What is a first home buyers grant?
First home buyers grants (also known as first home owners grants) are offered by almost every state and territory government. These are cash grants available to buyers who have never purchased a home before. The eligibility criteria and grant amounts vary a lot depending on where you live.
If you don't qualify for any grants but you are a first home buyer you may qualify for a stamp duty discount or exemption, which can also save you a lot of money.
Am I eligible for a First Home Owners Grant?
The eligibility criteria for first home buyers differs slightly between the states and territories. But generally you need to meet the following criteria are:
- You need to be first home buyers (never owned property before).
- You must live in the house for 12 months and it must be your principal place of residence (that is, your home).
- You cannot have claimed a first home owners grant previously.
There are other state-specific conditions as well, which will depend on the state you're buying in. Be sure to visit your state’s office of revenue website and find out if you’re eligible.
Finder survey: What do Australians think is the biggest hurdle to getting a home loan?
Response | |
---|---|
The deposit | 38.93% |
Getting approved for a loan with a good interest rate | 26.85% |
Finding the right property | 18.12% |
Getting a loan without typical employment | 8.72% |
There were no hurdles | 4.03% |
Other | 2.01% |
Previous debts | 1.34% |
First home owners grants and concessions in NSW
Is there a first home buyers grant in NSW?
Yes, the First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) scheme offers a $10,000 grant for the purchase or construction of new homes. The value of the property of a newly constructed property must be no more than $600,000. If buying land to build a property the combined land and dwelling valued must be no more than $750,000.
Are stamp duty concessions available?
Yes, the First Home Buyers Assistance scheme provides first home buyers with exemptions from transfer duty (stamp duty) on new and existing homes:
- New and existing homes. If the home is valued at $800,000 or less you won't pay stamp duty. You pay a reduced rate if your property is valued at anything up to $1 million.
- Vacant land. If you buy vacant land under $350,000 then you pay no stamp duty. Between $350,000 and $450,000 you can get a discount on the duty.
Learn more about NSW stamp duty and concessions
First home owners grants and concessions in VIC
Is there a first home buyers grant in Victoria?
Yes, the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available to eligible applicants buying or building a new home valued at up to $750,000.
Are stamp duty concessions available?
First home buyers purchasing a new or established home valued below $600,000 will be exempt from stamp duty. Buyers purchasing a new or established home valued between $600,001 and $750,000 will be eligible for a stamp duty concession, applied on a sliding scale.
First home buyers can get stamp duty concessions even if they don't qualify for a first home owners grant. It's also possible to qualify for both the grant and a stamp duty exemption or concession.
Learn more about VIC stamp duty and concessions
First home owners grants and concessions in QLD
Is there a first home buyers grant?
Yes, the Queensland First Home Owners' Grant offers $15,000 to first-time owners buying or building a new home. The grant is available for properties and land valued at less than $750,000.
If you are renovating an established home you may also qualify for the grant.
Are transfer duty (stamp duty) concessions available?
Yes, there is a first home stamp duty concession available if you buy a home valued at up to $550,000 and meet the eligibility criteria.
Learn more about QLD stamp duty and concessions
First home owner grants and concessions in the ACT
Is there a first home buyers grant?
The ACT government no longer offers a first home owner grant to buyers. It has been replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
Stamp duty concessions
The Home Buyer Concession Scheme provides stamp duty concessions. The amount you can save depends on your income and how many dependents you have.
Buyers in the ACT can avoid paying stamp duty if all buyers are over 18 and earning a combined income below the threshold (listed below). Buyers must live in the home continuously for 12 months and all buyers must not have owned a property in the past two years.
The income threshold also varies depending on how many dependent children you have. If your combined income is below the following limits then you can avoid paying stamp duty.
The amount of first home buyer concession you can receive is capped. For 2023-24, it's capped at $34,504.
Total income (including partner) | Number of dependent children |
---|---|
$170,000 | 0 |
$173,330 | 1 |
$176,660 | 2 |
$179,990 | 3 |
$183,320 | 4 |
$186,650 | 5+ |
First home owner grants and concessions WA
Is there a first home buyers grant?
Yes, a FHOG of $10,000 is available if you are buying or building a new home in WA. The home must be your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months within the first year of settlement or date of building completion.
Eligible properties located south of the 26th parallel south latitude must be less than $750,000, while properties north of the 26th parallel south latitude are limited at $1 million.
Are stamp duty concessions available?
Yes, the First Home Owner Rate of Duty provides exemptions and concessions when purchasing homes valued at less than $530,000 and vacant land less than $400,000.
Purchase Price | Grant/Concession |
---|---|
Less than $430,000 | Exempt from stamp duty |
$430,000 to $530,000 | Duty payable at a rate of $19.19 for every $100, or part of $100, by which the value exceeds $430,000 |
$530,001 or more | No concession or exemption |
Vacant land less than $300,000 | Exempt from stamp duty |
Vacant land $300,000 to $400,000 | Duty payable at a rate of $13.01 for every $100, or part of $100, by which the value exceeds $300,000 |
Vacant land $400,001 or more | No concession or exemption |
Learn more about WA stamp duty and concessions
First home owner grants and concessions SA
Is there a first home buyers grant?
Yes, the FHOG of up to $15,000 is available for the purchase and construction of new homes valued up to $650,000 for contracts entered into on or after 15 June 2023. For contracts entered into before this date, the maximum property value is $575,000.
Are stamp duty concessions available?
You may be eligible for stamp duty relief if you are buying a new home and/or land in South Australia where that home will be your main place of residence.
If you are an eligible first home buyer you can be exempt from stamp duty if your home is valued below $650,000 ($400,000 for vacant land).
You can get a stamp duty discount if the value of your home is below $700,000 ($450,000 for vacant land).
You can be eligible for stamp duty relief without being eligible for the first home owner grant.
Learn more about SA stamp duty and concessions
First home owner grants and concessions in TAS
Is there a first home buyers grant?
Yes, the $30,000 First Home Owner Grant is available for first home buyers who are buying a new home, buying a new home off the plan or building a new home.
Are property transfer duty concessions available?
First home buyers purchasing established homes can receive a 50% discount on stamp duty if their property's value is $600,000 or less.
Learn more about Tasmanian stamp duty and concessions
First home owner grants and concessions in the NT
Is there a first home buyers grant?
Yes, the $10,000 FHOG is available to eligible applicants who purchase or construct a new home. No limit applies to the value of the property you buy or build and there are no income restrictions.
Are property transfer duty concessions available?
Not specifically for first home buyers. There is a stamp duty exemption for buyers of house and land packages. To be eligible you must buy a house and land package from a building contractor and sign the contract before 30 June 2027.
The contractor must agree to sell the land to the purchaser and either:
- Build or place a detached, new home on the land
- Complete the building of a partially completed and detached new home
- Transfer ownership of a completed and detached new home
Stamp duty must have been paid by the contractor when bought from the developer.
The exemption is not means tested and there's no gap on the value of the property.
Learn more about NT stamp duty and concessions
Federal first home buyer support
At the federal level there are several policies and grants aimed at helping first home buyers. Being federal policies it doesn't matter which state or territory you live in, but there are specific eligibility criteria for each policy.
First Home Guarantee Scheme
The First Home Guarantee Scheme allows eligible first home buyers to get a home loan with just a 5% deposit and avoid the extra cost of lenders mortgage insurance (LMI). Lenders usually charge LMI to borrowers with deposits below 20% of their property's value.
HomeBuilder
The HomeBuilder grant provided support of up to $25,000 for Australian citizens building or renovating homes. There were various eligibility criteria and you didn't have to be a first home buyer to qualify for this one, however, this program closed for applications on March 31, 2021.
Family Home Guarantee
The Family Home Guarantee allows eligible single parents to buy homes with 2% deposits and avoid LMI costs while borrowing the remaining 98%. This doesn't just apply to single parents who are first home buyers. Single parents who have previously owned a home can qualify too.
First Home Super Saver Scheme
Another helpful option for some first home buyers is the First Home Super Saver Scheme. This policy allows eligible buyers to make extra contributions to their super funds and then withdraw them, pay less tax and then use the money to form part of their deposit.
All your questions about the first home owners grant answered
More support for first home buyers
Check out our complete first home buyer guide for more support.
If you're researching about the home buying process and need help, here's a list of helpful guides:
- How to save a deposit for a house
- HomeBuilder grant for home builders and renovators
- The complete home buying guide
- Get home loan help from a mortgage broker
- All your first home buyer questions answered
- What is lenders mortgage insurance?
- Download the Finder app to get more control over your finances
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Ask a question
Hi Keegan,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Kindly get in touch with your state revenue office on this matter. Basically, it continues until whenever the government decides to change it, however, for the regional Victoria first homeowners grant, yes, it expires on the 30th of June 2020 so you need to sign the contracts by that day. But this is only available in eligible parts of regional Victoria.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
How is the 750,000 calculated.
the price you bought the land for plus the contract price for the build? or is it the value of your land at the time of your loan and value of your house including driveway and landscaping (assuming you dont get the driveway and landscaping done from the builder)?
Hi Neha,
Thanks for your question.
Effective from 1 July 2017, the NSW First Home Owner Grant for new homes is capped at $750,000 for contracts to construct a new home or to owner build, including the land.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
Are first home owners subject to land withholding tax even if they don’t receive tax credits?
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Withholding may apply if you purchase new residential property like land. To verify further on this matter, please get in touch with you state’s revenue office.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
Hello,
Am I eligible if I buy a house interstate? I’m victorian but keen to purchase in QLD. Secondly, how many months payslips is required? I can easily deposit covered but not working at the moment.
Thank you!
Hi Tyler,
Thanks for your question! Yes, you can be eligible to buy a house interstate. As it says on the ATO website, you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (or applying with someone who is). Note that every state have different rules on FHOG so make sure to check your current state’s FHOG rules and the one in QLD.
As far as QLD is concerned, you can be granted an FHOG provided that you or your spouse must not have previously received a first homeowner grant in any state or territory of Australia. If you received a grant that you later paid back, together with any penalty, you may be able to reapply for the grant.
Hope this helps and best of luck on your new home!
Best,
Nikki
Hi guys my name is Shane. Just a query regarding first home loan grants in WA. I used to own a house on the Gold Coast that was 50/50 tenants in common with my brother. At the time I wasn’t eligible for first home loan grant because my brother had already owned a house therefore, I missed out. If I was to buy a house in WA with my girlfriend(who’s never owned a home), will I have to miss out again because I once owned a place even though I never received a grant?
Cheers!
Hi Shane,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
You’re correct. You won’t be eligible for the FHOG as you have owned a property before in Australia and if you are buying with your girlfriend, she automatically doesn’t qualify also since the co-buyer has owned a house before in Australia.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni