For many Australians, buying a house for the first time is a significant milestone, yet it can also be a daunting financial challenge, especially given current levels of housing affordability.1
And with so much to consider when purchasing your new home – from finding the right property to choosing a home loan and home insurance that best suits your needs – it can be easy to feel overwhelmed with the process.
“One of the most difficult things to navigate can be understanding what types of grants and concessions you might be eligible for when buying a new home,” says Helen Baker, financial adviser, author and founder of female-focused financial advice service On Your Own Two Feet.
“There can be a lot of confusion around what types of assistance are available, so it’s important to get a clear picture of where and how you can get some help.”
The first home buyers grant is a catch-all name often used to reference the multiple state and federal government initiatives designed to help Aussies achieve their dream of owning a home.
A specific scheme, the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG), was introduced in 2000 to offset the effect of the GST on home ownership. It’s funded by the states and territories and administered under their own legislation – with their own rules, eligibility criteria, and benefits.2
In this article, we break down the FHOG available in your state or territory to help make it easier for you to understand your options.
First home buyers grant QLD
In Queensland, the first home buyers grant supports first-time homeowners purchasing or building a new home valued at less than $750,000.3
What are the eligibility criteria?
Various conditions impact eligibility, including:3
- the buyer must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- applicants must be at least 18 years old
- the home must be brand new and previously unoccupied
- you must move into your brand-new home within one year of the completed transaction and remain living there for six months.3
How much is the first home buyers grant in QLD?
The Queensland FHOG provides $30,000 towards purchasing or building a new home for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025, inclusive.3
Owner-builders who lay foundations between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025 are also eligible for a $30,000 grant. You’re an owner-builder if you build your own home or if one builder is not solely responsible for building your new home.3
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in QLD
Buyers can apply for the grant by completing an application form and submitting it through their lender or directly to the Queensland Revenue Office. Supporting documents, such as proof of identity and signed property contracts, are required.4
To check the eligibility criteria and find out if you may qualify for the grant, use the online eligibility tester.5
What other support is available?
Queensland also offers stamp duty concessions for first-time home buyers for properties valued under $800,000.6 If you buy a home valued over $800,000, you may be able to claim the home concession to reduce stamp duty, provided you meet the relevant eligibility criteria.7
First home owners grant VIC
Victoria’s FHOG supports first-time buyers purchasing or building new homes and can be used in addition to other exemptions or concessions for eligible home buyers.8
What are the eligibility criteria?
Various conditions impact eligibility, including:8
- you must occupy the home as your principal place of residence for at least 12 months and starting within 12 months of settlement or completion of construction
- you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident – this includes New Zealanders holding a special category visa
- you must be 18 years of age or older, although this is discretionary.8
How much is the first home buyers grant in VIC?
The grant provides $10,000 for first new homes valued up to $750,000. The home can be a new house, townhouse, apartment or similar – or it can be a dwelling that has been substantially renovated. It can’t be a holiday home or an investment property.8
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in VIC
You can submit your FHOG application through an approved agent – generally a bank or lending institution –9 or directly with the State Revenue Office through the online application portal.10
What other support is available?
Victoria offers stamp duty exemptions or concessions for first home buyers purchasing properties valued up to $750,000.11 To check what you might be eligible for, use this online comparison table.
First home buyers grant NSW
The FHOG scheme in New South Wales is available when you build or buy your first new home.12
What are the eligibility criteria?
Various conditions impact eligibility, including:12
- the grant is not available for established homes – the property must be newly built, purchased off the plan, or substantially renovated
- applicants must be at least 18 years old
- at least one applicant – in the case of couples or co-purchasers – must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
- you must be buying the property as a person, not as a company or trust
- you must occupy your first home within 12 months of purchase or construction and live in it for 12 continuous months.12
How much is the first home buyers grant in NSW?
The grant provides $10,000 for eligible first home buyers purchasing a newly built home valued up to $600,000, or building a new home where the combined value of land and construction do not exceed $750,000.12
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in NSW
To apply, buyers must complete an application form and provide supporting documents, including proof of identity and property documents. The application can be submitted through your mortgage lender or directly to Revenue NSW.12
What other support is available?
NSW offers additional support for first-time home buyers, including stamp duty exemptions or concessions for properties valued less than $1 million under the First Home Buyers Assistance scheme.13
To check your eligibility for the FHOG or other NSW Government programs, use the Home Buyer Assistance Finder.14
First home buyers grant WA
Western Australia offers the FHOG to eligible buyers purchasing or building a new home.15
What are the eligibility criteria?
Various conditions impact eligibility, including:16
- at least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident
- you must be 18 years of age or over – although you may be able to apply for an exemption
- you must not previously have received a FHOG from any Australian state or territory.16
How much is the first home buyers grant in WA?
Eligible first home buyers in WA can receive a grant of up to $10,000 when buying or building a new home.16
The property’s value must not exceed $750,000 if located south of the 26th parallel – around Shark Bay, WA – and must not exceed $1 million if located north of it.16,17
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in WA
Applications can be submitted through an approved agent or directly, using the FHOG application portal.18 Applicants will need to provide identification, proof of purchase, and other supporting documents.19,20
What other support is available?
First-time home buyers in WA can also benefit from stamp duty concessions under the First Home Owner Rate (FHOR) for properties valued up to $530,000.21
A grant of up to $2,000 from the Home Buyers Assistance Account may also be available for properties up to $400,000. This grant can reimburse incidental expenses incurred when purchasing a first home.22
First home owners grant SA
South Australia’s FHOG assists first home buyers purchasing or building a new home that will be their principal place of residence.23
What are the eligibility criteria?
To be eligible for a FHOG in SA, you must, among other things:23
- be building or purchasing a brand-new home
- be at least 18 and not be a trustee or company
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident – for couples or co-purchasers, at least one of you must satisfy this criterion.23
How much is the first home buyers grant in SA worth?
The grant offers up to $15,000 to eligible buyers for the purchase or construction of new homes within the state.23
For homes purchased on or after 6 June 2024, there’s no property value cap – however, if your purchase contract was dated on or before 5 June 2024, the grant only applies for homes valued up to $650,000 (contracts dated from 15 June 2023).23
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in SA
RevenueSA advises that, in most cases, your finance institution will lodge the application on your behalf.24 If that’s not possible, you can apply directly to RevenueSA using an online application form. You can check your eligibility using the First Home Owner Grant Eligibility Checklist.25
What other support is available?
First home buyers in SA may also benefit from stamp duty relief, which you can apply for separately. The amount you might be entitled to depends on the value of the land purchased and the date of settlement.26
First home owners grant TAS
The FHOG in Tasmania is available to assist in the purchase or building of a new home. There is no property value cap.27
What are the eligibility criteria?
The criteria for a FHOG in Tasmania include:27
- you must be a ‘natural person’, not a company or trust
- you must not have received the FHOG before
- you must be buying a new home, not one that has previously been sold or used as a principal place of residence.27
How much is the first home buyers grant in TAS?
The amount of the grant is determined by the date of your purchase (eligible transaction):27
- Transactions commencing from 1 July 2024 may be eligible for $10,000.
- Transactions that commenced between 1 April 2021 and 30 June 2024 may be eligible for $30,000.
- Transactions that commenced between 1 July 2016 and 31 March 2021 may be eligible for $20,000.27
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in TAS
In most cases, your financial institution will apply for the grant on your behalf.28 If you want to apply directly, you can lodge your application through the First Home Owner Grant portal with the required supporting documents.29
For the purchase of a new home, you should lodge your FHOG application no later than 12 months after settlement.28
What other support is available
First home buyers in Tasmania may also be able to access stamp duty concessions for properties valued up to $750,000 depending on the date of purchase.27 To check your eligibility for grants and concessions, you can use the Tasmanian Government’s PropertyBuyer tool.30
First home buyers grant ACT
The Australian Capital Territory offers the Home Buyer Concession Scheme (HBCS) to eligible buyers.31 This replaces the FHOG, which was available to contracts signed prior to 1 July 2019.32 The HBCS applies to both new and established homes, as well as vacant residential land, anywhere in the ACT. There is no property value cap.31
What are the eligibility criteria?
To qualify for the HBCS, you must:31
- be at least 18 years old
- earn less than or equal to stated income thresholds
- not have owned any other property in the past 5 years.31
How much is the HBCS?
The amount of the concession available depends on your household income, the value of your new property and the purchase date.31
For property purchases between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, the maximum concession available is $34,270. You can complete an online questionnaire to find out how much you may be eligible to receive.31
How to apply for the HBCS
All concessions and exemption applications at the ACT Revenue Office are self-assessed. If you’re eligible to claim the concession, you need to ensure that you have registered the title transfer with Access Canberra using the relevant concession code.31, 33
What other support is available?
The ACT also offers the Affordable Home Purchase Scheme for eligible applicants with a combined household income of up to $148,000.34
First home buyers grant NT
The Northern Territory provides HomeGrown Territory Grants for first-time buyers of new or established homes.35 Grants are for applicants who sign a purchase contract between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025. There is no cap on the build or purchase price.36
What are the eligibility criteria?
To qualify for a HomeGrown Territory Grant, you must:36
- be a first home buyer
- be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (for co-purchasers, at least one person must meet this criterion)
- live in the home for at least 12 months after settlement or completion of construction.36
How much is the HomeGrown Territory Grant worth?
The HomeGrown Territory Grant offers first-time home buyers $50,000 to put towards building or buying a new home36 or $10,000 for an established home.37
How to apply for the first home buyers grant in the NT
First-time home buyers need to submit a HomeGrown Territory Grant application form through their financial institution or directly with the Territory Revenue Office.36, 37
What other support is available?
The NT also offers stamp duty exemptions under the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE) for eligible buyers.38
Federal government support for first home buyers
In addition to the various state and territory grants, the federal government’s Home Guarantee Scheme (HGS) supports eligible first-time home buyers through the First Home Guarantee (FHBG).39
Under the FHBG, part of an eligible home buyer’s home loan may be guaranteed by Housing Australia, up to a maximum amount of 15% of the value of the property. This means you may be able to buy your home with as little as 5% deposit without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance.39
Applications can only be made with a participating lender.40
You’ve got the grant, what next?
Despite all the paperwork, buying your first home is an exciting time. Your new home is likely to be one of the biggest purchases of your life. As well as thinking about how you want it to look and feel, you may also be wondering how best to protect what may be your largest asset.
Youi has home insurance options that are designed to be a bit more you-shaped, including Building insurance and Buildings and Contents insurance. Consider starting a quote with Youi today.
Information in this article is correct as of January 2025 and by its nature may change over time. Check relevant government websites for updates if this information is important to you.
1 Source: The Australia Institute – Housing affordability is so bad that 2020 (!) now looks good, March 2024
2 Source: Australian Government – First Home Owner Grant
3 Source: Qld Revenue Office – Eligibility for the first home owner grant
4 Source: Qld Revenue Office – Applying for the first home owner grant
5 Source: Qld Revenue Office – Test your eligibility for the first home owner grant
6 Source: Qld Revenue Office – First home concession
7 Source: Qld Revenue Office – Home concession
8 Source: State Revenue Office Vic – Applying for the First Home Owner Grant, June 2024
9 Source: State Revenue Office Vic – First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) approved agents, October 2024
10 Source: State Revenue Office Vic – Application for First Home Owner Grant
11 Source: State Revenue Office Vic – Differences between common duty exemptions and concessions and the first home owner grant, September 2024
12 Source: Revenue NSW – First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant
13 Source: Revenue NSW – First Home Buyers Assistance scheme
14 Source: NSW Government – Home Buyer Assistance Finder
15 Source: WA Government – First home owner grant (FHOG), October 2024
16 Source: WA Government – About the first home owner grant, October 2024
17 Source: WA Government, Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety – 26th parallel
18 Source: WA Government – FHOG Lodgement Guide
19 Source: WA Government – FHOG Lodgement Guide: Supporting evidence (applicants)
20 Source: WA Government – FHOG Lodgement Guide: Supporting evidence (transaction)
21 Source: WA Government – Duties Fact Sheet - First Home Owner Rate, May 2024
22 Source: WA Government – Home buyers assistance account, March 2022
23 Source: RevenueSA – First Home Owner Grant
24 Source: RevenueSA – How do I apply?
25 Source: RevenueSA – First Home Owner Grant Eligibility Checklist
26 Source: RevenueSA – Stamp Duty Relief for Eligible First Home Buyers
27 Source: State Revenue Office of Tas – First Home Owner Grant
28 Source: State Revenue Office of Tas – Apply for the grant
29 Source: Tas Government – Application for the First Home Owner Grant
30 Source: State Revenue Office of Tas – PropertyBuyer Tool
31 Source: ACT Revenue Office – Home buyer concession scheme (from 1 July 2019)
32 Source: ACT Revenue Office – First Home Owner Grant
33 Source: ACT Revenue Office – Codes and supporting documents
34 Source: ACT Government, Suburban Land Agency – Eligibility
35 Source: NT Government – Home owner assistance
36 Source: NT Government – Buying or building a new home - HomeGrown Territory
37 Source: NT Government – Buying an established home - HomeGrown Territory
38 Source: NT Government – Stamp duty exemption
39 Source: Housing Australia – First Home Guarantee
40 Source: Housing Australia – Home Guarantee Scheme Participating Lenders
