Government Grants & Concessions
What are government grants and concessions?
Home ownership is an important political and economic issue in Australia. As a result, governments have introduced a number of grants & concessions to make it easier for different groups of people to purchase property.
Some state governments offer special concessions on stamp duty for first home buyers or buyers of residential property. These include special exemptions of stamp duty on properties up to a certain value and reduced stamp duty. Each state has different discounts and eligibility criteria.
Some governments also offer a special grant for specific transactions like if you are buying a new property or building a new home. Grants are usually a fixed amount of money you are entitled to.
In Own my Own Home we’ve calculated the grants and concessions based on the information you have provided about location, intentional use of the property (home or investment), type of property (new or existing) and if you are first home buyer. Some grants might have additional eligibility criteria that we cannot verify. Below we have listed the most relevant eligibility criteria for each grant and concession, we encourage you to read it.
Calculations are based on current regulations, please be aware that these may change in the future. We will keep monitoring and updating the grants and concessions offered, and alert you through the app when there are changes that directly affect your total purchase cost. Our goal is to keep you on track with your property purchase plan.
You can refer to your state government website for the full eligibility requirements, qualifying transactions and changes in grants and concessions.
Australian Capital Territory
Concessions
Home Buyer Concession Scheme
From 1 July 2019, all eligible home buyers in the Australian Capital Territory will pay no stamp duty. All properties in the Australian Capital Territory are eligible, whether it is vacant residential land, new built property or established homes, anywhere in the Australian Capital Territory and at any price. The concession is not restricted to first home buyers, however all buyers including their partners (if applicable) must not have owned any other property in the last two years.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years old.
- All buyers and their partners must not have owned any other property in the last 2 years.
- At least one buyer must live in the property continuously for at least 1 year starting within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction.
- The combined total gross income of all applicants and their domestic partner(s) over the 1-year period prior to the date of the grant, transfer or agreement for transfer (whichever is first) must be less than or equal to the relevant income threshold as follows:
| Number of dependent children | Gross Income Threshold |
|---|---|
| 0 | $160,000 |
| 1 | $163,330 |
| 2 | $166,660 |
| 3 | $169,990 |
| 4 | $173,320 |
| 5 or more | $176,650 |
For more information visit ACT Revenue Office website.
Owner Occupied Duty Concession
The ACT Government is offering stamp duty concessions in the ACT for some home buyers planning to live in their new property.
The following concessions will apply to contracts exchanged between 4 June 2020 and 30 June 2021:
- No stamp duty on single residential dwelling blocks.
- No stamp duty on off-the-plan unit (unit-titled apartment and townhouses) purchases up to $500,000.
- An $11,400 stamp duty reduction for off-the-plan unit (unit-titled apartment and townhouses purchases between $500,000 and $750,000).
Eligibility requirements include:
- Contracts must be signed and exchanged from 4 June until 30 June 2021.
- at least one buyer must live in the home continuously for at least one year, starting within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction.
- the concessions relating to off the plan ‘units’ refer only to unit-titled apartments or townhouses.
- the concession relating to ‘single residential dwelling blocks’ mean the land must be vacant when you purchase it, and the land title must only allow one residence/house to be built on the land.
For more information visit ACT Revenue Office website.
New South Wales
Concessions
First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme
First home buyers of NEW residential property will get a full exemption for properties valued up to $800,000. The duty will be reduced for properties between $800,001 and $1,000,000.
First home buyers of EXISTING residential property will get a full exemption for properties valued up to $650,000. The duty will be reduced for amounts between $650,000 and $800,000.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years old
- All buyers must be Australian citizens or permanent residents
- All buyers have not owned property in Australia previously
| Threshold | Duty payable |
|---|---|
| $800,000 | 100% exception |
| $1,000,000 | Property value * 0.21 – $136,510 |
| Threshold | Duty payable |
|---|---|
| $650,000 | 100% exception |
| $800,000 | Property value * 0.21 – $136,510 |
Eligible purchasers buying a vacant block of residential land to build their home on will pay no duty on vacant land valued up to $350,000 and will receive concessions on duty for vacant land valued between $350,000 and $450,000.
For more information visit NSW Revenue Office website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home owners can access a $10,000 grant when the purchase price of the new home is no more than $600,000.
If buying land to build a new home, the total price – including the land and home – must be no more than $750,000.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years old
- All buyers must be Australian citizens or permanent residents
- All buyers have not owned property in Australia previously
For more information visit NSW Revenue Office website.
Home Builder Grant
HomeBuilder provides eligible owner occupiers with a grant of $25,000 to build a new home, substantially renovate an existing home or buy an off the plan home/new home.
A new home is one that has not previously been sold or occupied as a place of residence, (e.g. spec build) and where construction commenced on or after 4 June 2020.
Applications must be received by no later than 31 December 2020.
The value of the new property cannot exceed $750,000. Investment properties are excluded from HomeBuilder.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years old
- All buyers must be Australian citizens or permanent residents
- Each applicant must not have previously received the HomeBuilder Grant for any property owned individually or jointly with another person in any Australian State or Territory.
- Each applicant must live in the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months on completion of construction, renovation or settlement.
- Applicant(s) must be below one of the following two income caps:
- $125,000 per annum for an individual based on either your 2018-19 or 2019-20 taxable income, as shown on your notice of assessment issued by the Australian Taxation Office or
- $200,000 per annum for a couple based on either your combined 2018-19 or 2019-20 taxable income, as shown on your notices of assessment issued by the Australian Taxation Office.
- a contract to purchase an off the plan home/new home as your principal place of residence where the contract price does not exceed $750,000 (inclusive of GST) and construction had not commenced prior to 4 June 2020.
- In all cases, construction cannot have commenced before 4 June 2020.
For more information visit NSW Revenue Office website.
Northern Territory
Concessions
Territory Home Owner Discount
If you are buying an established home, a new home, or land to build a new home in the Northern Territory, you may be eligible to get up to $18,601 off stamp duty.
The home must be your principal place of residence.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years old
- At least one buyer must be Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
- The applicants must not have been paid nor be entitled to another grant, discount, concession or rebate administered by the Commissioner on the purchase of the home (excluding the BuildBonus and the $10 000 FHOG)
- Applicants and their spouses/de facto partners must not have held a relevant interest in residential property in the Northern Territory in the 24 months prior to the date the conveyance was executed
- At least one applicant must occupy the home as his or her principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months after the settlement date
For more information visit NT Treasury Office website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property at any value are eligible to a $10,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- At least one buyer must be at least 18 years old
- At least one buyer must be Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
- Applicants and their spouses/de facto partners must not have been previously received FHOG in any state or territory in Australia
- Applicants and their spouses/de facto partners must not have previously owned or held a relevant interest in a residential property anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000
- Applicants and their spouses/de facto partners must not have occupied a residential property in which they owned or acquired a relevant interest in on or after 1 July 2000 anywhere in Australia
For more information visit NT Treasury Office website.
BuildBonus
The government has launched an initiative to promote the construction of new homes. First home buyers of new property, off the plan property or home owner builders are entitled to $20,000 grant. This grant is limited to 600 eligible applications.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must not have received a BuildBonus grant under the current scheme, whether alone or together with someone else
- It must be the first BuildBonus paid or payable in relation to the property
- At least one applicant must occupy the home as his or her principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months commencing within 12 months of the completion date
- In the case of a contract to purchase or build a new home, or purchase a new unit, construction of the home or unit complex must be completed within 18 months of the commencement of construction
- A home is not a new home if construction of the home commenced prior to 8 February 2019
For more information visit NT Treasury Office website.
Home Renovation Grant
First home buyers of an established property are eligible for a $10,000 grant to renovate or improve the property.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- The applicant/s and their spouses/de facto partners must not have held an interest in residential property in Australia prior to the date the contract to purchase was signed
- The property is or is to be lawfully used for residential purposes by the Eligible First Homebuyer (and if relevant, their spouse or de facto), as their Principal Place of Residence
- Owner-builders or do-it-yourself renovators can’t apply
- The contract for the purchase of the property was executed in favour of the Eligible First Homebuyer after 1 September 2016 and settlement of the purchase occurred no later than 1 September 2020
For more information visit NT Treasury Office website.
Household Goods Grant Scheme
First home buyers of new residential property can apply for a $2,000 household goods grant to purchase new goods to be used in the new home.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- The applicant must purchase all HGGS funded household goods from a Territory enterprise for use by the applicant in the home for which they were paid the first home owner grant
- Applicant can only purchase the household goods after the date on the contract
For more information visit NT Treasury Office website.
Queensland
Concessions
Home Concession
Buyers of residential property are entitled to a stamp duty concession rate.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Applicants must move into the property and live in it on a daily basis within 1 year of settlement
- Applicants must not dispose (sell, transfer, lease or otherwise grant exclusive possession) of all or part of the property before moving in
- To keep the benefit of the home concession in full after you move in, you must not dispose of all or part of the property within 1 year. A partial concession may apply if you dispose within 1 year
| Purchase price/value | Duty rate |
|---|---|
| Not more than $350,000 | $1.00 for each $100 or part of $100 |
| More than $350,000 to $540,000 | $3,500 + $3.50 for every $100, or part of $100, over $350,000 |
| $540,000 to $1,000,000 | $10,150 + $4.50 for every $100, or part of $100, over $540,000 |
| More than $1,000,000 | $30,850 + $5.75 for every $100, or part of $100, over $1,000,000 |
For more information visit QLD Government website.
First Home Concession
First home buyers of residential property are entitled to a further concession on top of the concessional discounted rate when the property is valued between $500,001 and $549,999.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Applicants must have never claimed the first home vacant land concession
- Applicants have never held an interest in a residence anywhere in Australia or overseas
- Applicants must move into the property and live there on a daily basis within 1 year of settlement
- Applicants must not dispose (sell, transfer, lease or otherwise grant exclusive possession) of all or part of the property before moving in
| Purchase price/value | Concession (deduct this amount from the amount calculated using the home concession rate) |
|---|---|
| Up to $504,999.99 | $8,750 |
| $505,000 to $509,999.99 | $7,875 |
| $510,000 to $514,999.99 | $7,000 |
| $515,000 to $519,999.99 | $6,125 |
| $520,000 to $524,999.99 | $5,250 |
| $525,000 to $529,999.99 | $4,375 |
| $530,000 to $534,999.99 | $3,500 |
| $535,000 to $539,999.99 | $2,625 |
| $540,000 to $544,999.99 | $1,750 |
| $545,000 to $549,999.99 | $875 |
| $550,000 or more | Nil |
For more information visit the QLD Government website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $750,000 are eligible for a $15,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- All applicants and their spouse must not have previously owned property in Australia that they lived in
- At least one applicant must move into the new home as principal place of residence within 1 year of the completed transaction and live there continuously for 6 months
For more information visit QLD Government website.
South Australia
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $575,000 are eligible to a $15,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency in Australia. New Zealand citizens permanently residing in Australia who hold Special Category Visas may also apply
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have previously owned a residential property anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have owned a residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property continuously for six months or more
- All applicants must occupy the home purchased or built as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months after completion of the eligible transaction
For more information visit SA Revenue Office website.
Tasmania
Concessions
Duty Concession for First Home Buyers of Established Homes
First home buyers of existing residential property valued up to $400,000 and purchased before 30 June 2022 are eligible for a 50% discount on stamp duty.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- All applicants must not have previously owned a home (or have a spouse/partner who owned a home) in Australia
- All applicants must not have received a First Home Owner Grant in any state or territory of Australia or the Duty Concession before (or have a spouse/partner who has)
For more information visit TAS SRO website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property at any value are eligible to a $20,000. After June 30th, 2022 the grant will be reduced to $10,000.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- All applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- All applicants must not have previously owned a home (or have a spouse/partner who owned a home) in Australia before 1 July 2000
- All Applicants must not have owned and occupied (or have a spouse who owned and occupied), for more than six months, a home in Australia after 1 July 2000
- If building your home or having a home built, occupy the home as principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of the date the occupancy certificate is issued for the property
- If purchasing your new home, occupy the home as your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of settlement
- All Applicants must not have received the FHOG before
To be eligible for the $20,000 grant you must additionally meet the following criteria:
- If building your home as an owner builder (including the relocation of a moveable building) you must commence laying the foundations for your home between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020 and complete the building of your home within 24 months
- If purchasing a home off the plan you must enter into a contract to purchase the home between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020 and complete the building of your home within 24 months of entering into the contract to purchase the home
- If purchasing a new home, you must enter into a contract to buy a newly built dwelling (being a dwelling that has not previously been occupied or sold as a place of residence) between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020
For more information visit TAS SRO website.
Victoria
Concessions
First Home Buyer Duty Exemption or Concession
Victoria government abolishes stamp duty for first home buyers of both new and existing properties under $600,000. Properties between $600,000 and $750,000 also receive a discount on stamp duty according to the following formula:
Stamp duty = (Property value – $600,000) / $150,000 x Duty rate
If a first home buyer purchases vacant land to build a new home to be their principal place of residence, the home must be built within 12 months for the FHB concessions to apply.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- At least one applicant must occupy the home as principal place of residency for at least 12 months, commencing within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction
For more information visit VIC SRO website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $750,000 are eligible to a $10,000 grant.
The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) has been increased from $10,000 to $20,000 for new homes built in regional Victoria and valued up to $750,000. This applies for contracts signed from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2020.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- At least one applicant must occupy the home as principal place of residency for at least 12 months, commencing within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have received the FHOG before in Australia
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have Owned a home or other residential property in Australia, either jointly or separately, prior to 1 July 2000
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have lived in a home in Australia which either of you owned or part-owned on or after 1 July 2000, for a continuous period of at least six months
- A new home includes:
- a newly built home,
- an existing property being sold for the first time as a residence, or
- a land and building package.
- The home must be less than five years old.
For more information visit VIC SRO website.
Western Australia
Concessions
First Home Owner Rate of Duty
First home buyers of residential property valued up to $430,000 are entitled to a full stamp duty exemption. If property value is between $430,001 and $530,000 the stamp duty is calculated at a discounted rate of 0.1919 .
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
A transfer, or an agreement for the transfer, of a home or vacant land upon which a new home has been or will be built may qualify for the FHOR of duty where:
- the purchaser(s) or transferee(s) is/are eligible for a grant; or
- the purchaser(s) or transferee(s) become(s) a person to whom a grant would be, or would have been, payable in relation to:
- the purchase of an established home;
- a property, had consideration been given for the transfer of the property; or
- the purchase of a first home by residents of the Indian Ocean Territories; and
- the unencumbered value of the land, or the land and home, to which the grant relates does not exceed the dutiable value $530,000.
For more information visit WA Finance Office website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $750,000 and located south of 26 parallel are eligible to a $10,000 grant. For properties located north of 26 parallel the property can be valued up to $1,000,000 to be eligible for the $10,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have previously received the grant or first home owner rate of duty from any jurisdiction in Australia
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have owned residential property anywhere in Australia before 1 July 2000
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have owned residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property as a place of residence before 1 July 2004
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have owned residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property as a place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months that began on or after 1 July 2004
- Applicants must occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of settlement if purchasing a home, or within 12 months from the date of completion if building a home
- Applicants must hold a relevant interest (ownership) in the land on which the home is situated and must own the home in their own capacity. If they own the home as a trustee, it must be held on trust for a person with a legal disability
For more information visit WA Finance website.
Federal Government
Concessions
First Home Loan Deposit Scheme
The Australian Government is introducing the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) to support eligible first home buyers to purchase a home sooner.
It does this by providing a guarantee that will allow eligible first home buyers on low and middle incomes to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent.
The Scheme will support up to 10,000 loans each financial year, starting from 1 January 2020. UPDATE: As part of the 2020-21 Federal Budget, the Australian Government has committed an additional 10,000 First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) places for the 2020-21 financial year, specifically for eligible first home buyers purchasing new homes.
Eligible borrowers can use the guarantee in conjunction with other government programs like state and territory First Home Owner Grants and stamp duty concessions.
The guarantee is not a cash payment.
We have calculated your eligibility to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme based on:
– you are First Home Buyer,
– you intend to live in the property,
– your household gross income is below the stipulated caps and
– the price of the property is below the respective Area Price Cap.
If you satisfy this criteria and you intend to borrow more than 80% but less than 95% of the property value you will notice an Adjustment for First Home Loan Deposit Scheme in your Borrowing Costs (accessible from Financing screen). This adjustment is to cancel the cost of any Lenders Mortgage Insurance given that the government becomes your guarantor and therefore you don’t need to pay this insurance.
Below you can read the full eligibility criteria:
- The loan is made by an eligible lender (approved by the NHFIC for the purpose of this scheme).
- There are no more than two borrowers under the loan agreement and where there are two borrowers under the loan agreement—each borrower is the spouse or de facto partner of the other borrower.
- Each borrower under the loan agreement is an eligible first home buyer.
- The loan is for the purchase of residential property and the borrowers intend to live in it.
- If the loan relates to the purchase of an interest in land on which a dwelling is not affixed, the loan also relates to the construction of a dwelling on the land.
- The loan-to-value ratio is between 80 and 95 per cent – in other words borrowers have a deposit between 20% and 5%.
- The terms of the loan agreement require scheduled repayments of the principal of the loan for the full period of the agreement. If the loan relates both to the purchase of vacant land and to the construction of a house on the land, the loan may be an eligible loan even if the terms of the loan agreement permit interest-only repayments for a specified period.
- The loan agreement has a term of no more than 30 years.
- the value of the residential property does not exceed the price cap in the area in which the property is located (see table below).
| Area | Price cap |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $500,000 |
| New South Wales—capital city and regional centre | $700,000 |
| New South Wales—other (including Jervis Bay and Norfolk Island) | $450,000 |
| Victoria—capital city and regional centre | $600,000 |
| Victoria—other | $375,000 |
| Queensland—capital city and regional centre | $475,000 |
| Queensland—other | $400,000 |
| Northern Territory | $375,000 |
| South Australia—capital city | $400,000 |
| South Australia—other | $250,000 |
| Western Australia—capital city | $400,000 |
| Western Australia—other (including Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands) | $300,000 |
| Tasmania—capital city | $400,000 |
| Tasmania—other | $300,000 |
For more information visit the QLD Government website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $750,000 are eligible for a $15,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- All applicants and their spouse must not have previously owned property in Australia that they lived in
- At least one applicant must move into the new home as principal place of residence within 1 year of the completed transaction and live there continuously for 6 months
For more information visit QLD Government website.
South Australia
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $575,000 are eligible to a $15,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All buyers must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency in Australia. New Zealand citizens permanently residing in Australia who hold Special Category Visas may also apply
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have previously owned a residential property anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have owned a residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property continuously for six months or more
- All applicants must occupy the home purchased or built as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months after completion of the eligible transaction
For more information visit SA Revenue Office website.
Tasmania
Concessions
Duty Concession for First Home Buyers of Established Homes
First home buyers of existing residential property valued up to $400,000 and purchased before 30 June 2022 are eligible for a 50% discount on stamp duty.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- All applicants must not have previously owned a home (or have a spouse/partner who owned a home) in Australia
- All applicants must not have received a First Home Owner Grant in any state or territory of Australia or the Duty Concession before (or have a spouse/partner who has)
For more information visit TAS SRO website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property at any value are eligible to a $20,000. After June 30th, 2022 the grant will be reduced to $10,000.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- All applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- All applicants must not have previously owned a home (or have a spouse/partner who owned a home) in Australia before 1 July 2000
- All Applicants must not have owned and occupied (or have a spouse who owned and occupied), for more than six months, a home in Australia after 1 July 2000
- If building your home or having a home built, occupy the home as principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of the date the occupancy certificate is issued for the property
- If purchasing your new home, occupy the home as your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of settlement
- All Applicants must not have received the FHOG before
To be eligible for the $20,000 grant you must additionally meet the following criteria:
- If building your home as an owner builder (including the relocation of a moveable building) you must commence laying the foundations for your home between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020 and complete the building of your home within 24 months
- If purchasing a home off the plan you must enter into a contract to purchase the home between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020 and complete the building of your home within 24 months of entering into the contract to purchase the home
- If purchasing a new home, you must enter into a contract to buy a newly built dwelling (being a dwelling that has not previously been occupied or sold as a place of residence) between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2020
For more information visit TAS SRO website.
Victoria
Concessions
First Home Buyer Duty Exemption or Concession
Victoria government abolishes stamp duty for first home buyers of both new and existing properties under $600,000. Properties between $600,000 and $750,000 also receive a discount on stamp duty according to the following formula:
Stamp duty = (Property value – $600,000) / $150,000 x Duty rate
If a first home buyer purchases vacant land to build a new home to be their principal place of residence, the home must be built within 12 months for the FHB concessions to apply.
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- At least one applicant must occupy the home as principal place of residency for at least 12 months, commencing within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction
For more information visit VIC SRO website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $750,000 are eligible to a $10,000 grant.
The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) has been increased from $10,000 to $20,000 for new homes built in regional Victoria and valued up to $750,000. This applies for contracts signed from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2020.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- At least one applicant must occupy the home as principal place of residency for at least 12 months, commencing within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have received the FHOG before in Australia
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have Owned a home or other residential property in Australia, either jointly or separately, prior to 1 July 2000
- The applicant(s) or their spouse(s)/domestic partner(s) must not have lived in a home in Australia which either of you owned or part-owned on or after 1 July 2000, for a continuous period of at least six months
- A new home includes:
- a newly built home,
- an existing property being sold for the first time as a residence, or
- a land and building package.
- The home must be less than five years old.
For more information visit VIC SRO website.
Western Australia
Concessions
First Home Owner Rate of Duty
First home buyers of residential property valued up to $430,000 are entitled to a full stamp duty exemption. If property value is between $430,001 and $530,000 the stamp duty is calculated at a discounted rate of 0.1919 .
To be eligible for this grant we assume you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
A transfer, or an agreement for the transfer, of a home or vacant land upon which a new home has been or will be built may qualify for the FHOR of duty where:
- the purchaser(s) or transferee(s) is/are eligible for a grant; or
- the purchaser(s) or transferee(s) become(s) a person to whom a grant would be, or would have been, payable in relation to:
- the purchase of an established home;
- a property, had consideration been given for the transfer of the property; or
- the purchase of a first home by residents of the Indian Ocean Territories; and
- the unencumbered value of the land, or the land and home, to which the grant relates does not exceed the dutiable value $530,000.
For more information visit WA Finance Office website.
Grants
First Home Owner Grant
First home buyers of new residential property valued under $750,000 and located south of 26 parallel are eligible to a $10,000 grant. For properties located north of 26 parallel the property can be valued up to $1,000,000 to be eligible for the $10,000 grant.
To be eligible for this grant we assumed you satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- All applicants must be at least 18 years of age
- At least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have previously received the grant or first home owner rate of duty from any jurisdiction in Australia
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have owned residential property anywhere in Australia before 1 July 2000
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have owned residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property as a place of residence before 1 July 2004
- Applicants and/or their spouses or de facto partners cannot have owned residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and occupied that property as a place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months that began on or after 1 July 2004
- Applicants must occupy the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least six months commencing within 12 months of settlement if purchasing a home, or within 12 months from the date of completion if building a home
- Applicants must hold a relevant interest (ownership) in the land on which the home is situated and must own the home in their own capacity. If they own the home as a trustee, it must be held on trust for a person with a legal disability
For more information visit WA Finance website.
Federal Government
Concessions
First Home Loan Deposit Scheme
The Australian Government is introducing the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) to support eligible first home buyers to purchase a home sooner.
It does this by providing a guarantee that will allow eligible first home buyers on low and middle incomes to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent.
The Scheme will support up to 10,000 loans each financial year, starting from 1 January 2020. UPDATE: As part of the 2020-21 Federal Budget, the Australian Government has committed an additional 10,000 First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) places for the 2020-21 financial year, specifically for eligible first home buyers purchasing new homes.
Eligible borrowers can use the guarantee in conjunction with other government programs like state and territory First Home Owner Grants and stamp duty concessions.
The guarantee is not a cash payment.
We have calculated your eligibility to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme based on:
– you are First Home Buyer,
– you intend to live in the property,
– your household gross income is below the stipulated caps and
– the price of the property is below the respective Area Price Cap.
If you satisfy this criteria and you intend to borrow more than 80% but less than 95% of the property value you will notice an Adjustment for First Home Loan Deposit Scheme in your Borrowing Costs (accessible from Financing screen). This adjustment is to cancel the cost of any Lenders Mortgage Insurance given that the government becomes your guarantor and therefore you don’t need to pay this insurance.
Below you can read the full eligibility criteria:
- The loan is made by an eligible lender (approved by the NHFIC for the purpose of this scheme).
- There are no more than two borrowers under the loan agreement and where there are two borrowers under the loan agreement—each borrower is the spouse or de facto partner of the other borrower.
- Each borrower under the loan agreement is an eligible first home buyer.
- The loan is for the purchase of residential property and the borrowers intend to live in it.
- If the loan relates to the purchase of an interest in land on which a dwelling is not affixed, the loan also relates to the construction of a dwelling on the land.
- The loan-to-value ratio is between 80 and 95 per cent – in other words borrowers have a deposit between 20% and 5%.
- The terms of the loan agreement require scheduled repayments of the principal of the loan for the full period of the agreement. If the loan relates both to the purchase of vacant land and to the construction of a house on the land, the loan may be an eligible loan even if the terms of the loan agreement permit interest-only repayments for a specified period.
- The loan agreement has a term of no more than 30 years.
- the value of the residential property does not exceed the price cap in the area in which the property is located (see table below).
| Area | Price cap |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $500,000 |
| New South Wales—capital city and regional centre | $700,000 |
| New South Wales—other (including Jervis Bay and Norfolk Island) | $450,000 |
| Victoria—capital city and regional centre | $600,000 |
| Victoria—other | $375,000 |
| Queensland—capital city and regional centre | $475,000 |
| Queensland—other | $400,000 |
| Northern Territory | $375,000 |
| South Australia—capital city | $400,000 |
| South Australia—other | $250,000 |
| Western Australia—capital city | $400,000 |
| Western Australia—other (including Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands) | $300,000 |
| Tasmania—capital city | $400,000 |
| Tasmania—other | $300,000 |
This page was last updated on 30 December 2020.