Ask yourself these questions before choosing your first suburb 

As seen in The West Australian's First Homebuyers Guide

Buying a first home is a major milestone, but deciding where to buy can be one of the hardest parts of the process. 

Price will naturally guide the initial search, particularly in a market where prices continue to rise. Perth’s median house sale price reached $905,000 in April 2026, while the median unit sale price increased to $650,000.

REIWA President Suzanne Brown said first home buyers should take time to understand both the market and their own priorities before making an offer.

“First home buyers are often told to be flexible, but flexibility is much easier when you have good information in front of you,” she said.

“The right suburb is not always the cheapest suburb. It is the suburb that fits your budget, your lifestyle and your plans.”

That’s where reiwa.com can help. Along with property listings, reiwa.com gives first home buyers access to market insights, suburb profiles, and exclusive features including suburb comparisons, interactive maps and calculators to help them make more informed decisions.

Before choosing a suburb, first home buyers should ask:

• What can I afford once upfront and ongoing costs are included?
• What type of property am I open to?
• Am I choosing the suburb, the home, or the lifestyle?
• What do recent sales, median prices and time on market say about this area?
• Are there nearby suburbs that offer similar benefits at a lower price?
• What is around the property, and will that suit my life over the next few years?
• What government grants or concessions may apply?

The first question should be affordability. Buyers need to look beyond the purchase price and allow for the deposit, loan repayments, stamp duty, settlement costs, insurance, maintenance and strata fees if buying an apartment, villa, townhouse or unit.

The recent State Budget changed the stamp duty picture for some first home buyers. Eligible first home buyers now pay no stamp duty on homes up to $600,000, with a concessional rate applying up to $800,000.

The First Home Owner Grant property price cap has also increased to $800,000, and the link between the grant and the First Home Owner Rate of Duty has been removed.

“Many first home buyers will still need to look closely at what and where they can buy, and whether different property types or neighbouring suburbs may offer better options,” Ms Brown said.

“Using the stamp duty calculator on reiwa.com can help buyers understand some of the upfront costs before they narrow their search.”

Once buyers know their budget, the next step is deciding what matters most: location, property type, land size or lifestyle.

Some first home buyers may be focused on securing a house, which can mean looking further from the CBD. Others may prefer to buy a smaller home, apartment, villa or townhouse in a suburb closer to work, family, transport or lifestyle amenities.

“A first home is often a stepping stone, not the final destination,” Ms Brown said.

“For some buyers, getting into the market with a smaller or medium-density home in their preferred area may make sense. For others, a house further from the city may better suit their budget and lifestyle.”

Suburb data can then help buyers work out where their budget may fit.

Ms Brown said median prices were useful, but buyers should look deeper before deciding whether a suburb is within reach.

“It’s important to remember the median is the middle sale price, so half of sales in a suburb will be below that figure,” she said.

“A suburb may look too expensive at first glance, but there may still be properties that suit a buyer’s budget, particularly if they are open to different dwelling types or smaller homes.

“Recent sales, lower and upper quartiles, property types and selling times give buyers a better sense of what is happening beyond the headline median.”

Through reiwa.com’s suburb profiles, buyers can explore median sale prices, lower and upper quartiles, recent sales, selling times, suburb growth, nearby schools, transport links and local amenities.

Buyers can use the Compare Suburbs feature, exclusive to reiwa.com, to decide whether to stay focused on a preferred suburb or consider a “bridesmaid” suburb with similar benefits at a lower price point.

“They may discover a suburb they had not considered, or find that a different property type gives them more options in the location they prefer,” Ms Brown said.

The next step is understanding how a suburb works day to day, and whether it will continue to suit them over time.

reiwa.com’s Interactive Maps help buyers look beyond the listing, with information on property dimensions, zoning, nearby schools, transport, utilities, easements, bushfire and flood areas, planned changes and local amenities in one place.

This helps buyers assess the area, from public transport and major roads to shops, parks, schools and medical services. 

“Taking the time to understand the area around a property can help buyers make a more confident decision,” Ms Brown said.

“Your first home does not need to be your forever home, but it should still suit the next stage of your life.”

Current market conditions also make preparation important. Perth’s active listings rose to 4,185 at the end of April, giving buyers more choice, but homes are still selling quickly. Houses sold in a median of 12 days in April, while units sold in 11 days.

This means first home buyers should have finance organised, understand their target suburbs and be ready to act when the right property becomes available.

Before making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives, first home buyers can use reiwa.com to compare suburbs, explore local amenities, understand market conditions, estimate upfront costs and connect with local REIWA agents.