Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt has ruled out any extension of the current $20,000 First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) beyond 30th June 2017. He has also ruled out extending the FHOG to include established housing.

Despite intense pressure from regional mayors, the Qld State Government has resisted extending the FHOG to include existing housing, believing this will have an adverse impact on the Qld housing industry.

If you are in the market to buy a new home, a good place to start is by finding out how much the banks will lend to you. This will help you establish a purchase budget and enable you to narrow your property search to include only the properties and locations you can afford to buy.

OK, so you've decided to take that big step...not marriage or having kids but buying a house. You've been dreaming about your own home for ages and, with interest rates at an all-time low, there's never been a better time to take the plunge... right?

You're right. There has never been a better time to purchase a new home, especially if you're a Queenslander. The Qld. Government has put their money where their mouth is and are stumping up $20,000 for first home buyers, but only for a limited time and ONLY if you build or buy a new home.

Shopping for a new home? Finance is an absolute minefield. Sooner or later, you're going to need to apply for finance for your dream purchase.

Why not avoid those mines and sort your finance first. If you know your budget up front, you can avert a lot of wasted time and potentially avoid missing out on your dream property.

Whether you're shopping for a new home, or an investment property, timing is everything. Some agents will tell you that as long as you buy well, you can buy at any time...they're only telling you half of the story.

Buy at the bottom of the market and you stand to make the most of all future growth in the market. Buy at the top of the market and you could be waiting a long time before you see further growth in your property's value.