housematch blog https://housematch.com.au/blog What Australian property buyers need to know. Data, guides, and practical advice. en-AU Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:10:13 GMT What a first home actually costs on your salary https://housematch.com.au/blog/first-home-true-cost https://housematch.com.au/blog/first-home-true-cost Mortgage repayments are only part of the picture. Here's what first home buyers really pay each month, as a percentage of take-home income. Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT First home What is a BAL rating and why should you care? https://housematch.com.au/blog/what-is-bal-rating https://housematch.com.au/blog/what-is-bal-rating BAL stands for Bushfire Attack Level. It determines your insurance costs, building requirements, and whether you can even get a loan. Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Bushfire The school catchment trap: one street can cost you $100k https://housematch.com.au/blog/school-catchment-trap https://housematch.com.au/blog/school-catchment-trap Being 200 metres on the wrong side of a catchment boundary means your kids go to a different school. Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Schools How to check if a property is in a flood zone https://housematch.com.au/blog/flood-zones-explained https://housematch.com.au/blog/flood-zones-explained Every state publishes flood mapping data. Here's how to read it and what it means for insurance and resale value. Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Flood The true cost of buying a home in 2026 https://housematch.com.au/blog/true-cost-of-buying https://housematch.com.au/blog/true-cost-of-buying Stamp duty is just the start. Here's a full breakdown of what it actually costs to own a home in Australia. Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Costs FTTP vs FTTN: why your NBN type matters more than you think https://housematch.com.au/blog/nbn-matters https://housematch.com.au/blog/nbn-matters If you work from home, the difference between fibre to the premises and fibre to the node can affect your daily life. Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT NBN 5% vs 20% deposit: what actually changes https://housematch.com.au/blog/5-percent-vs-20-percent-deposit https://housematch.com.au/blog/5-percent-vs-20-percent-deposit Same property, different deposit. See how LMI, repayments, and total interest change. Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Costs Help to Buy explained: what happens when you sell https://housematch.com.au/blog/help-to-buy-explained https://housematch.com.au/blog/help-to-buy-explained The government co-owns your home. When you sell, they take their share. This interactive tool shows exactly what that means. Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT Schemes How to use comparable sales to avoid overpaying https://housematch.com.au/blog/comparable-sales https://housematch.com.au/blog/comparable-sales Agents set the price guide. But comparable sales data tells you what the market actually thinks. Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT Pricing