Sydney first-home buyer specialist

Buy your first Sydney home. See how much you can borrow.

5% deposit options, First Home Guarantee, Help to Buy shared equity — we know every scheme cold. Take our 60-second eligibility check and get a real answer today.

Check my eligibility Or chat to Kevin

All 3 govt schemes 5% deposit routes No broker fees Reply within 1 hr

60-second eligibility check

Find out what you qualify for

Answer 5 quick questions to see which government schemes fit your situation and how much you could borrow. No credit check, no obligation.

Step 1 of 5

Are you buying alone or with a partner?

Combined pre-tax income?

How much have you saved so far?

Any HECS/HELP debt?

Almost done — where should we send your result?

Based on your answers

First Home Guarantee

Estimated borrowing capacity

$500k – $600k

This is a rough guide only — actual borrowing capacity depends on lender policy, expenses, and other debts. Kevin will call within 1 business hour to walk you through exact numbers from 40+ lenders.

Call Kevin now

Government schemes

Three ways into your first home

Most first-home buyers qualify for at least one government scheme. We know every one and match you to the best fit.

5% deposit · No LMI

First Home Guarantee

Government guarantees your loan so you can buy with just a 5% deposit and avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance (typically $15k–$40k saved). Sydney property price cap currently $900,000. Income caps: $125k single, $200k couple.

See if you qualify →

Shared equity · Up to 40%

Help to Buy

The federal government co-buys your home with you (up to 40% for a new build, 30% for an existing home). You buy them out over time. Smaller loan, smaller repayments. Ideal if income is modest but savings are limited.

Check my fit →

Deposit from super · $50k

First Home Super Saver

Release up to $50,000 of your voluntary super contributions to use as a deposit. Effectively lets you save at your marginal tax rate instead of your everyday income tax rate — a serious accelerator if you plan ahead.

Learn more →

Why first-home buyers pick OLEND

A broker who knows every scheme

All 3 schemes, one broker

Most brokers know one scheme well. Kevin has funded first-home buyers under FHG, Help to Buy, and FHSS — and knows which one saves you the most for your situation.

Paperwork handled

Government scheme applications, lender forms, income verification, LMI waivers — we submit it all. You sign, we chase. First-home buyers usually finish their file with 4–5 hours of their own time.

No fees to you

Lender pays our commission on settlement. You get the same rate you'd get direct — usually better, because we know which lenders are hungry for first-home buyer business this month.

First-home buyers who used OLEND

5.0 on Google — 22 verified reviews

Real reviews from real clients. Read all 22 on Google →

★★★★★

"As a first-home buyer, I couldn't have asked for a better mortgage broker. Kevin was always available and incredibly quick to respond to any and all of my questions. Kevin was very helpful throughout the entire process and always kept me well informed, taking the time to explain things clearly whenever I didn't understand."

Lily Korthout · First-home buyer · via Google

★★★★★

"I was a first-home buyer with very little knowledge on the entire process and then Kevin from OLEND entered my life. He has been nothing short of amazing — his advice and patience with me and my lack of knowing what to do was so greatly appreciated. I couldn't have done it without your help."

Todd Marshall · First-home buyer · via Google

★★★★★

"Kevin is a great broker and has helped me throughout my journey of getting the home loan. He has some wonderful relationships with banks that gets the work done in just a blink of an eye. Highly recommended."

Bhavya Agarwal · First home purchase · via Google

Common questions

First-home buying, straight answers

What deposit do I really need to buy in Sydney?

If you qualify for the First Home Guarantee, 5% of the purchase price is enough — so around $35k–$45k for a typical Sydney apartment or unit in the outer suburbs. Without the scheme, most lenders want 10–20% to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance. There are also 2% low-deposit paths through specific lenders that we can compare for you.

Do I qualify for the First Home Guarantee?

You need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, an owner-occupier (not investor), earning under $125k single or $200k combined, and buying under the price cap for your area (Sydney metro cap is $900,000 as of the last update). We check every one of these in the eligibility quiz above.

Can I actually use my super for a deposit?

Yes — through the First Home Super Saver scheme, you can release up to $50,000 of voluntary contributions (plus earnings) to use as a deposit. The catch is you had to be making voluntary contributions in advance — you can't retroactively contribute and pull it out. If you're 12+ months from buying, we can help you set this up.

What is Help to Buy and is it worth it?

Help to Buy is a shared equity scheme where the government takes up to 40% ownership of your property (30% for existing homes). Pros: smaller loan, smaller repayments, easier to qualify. Cons: you don't own it outright, and when you sell or want to buy the government out, they get 40% of the gains. Best for people whose income limits their borrowing capacity but who have some savings.

Does OLEND charge me anything?

No. Lenders pay us a commission when your loan settles — that's how mortgage brokers make money in Australia. You pay the same interest rate you'd get going direct to the bank (often lower, because we shop your file to multiple lenders).

How long does pre-approval take?

If you have your documents ready (payslips, ID, bank statements), we can usually get pre-approval within 48 hours. Some lenders take up to a week. Pre-approval lasts 3 months and can be extended.

Do I need to have a property picked out first?

No — pre-approval comes first, then you shop with a clear budget. This is actually the smart order: knowing your exact borrowing capacity means you can make confident offers and won't miss out on a property while sorting finance later.