My Own Home
Buying a home can feel overwhelming.
It’s time we changed that.
Whether you’re buying for the first time, starting over after a separation, or just want clarity about the home buying process, you’ll be supported every step of the way.
Learn exactly where and what to look for
How to accurately price a home
Confidently negotiate with real estate agents
Looking to buy your own place?
Buying a home can be a complicated, frustrating and time-consuming task.
From sorting finance, understanding your options, sifting through properties online, knowing what to look for (and let’s be honest, what to avoid), getting a grasp on pricing, the art of talking to real estate agents, facing auctions, sharpening your negotiating skills… argh! It’s a lot to take on, and a steep learning curve that can take much of your time and energy to learn before you’re ready to even attempt to buy.
A home is a huge financial commitment, and one that’s difficult to undo. Buying property can feel like a daunting task to take on without an experienced guide in your corner.
What information is worth paying attention to? And how do you know when to make an offer or when to keep looking?
As a buyer, it can feel challenging trying to piece it all together. The stakes are high - you don’t want to make a costly mistake when buying real estate.
You want a home of your own, to secure your place in the world and make it your sanctuary.
So, where do you start?
The ‘My Own Home’ course guides you through the
steps and method of buying your very own home,
one that makes best use of your budget and you’ll feel proud to call your very own.
“The My Own Home course is a great investment in your knowledge, skills and confidence in the home buying process.
It’ll put you a step ahead of other home buyers who are simply winging it.
You’ll understand the whole process from the beginning, rather than having unwelcome surprises along the way.”
Hi, I’m Claire
I’ve been into property all my life. As a kid, I’d happily peer out at the new suburbs of Canberra going up from my car booster seat, and as a teenager would devour the Saturday real estate section from the weekend newspaper (back in the Olden Days, aka the 90’s). So of course it made complete sense for me to become an accountant.
Yep, I thought I wanted to be an accountant. After going down that path I soon realised I was a square peg in a round hole. Once I’d quit my day job, I became a full-time property investor. Small townhouse developments, house relocations, structural and cosmetic renos; plenty to keep me busy while raising two boys. Within a short while it became pretty clear that property was more than just my passion - paired with an advisory background, it led me to the wonderful world of advocating for property buyers. I’ve been operating Capital Buyers Agency since 2014, helping hundreds of buyers to identify and secure great quality property in Canberra and surrounding NSW over the years.
There’s only one of me however, and word of mouth quickly grew to the point that I couldn’t possibly help everyone who asked. Not being able to assist hopeful buyers felt incredibly difficult, knowing they would be struggling on their own. The solution? My Own Home, a distillery of my industry knowledge over the decades and my hard-won expertise to help buyers level the playing field and make better, more informed decisions. Especially for those buyers who didn’t think engaging a buyer’s agent was possible for them. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that buying well is what sets people up for a strong financial future.
And now it’s here for you.
My Own Home is purpose-built to show you what can be achieved with the right systems and approach behind you. You can simply log in and learn with full confidence and support from the forefront of the industry. I’ve consistently won a range of awards for commitment to excellence and innovation, including ‘Buyer’s Agent of the Year’ seven times. I invite you to join me as I share my hard-won insights to help you understand and implement the steps towards your home ownership goal.
Inside My Own Home,
You’ll Get:
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Over 6 weeks, you’ll get six modules released weekly to walk you through our home buying system. The process is broken down for you step-by-step, into bite-sized videos that are easy to digest. You’re able to watch at any time that’s convenient for you, to pause, replay and digest to learn at your own pace.
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You’ll get plenty of support material to help you implement what you’ve learned right away. From checklists so that you don’t miss an important process, to explanations of industry terms, and so much more. Each week has its own resources to help you take action and hit the ground running.
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You’ll be able to ask any questions, clarify your understanding, and keep on track with 2 live Q&A sessions with me.
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Without giving too much away ahead of time, there will be some surprises along the way to help you take action and stay on task. Because buying a home is meant to be fun, after all!
Each of these components are included to help you nail the home buying process, grow your understanding, and keep taking action to implement what you’ve learned.
MODULE 1:
Get Seriously Organised
Before you even look at properties, you need to know who's got your back. Learn who needs to be on your Dream Team, what they do, why you need them and importantly, how to find them! You need a rock solid squad to avoid stressful mistakes and trying to do it all yourself.
We’ll cover the Bank v Broker argument, identify the 3 types of costs involved with purchasing, and make sure you’re up to speed on any grants and concessions you might be entitled to.
MODULE 2:
Set for Success
Once we're clear on money issues, we get stuck into road-testing your wishlist. You know, that list of wants and needs you'd like to fulfil?
You’ll learn how to set up a framework that will save you hours of second-guessing yourself and going around in circles later on (your Future Self says thank you) and how to test your brief so that you're not chasing an impossible dream. Then, we’ll consider how to fine-tune your brief until it's ready to be put to work, and finish up with how to be proactive in bringing new opportunities directly to you instead of chasing open homes around town. Goodbye, overwhelm!
MODULE 3:
Inspect & Assess
It’s time to hit the road and put theory into practise. We’ll unpack how to properly assess a home, what to do before you even set foot inside a property, how to objectively inspect a home and what to do when it’s time to speak to the agent.
Considering buying into a body corporate? We’ll also look at the extra due diligence around units and strata, and how to ensure you truly know what you’re in for. We’ve all heard the horror stories - let’s make sure you avoid becoming the next statistic.
MODULE 4:
Making Confident Offers
Once you've found a great property, it's time to make an offer to maximise your chances - without overpaying, of course. You'll learn how to craft a well-considered offer, understand when to present your offer, how to handle negotiations and why you must have a plan. Because ‘winging it’ when the right places comes up is a recipe for heartbreak.
We’ll also unpack the dreaded ‘best and final’ offer process to give you the confidence to negotiate like a boss.
MODULE 5:
Auction Action
Whether you love them or hate them, auctions may be something you have to deal with to secure your home. We'll delve into the process of auctions, the roles of those involved, explain pre-auction offers, auction jargon, bidding strategy and plenty more.
You'll learn how to prepare for an auction, how to set your maximum bid, how to stick to said maximum (!!) and how to handle auction day itself. Luck is simply where preparation meets opportunity, after all.
MODULE 6:
After the Purchase
Once you’ve heard those three magic words, “Congratulations, it’s yours!” there's still plenty to be done. It's time to get stuck into some life admin and make sure you're unbelievably organised for a frantic few weeks ahead.
In this module, you'll learn how to juggle the post-purchase paperwork, including what needs to done and when, how to prepare for settlement, what happens on settlement day, who's involved, what you need to have in place, prepping for moving, and clarifying timing of you get your new keys. An indoor pizza and wine picnic on your first night, perhaps? Pop that onto your vision board, and let’s begin!
“We now inspect each property with a completely different approach and feel we have gained a lot more information to help narrow our search: nailing down our list, having done our background research of the area, knowing the questions we are going to ask in advance and liaising with the agent.”
Is this for you?
You’ll feel right at home inside My Own Home if:
You're buying your first property and want a clear, step-by-step path
You’ve recently separated and you know this next home needs to be a smart financial move
You’d like support but engaging a buyer’s agent feels too expensive right now
You're navigating the process and trying to piece it all together as you go
You’ve done hours of research but still feel uncertain
You want trusted advice without the overwhelm
You're ready to take action, but want to feel supported doing it
You’re looking to buy in the ACT or NSW
You’d like to learn property search strategies, accurate pricing techniques, and effective negotiation tactics
All you need to do is start.
It can be quite overwhelming if you’ve not bought property before, or if it’s been a while since the last purchase and you’re a little freaked out by the process these days. The sheer amount of work involved figuring it all out can feel intimidating, as you quickly discover the time you’ll spend committed to the search and the endless cycle of inspecting one property after the next, only to miss out yet again after getting your hopes up. The kicker to missing out is realising you have to start this damn process all over again, and at the same time, hear well-meaning advice from friends and family about why ‘it wasn’t that hard for them’ to buy their home, and what you ‘should’ do instead. All these external opinions are really not helping, and you start to doubt yourself.
It sucks.
I hear you, and I’ve helped many clients through this process. Navigating the emotional rollercoaster of the home buying journey can be exhausting and confusing, and you might consider just sticking with renting instead when it all gets too hard. I get it! Which is why I’d love to be on your side throughout the journey, and show you exactly how we can work smarter instead.
Please don’t put this off. Don’t wait for the market to crash, don’t hold back until interest rates change, and don’t let any negativity get in your head. Don’t wait for the ‘perfect time’ or let another season pass you by, watching those around you buy, wishing in hindsight you’d bought too. Don’t wait until your ideal home flashes up online, already marked ‘Under Offer’ and you’re too late. And definitely don’t just rush the process to get it all over and done. Your financial future is way too important for mistakes like that.
It’s time to work smarter, not harder. You don’t need to keep trying to piece snippets of intel together, with patchy advice from those who aren’t in the trenches and lack the depth of experience out in the field to show you a process that actually works. It’s confusing and it really doesn’t help you.
This course is your roadmap, a safety net, and a clear plan all in one.
I invite you to invest in yourself and learn the process to buy a great quality property that you’re super proud to call your own. A home that fits your needs and your budget; one that will set you up for a really strong future. I’m here to help you achieve exactly that.
What past students have to say
Ellen & Ryan’s Story
Before joining the course, we wondered things like “Why is buying a house so hard? Why is everyone telling us different things - who is telling the truth?”
The biggest challenge was understanding the ACT property market - in particular ensuring we weren't impulsively placing offers and overpaying for a property.
Once we joined the course, we were nervous in the beginning but became more excited as we progressed through the course. We were excited to gain access to Claire to get an expert opinion.
We thought before starting the course that our ah-ha moment would have been the Pricing component, but in fact it was the Real Estate Agent lesson. We now inspect each property with a completely different approach and feel we are gaining a lot more information back to help narrow our search: nailing down our desires and wants list, having done our background research of the area, knowingly the questions we are going to ask in advance and liaising with the agent.
Being a student was comfortable as we could do the lessons at our own pace. The modules being uploaded weekly gave us time to put what we learnt into practice before the next module release. We feel the content was greatly planned out and structured. Even though we always love having more information, but we feel the quantity of knowledge was plenty and didn't overwhelm us.
If you’re thinking about joining look at the course as an investment in yourself that you can apply to your next property and all future property purchases.
The knowledge you gain from this course could save you tenfold in a purchase disaster - keeping in mind you are dealing with hundreds of thousands or even million-dollar figures.
We were very impressed with the course and are definitely walking away feeling way more confident than we did 6 modules ago.
Zoe’s Story
As a first home buyer just starting to search, the process of buying a home seemed overwhelmingly complicated. I knew I had a lot to learn, and I didn't know where to start. A home is the single biggest purchase I'll ever make, and I didn't want to make a bad decision and regret it later.
I'm short on time to learn a new "skill". Having all the answers in an intensive and complete short course meant I could dedicate 1 hour a week to learning everything I needed to know about buying a home.
After joining, I felt like I was making good progress towards my home ownership goal. The time commitment was manageable and the course fee was very reasonable.
I went from "where do I start?" to "I know what I'm looking for and what to do next". A key lesson I learned was how to search for a home location. I'd been considering two specific suburbs, and by using the tools taught, I opened up a whole new area I hadn't considered. The best part is that the new area was consistently $100K-150K cheaper for an otherwise identical house and block. Learning this saved me $150K! The materials were comprehensive and extremely useful.
The My Own Home course is a great investment in your knowledge, skills and confidence in the home buying process. It'll put you a step ahead of other first home buyers who are simply winging it. You'll understand the whole process from the beginning, rather than having unwelcome surprises along the way.
Kathryn’s Story
My husband and I were looking to purchase our first home. We both felt quite inexperienced and that our knowledge of what is involved with making a purchase was limited.
Understanding auctions and trying to gauge the value of properties was our biggest challenge, and the reason for joining the course. We were excited to learn more about the process of purchasing properties from someone who does it as their profession.
It felt good to be in the course and that I was working towards a plan for being prepared to purchase our first home. I feel that I have a better knowledge of how auctions work and how to gauge price which makes me feel much more confident and ready to make that next step.
The pace was just right. Some modules were longer as some aspects of purchasing are more involved such as the auctions and making offers module. I liked that the content was split into multiple videos with more content.
Being a student in the course was a positive experience and it was very easy to participate on my own schedule with the convenience of the course being delivered entirely online.
I would definitely recommend it as it has given me more confidence. I really enjoyed the course and found it very helpful.
I created ‘My Own Home’ because I know that buying a home can feel like an uphill battle.
You might be looking online at properties at all hours, staring at listings with no idea why some sell and others don’t, or worried that you’ll miss something critical or overpay.
That uncertainty is exhausting. I get it!
This course was designed with you in mind. I’ve helped 500+ home buyers move from where you are now to getting the keys to their own place, and I know how to get results that make a real difference. A home isn’t just four walls and a roof over your head. Your own home is about financial security for your future, your stability and emotional safety.
I created My Own Home to make a real impact for you, to give you the clarity you need, the tools to stay on track, and the confidence to buy well.
If you’re feeling uncertain or stuck, this course can change everything.
FAQ
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My Own Home has been created specifically for those buying in the ACT or NSW. The majority of the course isn’t state specific so you’ll still gain excellent insight but keep in mind there may be some differences in the purchasing process that your legal team or local buyer’s agent can help you understand.
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The course length is 6 weeks. Each week, you’ll receive access to the next module. Once you have the program, you’ve got access for 12 months so you’re absolutely able to work through the material at your own pace when your schedule permits.
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The first module will be released on Friday 20th June, and each week you’ll receive a new module over six weeks.
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Whether you’re buying your first home, upgrading, or perhaps finding your feet after a separation or major life event, this course will help you gain clarity and understanding. If you’re planning to buy your own home you’ll get specific and detailed information to help understand and apply the steps with confidence. This course is created with buyers in the ACT and NSW in mind, which applies to some parts of Modules 4 and 5 in particular.
For other areas of Australia, you’ll still get plenty of relevant information about the home buying process but you may benefit from partnering with an experienced local buyer’s agent to help you secure the right one once you’ve identified and researched a home, because legislation differs from state to state. The auction process in Victoria is quite different to NSW, for example.
A list of suitably qualified and experienced local buyer’s agents for your location can be provided to help you upon request.
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Yes, all materials, PDF downloadables, videos, tutorials, checklists - everything - is all online in one place for you.
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Your access to the course lasts for 12 months. We update the course to keep it current, so it’s a balancing act between giving you plenty of time to digest and implement these skills you’ll learn over the coming six weeks with making sure this course remains as relevant and accurate as possible for you.
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You’ll need internet access and a device to view the content on. Our Q&A sessions will be held over Zoom. Can't make it live? Watch the replay whenever suits you.
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An hour per week is a good ballpark for the content provided. The follow-up steps vary each week. For instance, speaking to a broker might take less time compared to inspecting homes in person.
There’s no rush - you can take a break if you need and come back to it later when you’ve more time.
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No problem, you’ve got access to the course to start whenever you’d like. The first module is released quickly, but you’ve got a full 12 months to access the entire course at your own pace.
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You'll receive a link to join the Zoom session via the email address used to join the course on this webpage. You’ll also receive the recordings to your inbox if you can’t make it live.
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No. And we track downloads, so it’ll be obvious if you do! If you know a friend who would benefit from My Own Home, do them a huge favour and share this page with them. They’ll be sure to give you a big thank you when they’re moving into their own home, too.
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If you choose to wait that’s up to you, but consider that if you buy the course now, you can learn while continuing to save towards your own home. In future, we'd hate to cause disappointment from a rise in the price of the course.
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Nope, no way! There’s so much more to being a skilful buyer’s agent than this introductory course. If you’re seeking a career, the only reputable place to go is REBAA (Real Estate Buyers Agent’s Association of Australia). Get started there.
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This course is specifically for home buyers, not investors. Property investment is an entirely different beast and is outside of the scope of this course.
My Own Home is specifically created for homebuyers, not investors.
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My Own Home is designed for those who don’t understand the process and would like an experienced guide to help them, step by step. So no, I’d say not. It’s a sales-free zone with zero tolerance for any selling or marketing of any kind. Furthermore, our course and intellectual property is protected by copyright and trademark laws.
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No, it's a one-off fee.
Past students have said they considered this course a smart investment in themselves. You’ll learn how to avoid overpaying too, which can save you a significant amount of money well in excess of this course. Plus the added interest and loan repayments saved into the future.
A word of caution if you feel you can’t afford it; the price of a home is going to be significantly more than this course. Especially if you don’t know how much to pay for it, or how to avoid a lemon. Hence, the course!
At auction, raising your hand at the wrong time can cost you a thousand dollars (or more) - at which point many buyers find themselves wishing they had some support and guidance. Sadly it’s all a bit late by then.
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No, there are no refunds for change of mind.
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It’s not always easy, we understand this. You’re madly trying to save money so sometimes one partner isn’t keen on spending - even if it is to invest in yourself and improve your end result and understanding of the process. We recommend letting them read through these FAQ here, and let them know that you’re here because you’re looking for support and expertise from someone who understands what you're going through. Someone with the skillset and demonstrated experience in saving you stacks of time, money and stress in the journey ahead. There's no such thing as a free lunch - beware of anything valuable that's 'free' as you're likely paying for it in other ways.
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We can show you the way but the rest, my friend, is up to you.
My Own Home will transform your home-buying experience.
Enrolment is open now, for a limited time…
Your complete, step-by-step system to guide you through the process of buying your very own home. Learn directly from Claire Corby, 7 x Buyer's Agent of the Year.
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to accurately represent the program and the educational value provided. However, there is no guarantee that you will purchase a property using the techniques and ideas in these materials. You should not rely on any information we present as any kind of promise, guarantee, or expectation of any level of success. Your results will be determined by a number of factors over which we have no control, such as your financial condition, experiences, level of effort, education, and changes within the market. Buying property carries risks, and your use of any information contained on this website is as at your own risk. We provide content without any express or implied warranties. By continuing to use our site and access our content, you agree that we are not responsible for any decision you may make regarding any information presented or as a result of purchasing any of our products or services. Any claims made or examples given of actual results can be verified upon request.