
Mark Sinclair
How Does The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme Work?
Updated: Apr 7
Update: May 2021 - The government announced a Family Home Guarantee aimed at single parents where the minimum deposit is 2% and will be available from July 1, 2021.
The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) is a Australian Government initiative to support eligible first home buyers purchase a home sooner.
It does this by providing a guarantee that will allow eligible first home buyers on low and middle incomes to purchase a home with a deposit of as little as 5 per cent. This allows first home buyers to avoid paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance when borrowing with between 5% to 20% deposit.
The Scheme supports limited places each financial year, starting from 1 January 2020.
Eligibility
Singles earning less than $125,000 in the previous tax year, couples earning less than $200,000. Minimum deposit required is 5% of purchase price. No party has held property prior. Australian citizens only. Min age 18 years. Owner occupiers only.
Property price thresholds
For Sydney/Newcastle/Wollongong, there is a cap of $800,000 on the purchase price. For Melbourne/Geelong, it is $700,000, Canberra it is $500,000 and Brisbane it is $600,000. Other cities and regional areas have purchase price caps ranging from $350,000 to $600,000.
How to apply
If you think you qualify, contact us and we will get you started. Note that only a limited number of lenders are participating in this scheme.
