First Home Owner Grant
The Government of South Australia has assistance to help eligible first home buyers. The First Home Owner Grant is administered under the First Home and Housing Construction Grants Act 2000 (SA) and the First Home and Housing Construction Grants Regulations 2015 (SA).
The Grant provides eligible first home owners with a one-off payment of up to $15,000 when purchasing or building a new home in South Australia.
Applicant Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must generally be at least 18 years old and be natural persons. At least one applicant must also be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen who is permanently residing in Australia and holds a Special Category Visa.
There are also important rules regarding previous property ownership. For contracts entered into on or after 13 February 2025, you will generally not be eligible if you, your spouse or domestic partner currently own, or have previously owned, a residential property in Australia. Your spouse or domestic partner's circumstances must also be disclosed as part of the application, even if they are not applying for the Grant themselves.
Property Eligibility
RevenueSA identifies eligible properties as including a “house, flat, unit, townhouse or apartment”. The Grant can therefore apply to a range of dwelling types, rather than being limited to a traditional standalone house. Eligible transactions can include the purchase or construction of a new home, an off-the-plan apartment, a substantially renovated home, or building a home under an eligible building contract.
Generally, a new home must not have previously been occupied or sold as a place of residence. However, substantially renovated homes can also qualify, provided the relevant requirements are met. This is an important distinction from simply saying that a substantially renovated property is automatically excluded.
Importantly, the $650,000 property value cap no longer applies to current applications. For contracts entered into on or after 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for the First Home Owner Grant. The $650,000 cap applied to eligible contracts entered into between 15 June 2023 and 5 June 2024.
There is also a residence requirement. Eligible applicants must occupy the property as their principal place of residence for at least six continuous months, commencing within the relevant timeframe set by RevenueSA.
There are other costs that come with buying property, including conveyancing or legal fees, inspections and PEXA fees. However, eligible first home buyers may also be entitled to stamp duty relief.
First Home Buyer Stamp Duty Relief
Stamp Duty Relief for Eligible First Home Buyers has similar eligibility requirements to the First Home Owner Grant, but the two schemes are separate and require separate applications.
One important difference is that, for eligible contracts entered into on or after 6 June 2024, full stamp duty relief may be available regardless of the property's value. Stamp duty relief can also apply to certain vacant land purchases intended for the construction of a new home, which is not the case for the First Home Owner Grant itself.
For more information, visit RevenueSA’s First Home Owner Grant information and its information on Stamp Duty Relief for Eligible First Home Buyers.
Knowing where and how to look for assistance can go a long way. For contract reviews and conveyancing, contact Wadlow Solicitors or call (08) 8212 2955 and schedule an appointment with our conveyancing team.
