Top Home Buying Tips from You&Me Personalised Property Services

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make—and it can feel overwhelming without the right support and information. At You&Me Personalised Property Services, we’re here to guide you every step of the way through your home buying journey. We’ll provide home buying tips to help ensure your experience is smooth, informed, and successful, so you can avoid those common home-buyer mistakes.

What To Know When Buying A House

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or expanding your investment property portfolio, here are our expert home buying tips to help you make smart, confident decisions and prevent surprises from unexpected ongoing costs and other upfront costs.

Tip 1: Get Pre-Approved Before You Start Searching

Secure your financing and home loan pre-approval first—it clearly defines your borrowing power and puts you in a stronger position when it’s time to negotiate or make an offer.

Pro home buying tip: Choose a mortgage broker who works for you—not the bank. They’ll help you find the best home loan product tailored to your goals and personal circumstances, not just a quick approval.

Tip 2: Do Thorough Research on Suburbs For Your New Property

Before jumping in, research key elements in the suburb you’re buying in:

• • Historical price growth

• • Vacancy rates and rental yields (if you’re investing)

• • Future infrastructure or zoning changes

• • Local schools, transport, and amenities

Also, review comparable sales. When comparing “like-for-like” properties, consider:

• • Land size and orientation

• • Renovations and condition

• • Position on the street

• • Layout, natural light, and flow

• • Parking or garage access

• • Strata fees (sometimes known as body corporate fees) if purchasing an apartment or strata property

Pro home buying tip: A renovated home on a quiet street might fetch $100K+ more than a renovated established property on a main road—even if they’re the same size.

Tip 3: Local Knowledge + Negotiation Can Save You Thousands

Local market knowledge is key in the property search—not just in understanding what a property is worth, but in knowing how to negotiate strategically. A professional buyer’s agent will help you:

• • Understand seller motivations

• • Identify leverage points (like days on market, price reductions, competing listings)Access off-market opportunities

• • Use data to support your offer and condition requests

• • Read between the lines in agent language and market behaviour

Pro home buying tip: Negotiation isn’t just about price—it’s about terms, timelines, and conditions. With local expertise on your side, you can buy smarter and safer.

Tip 4: Understand What to Include in Your Contract

The right clauses can protect you and help you avoid common home buying mistakes like missing critical defects in the strata report, overlooking special levies, or committing before finance is fully approved. Make sure you:

• • Include a subject to finance approval clause

• • Request a subject to building and pest inspection clause

• • Add any specific conditions that suit your needs (e.g. subject to sale of another property, early access, or inclusion of certain fixtures)

Pro home buying tip: Working with an experienced buyer’s agent or conveyancer ensures you don’t miss important protections.

Tip 5: Book Independent Building & Pest Inspections

Do your due diligence and never skip a building inspection. Even if it’s a fairly new property! Engage a trusted building inspector to provide:

• • A detailed breakdown of structural issues

• • Evidence of pests or previous damage

• • Maintenance costs you might face post-settlement

Pro home buying tip: A clean final inspection gives you peace of mind. By organising inspections, you are less likely to make common house-buying mistakes. If there are issues, it gives you the power to negotiate prices or conditions.

Tip 6: Know All the Costs Involved

Beyond the purchase price, budget for these other upfront costs when buying property:

• • Stamp duty

• • Legal and conveyancing fees

• • Loan application and bank fees

• • Insurance

• • Moving costs

• • Inspection costs

• • Buyer’s agent fees

• • Strata fees

• • Council rates

Planning properly and seeking professional advice means fewer surprises and a more confident settlement period.

Tip 7: Build the Right Support Team

Your dream property is only as smooth as the people helping you buy it. Real estate agents, buyers’ agents and mortgage brokers are some examples of the types of professional support you have when entering the property market.

• • Choose a mortgage broker who listens and finds the best product

• • Hire a reputable conveyancer or settlement agent to manage the legal side and avoid delays

• • Engage a buyer’s agent (like us!) who works solely in your best interest—unlike sales agents, who work for the seller

Tip 8: Think Long-Term

Buy with the future in mind. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing or investing, ask:

• • Will this still suit me in 5–10 years?

• • Could this property appeal to future tenants or buyers?

• • What potential does it have for renovation or value-adding later?

• • Will my personal circumstances change in the near future?

• • Can I afford increased repayments should the interest rate increase?

Bonus: Your Home Buying Checklist

Tick these off for a smoother property purchase:

• • Finance pre-approval secured

• • Broker and legal team selected

• • Suburb researched + comparable data reviewed

• • Local data & negotiation strategy planned

• • Property inspections booked

• • Building and pest report done

• • Correct clauses added to the contract

• • Offer made with confidence

• • Settlement process underway

Let’s Make Your Next Property Buy Personal

At You&Me Personalised Property Services, we handle the hard parts of buying a home so you can focus on the exciting ones. Avoid costly mistakes and look for the most trusted house-buying tips. From property research to contracts, inspections, negotiations and a smooth settlement—we’re in your corner, every step of the way. We can’t wait to help you in the home buying process. Contact us today!