1. Know all the money you'll need
Most rookies fixate on their 10 % or 20 % deposit, forgetting stamp duty, inspections, legal fees and moving costs. Veronica and Meighan explain each typical expense and show you how to map them against real sale prices in your chosen suburbs, so you're never blindsided by a hidden $20 k shortfall on settlement day.

2. Understand when paying LMI can save you money
Despite the "LMI is wasted money" mantra, there are scenarios—especially in a rising market—where buying now with LMI is cheaper than waiting years to build a bigger deposit. The hosts reveal the sweet spot and underline the value of a switched-on mortgage broker who can crunch the numbers objectively.

3. Look beyond the headline interest rate
The lowest advertised rate often comes with limited redraws, no offset and nasty break fees. You'll learn how to weigh product features against your cash-flow style so you don't lock yourself into a bargain loan that costs thousands in flexibility later.

4. Accept that not every property appreciates
Prices don't automatically rise. Studio apartments in the wrong pockets of inner-city Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne can languish for years. By drilling the "capital-growth is earned, not guaranteed" lesson, Veronica and Meighan push you to vet asset quality, not just price tags.

5. Project your life five years ahead
Will you still be single? Working remote? Starting a family? A studio that's perfect today may be a financial dead-end tomorrow. The pair illustrate how mismatching property type to life stage leads to forced sales—and losses—within a few short years.

6. Master local pricing so you never overpay
Whether you're negotiating private treaty or bidding at auction, you must be able to peg fair value within a tight range on sight. The episode breaks down a simple, repeatable process for analysing recent comparable sales, adjustments for defects and land size, plus tactics to keep your ego from hijacking the deal.

7. Know when—and how—to involve your solicitor or conveyancer
Getting a contract reviewed after signing is too late, especially in Queensland or Victoria where conditional offers are binding. You'll discover the optimal moment to engage your legal team, the clauses they should add or strike out, and why their early advice often saves you tens of thousands.

8. Get comfortable dealing with sales agents
Agents represent the seller, not you. Still, a respectful rapport can unearth gold: a vendor's preferred settlement date, competing offers, or the seller's true pain-point. Veronica and Meighan share scripts to disarm "spruikers," spot trustworthy operators and stay likeable—even in cut-throat negotiations.

9. Treat due diligence as a non-negotiable skill
Flood zones, zoning changes, strata records, easements—miss any one and you could inherit an uninsurable lemon. The hosts outline state-by-state disclosure gaps and arm you with a checklist that lets you investigate fast when the market's moving and deadlines loom.

10. Negotiate confidently, even when emotions surge
Your heart will leap when you find "the one," but your head must set the ceiling price and drive the tactics. You'll hear mindset resets and auction-day hacks that keep adrenaline from blowing your budget—so you win the right property, at the right price, for the right reasons.

Why this episode matters
Pass these ten checkpoints and you'll be leagues ahead of most first, second and third-time buyers. You'll enter inspections with clarity, sift myths from facts, and move at market speed without losing sleep (or your savings). Whether you binge the hosts' full online course in two weeks or pace it over 18 months, Episode 68 delivers the distilled starting framework you need to turn preparation into a successful purchase.

👉 Ready to get started? Check out THE First Home Buyer Course.