Every step from saving a deposit to settlement day — tick items off as you go, add your own, and your progress saves in this browser. Printable, free, no signup.
💾 Your ticks save automatically in this browser only. They're gone if you clear browsing data — print a copy at milestones.
The list runs in rough chronological order, but real purchases overlap — you'll be researching suburbs while your pre-approval processes. The items that most often get skipped, and cause the most expensive regrets, are the building and pest inspection (a few hundred dollars against potentially tens of thousands in hidden damage) and insuring the property from exchange or settlement depending on your state — your conveyancer will tell you which applies. Speaking of which: engage the conveyancer before you sign anything, not after, so they can review the contract while you can still negotiate.
Run your numbers alongside the checklist: our Mortgage Calculator for repayments, the House Affordability Calculator for your realistic ceiling, and the Stamp Duty Calculator for the biggest purchase cost after the deposit.
How long does buying a house take?
From starting the search to settlement, three to six months is typical — pre-approval takes days to weeks, finding the right property is the wildcard, and exchange to settlement is usually 30–90 days depending on the contract.
What deposit do I actually need?
20% avoids lenders mortgage insurance, but many buyers purchase with 5–10% plus LMI, and first home buyers may access government guarantee schemes with 5%. Budget separately for stamp duty, legal fees, and inspections on top.
Is a building and pest inspection really necessary?
Yes — it's the cheapest insurance in the whole process. Structural issues, termites, and water damage are invisible at an open home and can cost more than the inspection by a factor of a hundred.
What does a conveyancer do?
They review the contract before you sign, run the legal searches (title, easements, council), manage the deposit and settlement, and catch problems like unapproved structures. Engage one as soon as you're seriously looking.
Will my ticked items sync to my phone?
No — progress saves only in the browser you're using, on that device. Nothing is uploaded anywhere. Print or save a PDF copy if you want to share it with a partner.