Where To Buy My First Home

If a good saver looks slightly further out, he should find an affordable property that suits his needs

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NAME: David Purdie

STATUS: First home buyer.

QUESTIONS: What are the affordable, up-and-coming suburbs of Brisbane where I can buy a house for $450,000 to $500,000?

ANSWERS: Buy a freestanding house situated in an area that can provide community and amenity and cater for a good lifestyle. There are some fabulous suburbs in your price bracket such as Chermside, Zillmere and Banyo. Keep your money in cash and term deposits as you will buy a property in a year or so. Keep an eye out for the passing of the government’s legislation to allow first home buyers to save for a deposit within their super fund – the First Home Super Saver Scheme – which could be financially beneficial.

David Purdie is on track to have a 20% deposit for a house in Brisbane by early next year. The 27-year-old, who will receive his permanent residency at the end of the year, has a good full-time job in technology sales. He is a keen saver who keeps his expenses low and doesn’t have any debt.

David would like to buy a property, preferably a house, that is within a 10-kilometre radius of the centre of Brisbane in the $450,000 to $500,000 price bracket. He wants a minimum of two bedrooms and will live in it. He is prepared to buy a fixer-upper but not a dump.

But the Brisbane property market – particularly apartments – is patchy. Apartments are under pressure from an oversupply. If David avoids buying an apartment, what sort of house should he buy? What are the up-and-coming Brisbane suburbs that he can afford?

What sort of annual growth (or over, say, a decade) is reasonable to expect in the Brisbane market?