Grants, stamp duty relief, the 5% deposit scheme, Help to Buy - there are a lot of first-home measures, and they all have different rules. Answer six quick questions and see which ones you may qualify for. No sign-up needed.
Want this checklist in your inbox? I'll email you the readout plus what each measure could mean for your deposit and borrowing - and where they may stack together.
This checker provides general information only, based on the answers you enter. It is a first read against published scheme rules as at 7 July 2026 - not an assessment of your eligibility, an offer of credit, a quote, or financial advice, and it doesn't account for your full circumstances or every condition of each scheme. Eligibility for grants and schemes is decided by the relevant agency or lender, and rules, caps and thresholds change over time. Property price caps shown use the Melbourne figure; regional Victoria caps differ. Talk to us, or check each official source linked above, for confirmation based on your situation.
Buying your first home in Victoria, you're not on your own - there's a stack of government help. The catch is that each measure has its own rules, and they've been moving fast. Here's the honest lay of the land as at July 2026.
A $10,000 cash grant, but only for a new home (built, off-the-plan, or never lived in) valued up to $750,000, that you'll move into. Established homes don't qualify for the grant. Source: State Revenue Office Victoria.
Buy your first home to live in for $600,000 or less and you may pay no stamp duty. Between $600,001 and $750,000 there's a concession on a sliding scale. This one works for new or established homes. You can model the dollars on my Victorian stamp duty calculator.
Since 1 October 2025 this scheme changed a lot: no income caps, unlimited places, and you can buy with as little as a 5% deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance (the insurance that normally protects the lender when your deposit is under 20%). The Melbourne and Geelong price cap is $950,000; the rest of Victoria is $650,000. Source: Housing Australia.
Open since 5 December 2025, Help to Buy lets eligible buyers start with as little as a 2% deposit while the government takes an equity share of up to 40% for a new home or 30% for an existing one. From 1 July 2026 the income caps are $103,000 for a single and $165,000 for a couple or single parent. It's open to first buyers and to people who've owned before but don't currently own. Help to Buy replaced the Victorian Homebuyer Fund, which closed to new applications on 10 September 2025. Source: Housing Australia.
These figures were checked against the State Revenue Office of Victoria and Housing Australia on 7 July 2026. First-home schemes change at nearly every budget, so I re-verify this page each budget cycle and whenever a scheme change hits the news. If you're reading this much later, treat it as a guide and confirm the current rules.
The schemes are worth real money, but they only work if they're lined up with the right loan and lender. I'll map yours with you over a coffee or a call, and tell you straight where you stand. Obligation-free, and no fee charged to you.
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