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Can I buy a home if I'm under 18?
Bayley Clarke · Mortgage broker on the road · Last checked 1 November 2026 · 2 min read
The short answer
No. You can't buy a home with a home loan until you turn 18. As far as the banks are concerned, you're not an adult until you hit that magic number, and they won't lend to you before then.
But if you're already in the mindset of buying your first home early, keep hustling. Get everything in order now, so that the minute you turn 18 we can look at your pre-approval and you can go ahead and buy that first home.
The 60 second version, filmed from the driver's seat. The rest of this page is the detail underneath it.
Why 18 is the line
A home loan is a big legal contract, and lenders won't sign one with someone who isn't an adult yet. It doesn't matter how much you've saved or how good your job is. Until your 18th birthday, the answer from the bank is no.
That's not a knock on you. If anything, the fact you're asking this question means you're way ahead of most people your age. The trick is to use the time between now and 18 so that when the door opens, you can walk straight through it.
What getting everything in order looks like
The bank is going to want to see three things when you turn 18: that you can save, that you've got steady income, and that you look after your money. So start building that story now. Put money away regularly into an account in your own name, because a savings pattern over time is what the bank's genuine savings test is looking for.
Keep working, and try to stay in one job long enough to build some time there, because lenders like to see stability. And keep your spending clean. No buy now pay later habits and no debts you don't need, because all of that shows up when the bank looks at your statements and works out what you can afford.
The honest bit: turning 18 opens the door, it doesn't walk you through it
Being 18 makes you eligible to apply, but the application still has to stack up. Your income, how long you've been in your job and your savings all decide what the bank will lend you, and some first home buyer schemes have their own rules on top.
So if you're 16 or 17 and serious, it's worth a chat now. We can work out what you'd need in place at 18, so the plan has real numbers on it.
Under 18 and already planning your first home?
A 30 minute call. We work out what you'd need saved, how long you'd want to be in your job and what the bank will look for, so you're ready to go the day you turn 18.
No cost to you. The bank pays me when a loan settles. · How I get paid
Next question
What is the first step to buy your first home?Before the doomscrolling goes any further: know your numbers.
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The full guide: How to buy your first home How much can I actually borrow? Can I get a home loan on probation or after switching jobs? What documents do you actually need from me for a home loan? Does Afterpay affect my home loan application?Not your question? Book a call and ask it, or call 0437 189 939.