Summer Headstart: 10 steps to be offer-ready before Christmas

You've done the hard part. You have a strategy from us, and maybe a pre-approval too. Now there are about four weeks before the market goes quiet for summer.

Why now

Every year listings thin out from mid-November. The sellers still in the market over the next few weeks are motivated: they need to sell, and nobody wants to sit on the market until February.

Most of what comes up won't be great. A few things will be good quality, and those will move quickly. These 10 steps are about being ready when one of them shows up.

Every step has its own short page with what to do this week and something to watch or read. They're all live now, so work through them at your own pace. There's no need to wait for the next email.

Get ready

Steps 1 to 4

Step 1 · Tell us if anything has changed →

A new job, a bonus or a new car loan can change what a lender will do. Tell us now, not the night before an auction.

Step 2 · Know your real budget, including upfront costs →

Your pre-approval, plus savings, minus stamp duty and every other cost of buying. And your walk-away number.

Step 3 · Line up your team →

A conveyancer and a building and pest inspector, ready to go before you find the place.

Step 4 · Decide whether you'll use a buyer's agent →

Some buyers need one and some don't. Decide now, not halfway through a campaign.

Search smart

Steps 5 to 8

Step 5 · Set up your search and tell agents you're ready →

Alerts at your number, a watch on what sells, and local agents who know you have finance ready.

Step 6 · Check the street, not just the house →

Zoning, flood overlays and what's been approved nearby, on your state's planning map.

Step 7 · Learn to spot a quality asset →

Land is the asset. Tell a good-quality property from a good-looking one, and avoid the flaws you can never fix.

Step 8 · First home buyer? Start here →

Concessions, grants and the 5% Deposit Scheme, and what they mean at auction.

Make the offer

Steps 9 and 10

Step 9 · Know what's legally binding, and when →

Auction, private sale and off-market each have a different point of no return.

Step 10 · Negotiate through the selling agent →

Be clear, credible and quick. Don't open with your best number, and know when to walk away.

Stuck on any of these?

That's what we're here for. Reply to any Alcove email or call your Alcove contact, and we'll work through it with you.

Want to talk it through?

Book a 30-minute chat with the team →

General information only, not financial or legal advice. Your situation is your own, so talk to us before you act.