FIRST HOME buyers
grants
If you are buying your very first property you may be eligible for different grants. These are established by the Australian government to help first home buyers purchase a brand new home. These grants vary from state to state and so do the eligibility requirements.
aUSTRALIAN fEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT 5% DEPOSIT SCHEME
For first home buyers with a minimum 5% deposit, or single parents or legal guardians with a minimum 2% deposit.
Home buyers usually need a deposit of 20% of the Property Value to get a home loan, and those with a smaller deposit may require Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). From 1 October 2025 with changes to the Scheme, Housing Australia provides a Guarantee to the lender, so home buyers only need a minimum 5% deposit. This helps home buyers to buy a home sooner, with lower upfront costs.
Key features and benefits:
The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme was formerly known as the Home Guarantee Scheme.
For more information:
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-5-percent-deposit-scheme
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-5-percent-deposit-scheme/5-percent-tools-and-resources/5-percent-eligibility
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HELP TO BUY SCHEME
Applications open Friday, 5 December 2025.
With 10,000 places available each year, Help to Buy is a shared equity Scheme where the Australian Government contributes towards the purchase price of your home. Under Help to Buy you will need to:
You may use Help to Buy to purchase:
Help to Buy is available in all States and Territories, but not Tasmania yet.
For more information:
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-help-buy-scheme
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-help-buy-scheme/help-buy-tools-and-resources/help-buy-eligibility-tool
FIRST HOME SUPER SAVER SCHEME
You can make voluntary contributions to your super (on top of what your employer already pays) – either before tax through salary sacrifice or after tax as personal contributions.
For more information:
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/first-home-super-saver-scheme
For first home buyers with a minimum 5% deposit, or single parents or legal guardians with a minimum 2% deposit.
Home buyers usually need a deposit of 20% of the Property Value to get a home loan, and those with a smaller deposit may require Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). From 1 October 2025 with changes to the Scheme, Housing Australia provides a Guarantee to the lender, so home buyers only need a minimum 5% deposit. This helps home buyers to buy a home sooner, with lower upfront costs.
Key features and benefits:
- Low Deposit: Minimum 5% for first home buyers.
- No Income Caps: Your income doesn’t restrict your access.
- Avoid Extra Costs: No Lenders Mortgage Insurance fees, reducing upfront costs.
- Wide Choice of Home Types: Houses, townhouses, apartments, house/land packages, off-the-plan, or building on vacant land – at or below location price caps.
- Government-Backed Support: A Government guarantee is provided to the lender for your loan.
- Unlimited Spots and No Waiting List: Apply when you’re ready, no queues.
The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme was formerly known as the Home Guarantee Scheme.
For more information:
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-5-percent-deposit-scheme
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-5-percent-deposit-scheme/5-percent-tools-and-resources/5-percent-eligibility
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HELP TO BUY SCHEME
Applications open Friday, 5 December 2025.
With 10,000 places available each year, Help to Buy is a shared equity Scheme where the Australian Government contributes towards the purchase price of your home. Under Help to Buy you will need to:
- save a minimum 2% deposit
- obtain a home loan from a Participating Lender.
- contribute up to 30% (existing homes) or 40% (newly built homes) toward the purchase price.
- bridging the gap between what you can borrow and the price of a home that suits your needs
- helping your deposit go further, enabling you to buy sooner.
You may use Help to Buy to purchase:
- a new or existing home, including house, townhouse, apartment, unit or duplex
- a vacant block of land for the construction of a new home or a property that’s being demolished and rebuilt, provided you’ve signed a comprehensive building contract with an eligible builder.
Help to Buy is available in all States and Territories, but not Tasmania yet.
For more information:
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-help-buy-scheme
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/australian-government-help-buy-scheme/help-buy-tools-and-resources/help-buy-eligibility-tool
FIRST HOME SUPER SAVER SCHEME
You can make voluntary contributions to your super (on top of what your employer already pays) – either before tax through salary sacrifice or after tax as personal contributions.
- You can contribute up to $15,000 per year and $50,000 in total
- When you're ready to buy, you can apply to withdraw your savings plus associated earnings and use them towards your first home deposit. The ATO will let you know how much you can access. You must request FHSS determination before property ownership transfers.
- Couples, friends, or siblings can each access their own FHSS savings to buy the same property.
- You can withdraw a maximum of $50,000 from your super for FHSS.
For more information:
https://firsthomebuyers.gov.au/first-home-super-saver-scheme
New south wales (nsw)
FIRST HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE SCHEME
From 1 July 2023, a full exemption from transfer duty will be available if you are buying a new or existing home valued up to $800,000, while homes valued over $800,000 and less than $1,000,000 may qualify for a concessional rate.
If you are purchasing vacant land on which you intend to build a home, you may receive an exemption for land valued up to $350,000 and a concessional rate for land valued over $350,000 and less than $450,000.
First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme: On or after 1 July 2023
For more information:
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/first-home-buyer/assistance-scheme
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/taxes-duties-levies-royalties/transfer-duty
Stamp Duty Calculator
FIRST HOME OWNER (NEW HOMES) GRANT
If you’re a first home buyer and you’re buying or building a new home, you may qualify for a $10,000 grant under the First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant scheme.
Requirements:
For more information:
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/first-home-buyer/first-home-owner-new-homes-grant
From 1 July 2023, a full exemption from transfer duty will be available if you are buying a new or existing home valued up to $800,000, while homes valued over $800,000 and less than $1,000,000 may qualify for a concessional rate.
If you are purchasing vacant land on which you intend to build a home, you may receive an exemption for land valued up to $350,000 and a concessional rate for land valued over $350,000 and less than $450,000.
First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme: On or after 1 July 2023
- Buy a new or existing home equal to or less than $800,000, apply for a full exemption, and pay no transfer duty (no stamp duty).
- Buy a new or existing home valued between $800,000 and $1 million, and apply for a concessional transfer duty rate (concessional stamp duty). The amount will be based on the value of your home.
For more information:
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/first-home-buyer/assistance-scheme
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/taxes-duties-levies-royalties/transfer-duty
Stamp Duty Calculator
FIRST HOME OWNER (NEW HOMES) GRANT
If you’re a first home buyer and you’re buying or building a new home, you may qualify for a $10,000 grant under the First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant scheme.
Requirements:
- Buying or building your first home.
- It's a new home that no-one has lived in before.
- It's worth no more than $600,000 (or, for a house and land package with comprehensive building contract, no more than $750,000).
- You must also move into the property within 12 months from settlement and live there for at least 12 continuous months.
For more information:
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/first-home-buyer/first-home-owner-new-homes-grant
VICtoria (vic)
FIRST HOME OWNER GRANT
The First Home Owner Grant is a $10,000 payment to help eligible first home buyers buy or build a new home in Victoria. Your first new home can be any type of residential property: a house, townhouse, apartment or unit. You just have to live in it as your home.
The grant applies to properties in Victoria that are:
For more information:
https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/buying-property/first-home-owner-grant
FIRST HOME BUYER DUTY EXEMPTION OR CONCESSION
If you are a first home buyer, you can claim an exemption or concession from land transfer (stamp) duty if you meet certain criteria.
If you buy a Victorian home with a dutiable value:
The property can be a new or established home, or vacant land intended for building your first home.
Dutiable value is the price paid for the property or its market value, whichever is greater.
For more information:
https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/first-home-owner
https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/buying-property/land-transfer-stamp-duty/concessions-exemptions-and-waivers/first-home-buyers/first-home-buyer-duty-exemption-or-concession
The First Home Owner Grant is a $10,000 payment to help eligible first home buyers buy or build a new home in Victoria. Your first new home can be any type of residential property: a house, townhouse, apartment or unit. You just have to live in it as your home.
The grant applies to properties in Victoria that are:
- worth up to $750,000 (for off-the-plan purchases, this refers to the contract price)
- new and not previously sold, occupied as a home, leased out or used for short-term accommodation (includes substantially renovated homes or homes built to replace demolished ones)
- used as the applicant’s principal place of residence
- purchased or built under a contract signed on or after 1 July 2013.
For more information:
https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/buying-property/first-home-owner-grant
FIRST HOME BUYER DUTY EXEMPTION OR CONCESSION
If you are a first home buyer, you can claim an exemption or concession from land transfer (stamp) duty if you meet certain criteria.
If you buy a Victorian home with a dutiable value:
- up to $600,000, you pay no duty
- $600,001 to $750,000, you pay a reduced amount of duty.
The property can be a new or established home, or vacant land intended for building your first home.
Dutiable value is the price paid for the property or its market value, whichever is greater.
- For off-the-plan purchases, dutiable value may be reduced if you are eligible for the off-the-plan concession.
- For vacant land, the Victorian State Revenue Office (SRO) assesses dutiable value based only on the land itself. The SRO does not include the value of your building contract.
For more information:
https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/first-home-owner
https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/buying-property/land-transfer-stamp-duty/concessions-exemptions-and-waivers/first-home-buyers/first-home-buyer-duty-exemption-or-concession
Queensland (qld)
FIRST HOME OWNER GRANT
For buying or building a new home, the grant amount is:
For more information:
https://qro.qld.gov.au/property-concessions-grants/first-home-grant/eligibility/
FIRST HOME CONCESSION
You can claim a first home concession for transfer duty when acquiring your first residence if you meet certain requirements.
The first home concession only applies to a home valued under $800,000 and can save you up to $24,525. The home concession may still apply for a home valued over $800,000.
For more information:
https://qro.qld.gov.au/duties/transfer-duty/concessions/homes/home-concession/
https://qro.qld.gov.au/duties/transfer-duty/calculate/transfer-duty-estimator/
For buying or building a new home, the grant amount is:
- $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2026 (both dates inclusive)
- $15,000 for contracts signed before 20 November 2023.
- $30,000 where foundations are laid between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2026 (both dates inclusive)
- $15,000 where foundations were laid before 20 November 2023.
For more information:
https://qro.qld.gov.au/property-concessions-grants/first-home-grant/eligibility/
FIRST HOME CONCESSION
You can claim a first home concession for transfer duty when acquiring your first residence if you meet certain requirements.
The first home concession only applies to a home valued under $800,000 and can save you up to $24,525. The home concession may still apply for a home valued over $800,000.
For more information:
https://qro.qld.gov.au/duties/transfer-duty/concessions/homes/home-concession/
https://qro.qld.gov.au/duties/transfer-duty/calculate/transfer-duty-estimator/
Last updated February 2026