First Home Unlocked

Buying at auction works differently to a private sale. Once the hammer falls and you're the highest bidder, the property is yours: there's no cooling off period, and you can't pull out if your finance doesn't come through. You're also bidding in public against agents and auctioneers who've done this hundreds of times, so it's no wonder so many first home buyers find auctions daunting, or avoid them altogether.

Mortgage broker Jack Elliott brings buyers agents Veronica Morgan and Meighan Wells back for the final part of the Buyers Agent Series, and their message is simple: auction is just another way to buy, and good preparation keeps you in control. They explain why your finance and property checks need to be sorted before auction day, not after, and the terms you can ask the seller to change beforehand. Then they walk you through the day itself, including how to decide the most you're willing to pay before the bidding starts.

If auctions are common where you're buying, or the home you love is heading to one, this episode will help you walk in prepared and bid with confidence.

In this episode:

🔑 How buying at auction differs from a private sale, and why the rules change from state to state

🔑 Why pre-approval alone isn't enough, and why your broker should check the property before you bid

🔑 Why an agent might ask for an offer before the auction, and what to find out before you make one

🔑 The checks to finish before auction day, and the changes you can ask for, like a 5% deposit instead of 10%

🔑 How to bid with confidence on the day, and why waiting too long to bid can cost you the property

Timestamps

00:00 - How to Buy a House at Auction in Australia

03:07 - Auction vs Private Sale: No Cooling Off Period

05:46 - Why Sellers Choose Auction in Sydney and Melbourne

09:16 - Do You Need Pre-Approval to Bid at Auction?

11:35 - Should You Make a Pre-Auction Offer?

16:50 - Due Diligence Before Auction: What to Check

22:00 - Can You Pay a 5% Deposit at Auction?

24:02 - What Happens on Auction Day

28:30 - How to Bid at Auction: Bidding Strategies

30:43 - What Happens When a Property Passes In?

32:41 - First Auction Tips: Watch Before You Bid

35:48 - Common Auction Mistakes First Home Buyers Make

40:25 - Final Tips and the First Home Buyer Course

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack, mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

More about Home Buyer Academy

HBA First Home Buyer Course

Get 50% off the course and access to the weekly Campfire sessions when you work with Jack as your mortgage broker: start here

How to Price Property Like a Professional

Home Buyer Academy Website

Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

Connect with Veronica

Auction Ready by Veronica Morgan

Veronica's Website

Good Deeds Property Buyers Website

Veronica's LinkedIn

Connect with Meighan

Property Pursuit Website

Meighan's LinkedIn

Find Out More About Alcove's Trusted Buyers Agents

Alcove Trusted Buyers Agent Map

Mentioned Episodes

Episode 41: Unlocking Buyers Agents: What First Home Buyers Need to Know

Episode 42: How to Choose a Quality First Home: A Buyers Agent's Checklist

Episode 44: Price Guides, Off Market and Agents: How to Search for Your First Home

Episode 45: Inspections and Due Diligence: What to Check Before You Buy Your First Home

Episode 46: How to Make an Offer and Negotiate with Agents: A First Home Buyer's Guide

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

Is now a good time to buy? It's the question Jack's hearing most from first home buyers right now. With headlines about falling property prices, negative equity and interest rates everywhere, sellers are sitting tight, and pre-approved buyers are struggling to find anything worth buying.

Mortgage brokers Jack Elliott and Chris Bates cut through the noise to explain what's really going on: why so few properties are for sale this spring, what falling prices actually mean for you, and why trying to time the bottom of the market is riskier than it sounds. Then Jack shares four simple checks to help you work out whether now is the right time for you to buy.

Whether you're actively searching, still getting your finances in order, or waiting to see what the market does, this episode will help you make the call based on your situation, not the headlines.

In this episode:

🔑 Why so few properties are for sale right now, and who's still selling

🔑 Why the "prices are falling" headline is an average, and how to check what's happening where you're buying

🔑 Why nobody can pick the bottom of the market, and how waiting can mean missing out when confidence returns

🔑 Four checks to know if you're ready to buy

🔑 How buffers, a practised repayment and the right cover protect you from being forced to sell in a downturn

Timestamps

00:00 - Is Now a Good Time to Buy Your First Home?

02:07 - Why So Few Properties Are for Sale Right Now

02:46 - Who's Selling in a Down Property Market?

04:15 - How Spring and Autumn Property Seasons Work

06:01 - Why It's OK to Be Fussy About Asset Quality

06:59 - What to Expect From Spring Property Listings

09:47 - What Falling House Prices Really Mean

13:00 - Property as an Asset Class and Negative Equity

15:25 - Should You Wait for Prices to Fall?

18:10 - Checklist 1: Your Goals and Vision

21:21 - Checklist 2: Your Finance Strategy

22:17 - Checklist 3: Buffers and Protecting Yourself

25:05 - Checklist 4: Quality Property and Due Diligence

27:34 - Final Thoughts: Asset Quality in a Downturn

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack, mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

Free Resources

Goals and Vision Workbook

Buyer's Agent Map

Mentioned Episodes

Episode 1: Unlocking Your Goals and Vision

Episode 6: Unlocking Asset Quality

Episode 39: Unlocking the Real Risk of Buying with a 5% Deposit and How to Protect Yourself

Episode 41: Unlocking Buyers Agents: What First Home Buyers Need to Know

Episode 42: How to Choose a Quality First Home: A Buyers Agent's Checklist

Episode 45: Inspections and Due Diligence: What to Check Before You Buy Your First Home

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

Making an offer is where a lot of first home buyers get stuck. How do you make an offer? How much do you offer? What do you say to the agent? Nobody explains the process, and once you're in it, things move quickly and the pressure builds.

In this episode, Jack sits down with buyers agents Veronica Morgan and Meighan Wells to walk through the offer process for a private sale, from preparation through to negotiation. They cover what to have sorted first, including why your conveyancer needs to see the contract before you offer rather than after, and when an offer actually becomes binding, because it's not the moment the agent says yes. Veronica and Meighan also break down everything an offer contains beyond the price, from the deposit and settlement terms to inclusions, and how a lower offer with the right terms can beat a higher one. And they get into how agents run a negotiation, the questions to ask along the way, and what to say when you're asked whether you can go higher.

Whether you're making an offer this weekend, still working out what you can afford, or somewhere in between, understanding the process is what helps you make confident decisions when you start offering and negotiating.

In this episode:

🔑 What to have organised before you make an offer

🔑 The questions to ask an agent about their offer process

🔑 When an offer actually becomes binding, and why it changes state to state

🔑 What makes up an offer beyond the price

🔑 When an unconditional offer makes sense, and the finance risks to check with your broker

🔑 What to say when an agent asks if you can go higher

Timestamps

00:00 - How to Make an Offer in a Private Sale

02:42 - What to Organise Before You Make an Offer

06:54 - How to Choose a Conveyancer or Solicitor

11:50 - What to Ask a Real Estate Agent Before Offering

15:55 - When Does an Offer Become Binding?

22:10 - How Much Deposit Do You Need to Pay?

25:05 - Unconditional Offers and the Finance Risks

30:07 - What's Included When You Buy a Property?

34:38 - Real Estate Agent Tactics and How to Respond

37:24 - How to Talk to an Agent During a Negotiation

41:15 - How to Work Out What a Property Is Worth

42:45 - Why an Offer Is Never Just a Number

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack, mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

More about Home Buyer Academy

Home Buyer Academy

First Home Buyer Course

Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

First Home Unlocked listeners get 50% off the First Home Buyer Course and access to the weekly Campfire sessions when they work with Jack as their mortgage broker.

Connect with Veronica

Good Deeds Property Buyers

Veronica's LinkedIn

Connect with Meighan

Property Pursuit

Meighan's LinkedIn

Mentioned Episodes

Episode 45: Inspections and Due Diligence: What to Check Before You Buy Your First Home

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱 Follow us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

Most first home buyers walk into an open home already at a disadvantage. The styling is there to make you feel something, the agent is warm, and everything on show has been prepared by people who do this professionally. That's not a failure of judgement, it's a sales process working exactly as intended. What happens between that first inspection and signing a contract is where the real work sits, and it's the part almost nobody explains.

Jack is joined again by buyers agents Veronica Morgan and Meighan Wells to walk through the checks that happen once you've found a property you're serious about. They cover what to assess at an inspection beyond the presentation, why a second look reveals things the first one never will, and what a building and pest inspection actually covers. They also get into the due diligence that has nothing to do with the building itself, from council approvals and zoning to what could be built behind your back fence, and the strata report checks that come with buying an apartment or townhouse.

Whether you're already spending your Saturdays at open homes or still working out where to start, this is the stage where the right questions save you the most money.

In this episode:

🔑 What to actually assess at an inspection once you look past the styling

🔑 What a building and pest inspection covers, and what it doesn't

🔑 Why the agent's report may not be working in your interest

🔑 The council, zoning and strata report checks that go beyond the property itself

🔑 How to weigh up what comes back and decide whether to proceed or walk away

Timestamps

00:00 - What to Check Before You Buy a Property

05:36 - How to Look Past the Styling at an Open Home

08:27 - What to Check at an Open Home

11:43 - What Is a Building and Pest Inspection?

15:09 - Why the Agent's Building Report Isn't Enough

20:26 - When Should You Book a Building and Pest?

23:24 - How to Check Council Records and Zoning

27:11 - What to Check Before Buying an Apartment

31:37 - Should You Proceed or Walk Away?

35:42 - When Not to Walk Away From a Property

38:20 - Where to Find Veronica and Meighan

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack, mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

More about Home Buyer Academy

HBA First Home Buyer Course (Access for discounted price if you work with Jack as your mortgage broker - start here)

Home Buyer Academy Website

How to Price a Property Mini Course

Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

Connect with Veronica

Veronica Morgan Website

Good Deeds Property Buyers

Veronica's LinkedIn

Connect with Meighan

Property Pursuit Website

Meighan's LinkedIn

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱 Follow us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

You open the apps, set up a few alerts, and start going to inspections. A few months in, nothing is working, everything sells for well above what the guide said, and you're starting to wonder how anyone is affording it. Veronica Morgan and Meighan Wells see this constantly, and they say the frustration is almost always because of a search that was set up the wrong way from day one.

In this episode, Jack sits down with Veronica and Meighan to work through the search phase properly. We talk about pressure testing your non-negotiables against what your budget will actually deliver, why the same feature can be a deal breaker in one suburb and negotiable in the next, and what separates a genuine off-market property from a pre-market one. Veronica and Meighan also explain why agents almost universally quote low, how to build your own view of what a property is worth using comparable sales, and how to work with selling agents so you become the buyer they call first.

Whether you're inspecting every weekend, still working out where your budget actually stretches to, or just getting your head around how the process works, this episode will change how you approach your search.

In this episode:

🔑 What to sort out before you start looking, and why it saves months

🔑 How to pressure test your non-negotiables against what your budget will actually buy

🔑 The difference between off-market and pre-market, and why neither guarantees a good deal

🔑 How to read a price guide, and why agents quote low on purpose

🔑 How to build a relationship with a selling agent so you become the first call

Timestamps

00:00 - Why Most Property Searches Go Wrong

03:34 - Non-Negotiables vs What Your Budget Will Buy

07:00 - How to Set Up Your Property Search

09:50 - Which Property Search Websites to Use

12:02 - Off-Market vs Pre-Market Property Explained

16:20 - Is an Off-Market Property a Good Deal?

17:48 - How to Read a Price Guide and Why It's Low

23:45 - How to Use Comparable Sales to Value a Property

28:48 - How to Deal With Real Estate Agents

32:25 - Mistakes First Home Buyers Make With Agents

35:38 - Home Buyer Academy Course and Campfire Sessions

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack, mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

Free Resources

Download the Goals and Vision Workbook

More about Home Buyer Academy

HBA First Home Buyer Course (Access for discounted price if you work with Jack as your mortgage broker - start here)

Home Buyer Academy Website

Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

Connect with Veronica

Veronica's Website

Good Deeds Property Buyers

Veronica's LinkedIn

Connect with Meighan

Property Pursuit Website

Meighan's LinkedIn

Mentioned Episodes

Episode 1: Unlocking Your Goals and Vision

Episode 41: Unlocking Buyers Agents: What First Home Buyers Need to Know

Episode 42: How to Choose a Quality First Home: A Buyers Agent's Checklist

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱 Follow us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

There's a lot of noise in the market right now. The federal budget changes are locked in, the media coverage has turned negative, and first home buyer loan applications have actually dropped rather than risen. If you're planning to buy your first home, it's hard to know what any of that means for you.

In this episode, Jack Elliott and Chris Bates give a market update on where things really stand post-budget, and why a nervous market can work in a first home buyer's favour. They also run through the three changes that came into effect on 1 July under the First Home 5% Deposit Scheme: higher property price caps in some areas, easier refinancing rules, and a new cap on how much you can retain in savings after settlement. Jack shares a client situation from last week showing how the retained savings change plays out in practice, and why the answer depends on both the scheme rules and the lender you choose.

Then there's what you can actually control. Spring listings are coming, and the buyers with a plan in place can act straight away while the ones starting from scratch are weeks behind before they've even inspected a property.

In this episode:

🔑 What's really happening in the market now the budget changes are locked in

🔑 The new price caps and which regional areas can now access the higher $1.5 million cap

🔑 What changed with refinancing under the scheme and why the switch is now easier

🔑 The new cap on retained savings, and why each lender sets its own limit underneath it

🔑 The five step roadmap to get yourself spring ready before listings pick up

Timestamps

00:00 - Where the Market Really Sits Post Budget

05:44 - What Investors Are Doing and What It Means for You

07:29 - Is It Actually a Good Time to Buy?

09:57 - What Changed on 1 July: The New Price Caps

12:43 - Refinancing Under the 5% Deposit Scheme

13:45 - Retained Savings: The New Cap and a Client Example

17:10 - Why Lender Choice Matters More Than the Cheapest Rate

18:39 - The Five Step Roadmap to Get Spring Ready

24:51 - Why is it Important to Get Spring Ready?

26:45 - Final Thoughts and Wrap Up

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack, mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

Free Resources

Goals & Visions Workbook

Mentioned Episodes

Episode 1: Unlocking Your Goals and Vision

Episode 6: Unlocking Asset Quality

Episode 10: Unlocking the 5% Deposit Scheme

Episode 37: Unlocking the 2026 Federal Budget

Episode 39: Unlocking the Real Risk of Buying with a 5% Deposit and How to Protect Yourself

Episode 41: Unlocking Buyers Agents: What First Home Buyers Need to Know

Episode 42: How to Choose a Quality First Home: A Buyers Agent's Checklist

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱 Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

We talk about asset quality constantly on this podcast because it's one of the biggest decisions you'll make as a first home buyer. But understanding why it matters and actually knowing how to assess a property in the real world are two different things. That's why Meighan Wells, a buyers agent with over 22 years of experience and founder of Property Pursuit Advisors, is here to break down exactly what asset quality looks like.

Your first home isn't just somewhere to live, it's the foundation of your future wealth. In this episode, Meighan walks through why getting this right matters so much for first home buyers, how scarcity, supply, and demand shape long-term growth, and the fundamentals to look for at a suburb level. We also go into what actually makes a good street, a good block of land, and a good property, plus what to look out for on your inspections and the common mistakes first home buyers make that can really cost them down the track.

This is a really important episode in understanding what quality actually looks like at each level, from suburb to street to property, is what separates first home buyers who move forward confidently from those who end up making costly mistakes.

In this episode:

🔑 Why asset quality matters so much for first home buyers

🔑 How scarcity, supply, and demand shape long-term growth

🔑 What to look for when assessing a suburb

🔑 What makes a good street, block, and property

🔑 What to look out for on inspections and the mistakes to avoid

Timestamps

00:00 - Introducing Meighan Wells

01:31 - Meighan's Story: Background and Passion for First Home Buyers

04:12 - Why Asset Quality Matters

05:57 - Scarcity, Supply, and Demand Explained

07:42 - Strategy First, Not Apps

11:08 - What to Consider at Suburb Level

14:02 - Assessing at Street Level

17:45 - What to Look For When Inspecting

26:53 - Aspect and Orientation: What's Ideal

31:04 - Common Mistakes First Home Buyers Make

35:53 - The "Any Property Is Better" Myth

37:42 - What Makes a Good Apartment

40:41 - Townhouses: What to consider?

42:13 - How to Choose between Apartments vs Townhouses vs Houses

46:21 - The Revise and Correct Step

48:54 - What About New Builds?

51:35 - Final Asset Quality Tips

55:06 - Home Buyer Academy and Campfire Sessions

59:04 - Where to Find Megan and Property Pursuit

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

Free Resources

How To Choose A Quality First Home In Australia Resource

More about Home Buyer Academy

HBA First Home Buyer Course (Access for discounted price if you work with Jack as your mortgage broker - start here)

Home Buyer Academy Website

Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

Connect with Meighan

Property Pursuit Website

Meighan's Linkedin

Mentioned Episodes

Episode 6: Unlocking Asset Quality

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored mortgage support

📱Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

We've talked a lot on this podcast about getting your finance sorted, but as we always say, the most important decision you'll make is the actual property you purchase. That's why we're kicking off a six-part series with two of Australia's most experienced buyers agents, Veronica Morgan and Meighan Wells from the Home Buyer Academy.

Not every first home buyer knows what a buyers agent actually does or whether it's the right fit for them. In this episode, Jack sits down with Veronica to walk through what buyers agents do, how they differ from sales agents, the different ways you can engage one, and what it costs. We also explore the red flags to watch for and the key questions to ask before you commit.

If a full buyers agent service isn't within reach right now, Veronica and Meighan have also created a First Home Buyer Course and weekly Campfire sessions that bring you access to expert guidance at a lower price point.

In this episode:

🔑 What a buyers agent actually does and how they're different from a sales agent

🔑 The three service tiers available and what each typically costs

🔑 When it makes sense to use a buyers agent

🔑 The red flags to watch out for and the questions to ask before engaging one

🔑 How the Home Buyer Academy course and Campfire sessions support first home buyers

Timestamps

00:00 - Introducing Veronica Morgan

02:21 - Why She's Passionate About First Home Buyers

04:29 - Today's Topic and Special Offer

04:58 - Buyer's Agent vs Sales Agent

06:37 - Service Tiers: What's Available

07:19 - How Much Does a Buyer's Agent Cost?

08:22 - Why Cheap Buyer's Agents Aren't Worth It

09:52 - Red Flags to Watch Out For

12:54 - Questions to Ask Before You Commit

14:47 - Is the Cost Actually Worth It?

17:02 - The Emotional Side of Home Buying

19:54 - When Should You Engage a Buyer's Agent?

22:43 - Can't Afford a Buyer's Agent? Your Options

23:59 - The Home Buyer Academy and Campfire Sessions

29:16 - What's Next in the Series

Ready to start your own first home journey? Book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack mortgage broker and National First Home Buyer Specialist.

Free Resources

Do You Need a Buyers Agent: First Home Buyer Guide

More about Home Buyer Academy

HBA First Home Buyer Course (Access for discounted price if you work with Jack as your mortgage broker - start here)

Home Buyer Academy Website

Your First Home Buyer Guide Podcast

Connect with Veronica

Veronica's Website

Good Deeds Property Buyers Website

Veronica's Linkedin

Find Out More About Alcove’s Trusted Buyers Agents

Street Secrets Podcast

Alcove Trusted Buyers Agent Map

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored mortgage support

📱Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

If you listened to Episode 37, you heard about the federal budget changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax. But there's a conversation we kept coming back to that deserves its own episode. It's not just about what you buy today, it's about who's going to buy it from you in the future.

Since that episode, Chris has written a full report exploring exactly that question. It's called "Who Buys It From You Next?" and it looks at how the budget has reshaped buyer pools across different property types and what that means for the long-term value of what you buy today. In this episode, Jack interviews Chris about that report because there's some really important thinking here that every first home buyer needs to hear before they make a property decision.

We cover how investors made up around 40% of all new home loans before the budget and why they've now stepped back from the established market. We talk about why grandfathering protects the current owner's tax position but not the next buyer and most importantly, we walk through the six practical tests from Chris's report that you can use to stress test any property before you commit.

In this episode:

🔑 Why "who buys it from you next" is the question most people never ask

🔑 How the budget has changed buyer pools for established properties

🔑 Why properties driven by investor demand are now at risk

🔑 What properties with genuine owner-occupier demand actually look like

🔑 The six tests to stress test a property before you buy

Timestamps

00:00 - Who Will Buy It From You Next?

02:48 - The Key Question When You're Buying

06:58 - Investor Activity and What It Means Post Budget

10:37 - When Investors Are Your Buyer Pool

16:22 - When Families and Owner-Occupiers Drive the Market

18:45 - The Six Tests for Property Assessment

Free Resources

Chris Report: Who Buys it From You Next

Mentioned Episodes:

Episode 6 | Unlocking Asset Quality: How to Choose the Right Property as a First Home Buyer

Episode 37: Unlocking the 2026 Federal Budget

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au

If you've been reading the news or scrolling through social media this week, you've probably seen some headlines about first home buyers using the 5% deposit scheme and something called negative equity. There is a real risk worth understanding. But for every first home buyer using this scheme, there's a clear strategy that goes with it.

In this episode, Jack Elliott and Chris Bates address the headlines and talk through what negative equity actually is, when it really matters, and most importantly, how you protect yourself whether you're still planning to buy or you've already purchased using the scheme.

We cover the five key things you can do to protect yourself going in, from knowing your numbers before you borrow to building your emergency fund, choosing quality assets, and getting your income protection sorted.

In this episode:

🔑 What the headlines are actually saying about negative equity

🔑 What negative equity really is and when it matters

🔑 How to work out what you can genuinely afford before you borrow

🔑 Why building your emergency fund is critical with a 5% deposit

🔑 The importance of asset quality and protecting your income

🔑 What to do if you've already bought and are feeling anxious

If you're planning to buy using the 5% deposit scheme and want to talk through your numbers, book a Get to Know You Chat with Jack.

Timestamps

00:00 - Should We Be Worried About the 5% Deposit Scheme?

01:54 - What Headlines and Bank Economists Are Actually Saying

03:52 - What Is Negative Equity and the Risk?

06:53 - How to Protect Yourself as a First Home Buyer

07:05 - #1 Do the Work on Your Numbers Before You Borrow

10:18 - #2 Build Your Emergency Fund

13:19 - #3 Know Your Goals and Play for the Long Term

15:38 - #4 Do the Work on Asset Quality

17:31 - #5 Get Insurance and Income Protection in Place

20:28 - If You Lose Your Job

21:46 - If You've Already Bought Using the Scheme

Budgeting tools

• Sort Your Money Out Spending Plan
• Pivot Wealth Savings Planner
• Moneysmart Budget Planner

Resources

• Goals & Visions Workbook
• Asset Quality Checklist
• Download Your How to Protect Yourself When Using the 5% Deposit Scheme Resource

Mentioned Episodes

• Episode 1: Unlocking Your Goals and Vision
• Episode 6: Unlocking Asset Quality
• Episode 23: Unlocking Loan to Value Ratio
• Episode 25: Unlocking Interest Rates and Why They Move
• Episode 31: Unlocking Offset Accounts
• Episode 37: Unlocking the 2026 Federal Budget

Want to keep the conversation going?

👉 Join the First Home Unlocked Facebook Community

📅 Book a chat with Jack for tailored support

📱Follow Us on social media: Instagram, TikTok, Youtube

firsthomeunlocked.com.au