Buying your first home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make. It can feel overwhelming when you are trying to work out deposits, grants, interest rates, and loan applications all at once. At FinancePath, we work with first home buyers across Melbourne every day, and we know how much it helps to have someone in your corner who can explain everything clearly and help you take the right steps.
Understanding Your First Home Buyer Eligibility
Before you start looking at properties, it is worth understanding what support is available to you. First home buyer eligibility for government schemes and grants depends on a few factors, including the purchase price of the property, whether you have owned property before, and whether you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident. At FinancePath, we help you work through your eligibility early so you know exactly where you stand before you apply for a home loan.
One of the most valuable forms of support available is the first home owner grants (FHOG), which can provide a lump sum payment to eligible buyers purchasing or building a new home. On top of this, first home buyer stamp duty concessions can significantly reduce the upfront costs of purchasing a property in Victoria. These concessions can save you thousands of dollars, so it is important to understand what applies to your situation.
Low Deposit Options and Government Schemes
One of the biggest hurdles for first home buyers is saving a deposit. The good news is that there are several low deposit options available. The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, now part of the broader Home Guarantee Scheme, allows eligible first home buyers to purchase a property with as little as a 5% deposit without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). This can make a huge difference when you are trying to get into the market sooner rather than later.
If you are buying in a regional area, the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee may also apply to you, offering similar benefits for properties outside major metropolitan areas. For those who have received money from family, a gift deposit can also be used as part of your deposit in many cases, though lenders have specific rules around this. The FinancePath team will walk you through what is and is not accepted so there are no surprises.
If you are still building your deposit, the First Home Super Saver Scheme allows you to make voluntary contributions into your superannuation fund and then withdraw them later to use toward your first home buyer budget. This can be a tax-effective way to save, and our advisers can explain how it works in plain language.
Choosing the Right Home Loan
Once you know your deposit situation, the next step is finding the right home loan options for your circumstances. There is a lot to consider here. A fixed interest rate gives you certainty over your repayments for a set period, which can be helpful when you are just starting out and want to know exactly what you are paying each month. A variable interest rate, on the other hand, can move up or down with the market and often comes with more flexibility, including features like an offset account and redraw facility.
An offset account sits alongside your home loan and reduces the amount of interest you pay by offsetting your savings against your loan balance. A redraw facility lets you access any extra repayments you have made if you ever need those funds. Both features can save you a significant amount over the life of your first home loan, and FinancePath will help you understand which combination suits your lifestyle and goals.
Interest rate discounts are also available from many lenders, and our team has access to a wide range of lenders to help find competitive rates for your first home loan application.
Getting Pre-Approval and Applying
Once you have a clear picture of your first home buyer budget and the loan features you need, the next step is getting pre-approval. Pre-approval gives you a clear borrowing limit so you can search for properties with confidence. It also shows sellers and agents that you are a serious buyer, which can be a real advantage in a competitive market.
The first home loan application process involves providing documentation about your income, expenses, savings, and employment. FinancePath will help you prepare a strong application and guide you through every step, from gathering documents to submitting your application and communicating with the lender.
If you are unsure where to start, our First Home Buyer's Guide is a great resource to read before your first appointment. You can also read about real experiences from people in your situation through our client stories to see how FinancePath has helped other first home buyers in Melbourne achieve their goal of owning a home.
We also encourage you to use our borrowing capacity calculator to get an early sense of what you may be able to borrow before you book a conversation with our team. Taking that first step does not have to be complicated. FinancePath is here to make sure you feel informed, supported, and ready to move forward with confidence.
We begin by gaining a deep understanding of you - your goals, your lifestyle, your current position, and where you want to be in the future.
At this stage, we focus on asking the questions that matter to you, not just the questions lenders require. This allows us to build a strategy that supports your life today and your longterm plans, not just a transaction.
During this stage, we:
This first step ensures we're aligned and preparing a lending plan that's tailored specifically to your needs - not a one size fits all approach. It's all about setting the right foundation so the rest of the journey feels simple, informed, and stress free.
Next, we design a personalised lending solution around your unique circumstances and guide you through every part of the approval journey.
After analysing your position and reviewing the broader lending market, we provide you with a clear, personalised borrowing capacity and a lending structure that aligns with both your immediate needs and future goals.
In this stage, we:
You'll always know where things stand, what's coming next, and what actions (if any) you need to take. We remove the complexity from this step so you can move forward with confidence, clarity, and peace of mind.
Once approved, we support you through settlement and continue to work with you well beyond your loan being put in place.
Settlement is not the end of the journey - it's the beginning of an ongoing relationship designed to ensure your lending continues to support your life as it evolves.
Here's what this includes:
We proactively reach out to ensure your lending remains aligned with your goals - now and into the future - giving you the confidence and peace of mind that we have your back.
Your lending journey doesn't end at settlement, and neither does our support. Our ongoing approach ensures you're always well positioned to make the most of your financial opportunities.
















































Chris and his team have been a pleasure to deal with during the whole process. Very informative and got us a great result with our remortgage.
Nick Little
claire stronge
John Denier
Jake was amazing, so personable and an excellent broker!
kath brundell
Hands down the best broker experience we have ever had. Mark, his team and network of property professionals made our experience 10/10. Have already told all my family and friends, can’t recommend FinancePath more!
Brayden King
Lee Francois
We envision a world where financial stress is a thing of the past. Where everyone has a trusted partner guiding them through life’s biggest financial decisions—24/7.
We’re here to help you seize opportunities, avoid pitfalls, and live your best life. Not just for you, but for your family, friends, and future generations.
Book AppointmentMany brokers focus on how much you can borrow. We focus on how much you should borrow — and, just as importantly, why.
Rather than producing a generic borrowing capacity figure, our role is to ask the right questions upfront so your lending strategy actually fits your life. We take the time to understand your income structure, expenses, lifestyle priorities, future plans, and risk tolerance before discussing numbers. This ensures your lending position supports where you’re heading, not just what a calculator says is possible.
From there, we help you shape a personalised lending strategy — considering cash flow, tax implications, flexibility, and future opportunities — so your finance decisions remain sustainable and intentional over time. Our focus is on clarity and confidence, not maximising debt.
We also stay involved beyond settlement. That means helping you understand how your loan works day‑to‑day, keeping an eye on whether it still suits your circumstances, and checking in as your goals or situation evolve.
Unlike many brokers, we hold an Australian Credit Licence (ACL), which means we are required to meet strict compliance standards, maintain professional indemnity insurance, manage dispute resolution processes, and demonstrate adequate resources and systems. This provides reassurance that you’re working with a licensed professional held to high regulatory and ethical standards.
In short, we don’t just arrange loans — we help you make lending decisions that still feel right years down the track.
Instead, we’re paid through commissions by the fund provider when a loan settles and, in some cases, while the loan remains in place. This payment structure does not change our legal obligations to you.
As licensed mortgage brokers, we are required to act in your best interests and comply with responsible lending obligations under Australian law. That means we must take reasonable steps to ensure any loan we recommend is suitable for your circumstances, aligns with your objectives, and does not place you in financial hardship. Our duty is to you — not the lender.
Banks, by contrast, are only required to ensure a loan is not unsuitable for their customer. They are not held to the same best‑interests obligation and are limited to offering products from their own range.
Our process is designed around these higher standards. We focus on understanding your full financial position, asking the right questions, and recommending lending solutions that are sustainable over the long term — not simply what you might qualify for today.
This approach gives you confidence that your lending decisions are being made carefully, responsibly, and with your interests at the centre — both now and into the future.
Not at all. Whatever stage of life you are in or financial position you find yourself in, we can help bring clarity to your money matters. We may identify loan products with better rates, or help you build a smarter end-to-end money management strategy. It all starts with a free smart money management consultation. Whether you are looking to reduce debt, grow wealth, or simply get a clearer picture of your finances, our team is ready to help you take the next step. There are no obligations and no pressure, just straightforward, honest guidance tailored to your situation. Give us a call on 1300 780 440 to get started.
Interest rate movements are one of the most common concerns we hear from borrowers — and understandably so. Even small changes can affect repayments and your longer‑term financial position.
At FinancePath, you’re not left to navigate these changes on your own. Our role is to help you understand how rate movements may affect your loan and to be available when it makes sense to review your options. When you’re considering a change — whether that’s reviewing your rate, restructuring your loan, or exploring refinancing — we’ll walk you through the implications clearly so you can make an informed decision.
We also focus heavily on getting the structure right from the outset. That includes discussing fixed versus variable rates, split loan options, and flexibility features, so your loan is aligned with your goals and risk tolerance from day one — not just current market conditions.
Our approach is about long‑term suitability, not constant switching. As your circumstances or the lending environment change, we’re here to help you assess what still makes sense, so your loan continues to support your broader financial plans over time.
Missing out on a great property because your bank is buried in paperwork is frustrating — and avoidable. We work closely with a wide range of Australian lenders, including specialist lending teams that don’t deal directly with the public. This allows us to assess your situation efficiently and guide your application through the process without unnecessary delays.
Whether you’re seeking pre‑approval or need a fast turnaround on a purchase, we focus on momentum so you’re always ready to act. No sitting on hold. No waiting weeks for updates. When the right opportunity comes along, you’ll be in a strong position to move forward with confidence.
While every situation is different, most applications move from initial submission through to settlement within two to six weeks. Your first financial assessment and loan recommendation can typically happen within days of providing your details. From there, formal application and lender assessment generally takes one to two weeks, though complexity, document readiness, and the lender's current workload can all influence the timeline. Property valuations and legal checks can also add time depending on the circumstances. Pre-approval can often be obtained faster, sometimes within just a few days. At FinancePath, we work to keep things moving efficiently at every stage and will keep you informed throughout so there are never any surprises. The goal is always to get you to settlement as smoothly and quickly as possible.
Most people approach a bank only after finding a property they want. By that point, time pressure is working against you, and any gaps in your application become urgent problems.
We take the opposite approach. Getting your lending position clear before you need it means we can ask the right questions, gather the correct documents, and present your application accurately, without the rush. Approval timeframes ultimately depend on the lender and loan type, but our role is to remove every delay on your side, avoiding back-and-forth, last-minute surprises, and unnecessary bottlenecks.
The result is that when the right property comes along, you're already organised, informed, and ready to act. Not scrambling to catch up.
Being self-employed or running your own business should never be a barrier to building your property portfolio or securing the finance you need. Traditional lenders often apply a one-size-fits-all approach that puts self-employed applicants at an unfair disadvantage. At FinancePath, we work with self-employed borrowers and business owners every day. We know which lenders genuinely understand variable income, what documentation they require, and how to present your application in the strongest possible way. Whether you are using business financials, tax returns, or business activity statements, we help you put your best foot forward. Some lenders actively specialise in self-employed borrowers and offer more flexible criteria, and our job is to connect you with the right one while making sure you are getting a competitive deal.