What if the best time to buy your first home… is when everyone else is hesitating?

With rising interest rates, higher living costs and shifting market sentiment, many would assume it’s the worst time to enter the property market.

But here’s the twist: It might actually be one of the most important times to get your strategy right.

Welcome to Part 1 of our 3-part mini-series on how to buy a home, where we break down the foundations every first-time buyer needs before they even start looking at properties.

Ben is joined by Couch Crew members Luke Oxenham (mortgage broker extraordinaire helping Aussies navigate lending every day) and Shane Pope (buyer’s agent on the ground negotiating deals) to unpack the critical first steps that can make or break your journey.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between borrowing power and true affordability
• Why a 20% deposit isn’t always necessary (and what your options are)
• The hidden costs most buyers forget to budget for
• Why not all pre-approvals are created equal
• How lenders actually assess your application (and what can trip you up)

Listen now 😊

Free Stuff Mentioned

• Moorr: Your Free Money Management Tool 📊
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  👉 Join the 2026 Surplus Challenge
  📱 Download Moorr (iOS & Android): Access 100+ Resources in Moorr’s MyKNOWLEDGE (On buying your first home, structuring your finances & building long-term wealth)
• Property Outlook Webinar (April 28) 📈
  A deep dive into market shifts, rising rates and what it means for buyers.
  👉 Register now
• 6-Part Money-Saving Series (Mortgage Focus) 💡
  Learn how to find those much-needed extra dollars per month in your household budget.
  👉 Starting listening

LISTEN TO THE FIRST 20 EPISODES HERE >>

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