FIRST HOME BUYERS GRANT

As a First Home Buyer it can be confusing as to which grants you may or may not be entitled to and how and when to apply. We have therefore put together this informative guide with links to relevant information and government bodies to inform and assist you. As always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to call or email us.

Your mortgage broker or Banker is also a great source of information on First Home Buyers’ Grants.

An Introduction to the First Home Buyers Grant (FHOG)

Under Government regulations you may be eligible for the FHOG of up to $15,000.00 if you are buying or building a new home – this includes a house, flat, unit, townhouse, or apartment in South Australia – as long as this will be your principal place of residence.

There are, of course, conditions and we have outlined them here;

You must qualify for a loan or have cash to purchase
If you are purchasing with a partner, they cannot have previously bought a residential property or occupied an Australian residential property in which they had a relevant interest on or after 1 July 2000 for 6 months or longer.
Further, you must be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. New Zealand citizens permanently residing in Australia with a Special Category Visa may also apply.
Another criteria you have to fulfill is that you need to have between 5% and 20% of the value of the eligible property saved as a deposit. The minimum deposit is 5% but participating lenders may require a higher percentage deposit based on the individual personal circumstances. If you have more – FANTASTIC!
All of the applicants must reside in the property as their principal residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months commencing within 12 months of date of settlement for contracts or the date construction is completed for owner builders or contracts to build.
Ifyou are paying the entire purchase price in cash you would still be entitled to the FHOG
Companies and Trusts are NOT eligible
There are no requirements as to how you use your grant
All applications have to be received by June 2025
Each applicant must be 18 years or older

How do I apply for the FHOG

The financial institution you are using to purchase the property will be able to apply for the FHOG on your behalf and you will on application be given your UIN (Unique Identifying Number) which you can use for any communication regarding your grant.

If you are not borrowing money to fund the purchase of the property you will need to apply directly to Revenue SA for the FHOG.

If you are buying vacant land to build on, FHOG will be paid as part of your build payments.

Revenue SA LINK – https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/first-home-owners-grant

How much can I spend on a house and still be eligible?

The property you are purchasing must be below the value of $650,000 – and you must be purchasing on or after June 2023. You could be receiving relief up of to $44850 (this is calculated at the maximum FHOG and the relief on Stamp Duty)

Any other charges or fees ?

There are a number of state taxes and levies you will need to pay when purchasing a residential property in South Australia and your Conveyancer will be able to advise you of other costs involved in your purchase –

Emergency Services Levy
Council Rates
Land Tax
Stamp Duty
Transfer Registration Fees

Conveyancing fees and Bank charges should also be allowed for.

Your Conveyancer will advise you of your state revenue obligations and entitlements. It is important to know these first and a quote from your local professional Conveyancer will outline all of these. At McKay Business Services we will send you a quote at the time of engagement so that there are no surprises later on.

Buying a house is not simple – once you get over the initial shock and excitement of buying your first property you start to become aware that this is only the beginning of what is commonly referred to as the ‘settlement process’. Usually in South Australia this is between 30 and 60 days (on an established home). If you are purchasing a property yet to be built this can be much longer.