Why more Victorian first-home buyers can get in sooner than they think

For many Victorian property seekers, it can feel like it is harder than ever to be a first-time buyer.

Between rising house prices, rental stress, and the belief that a large cash deposit is the only way in, homeownership is feeling increasingly out of reach.

For those still set on buying, the assumption is that they will have to wait longer and compromise on more things to secure a home.

Tindi Sorbera, General Manager Marketing at Henley Homes, one of Victoria’s leading home builders, says that affordability isn’t the only issue first-time buyers face, it’s also clarity.

“What we’re seeing is that many buyers aren’t blocked by long-term affordability – they’re held back by confusion, outdated assumptions, and not knowing how to navigate the system,” says Mr Sorbera.

In response, Henley Homes has launched Henley Select, a service specifically designed for first-home buyers that brings together property, finance, government support and family contributions into one single pathway.

Henley Homes' Henley Select service can help make buying a first home feel more achievable.

---

How Henley Select helps turn confusion into a clear plan

Henley Select focuses on new and affordably priced, move-in ready homes, and provides expert guidance on how to navigate government grants and first-home buyer schemes.

By partnering with My Expert®, an award-winning home loans business with over 25 years of experience working with first-home buyers, Henley Select makes understanding the first-home journey clearer.

“Rather than treating finance, government grants, family support and property as separate steps, Henley Select connects each element upfront – before buyers commit,” says Brett Wadelton, CEO and Founder of My Expert®.

Once buyers understand what they can afford and the pathways and assistance they can take advantage of to get them there, Henley Select also has a portfolio of brand-new, four-bedroom homes priced from under $650,000 for eligible first-home buyers.

With their finance partner My Expert®, Henley Select assists first-time buyers with better guidance on how to get into the market.

---

Why move-in ready homes can make the path easier

The new homes that Henley Select offers first-home buyers are all either ready to start, close to completion or already built, making the process of buying a home even smoother.

Henley Select focuses on homes that are already under construction or near completion because of the high level of certainty they can offer buyers looking to get into the market.

Instead of worrying about building, move-in-ready buyers are more easily able to lock in a fixed price and align their finance approvals more easily, as well as move in within a shorter timeframe.

By offering both move-in-ready homes and homes that are earlier in the building process, Henley Select also gives buyers the opportunity to think more about their timing and take advantage of it.

Buyers who purchase earlier in construction can save significantly on stamp duty, for example, as stamp duty depends on the value of a property at time of purchase, rather than its completed value.

“Many buyers simply don’t realise this opportunity exists,” says Mr Sorbera.

“When you purchase before or during construction, the dutiable value is often lower. That can translate into real savings – money that can stay in your pocket instead of going toward upfront costs.”

Buyers can choose between the savings of a ready-to-start home or the convenience of a move-in-ready home, all backed by the expert guidance of Henley Select to decide which is right for them.

“It’s about helping buyers make smarter decisions, not just faster ones,” says Mr Sorbera.

The collection of homes that Henley Select offers are tailored to a range of budgets, lifestyles, and move-in timelines.

---

How grants, low-deposit schemes and family support can work together

For first-time buyers, making smarter decisions also means understanding all the grants and assistance they have access to as they purchase their first home.

While many buyers might think they can only access one form of support, the reality is that multiple incentives can sometimes be combined to make homeownership more achievable.

In Victoria, this can include the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant, as well as the significant stamp duty concessions and exemptions available on homes valued under $750,000.

At a national level, the Federal Government First Home Guarantee allows buyers to purchase with a 5% deposit and removes the need for Lenders Mortgage Insurance.

Additional low-deposit pathways are available for single parents, and buyers can also use contributions from parents or close relatives to help form part of their deposit in some cases.

When combined, these pathways and grants can help buyers tackle what Mr Sorbera sees as one of the biggest challenges to buying a home.

“In our experience, it’s not the repayments that stop people buying – it’s the deposit,” he says.

Better understanding their finances and having access to more attainable, move-in ready homes is helping buyers change their approach to securing their first home.

Rather than thinking they’ll have to ‘wait and see’, Henley Select encourages buyers to ‘find out and decide’ by leaning on expert guidance and exploring their options earlier.