Internet advertising

One of the best ways of finding property that matches your criteria is via the internet. There are websites that carry details of properties for sale where you can type in your requirements and your price range (search for ‘properties for sale or auction’). When a property that matches your criteria is advertised you can be notified by email immediately, and act quickly.

Real estate agent magazines

Most real estate agents produce free glossy magazines advertising the properties they have for sale or auction. If you visit the suburb in which you wish to buy a house in you will usually see magazine stands outside real estate offices.

Real estate offices

Real estate offices usually display their properties in their front window. It’s a good idea to make contact with the agents in real estate offices in your desired suburb, and let them know what you are looking for so that when a property comes onto the market that matches your criteria, they can contact you. But always keep in mind that the real estate agent is working for the vendor, not you. You may be asked to see properties that might not fit your ideal criteria, but at least you can get a broad understanding of what’s on offer in the market and for how much. If you do this, it might give you a better handle on what a fair and reasonable price is when you find a property you like.

Newspaper classified advertisements

The major newspapers in each state/ territory contain listings of properties for sale and auction, with most properties being advertised in the Wednesday and Saturday editions (with the Saturday edition usually in a ‘lift out’ property section).

The local newspapers of many areas often contain a large property advertising section, with many newspapers dedicating half the publication to property advertising.