First Home Buyer Checklist: Documents and To-Dos
This checklist covers the paperwork and practical jobs you’ll need to tick off when buying your first home. Use it alongside our 8-step first home buyer roadmap, which explains the order things happen in.
Tip: start a folder (paper or digital) now, and drop documents in as you get them. It will save you days later.
Your ID
- ☐ Driver licence
- ☐ Passport, or birth certificate if you don’t have a passport
- ☐ Medicare card
- ☐ Citizenship or permanent residency evidence, if you were born overseas
- ☐ Marriage certificate or change of name documents, if your name has changed
Your income
If you’re an employee:
- ☐ Your two most recent payslips
- ☐ Your latest PAYG income statement or tax return
- ☐ An employment letter, if you’re new in the job or on probation
- ☐ Proof of any overtime, bonuses or allowances you want counted
If you’re self-employed:
- ☐ Your last one or two years of personal and business tax returns
- ☐ Your ATO notices of assessment
- ☐ Business financial statements
- ☐ Your ABN details and recent BAS statements
See self-employed home loans if your income is harder to prove.
Your savings and debts
- ☐ Three months of statements for your savings accounts, showing your deposit building up
- ☐ Statements for any credit cards, personal loans, car loans or buy now pay later accounts
- ☐ Your HECS-HELP balance
- ☐ Evidence of any gift from family, such as a signed gift letter
- ☐ A rough monthly budget of your living expenses
Before you start looking
- ☐ Get your free credit report and fix any errors
- ☐ Close credit cards you don’t use
- ☐ Check which schemes you may qualify for, such as the 5% Deposit Scheme
- ☐ Check your state’s first home grant and stamp duty savings
- ☐ Get pre-approval
- ☐ Choose a conveyancer or solicitor
When you find a property
- ☐ Building and pest inspection
- ☐ Strata report, for units and townhouses
- ☐ Contract reviewed by your conveyancer
- ☐ Check the price against your pre-approval and any scheme cap
- ☐ Deposit ready for exchange (often 5% or 10%, or less by agreement)
Before settlement
- ☐ Formal approval from your lender
- ☐ Scheme and grant forms submitted (Myra from our team reviews these before they go in)
- ☐ Home and contents insurance arranged from the right date
- ☐ Final inspection booked
- ☐ Utilities and internet connected
- ☐ Removalist booked
Not sure what you need?
Every lender asks for slightly different things. Once we know your situation, we’ll send you a checklist tailored to your lender, so you only gather what’s needed. Start with first home buyer loans or call us on 02 7904 9560.
Albert Waldron is a Credit Representative (407514) of Australian Finance Group Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 389087. This is general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances. Please seek advice before acting.