Many people want to purchase their first home in Australia but many of them don’t have enough funds to buy their first home. Due to this fact, a state government introduced First Home Owners Grant, also known as FHOG to help people financially to get home ownership as soon as possible. First home buyers grant eligibility criteria may vary according to state and territory. Thus, make sure to know whether you qualify for the FHOG or not. And, you can also seek help from home loan brokers as they can help you access the FHOG scheme to save thousands of dollars on your first home purchase.
Understanding First Home Owners Grant
FHOG is a national scheme and it is administered by each territory and state. Each state and territory offers first-time home buyers different variations of grants and concessions to help them purchase a new or existing home. Eligibility criteria for each state and territory may vary. Basically, a first home buyers grant is a one-off cash payment given to first-home buyers by the state or territory.
Eligibility for First Home Buyers Grant
The First Home Owners Grant differs across territories and states, and each region has its own rules you need to follow to be eligible for the grant. First home owners grant victoria eligibility may be different, but the most common eligibility criteria across all states and territories are:
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Your age must be 18 years or above
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At least one candidate must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
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You must be purchasing a home to live in, not for investment
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You must not have previously bought a home in Australia, either separately or jointly
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You must shift into the home within 1 year of purchase and live there for 6-12 months continuously (based on state or territory)
First home owners grant SA eligibility may vary according to South Australia’s rules and regulations. When you apply for FHOG, make sure to provide relevant information. If it is revealed that you provided wrong information, then the grant will have to be returned and you may have to pay a penalty as well.
How much FHOG can you get in each state?
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Victoria: If you are purchasing or building a new home, you may qualify for a first home owners grant of $10,000. To qualify for FHOG, you must not have been previously occupied or sold.
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NSW: If you are purchasing or constructing your first home, you may receive a $10,000 grant under the first home buyers grant.
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Queensland: If you qualify for the grant, you can receive $15,000 for buying or constructing a new home (worth less than $750,000).
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South Australia: When purchasing a home valued up to $575,000, you can receive a $15,000 grant.
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Northern Territory: The first home owners grant in Northern Territory allows you to receive $10,000 to buy or construct a new home in the Northern Territory.
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Tasmania: The first home buyers grant is available to eligible candidates as a one-off payment for the construction or purchase of a newly built home. The current first home buyers grant of $30,000 is available until 1 July 2023.
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Western Australia: Eligible first-time home buyers in Western Australia can get a $10,000 grant when buying a home for the first time.
Is First Home Buyers Grant Available for an Existing Property?
No, you can’t access first home buyers grant for an existing property. You are not eligible to receive FHOG if you want to access it for the purchase of an established home or for renovating an existing home. You can check the eligibility for the first home owners grant. For instance, if you are buying for the first time in NSW, then you can check first home buyers grant NSW eligibility criteria. If you meet the eligibility, then you can also contact home loan brokers to know how you can access this grant.
Conclusion
The amount of the grant may vary by location and in some cases, it is only available when buying a home of a certain value. For more information, you can also get in touch with Home Star Home Loans where we deal with first-home buyers across Australia. Thus, wherever you are located in Australia, we can help you with first home buyers’ home loans.
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