First Home Buyer

If you've decided to move to South Australia from overseas, organising the move may appear to be a daunting task.

There are lots of immigration details to sort through, items to pack and decisions on what to leave behind and what to take. Advising people and/organisations of your move and managing the paperwork will take an organised approach.

We've included some general information below as well as in the links to the left. However, for the most up-to-date information it is suggested that you use the site Services SA at which contains a ton of information to help you make the move.

Both the Government of South Australia and the Australian Federal Government offer Schemes to help first home buyers achieve home ownership.

These Schemes are:

• The Commonwealth Government First Home Owner Scheme
• The State Government Stamp Duty Concession

Commonwealth Government First Home Owner Scheme

If you are looking to build or buy your first home you may be eligible for a grant of $7,000 under the Commonwealth Government's First Home Owner Grant (FHOG). The definition of “First Homebuyer” for this Scheme is “an applicant who has not previously owned a home in Australia”. The FHOG is a one-off grant of $7,000 for first home buyers. This grant is not means tested – i.e. the income of the applicants is not taken into account when establishing eligibility.

To be eligible:

• Applicant(s) must be a first home buyer. Neither the applicant nor their spouse may have owned a home after 1 July 2000 anywhere in Australia and occupied that home.
• At least one of the applicants must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency.
• Neither the Applicant(s) or their spouse may have owned or had a previous interest in a home, either jointly, separately or with some other person anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000.
• Applicant(s) must be natural persons – i.e. not a company.
• The contract to buy or build must be signed on or after 1 July 2000.
• If you already own land but have not entered into a contract to build a home before July 1 2000 you will be eligible for the grant.
• Applicant(s) must occupy the home purchased or built as their principal place of residence within 12 months of the date of purchase or completion of construction.
• Joint applicants will be restricted to a single application for a single property and only one payment of a $7,000 grant will be made.

How to apply:

• You can lodge an application form either with an approved FHOG participant (which includes approved financial institutions), or Revenue South Australia (details below).
• You are only able to complete and lodge an application form with an approved FHOG participant where you are borrowing funds from that participant, as part of buying or building your home.
• You need to apply within 12 months of completing the transaction.

To find out more, contact:

Revenue South Australia:

Telephone: +61 8 8226 3750
Website: www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au

You can also find information on the First Home Owner Grant Website: www.firsthome.gov.au

State Government Stamp Duty Concession

If you are looking to build or buy your first home you may be eligible for a concession on Government Stamp Duty. The definition of First Homebuyer for this Scheme is an “applicant who has not previously owned a home anywhere in or outside Australia”.

The eligibility criteria for the Stamp Duty First Home Concession are similar to, but not the same as, the criteria for the $7,000 First Home Owner Grant.

First home buyers do not pay Stamp Duty on homes of up to $80,000. First home buyers purchasing homes over $80,000 are charged Stamp Duty on the scale outlined below. No concession is available on properties with a purchase price or value over $130,000.

Stamp Duty on Transfer

To be eligible:

• Applicant(s) must be a natural person - i.e. not a company.
• Applicant(s) must have entered into a contract for the purchase of a home or land or shares in a company that gives the right to occupy land of the company.
• Applicant(s) must be the sole purchaser of the home or land.
• Applicant(s) cannot have previously owned a home, holiday house, flat or home unit (except as a minor).
• Applicant(s) cannot have previously received any benefit under the First Home Buyers Stamp Duties Concession Scheme.
• The home must constitute the applicant(s) principal place of residence, or the applicant(s) must intend that the home will be the principal place of residence.
• If the applicant(s) meet the criteria, previous ownership of vacant, commercial or industrial property does not preclude the applicant(s) from gaining a concession.

Requirements of the property:

Vacant Land with intention to build

• Applicant(s) must intend to occupy the home, as their principal place of residence within 12 months of the completion of construction.

Vacant Land

• Vacant land where Stamp Duty has been paid (before a construction contract was entered into to build on the land).
• Applicants must occupy the home as their principal place of residence within 2 years of the date of conveyance/transfer.

Purchase of Home:

• Applicants must occupy the home as their principal place of residence within 12 months of the date of transfer.
• The concession is not available where the home is to be used for rental or investment purposes.

Please note that this information is a guide only to both of these Schemes. It should not be relied on to determine your eligibility.

To find out more, contact:

Revenue South Australia
Telephone: +61 8 8226 3750

Website: www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au