First Home Buyer Grants and Schemes in Australia (2026)

The First Home Guarantee is the single most impactful scheme for low-deposit buyers. It allows eligible first home buyers to purchase a property with as little as 5% deposit without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance, because the federal government guarantees up to 15% of the loan. The scheme is administered by Housing Australia (formerly NHFIC) through participating lenders. From 1 October 2025 the scheme was substantially expanded. Two changes matter most: • The previous income tests ($125,000 single / $200,000 combined) were removed entirely — there is no longer an income cap to qualify • The previous annual limit of 35,000 places was abolished, meaning every eligible applicant can now access the scheme Property price caps were also lifted. As of 2026, the headline caps for capital cities and major regional centres are: • Sydney and NSW regional centres: $1,500,000 • Brisbane and Queensland regional centres (incl. Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast): $1,000,000 • Melbourne and Geelong: $950,000 • Perth: $850,000 • Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra: lower capital city tiers (refer to Housing Australia) • Darwin: $750,000 (from 1 July 2026); rest of NT: $600,000 Key points to know: • You must be a first home buyer (or have not owned property in Australia for an extended period under re-entry rules) • You must intend to live in the property as your principal place of residence • You can combine the First Home Guarantee with most state-based first home owner grants and stamp duty concessions • Not every lender participates, and individual lender policies on income, credit and the type of property still apply The practical effect is that an eligible buyer can save $15,000 to $30,000 in LMI premiums and enter the market years earlier than they otherwise could.

The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee is a sister scheme aimed specifically at people buying in regional Australia. The mechanics are the same as the First Home Guarantee — 5% deposit, no LMI — but property price caps are tailored to regional markets. To qualify, you generally need to have lived in the region (or an adjacent regional area) for at least 12 months, or be returning to the area. The property itself must also be in an eligible regional postcode. Capital city postcodes and major commuter towns are excluded. The Regional Guarantee is particularly valuable in fast-growing regional centres where property prices have climbed sharply but local incomes have not kept pace, such as parts of regional Queensland, NSW Hunter and Illawarra, and coastal Victoria. We confirm postcode eligibility before you make an offer, because a property just outside the boundary will fail the application.

The Family Home Guarantee is a smaller but extremely valuable scheme for single parents and single legal guardians of dependent children. Eligible applicants can purchase a home with just a 2% deposit, with the federal government guaranteeing up to 18% of the loan. Unlike the First Home Guarantee, you do not need to be a first home buyer to access the Family Home Guarantee. Previous home owners who are now single parents and rebuilding can also qualify, subject to the income and property value tests. The scheme is income-tested and place-capped, but for someone going through separation or rebuilding finances after divorce, a 2% deposit pathway with no LMI can be the difference between staying in the rental market and giving children a stable home base. Eligibility, particularly around the definition of a dependent and the income test, is worth checking carefully before you start house hunting.

Help to Buy is the federal shared equity scheme that lets eligible buyers purchase a home with the government taking a contribution of up to 30% for an existing property and up to 40% for a new build. You only need a 2% deposit and you avoid LMI entirely. In return, the government holds an equity stake in the property. When you sell, refinance, or your income exceeds the threshold for two consecutive years, you typically need to buy back the government's share at the prevailing market value. Help to Buy is income-tested (with separate thresholds for singles and couples) and place-capped each financial year. It works particularly well for buyers who have stable but modest income, can comfortably service a smaller loan, and want to avoid LMI without waiting years to save a 20% deposit. It is less suitable for buyers who expect strong income growth, because rising income may trigger an early buy-out requirement. Because Help to Buy interacts with state grants and other schemes in nuanced ways, we generally model Help to Buy alongside the First Home Guarantee to see which produces a better long-term outcome for the specific buyer.

The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is paid by state and territory governments and is restricted to new homes (and in some states, substantially renovated homes). The amounts and price caps as of 2026 are: • Queensland: $30,000 grant for new homes valued under $750,000. The increased grant has been extended through to 30 June 2026. • New South Wales: $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $600,000, or up to $750,000 for house and land packages. • Victoria: $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000. The previous regional bonus has been wound back. • Western Australia: $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 south of the 26th parallel, with higher caps for the north. • South Australia: $15,000 grant for new homes (the property value cap was removed in 2023). • Tasmania: $30,000 grant for eligible new home builds with contracts signed 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 (reverts to $10,000 thereafter under current settings). • Northern Territory: HomeGrown Territory grant of $50,000 for new builds, with additional FreshStart grant for relocations. • Australian Capital Territory: the FHOG was abolished and replaced with broader stamp duty concessions through the Home Buyer Concession Scheme. Always check the current rules before you sign a contract. State budgets routinely tweak amounts and eligibility, and a contract signed one day too early can disqualify you.

Stamp duty (transfer duty) is often the biggest single cost on top of your deposit, and most states offer significant first home buyer concessions: • NSW: First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme provides full stamp duty exemption on properties up to $800,000 and concessions up to $1,000,000. • Victoria: Full stamp duty exemption for first home buyers on homes up to $600,000, with concessions tapering up to $750,000. • Queensland: For established homes, full exemption on properties up to $700,000 and a tapering concession to $800,000 (potential saving up to $24,525). For new homes (contracts dated 1 May 2025 or later) and vacant land used to build a first home, eligible first home buyers pay $0 stamp duty with no value cap. • Western Australia: Full exemption on homes up to $450,000, partial concession up to $600,000, with higher thresholds for vacant land. • South Australia: Stamp duty has been abolished for eligible first home buyers on new homes (no value cap) and on vacant land where a new home will be built. • Tasmania: 100% exemption on established homes up to $750,000 was extended through 2026 for eligible first home buyers. • ACT: Home Buyer Concession Scheme replaces stamp duty with a flat or tapered amount based on income. • NT: First Home Owner Discount provides up to $18,601 off stamp duty. Stamp duty concessions can save between $10,000 and $40,000 depending on your purchase price and state, often dwarfing the value of the FHOG itself.

The First Home Super Saver (FHSS) Scheme lets you make voluntary contributions into your superannuation specifically for the purpose of buying a first home, and then release those contributions (plus associated earnings) when you are ready to buy. The attraction is the tax treatment. Concessional contributions are taxed at 15% inside super rather than your marginal tax rate, which for many earners is 30% to 47%. The savings can be meaningful over a couple of years of contributing. You can release up to a set maximum of voluntary contributions plus deemed earnings under the FHSS rules, and a couple can each access the cap independently. The release process takes some weeks, so you need to start it before you commit to a purchase. The scheme is most powerful for people on higher marginal tax rates who can comfortably salary sacrifice into super while still paying rent.

Most first home buyers can combine multiple schemes. Common combinations include: • First Home Guarantee + state FHOG + state stamp duty concession (the standard new-build first home buyer stack) • Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee + state stamp duty concession (for established properties in eligible regional postcodes) • Help to Buy as a standalone alternative when a buyer's income or borrowing capacity makes the smaller loan attractive • First Home Super Saver Scheme alongside any of the above The order in which you apply matters. The state FHOG is usually claimed at settlement through your conveyancer, the federal guarantee schemes are applied through the lender during the loan application, and the FHSS release needs to be lodged with the ATO before you sign a contract. Mistakes in sequencing can disqualify you from a benefit you would otherwise be entitled to. This is exactly the kind of moving target a broker handles every day, and one of the highest-value parts of the process for a first home buyer.

Schemes change every budget cycle. The figures in this guide are current as of April 2026, but the rules that apply to your purchase are the rules in force on the day you sign your contract. This guide is general information only and does not constitute personal credit advice. For advice tailored to your situation, including a check of which schemes you can stack and how to time your application, speak with a licensed mortgage broker.