New Year, New Keys: 2026 Strategies for First Home Buyers
We are already over midway through January, and if 2025 was anything to go by, this year will be over before we know it. For Joseph Khalil, Managing Director of With Finance, the start of the year is the most critical time for Australians to take control.
Looking back at a record-breaking 2025 – where With Finance tripled its settlement volume and its team – Joseph’s mission has never been clearer.
"I believe life is worth living, but stress is its biggest enemy," says Joseph. "Money issues are often the root of that stress. My goal is to ensure that I impact every client in a positive way whether it be through substantially improving their financial position or even just some friendly advice to help them on their journey.
Drawing on a year that saw With Finance achieve Elite and Flame Broker status across major Australian lenders, Joseph shares his top 5 tips for those ready to enter the property market right now.
1. Structure is Your Secret Weapon
Many buyers focus solely on the interest rate, but the structure of your loan determines your long-term wealth. Don't settle for the "ridiculous" default of a 30-year loan without a strategy.
"Not only does a poor structure risk your success, it relinquishes control of your own finances," Joseph explains. “Using offset accounts and the right split-loan facilities from day one ensures you aren't paying a cent more in interest than necessary.”
2. You Can’t "Save" Your Way to Freedom
While a high-interest savings account feels safe, property growth in major Australian hubs historically outpaces standard savings rates by miles.
Joseph’s mantra is simple: Leverage your money to build wealth. Waiting for a 20% deposit while prices climb often leaves first home buyers further behind. Explore low-deposit schemes or Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) as a tool to get into the market sooner.
3. Don’t Buy Just to Buy
Joseph often sees first home buyers eager to get their foot in the door of the property market as quickly as possible, but not every property is a good property. While owning your own home is an exciting milestone, it’s important to remember that your first purchase probably won’t be your forever home and buying the wrong property can actually move that forever home goal further away.
Property should be seen as a long-term investment, but choosing the wrong property in the wrong location can mean limited growth potential or high holding costs. This has lasting financial consequences: not only are you tying up your savings in a single asset, but the opportunity cost could be hundreds of thousands of dollars. The wrong property will make it much harder to upgrade or build wealth in the future.
Take the time to research different suburbs, understand local market trends, and seek professional advice before making a commitment. If you don’t have the time or know-how to do your own research, leverage an expert: buyers’ agents and property investment professionals do this for a living! Whilst there can be a cost involved, their services can pay dividends. Your first home should set you up for success, not hold you back.
4. Direct Your Focus: Good Debt vs Bad Debt
Before applying for a mortgage, audit your lifestyle. Joseph, a former DJ and construction worker, understands the value of hard work, but he also knows that "bad debt" like car loans, credit cards, and "buy now, pay later" schemes drastically reduces your borrowing power.
If you haven't already, make it your January goal to clear high-interest consumer debt. It simplifies the approval process and puts you in a position of strength with lenders. A $10,000 credit card limit can reduce your borrowing capacity by approximately $50,000!
5. Seek Advocacy, Not Just a Transaction
In an era of automated "one-touch" approvals (something With Finance has mastered in as little as 1 hour and 11 minutes), the human element still matters most.
"I used to work with my hands in construction, but I found my real skill was de-escalating stress," says Joseph. You want a broker who acts as an advocate, doing the "leg work" to find the right product among 40+ lenders while you focus on your life, health and your career where you are the expert.
As we move deeper into 2026, the mission for With Finance remains: helping more Australians not just understand their finances, but truly take charge of them.
As Joseph likes to remind us, “Anything is possible, With Finance”.
