In short: GNT Finance runs regular free online sessions for first home buyers and new permanent residents across Melbourne and Victoria: a 30-minute evening webinar plus open Q&A, with dedicated Nepali-language sessions. Topics rotate through grants and the 5% scheme, deposits and gifts, self-employed lending, buying in Melbourne's north, and the path from PR to first home. Register above to receive the next date, the handbook and a checklist.
Buying a first home in Victoria involves federal schemes, state grants, lender policy and a contract process that nobody teaches you. These sessions cover it in plain language, in a format that fits around work and family.
What we cover
Each session focuses on one topic so it can go into useful depth in half an hour. The current rotation:
Grants and the 5% scheme
How the First Home Guarantee works now that income caps are gone: the $950,000 Melbourne and Geelong price cap, the $650,000 cap for the rest of Victoria, who qualifies, and how it combines with the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant on new homes and the stamp duty exemption up to $600,000. We also touch on Help to Buy shared equity for lower-income households. Background reading: First Home Guarantee 5% deposit.
Deposits, genuine savings and gifts
How much you really need, what lenders count as genuine savings, how gifted deposits from parents in Australia or overseas are documented, and how to read the deposit strategy calculator to decide between 5%, 10% and 20%.
Home loans for the self-employed
What lenders ask of ABN holders, sole traders, company directors and contractors, why two years of tax returns matter, when a low-doc loan makes sense, and how to prepare your books in the year before you apply.
Buying in Melbourne's north
Prices, land availability and lender treatment across Mickleham, Craigieburn, Kalkallo, Donnybrook, Wollert and Mernda; house-and-land packages versus established homes; and what a construction loan looks like month by month.
From PR to first home
For new permanent residents: what changes the day your visa is granted, how lenders treat overseas income and savings, building a credit file from scratch, and a realistic timeline from PR grant to keys. Read our guide on home loans for new migrants first if you can.
Format
- Length: 30 minutes of presentation, then 15 to 20 minutes of open questions. Most sessions finish within an hour.
- When: weekday evenings, usually starting between 7pm and 8pm Melbourne time, so you can join after dinner.
- Where: online by video link. You can join from a phone or laptop anywhere in Victoria or Australia. We occasionally hold in-person sessions in Melbourne's north and announce these to registered attendees first.
- Language: English sessions and separate Nepali-language sessions presented by Gorakh Timilsina. Nepali sessions cover the same topics, not a summary.
- Who presents: Gorakh, a former senior credit officer, and occasionally a guest conveyancer or buyer's advocate for legal and process topics.
- Cost: free, with no obligation. We do not sell property, and no developer or builder sponsors the sessions.
How registration works
Enter your name, email and preferred language in the form above. You will receive a confirmation, the date and link for the next session on your chosen topic, and a reminder the day before. Places are not capped for online sessions, but registering means you get the recording if you cannot attend live. We do not share your details with anyone, and you can unsubscribe from event emails at any time; see our privacy policy.
What attendees receive
- The First Home Buyer Handbook, our free Victorian guide covering deposits, grants, pre-approval, auctions and settlement, as a PDF.
- A personalised document checklist from our checklist generator so you can start gathering paperwork.
- The session recording and slides.
- An optional free one-on-one consultation afterwards, if you want to apply what you learned to your own numbers.
Who the sessions are for
The sessions suit anyone within about two years of buying: renters saving a deposit, couples deciding whether to buy now or wait, new PR holders, and parents helping adult children into their first home. Investors and refinancers are welcome, though the content is aimed at first-time buyers; our newsletter and blog cover those topics in more depth.
Frequently asked questions
Are the seminars really free?
Yes. There is no charge to attend, no product is sold during the session, and no builder, developer or lender sponsors them. GNT Finance is paid by lenders only if you later choose to take out a loan through us, and even then our home-loan service is at no cost to you in most cases. Attending creates no obligation.
Are the sessions held in Nepali?
Yes. We run dedicated Nepali-language sessions presented by Gorakh Timilsina, covering the full content rather than a summary. Questions can be asked in Nepali, Hindi or English. Many families join together so that parents and adult children hear the same information in the language each prefers.
Can I attend if I live outside Melbourne?
Yes. Sessions are online and open to anyone in Australia. Some content, such as stamp duty and the First Home Owner Grant, is Victoria-specific, but the First Home Guarantee, deposit, self-employed and PR topics apply nationally. We arrange loans in every state by phone and video, and interstate attendees are welcome to book a follow-up.
Will I get a recording if I miss the live session?
Yes. Everyone who registers receives the recording and slides within a few days, along with the handbook and checklist. Live attendance is better for the Q&A, which is often the most useful part, but the recording covers the full presentation.
Do I have to become a client to attend?
No. Many attendees are a year or more from buying and simply want to understand the process. If you would like to talk through your own situation afterwards, a free consultation is available, but nobody will follow up unless you ask.
Talk to GNT Finance
Register for the next session using the form above. If you would rather skip straight to your own numbers, GNT Finance offers a free consultation in English, Nepali or Hindi. Book a free consultation or call 0426 403 703.
Written by Gorakh Timilsina
Founder, CEO & Senior Mortgage Consultant at GNT Finance. Gorakh started as a broker assistant, spent years as a senior credit officer assessing loan applications, and now helps Melbourne families get the right loan approved. English, Nepali and Hindi spoken.