Purchasing property is a financially complex endeavor that can cause the naive and unsavvy to waste thousands of dollars unnecessarily. Here are 15 simple steps that will help to point first-time home buyers in the right direction. (Naturally, the first step is to save like crazy.)

Followit is a new app for Android and iOS that pitches itself as the Instagram of real estate. Instead of following friends and celebrities, you follow houses in specific streets and suburbs where you want to live. Here's how it works.

A lot of people will tell you that renting your home or apartment is throwing your money away, but that's not always the case. Just because you're not ready to buy a home doesn't mean you can't get some great perks as a renter.

Buying a home is a daunting experience. Especially if you've never done it before, the process is difficult to navigate, and half the battle is figuring out what all the mortgage-related jargon means. This website will help you figure it out.

Buying a house is scary, complex and insanely expensive. But that doesn't make it impossible -- despite what real estate doomsayers claim. This info-guide from Hones Lawyers breaks down the key steps that every potential home buying needs to be aware of.

Dear Lifehacker, I own my own property in Australia. I was wondering how much space directly above and below my land legally belongs to me? For example, do I own the land all the way down to the centre of the Earth, or does it become government/public property after a few feet? Likewise, does the airspace above my house technically belong to me? If so, how far up?

When you're moving out of a house, you can be faced with a tough decision: do you sell your home, or rent it out to someone else? It's a tough decision that can cost a lot in the long run. Personal finance blog Money Crashers has some suggestions on factors to consider.

Negative gearing is a very controversial issue. The latest round of debate stems from the Reserve Bank's submission to the House of Representative Standing Committee on Economics regarding the enquiry into home ownership. The Bank believed that "there is a case for reviewing negative gearing". According to some, it's a patently unfair tax policy. Here's why.

Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is a one-off fee payable when borrowing more than 80 per cent of a property's value. It's yet another expense that can make life difficult for cash-strapped home buyers; even for a modestly priced property. This "hustler's guide" from Home Loan Experts outlines the various ways you can reduce -- or completely avoid -- your LMI fee.

Buying your first house is one of the most stressful endeavors you're ever likely to go through. On the plus side, it does help to get you more nooky, if this infographic is to be believed. (How else are you going to install that stripper pole?)

Buying a house involves more than slapping down a deposit and moving in. There are all manner of hidden costs and financial complexities that ramp up the total price significantly. Once you factor in stamp duty, conveyance fees, mortgage insurance and miscellaneous bank fees, you can expect to pay tens of thousands of dollars more than the advertised price tag -- and that's before you take interest, council rates and general upkeep into account. Here are some tips that will help to keep the total cost down to a less terrifying level.