duty calculator shows your figure for any price.
No broker fee on most loans. The lender pays a commission when your loan settles, disclosed in writing before you apply. If a fee ever applied to your situation, you would know before any work started. How a broker compares with going to your bank.
Yes. A family guarantee uses equity in their home as security for part of your loan, which can mean no cash deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance. The guarantee can be released once your loan sits under about 80 per cent of the property value, when you apply and the lender approves, usually after a fresh valuation.
Usually around 90 days, and it can be refreshed with updated payslips. Formal approval after you sign a contract takes one to two weeks and stays subject to the lender’s valuation. Charles keeps the file current so the formal step moves quickly.
Three recorded Links files. Identities removed, figures rounded as recorded.
Every first home buyer question we get asked, in one place: first home buyer FAQ.
General information only, not credit or financial advice. Lender policies and government scheme criteria differ and change over time. All lending is subject to individual assessment and approval.
Official sources for the figures on this page: Housing Australia, Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme · Revenue NSW, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme · Revenue NSW, First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant · Australian Taxation Office, First Home Super Saver Scheme · Housing Australia, Help to Buy. Scheme rules change; the official pages are the final word. Checked against these sources on 12 October 2026.
