In this final episode for 2025, Jack Elliott and Chris Bates reflect on the biggest lessons and insights from working with first home buyers over the past year.

We talk through what changed in the first home buyer landscape in 2025, including the expansion of the First Home Guarantee (now the 5% Deposit Scheme), and what those changes meant in real life for buyers navigating their first purchase. We also share the common questions buyers asked this year and the decisions that made the biggest difference.

Most importantly, this episode is about helping you carry the right lessons into 2026.

In this episode:

🔑 What changed for first home buyers in 2025

🔑 The biggest lessons we saw from buyers this year

🔑 The most common questions first home buyers asked in 2025

🔑 What we’re seeing ahead as we look toward 2026

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Street Secrets Podcast

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The Federal Government’s new Help to Buy shared equity scheme has officially opened, and for some first home buyers it could help bridge the gap between borrowing capacity and the cost of a quality home. But shared equity also comes with rules, restrictions, and long-term trade-offs that need to be understood upfront.

In this episode, Jack Elliott and Chris Bates break down how the Help to Buy scheme actually works, what it’s like living with shared equity day to day, and how buyers can eventually exit the scheme and regain full ownership. We also share our honest thoughts on when shared equity can make sense and when other pathways may be a better fit.

In this episode:

🔑 What shared equity is and how the Help to Buy scheme works

🔑 Who the scheme is designed for and how eligibility works

🔑 What it’s really like living in a shared equity arrangement

🔑 How and when you can exit the scheme and buy back full ownership

🔑 The key trade-offs to consider before choosing shared equity

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to the Help to Buy Scheme

01:59 - What Shared Equity Actually Means

04:13 - How the Help to Buy Scheme Works and Who It’s For

09:40 - What It’s Like Living with the Help to Buy Scheme

14:56 - How to Exit the Scheme and Regain Full Ownership

20:54 - Our Thoughts on Shared Equity and Help to Buy

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Unlocking Help to Buy Scheme Resource

Help to Buy Scheme

Property Price Cap Tool

Help to Buy Scheme Fact Sheet

Help to Buy Scheme Customer Guide

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Interest rates are one of the first things first home buyers focus on. In this episode, Jack Elliott and Chris Bates break down what an interest rate actually is, who sets it, and why it changes over time in clear, simple terms.

You’ll learn the difference between fixed, variable and split loans, how the RBA and banks each play a role in setting your rate, and why today’s rates feel so different compared to the Covid years.

Most importantly, we talk about how to plan for future rate changes so your repayments stay comfortable and you feel in control of your mortgage.

In this episode:

🔑 What an interest rate actually is and how it is charged

🔑 How the RBA cash rate, banks and risk all influence your rate

🔑 How to stress test your numbers and plan for future rate rises

🔑 Why your long term strategy matters more than chasing the lowest rate

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Interest Rates

02:12 - What an Interest Rate Actually Is

03:43 - Fixed, Variable and Split Loans Explained

06:38 - Who Sets Your Rate and Why It Changes

12:51 - Interest Rate Trends in The Past

16:09 - How to Plan for Future Rate Movements

19:23 - Why Strategy Matters More Than the Rate

22:39 - Episode Wrap-Up and Key Takeaways

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Unlocking Interest Rates Resource

Episode 21 | Unlocking Unlocking How Your Mortgage Actually Works

ASX RBA Interest Rate Tracker

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