MFAA Member · ACL 389328 · Government Scheme Specialists
First Home Buyer — Your first home is closer than you think.
You might be able to buy your first home with as little as a 5% deposit through the Government’s 5% Deposit Scheme — and there is first-home support in every state and territory, not just ours. We cut through the jargon and show you exactly what you can do, and how to do it.
Should you fix your rate?
Run the numbers on fix vs float for your remaining loan term.
Plain English. No jargon.
We explain LMI, LVR, FHOG, FHSSS, HEM in language that makes sense. Acronyms get spelt out the first time. No assumed knowledge.
Schemes mapped to your real situation.
Not every scheme works for every buyer. We check eligibility against your income, your timeline, and your property type before recommending a path.
Through to settlement.
Pre-approval, property search support, formal approval, valuation, settlement. We coordinate with your conveyancer and real-estate agent. You stay informed at every step.
From first call to settlement
Easier than you’d think.
Complete your profile
2 minutes online so we come to the first call prepared with your scheme eligibility checked.
Strategy call
We walk you through your real numbers, scheme options, and which lenders fit your file.
Pre-approval
We submit your file. Most pre-approvals come back inside 5 business days.
To settlement
Property found? We submit formal, manage valuation, and coordinate to settlement.
What you qualify for depends on where you buy
First-home help where you're buying.
Choose your state to see the real grants and stamp-duty relief on the table right now. The amounts differ by state — we work out exactly what you qualify for.
Grant toward a new home
For buying or building a first new home valued under $600,000, or house-and-land under $750,000. New homes only — established homes do not qualify for the grant.
No transfer duty under the threshold
First home buyers pay no transfer duty on a home up to $800,000, with a reduced rate up to $1,000,000. This one covers both new and established homes.
The shared-equity option here is federal
NSW has no state shared-equity scheme open to new first home buyers — the federal Help to Buy scheme is the shared-equity path. We explain how it fits.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in NSW →Grant toward a new home
For a newly built or never-occupied home valued up to $750,000, lived in as your home. Established homes do not qualify for the grant.
No duty under the threshold
First home buyers pay no land transfer duty on a home up to $600,000, with a sliding concession from $600,001 to $750,000. Covers new and established homes.
The shared-equity option here is federal
The Victorian Homebuyer Fund closed to new participants in September 2025. The federal Help to Buy scheme is now the shared-equity path for Victorian first home buyers.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in VIC →A bigger grant toward a new home
For buying or building a new home valued under $750,000. New homes only — established homes do not qualify for the grant.
No transfer duty on a new home
First home buyers of a new home pay no transfer duty, with no value cap on the home and its land, for contracts dated 1 May 2025 or later.
The Government can co-buy with you
Queensland's Boost to Buy contributes up to 30% on a new home with a 2% deposit. Income caps apply — $150,000 single, $225,000 couple.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in QLD →Grant toward a new home, no value cap
For building or buying a new home, with no property value cap for contracts on or after 6 June 2024. New homes only — established homes do not qualify for the grant.
Full stamp-duty relief, no value cap
Eligible first home buyers building or buying a new home, off-the-plan apartment, vacant land or house-and-land package pay no stamp duty, with no value cap.
A state shared-equity option
HomeStart Finance can hold 5% to 25% of the property value as equity, with no interest and no monthly repayments on its share. Income up to $120,000, price up to $750,000.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in SA →Grant toward a new home
A one-off grant with no income or assets test, for a new, off-the-plan or substantially renovated home. Property value caps apply by region.
Nil or reduced duty, new or existing
Eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty on a home up to $600,000, with a concessional rate up to $800,000. This one covers new and established homes.
Low-deposit shared ownership
Keystart's Shared Ownership and Urban Connect loans let the Housing Authority co-own with you, with a low deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance. We map the options.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in WA →A grant toward a new home
For building or buying a new home, lived in as your home. New homes only. The grant stepped down from $30,000 to $20,000 for transactions commencing on or after 1 July 2026.
⚠ $20k rate applies to transactions to 30 Jun 2027The established-home exemption has ended
The full duty exemption for first home buyers of an established home applied to settlements up to 30 June 2026 and is not available after that date. We confirm what duty applies to your purchase before you commit.
⚠ Exemption ended 30 Jun 2026 — confirm current duty with usThe state can co-purchase with you
Homes Tasmania can take a share on a new or existing home, with a 2% deposit. The exact share caps change from time to time — we confirm the current figures with you.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in TAS →The ACT has no first-home grant
The ACT grant ended in 2019 and has not returned. Your support here comes from the stamp-duty concession below and the national 5% Deposit Scheme — we make the most of both.
No conveyance duty at all
From 1 July 2026 an eligible buyer pays no conveyance duty under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, on a home or on residential land. The household income test that used to apply has been removed.
The shared-equity option here is federal
The ACT has no general state shared-equity scheme. The federal Help to Buy scheme is the shared-equity path for ACT first home buyers.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in the ACT →The largest new-home grant in the country
For first home buyers buying or building a new home, with no price cap. Contracts from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2027, lived in as your home for 12 months.
No transfer duty on a new house-and-land
A full stamp-duty exemption on a new house-and-land package bought as your home. Not means-tested. At least one buyer moves in within 12 months.
Low-deposit home loans, not equity
The NT does not run a shared-equity scheme. HomeBuild Access offers low-deposit, subsidised home loans. The federal Help to Buy scheme is the shared-equity option.
We check your exact eligibility before you commit.
Talk to us about buying in the NT →Figures as at 2026-09-07, sourced from official .gov.au pages. Government schemes and amounts change — confirm current eligibility with us or the relevant state revenue office.
The broker first home buyers actually come to.
First homes are the heart of what we do — through a podcast, live seminars and hundreds of plain-English conversations. Here is what that means for you.
Specialists, not generalists
First-home schemes and structures are our home turf. We know which ones stack together and which do not fit you, before you bank on them.
Every state, one team
We are based in Adelaide and licensed Australia-wide under ACL 389328. Buying interstate? The same specialists handle your file from first call to settlement.
No broker fee, no bank bias
The lender pays us on settlement, so there is no fee to you. We compare 50+ lenders and represent you — that is the whole point.
Plain English, every step
LMI, LVR, FHOG, FHSSS — Lenders Mortgage Insurance, loan-to-value ratio, the First Home Owner Grant, the First Home Super Saver Scheme. We spell it out, never assume it.
First home buyers library
Browse first home buyers guides
Browse our 47first home buyers guides, grouped by topic and written in plain English. The full searchable library lives in The Lab.
Saving your deposit
12 guidesHow much you need, where to keep it, and the schemes that may reduce it.
Borrowing power and budget
12 guidesWhat lenders look at, how much you may borrow, and reading the real cost.
Getting ready to apply
12 guidesDocuments, the application path, and what pre-approval does and does not mean.
Making an offer and buying
11 guidesFrom inspections and contracts to settling with confidence.
Frequently asked questions.
How much deposit do I really need to buy my first home?
You might be able to buy with as little as a 5% deposit through the Government’s 5% Deposit Scheme, which means no Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). On a $500,000 home that is around $25,000, plus a few thousand for legal fees, inspections and lender costs. We work out your real number before you start looking.
Is the First Home Owner Grant only in South Australia?
No. Every state and territory runs its own first-home support, and most have a grant for new homes — amounts range from $10,000 up to $50,000 in the Northern Territory. Pick your state in the tool above to see what applies where you are buying.
Do the first-home schemes differ from state to state?
Yes — the grants, the stamp-duty relief and the shared-equity options all change by state, and some have closing dates in 2026. That is exactly why we built the tool above, and why a specialist who works across all states is worth talking to.
What is the Government 5% Deposit Scheme, and can I use it anywhere?
It lets eligible first home buyers buy with a 5% deposit while the Government guarantees the gap to 20%, so you pay no Lenders Mortgage Insurance. It applies right across Australia through a participating lender, and since October 2025 it has no income caps and no place limits. You apply through a lender, not the Government — we handle that with you.
What is the First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS)?
The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets you use voluntary super contributions to build your deposit, with tax advantages. You can withdraw up to $50,000 across multiple years when you are ready to buy. It works hardest for people in higher tax brackets — we model whether it suits you.
Can my parents help me without giving me cash?
Yes, through a guarantor structure. Your parents pledge part of their property’s equity as extra security, which can let you borrow with a smaller deposit — sometimes none — and often skip Lenders Mortgage Insurance. No cash changes hands. See our guarantor loans page for the detail.
I’m not in South Australia — can Finance Lab still help me?
Yes. We are based in Adelaide and licensed to work Australia-wide under ACL 389328. Wherever you are buying, the same team handles your file from first call to settlement, and we know the schemes in your state.
Is there a fee to use Finance Lab as a mortgage broker?
No broker fee. The lender pays us on settlement of your loan. We compare 50+ lenders and place your file where it fits your situation, not ours — we represent you, not the banks.
Some schemes seem to be closing in 2026 — what happens then?
A few state benefits do have closing windows — for example, Tasmania’s stamp-duty exemption on established homes ends on 30 June 2026. Schemes change often, so we track the current rules and confirm what is open for your situation when you talk to us. We never bank on a figure that might have moved.
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