First home owners grants
Every state and territory government (apart from the ACT) offers a first home owners grant. If you're buying or building a new home, you may qualify for a $10,000 grant.
Key takeaways
- Every state in Australia (and the Northern Territory) offers first home owners grants to help new home buyers purchasing or building a new home.
- Most states offer $10,000 to people who have never owned property before. Some offer even more.
- You typically have to live in the house for 12 months to be eligible, and you can't have owned property before.
First home owners grant in NSW
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.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible you need to be:
- 18 or older
- Buying your first home
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)
You also need to live in the home for at least 12 months.
Under First Home Buyers Assistance scheme there are also exemptions from transfer duty (stamp duty) on new and existing homes for first home buyers.
First home owners grant in VIC
A $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available to eligible applicants buying or building a new home valued at up to $750,000.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for the grant you need to be 18 or older, and a first home buyer who has never received the grant before. You must not have owned property in Australia prior to 1 July 2000.
These apply to your spouse or partner too. Even if they're not claiming the grant.
At least one applicant needs to live in the house for 12 months after settlement.
Stamp duty concessions in Victoria are also available.
First home owners grant in QLD
The Queensland First Home Owners' Grant offers between $15,000 and $30,000 for first-time owners buying or building a new home. The grant is currently $30,000 until 30 June 2026.
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.
There are also stamp duty concessions for Queensland first home buyers.
First home owner grant in the ACT
The ACT government no longer offers a first home owner grant to buyers.
But there are stamp duty concessions available through the Home Buyer Concession Scheme.
First home owner grant in WA
A $10,000 first home owners grant 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.
There are stamp duty concessions for first home buyers in WA.
Who is eligible?
You must be:
- 18 or older
- Buying your first home
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)
First home owner grant in SA
A $15,000 first home owner grant is available for first home buyers in South Australia for the purchase and construction of new homes. There is no value cap on eligible properties.
You cannot get a grant for buying vacant land.
Who is eligible?
You must be:
- 18 or older
- Buying your first home
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)
You will not be eligible if you have previously owned property in Australia.
There are also stamp duty concessions available.
First home owner grant in TAS
Yes, the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant is available for first home buyers who are buying or building a new home.
Who is eligible?
You must be:
- 18 or older
- Buying your first home
- An Australian citizen or permanent resident (if buying with a partner, one must be a citizen or resident)
You must live in the property for at least 12 months after settlement. You will not be eligible for a grant if you have previously owned property in Australia.
Are property transfer duty concessions available?
First home buyers purchasing established homes can receive a 100% discount on stamp duty if their property's value is $750,000 or less.
First home owner grants in the NT
The Northern Territory offers three different grants, two for first home buyers and one for existing home owners.
- $50,000 for buying or building a new home.
- $10,000 for buying an established home.
- $30,000 for non-first home buyers building new homes.
There is also a stamp duty exemption for buyers of house and land packages.
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% |
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1112 Australians, December 2023
Federal first home buyer support
At the federal level there are several policies aimed at helping first home buyers. None of these policies give you a cash grant. But they can make it easier to buy your first home in other ways.
Being federal policies it doesn't matter which state or territory you live in, but there are specific eligibility criteria for each policy.
You can use federal schemes in conjunction with a state or territory 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.
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
Sources
More resources on Finder
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I live in VIC. I am planning to buy a land in Rye Victoria and build a new house. Under the new provisions in Victoria which applies from 1st July 2017 onwards, Do I get full stamp duty concession on land purchase and planning to build immediately. Do I get additional $20,000 regional bonus for new home construction. How does this work. Can you please assist me with this.
Hi Gita,
Thanks for your inquiry.
Is there a first home buyers grant?
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. From 1 July, a $20,000 First Home Owner Grant will be available to applicants buying or building a new home in regional Victoria valued up to $750,000.
Are duty concessions available?
Yes, if you are buying your first home and it is valued at less than $600,000, you may be eligible for a duty reduction of up to 50%. This concession applies to new and established homes.
From 1 July, first home buyers purchasing a new or established home valued below $600,000 will be exempt from stamp duty, while buyers purchasing a new or established home valued between $600,000 and $750,000 will be eligible for a stamp duty concession, applied on a sliding scale.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold
Hi,
I am currently in the process of getting quotes to build a home. At what point do I put in my claim for first home buyers. I am wanting to start building in the next two months however am aware that the $20,000 starts on the 1st July, am I still able to apply for this if building starts a few months prior?
Thanks :)
Hi Abbey,
Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.
Basically, the timing of your FHOG payment claim depends on the contract you sign to buy/build your new home, and whether you lodge your application directly with your local SRO or via an approved agent. Please contact your state’s office of revenue for more details.
Cheers,
May
Hi,
I am looking at buying my first home in QLD, and I have researched that I am elligable for all the requirements for the first home owners grant.
However, There is one thing I’m not too sure about and can’t find any information about it.
If I buy a block of land, wait like a year or so, and then build a house on it, will I still get the grant? and at what point will I get it?
Just looking at the best option financially.
Thanks.
Hi Reece,
Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.
In Queensland, when you build your home, you will receive the grant or payment depending on where you applied for the loan:
1. Applying through OSR – You may be paid once you have a final inspection report.
2. Applying through a bank or lending institution – You may be paid on the first draw down of funds and once you have a final inspection report.
I would suggest that you contact your state’s office of revenue to get more information on the grant that is applicable to you.
Cheers,
May
Am I allowed to take paying lodgers in the house purchased with a grant?
Hi Juliet.
Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.
Yes, you can accept paying lodgers. The government allows you to rent out a room (or other portion of the home) while you complete your six months’ occupation. Furthermore, it is a must that you occupy the home as your principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months commencing within 12 months after completion of the eligible transaction so that you are still eligible for the FHOG.
Cheers,
May
I purchased a property with my ex partner 7 years ago. We did not claim the fhog as he had already purchased a property independently.
We renovated the house for a few months and throughout that time and beyond I did not continuously live in the property for 6 months, however my partner did.
We split up and I signed over the property to him.
Now I am hoping to purchase a property and can see I am eligible however I am unsure of how the sro would prove I did not live at the property. I never changed my address but I was certainly paying a mortgage for over six months.
Should I go ahead and apply? I’m concerned I will get penalized as I can’t prove I DIDNT live there but I also couldn’t prove I DID live there.
Any opinions would be great thanks!
Hi Not Sure,
Thank you for your question and for contacting finder.com.au we are a financial comparison website and general information service we are not mortgage specialists so can only offer general advice.
The eligibility requirements for the grant and duty concessions can vary from state to state and the only way to find out if you will be eligible for this benefit is to visit your state’s office of revenue website. Basically, the FHOG general criteria are the following:
1. You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
2. Buying or building your first home in Australia.
3. You will occupy the property as your principal place of residence within 12 months of the settlement and live in it continuously for at least six months.
Cheers,
May