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.
Key takeaways:
A house buying checklist is a structured list of every task a buyer needs to complete between deciding to buy and picking up the keys — budgeting and pre-approval, suburb research, inspections, legal steps, and settlement day logistics. It exists because the process has a lot of one-shot moments (the cooling-off period, the building and pest inspection window, the finance clause deadline) where missing a step is expensive or irreversible.
This one is built for the Australian process specifically — stamp duty, conveyancers rather than closing agents, cooling-off periods that vary by state, and settlement rather than a US-style closing. Tick items as you go, add anything unique to your purchase, and export a copy whenever you want a record or need to share progress.
| Buyer type | Extra focus areas | Sections to prioritise |
|---|---|---|
| First home buyer | Grants, guarantee schemes, LMI, smaller deposit strategies | Budget & finance |
| Upgrader (selling too) | Settlement timing between sale and purchase, bridging finance | Legal & purchase, Settlement & moving |
| Investor | Rental yield, depreciation, tenant handover | Research, Property checks |
| Off-the-plan / new build | Sunset clauses, defects list, builder warranty | Property checks, Legal & purchase |
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.
Can I download this house buying checklist as a PDF?
Yes — the Download PDF button generates a clean, tick-marked copy of exactly where you're up to, grouped by section, ready to save or print. It's built fresh from your current progress each time.
How do I share my progress with my partner or agent?
Tap Email to open your phone or computer's email app with your progress pre-filled in the message — attach the downloaded PDF if you want the fully formatted version to go with it.
Is this checklist different for a first home buyer versus someone upgrading?
The core steps are the same, but first home buyers should pay extra attention to grants and guarantee schemes in the Budget & finance section, while upgraders juggling a sale add settlement-timing questions their conveyancer can walk through.
What order should I actually do these steps in?
Budget and pre-approval first — it sets your ceiling — then research and inspections run in parallel while you shortlist. Legal and settlement steps only start once you're under contract on a specific property.