Buying a first home in Australia is easier with the support that governments offer, yet a surprising number of buyers miss out because they do not know what they qualify for or how to claim it. The schemes change over time, vary by state, and interact with each other in ways that are not always obvious.
When it comes to government help to buy a home, the main forms of support are grants, low-deposit guarantee schemes, stamp duty concessions and, more recently, shared equity. Used together, they can reduce both the deposit you need and the cost of getting in. As a mortgage broker in Melbourne, we map the support to your situation and build it into your loan. For the lending side, first home buyer loans run alongside this support.
Because the details and amounts change, we always confirm what is current for your state and circumstances before you rely on it.
Want to know what government support you qualify for? Call us on 1300 562 696, and we will map it out for your situation.
There are a few key schemes most first home buyers should know about. Amounts and rules vary by state and change over time, so treat these as a general guide:
The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) is a one-off grant for eligible first home buyers, generally aimed at new or substantially renovated homes. The amount and the eligibility depend on your state, and there are usually price caps. It can form a useful part of your deposit.
The First Home Guarantee scheme, now branded the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, let eligible buyers purchase with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance (LMI). Since late 2025 the income and place caps have been removed, so more buyers qualify, though property price caps still apply. Related guarantees also help single parents and other groups.
Most states offer reduced or waived stamp duty for eligible first home buyers up to certain price thresholds. Stamp duty is one of the largest upfront costs, so a concession can be worth many thousands of dollars.
The federal Help to Buy scheme, open since December 2025, contributes up to 40% of the price of a new home or 30% of an existing one in exchange for an equity stake, so you can buy with a 2% deposit and a smaller loan. Places are capped and income and price limits apply, so it suits particular buyers, and we walk through whether it fits.
Each scheme works a little differently, and the current detail varies by state and over time. This table gives a general comparison:
| Scheme type | What it does | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| First Home Owner Grant | Gives a one-off grant toward a new home | Usually new builds; price caps; state-based |
| 5% Deposit Scheme | Lets you buy from a 5% deposit with no LMI | Price caps by area; owner-occupiers |
| Stamp duty concession | Reduces or removes stamp duty | Price thresholds; first home buyers |
| Help to Buy scheme | Takes an equity share to cut your loan | Income and price caps; an equity stake |
General guide only. Amounts, caps and eligibility change at budget time and vary by state. We confirm the current position for you.
The real value comes from combining support, and from understanding where one scheme rules out another. For many first home buyers, a grant, a low-deposit guarantee and a stamp duty concession can apply at once, cutting both the deposit and the upfront costs at the same time, which can bring a purchase forward by years. Some schemes have price caps, property type limits or income tests, and a few cannot be used together, so knowing the interactions avoids a costly surprise late in the process. Grants and concessions still change at budget time, so timing the application matters. We stay on top of what is current so you do not miss a window.
The schemes are scattered across federal and state programs, and the rules shift. A first home buyer mortgage broker who tracks them makes sure you claim everything you can, which is what you get with Loanworx Group:
We keep across federal guarantees, state grants and stamp duty concessions, including what has recently changed, so your plan reflects the support that actually exists right now.
We choose a lender that participates in the scheme, time the application, and build the grant and concession into your numbers. The support only helps if the loan is structured to use it.
Government schemes can feel like a maze. We translate them into plain terms, show you what you qualify for, and keep the process supported from first chat to settlement.
The right combination of schemes can change what is possible, and most buyers leave some of it on the table. We will map what you qualify for and build it into your plan. Call us on 1300 562 696.
Government schemes are one piece of the first home buyer puzzle. Explore the other groups and situations we help with below.
Medico home loans with LMI waived at high LVRs, plus rate and fee benefits for medical practitioners.
Home loan benefits and waivers available to registered nurses and midwives, including shift income.
Tailored home loans and LMI waivers for pharmacists and community pharmacy owners.
Professional home loan benefits and LMI waivers for qualified and chartered engineers.
LMI waivers and professional packages for solicitors, barristers and legal professionals.
Medico-tier home loans and LMI waivers for dentists, specialists and practice owners.
Full-doc and low-doc home loans for business owners and the self-employed.
Home loans with alternative income verification when standard payslips don’t fit.
Home loan options and waivers available to teachers and education staff.
Borrow up to 90% or more without lenders mortgage insurance, if you qualify.
Home loans structured for contract and day-rate IT professionals.
The main forms are the FHOG, low-deposit guarantee schemes such as the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, stamp duty concessions, and the federal Help to Buy shared equity scheme. The amounts and rules vary by state and change over time, so it is worth confirming what is current for your situation.
Often yes, and it is where the biggest savings come from. Stacking a grant with a low-deposit guarantee and a stamp duty concession is common, but a few schemes share caps or cannot be combined, so the order and timing matter. We check the interactions so nothing cancels out.
You buy with a deposit as low as 5% and the government guarantees the shortfall to a 20% deposit, so there is no LMI. Since late 2025 there are no income limits and no cap on places, though you still need to be an owner-occupier buying within the area price caps. You apply through a participating lender, which we help you choose.
In most states the FHOG is aimed at new or substantially renovated homes, though the detail varies by state. Established homes may still attract stamp duty concessions even where the grant does not apply. We confirm what fits the property you are considering.
For the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, the income test and the limit on places were both removed in late 2025, so income is no longer a barrier there. Help to Buy still has income caps, and grants, stamp duty concessions and price caps vary by area. These move over time, so we check the current criteria for your situation rather than last year’s figures.
Yes, and that is most of what we do on these. We work out which schemes you qualify for, line up a participating lender, time the application around scheme rounds and budget changes, and fold any grant or concession into your numbers so the support actually reduces what you need.
Mostly it targets first home buyers, but the door is wider than it looks. The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme now also covers people who have not owned a home in the past ten years, single parents have a low-deposit guarantee of their own, and Help to Buy is open to eligible low and middle-income earners, not only first timers. Eligibility is specific and changes, so it is worth a conversation to see what applies to you.
