From deposit to keys: how building your first home works

We look at your income, savings and debts, work out your borrowing power and check which grants and schemes you qualify for. You leave with a realistic budget.

You get pre-approval from a lender or Keystart, and apply for the 5% Deposit Scheme or Help to Buy if they suit you. Now you know exactly what you can spend.

We shortlist blocks in the Perth and Peel corridors that suit you, and match them with designs and builders from our vetted network. You can usually hold a lot with a small deposit while you decide.

You sign a land contract and a building contract. Before you do, we go through site costs, inclusions and estate guidelines with you so the price you sign is the price you pay.

Your loan settles the land. The first home owner duty concession is applied, and your lender lodges your First Home Owner Grant application.

Your builder finalises plans and gets building approval, then prepares the site. We keep you updated so you know what's happening and when.

Your home is built in stages: slab, frame, lock-up, fit-out and practical completion. Your lender pays the builder at each stage, and the $10,000 grant is usually paid with the first progress payment.

After a final inspection and the last payment, you get the keys. To keep the grant, you need to move in within 12 months and live there for at least six months.