Everything you need to know about finding the right home for you

The search for that perfect piece of real-estate can be exciting – but also insanely stressful. Even before you start house hunting, there are multiple things to consider.

Finding a property

The search for that perfect piece of real-estate can be exciting – but also insanely stressful. Even before you start house hunting, there are multiple things to consider. What sort of home am I looking for? Will I live in it or treat it as an investment? How many bedrooms do I want? How many bedrooms do I need? Which area do I want to live in? Where can I afford to buy? Is it even worth buying or should I rent forever? Of course it’s worth buying! The list goes on, but here are just a few of the major things to think about before taking the plunge into real-estate.

Questions to ask:

  • Is it a home to live in or an investment property?
  • What can I afford?
  • Which area should I buy in?
  • Do I need help from an expert?

A home to live in or an investment property?

There are some key differences between buying a home to live in and buying it as an investment. For one, you’ll need a slightly larger deposit if you’re buying an investment property (usually at least 10% of the value of the property), whereas you’ll only need a 5% deposit (although a larger deposit is better) if you’re buying the place to live in. If you’re buying as an investment, there’s also a whole bunch of stuff you’ll need to know about capital gains tax and negative gearing. Man scratching his head

What can I afford?

Before you start searching, it’s important to work out how much you can afford to pay. Read our comprehensive guide, How Much Can I Borrow?You also need to consider what sort of home you’re looking for: a house, townhouse or apartment, for example. Houses tend to cost more than townhouses and apartments (when comparing property in the same suburb, for instance), however most townhouses and all apartments will be strata title, meaning you’ll need to factor ongoing strata costs into your budget.

Which area should I buy in?

When it comes to choosing the best area to buy in, there’s much to consider. Do you want to be close to work, for example, close to the city, your family – far away from your partner’s family? Proximity to amenities such as public transport, schools, shops and hospitals is also worth considering, as is access to parks, the beach or pools, cafes, restaurants and bars if you’re into that sort of thing; churches if you’re not. These things are important to consider not only to ensure you enjoy living in the area you choose to buy in, but also as a long-term strategy. If you plan to sell your property in the future, or rent it out to others, the things that appeal to you are likely to appeal to others too.

Defer to the experts

As a start, check out industry websites such as realestate.com.au, domain.com.au and real estate agents’ websites. For help with buying property, you can also use a buyer’s agent. A buyer’s agent can look for off market properties that fit within your budget and fulfil your needs. Book in a quick call with our customer care teamBook a call in with UNO

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Timothy Semsarian
May 17, 2025
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UNO went above and beyond to help my wife and I with our home loan and settlement. Couldn’t recommend them enough - Jake Wood was an absolute legend! Kept us informed during the whole process and was very thorough with his work, even with a very tight timeframe. Thank you again for all your help, and looking forward to continue using your services!
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May 16, 2025
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100% Rockstar. We found Paul and Uno Home Loans from recommendations from people who had used his services. We know understand why he comes so highly recommended. We definitely put Paul and his team under pressure due to an oversight our end which meant that he had to don his superman cape and work miracles for us. We didn't appreciate the very very short window we created for ourselves (think less than two weeks for settlement). Paul was able to wave his magic wand, come up with multiple solutions to our situation and make it all happen seamlessly. It goes without saying then, without reservation that we recommend Paul and his team as our trusted mortgage advisor! Thanks again Paul. *****The limoncello is on route we promise :)
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May 13, 2025
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Paul Davey worked very hard to get us the mortgage we required for our investment property. He is knowledgeable and approachable. Thanks Paul!
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Michael Badham
May 13, 2025
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Our entire process with Uno went very well. We had a unique set of requirements for our loan and our super friendly broker Mike Parsons managed to secure us the perfect outcome. Mike also worked above and beyond our expectations to make sure the whole process of completing the documentation of switching banks went smoothly.
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Vanessa Koster
May 13, 2025
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The service recieved from Paul was fantastic. He made the whole process stress free & easy. We started the process from NZ & Paul had everything ready for approval as soon as we landed in Aus. I would highly recommend Paul if you require a mortgage. You won't be dissapointed.
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Peta Hemmings
May 13, 2025
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Paul has been amazing throughout our entire home loan process, we have recommended him to many of our family and friends. He has been extremely helpful and professional right from the beginning.
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Ryan Whittle
May 12, 2025
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Highly recommended, Paul and his team made the process very streamlined delivering the best possible results.
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Tiana Perez
May 10, 2025
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Paul and Dalby were incredible to deal with, from the first interaction with Paul a few months prior, to getting approval to purchase, through to the last minute helping us with the final settlement details. Their communication was second to none and they truly went the extra mile. Paul managed to get us more borrowing power than dealing with the bank directly. I couldn't recommend Paul and his team enough. Paul and Dalby, thank you so much for putting hours and hours of work into our application. We really appreciate it!
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Nicholas Violaris
April 14, 2025
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Can not recommend UNO Home Loans enough, Scott Wilkinson and his team have helped us get a home loan in no time and they have been a breeze to deal with, great job guys, looking forward to working together more in the future
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Lahnie Cooper
March 26, 2025
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Jake Wood was a pleasure to work with and made this process extremely easy for me! I highly recommend Jake and the team at Uno.
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Daniel Demosthenous
March 18, 2025
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The team at UNO were absolutely fantastic at helping me set up and organise my new property purchase, Andrew answered all my questions promptly and went over and beyond to reassure me at any stage with his abundance of knowledge of the matter, also a big thank you to Dalby and Jena for helping with the process as well.
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Sheree Tidswell
February 20, 2025
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Scott Wilkinson and the team at Uno Mortgages were exceptional to work with. They were proactive, took the initiative at every stage, and kept us well-informed throughout the process. Their patience and relaxed approach made everything feel seamless, and we truly felt supported in achieving the best outcome for our needs. We highly recommend Scott and the Uno team for their professionalism and dedication!
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