Whether you’re buying or building your first home, the experience can be a daunting one, as it’s probably one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make.
To support you in your first home buyer journey, there are several types of support from the Australian Government that you may be eligible for. Both the First Home Guarantee and Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee provide an assurance to Participating Lenders that allow you to purchase your first home sooner, with a deposit of as little as 5% and without having to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance. This is because Housing Australia guarantees the difference between the borrower’s deposit of at least 5% and 20% of the value of the eligible property.
If you are eligible for the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee you are not eligible for the First Home Guarantee. Home buyers who are not eligible for the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, may be eligible for the First Home Guarantee or the Family Home Guarantee.To help you work out which Guarantee you may be eligible for, try the Eligibility Tool on the Housing Australia website.
To help minimise your research time we have summarised the opportunities below that could help you with your first home experience.
Check your Government Guarantee eligibility
- Citizenship – be an Australian citizen(s) or permanent resident(s) at the Home Loan Date*
- Income – taxable income at or below $125,000 (individual) or $200,000 (joint), shown on your ATO Notice of Assessment
- Deposit – minimum 5% (First Home Guarantee or Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee) of the Property Value
- Property ownership
- First Home Guarantee or Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee: must be a first home buyer or not have owned a property in Australia in the last 10 years (applies to both in a joint application) at the Home Loan Date*
- Owner-occupier – you must buy or build a home to live in (investment properties are not eligible)
- Loan type – owner-occupier loan with Principal and Interest repayments from a Participating Lender, up to 30 years (plus up to 3 years to build a new home)
- Applicant type
- First Home Guarantee / Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee: Individuals or buying with one partner, friend or family member
- Minimum age – must be at least 18 years old
* The Home Loan Date is the date you sign your home loan agreement with your Participating Lender.
To find out the property price threshold of a suburb you a looking to buy in you can try the Housing Australia tool.
Fact sheets and detailed eligibility criteria
For detailed eligibility criteria review the Home Guarantee Scheme Fact Sheet or use the handy comparison table to determine which option you may be eligible for.
Information guides
There are no costs or repayments associated with the Guarantee. However, first home buyers are responsible for meeting all costs and repayments for the home loan associated with the guarantee.
Eligible property types
If you are a first home buyer and also a single parent or eligible single legal guardian, the Family Home Guarantee could also be an option for you.
Family Home Guarantee (FHG)
Saving to purchase a family home can be a challenging task, especially when you are a single parent or single legal guardian.
The Family Home Guarantee is part of the Home Guarantee Scheme, an Australian Government initiative that helps home buyers to buy a home sooner. The Family Home Guarantee supports single parents or single legal guardians of one or more dependent children, to buy a home sooner. They need to have saved a minimum deposit of 2% of the Property Value and meet other eligibility criteria. For the 2025/2026 financial year, 5,000 places are available for the Family Home Guarantee.
As a first home buyer you may also be eligible for other government support programs like the First Home Super Saver Scheme, state and territory First Home Owner Grants, and stamp duty concessions.
The information provided on this page is general in nature and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Eligibility for government grants and schemes may vary based on individual circumstances and location. Home Guarantee Scheme eligibility criteria apply. We recommend visiting the official government websites listed to verify your eligibility and obtain the most up-to-date details.