Unlocking First Home Buyer Support in Queensland

Queensland is currently offering a range of incentives in Australia for first home buyers, including major stamp duty savings, a $30,000 First Home Owner Grant, and a new shared equity scheme launching soon.

In this guide, we break down:

• What support is available right now

• Who’s eligible

• Strategic tips for making the most of these incentives, without getting caught chasing short-term savings

This resource supports Episode 12 of the First Home Unlocked Podcast, where Jack walks through each scheme and how it fits into your overall strategy.

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Stamp Duty Concessions for First Home Buyers in Queensland

Queensland has three main stamp duty concessions available to first home buyers. Each one has shared eligibility rules, so we’ll start there before breaking them down.

Eligibility Rules Across All Concessions

To qualify for any first home buyer stamp duty concession in QLD, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old

• Never have owned property in Australia or overseas

• Move in within 12 months of settlement (or 2 years for vacant land)

• Live in the property as your home for at least 12 months

• Not lease or rent the property before moving in

• Buy at market value (not a discount from a family member)

You don’t need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, but foreign buyers may face additional stamp duty.

Joint Purchases
If you’re buying with someone who isn’t a first home buyer, you can still claim the concession on your share. Your final stamp duty is calculated based on what each person is eligible for.

You can use the Transfer Duty Calculator to estimate what you’ll pay.

First Home Concession (Existing Homes)

This applies when you're buying an established home as your first property.

Price thresholds:

• No stamp duty if the home is valued at $700,000 or less

• Partial concession between $700,000 and $800,000 (sliding scale)

This can save you up to $24,525 compared to standard rates.

Strategy Insight:

It’s common to see buyers limit their search to under $700K just to avoid stamp duty, but that’s not always the best move.

If you have the capacity to borrow more and find a better-quality property above the threshold, paying stamp duty could be a smart trade-off for better long-term growth.

Example:

• $700K = pay $0 stamp duty

• $720K = pay around $4,000 (vs $18,000 for non-FHB owner occupiers & $25,000 for investors)

• $750K = pay around $11,000 (vs $20,000 for non-FHB owner occupiers & $27,000 for investors)

Find all the information about the First Home Concession here

Home Concession (Over $800K)

If your purchase is above $800,000, you no longer qualify for the First Home Concession, but you can still access the Home Concession, which is available to any owner-occupier (not just first home buyers).

Eligibility:

• You must move in within 12 months

• You must live in the property as your home for at least 12 months

This concession reduces the stamp duty on the first $350,000 of the purchase price, saving up to $7,175.

Example:

• $800K = pay around $22,000 (vs $29,000 as an investor)

• $850K = pay around $24,000 (vs $32,000 as an investor)

Find all the information about the Home Concession here

First Home Concession (New Homes)

This applies to brand new or substantially renovated homes that have never been lived in.

Extra Eligibility:

• You must move in within 12 months of settlement

• You must live there for at least 12 months

• The home must be:

  • Brand new and never occupied, or

  • Substantially renovated and unoccupied since the work was completed

This concession gives you full stamp duty exemption, with no price cap.

Strategy Tip:

This can sound appealing, especially with house and land packages or off-the-plan units, but don’t let the “new” tag or tax savings steer your whole decision.

We break this down in Episode 6 – Unlocking Asset Quality, but the key points are:

• Established homes often have better land value and more scarcity, which can lead to better long term growth

• Many new builds (especially in new development estates) don’t have that scarcity factor which drives growth, if the same house is built 100 times in the same suburb, it can limit future value growth

• These incentives are designed to stimulate construction, not necessarily to help you buy the best property

So if the numbers work and the home is high quality, it can be worth exploring. But don’t let the stamp duty saving be your only consideration.

Find all the information about the First Home Concession (New Homes) here

First Home Vacant Land Concession

If you’re buying vacant land to build your first home, you can receive a full stamp duty exemption with no price cap, as long as:

Extra Eligibility:

• You’re building one home only

• The land is completely vacant (no existing buildings)

• You move in within 2 years of settlement

• You live in the home for at least 12 months

• You don’t rent, lease, or transfer ownership before moving in

Stamp duty may apply to any non-residential portion of the land (e.g. farming or mixed-use zoning).

Important:

If plans change and you don’t move in, you could lose the concession and have to repay the duty, plus interest and penalties.

Find all the information about the First Home Vacant Land Concession here

Stamp Duty Recap

• Don’t chase the concession at the expense of buying the right home

• A better-quality asset may cost more upfront, but can build stronger equity over time

• Focus on long-term value, not just short-term savings

We’ll help you weigh up your borrowing power, deposit, budget, and strategy so you can make a decision that’s right for you. Book a Get to Know You Chat to explore your options.

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Queensland First Home Owner Grant (FHOG)

Let’s move on to the next major support available for first home buyers in Queensland, the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG).

If you’re buying or building a brand new home under $750,000, this grant can give your deposit a boost and help you get into the market sooner.

What Is It?

The FHOG is a $30,000 tax-free grant from the Queensland government to support eligible first home buyers purchasing or building a new home. That includes:

• House and land packages

• Off-the-plan apartments or townhouses

• Substantially renovated homes

• New granny flats or detached dwellings on a relative’s land

It’s important to note: this grant does not apply to established homes.

Eligibility

To qualify for the $30,000 grant, you must:

• Be buying or building a brand new home valued under $750,000 (including land and contract variations)

• Sign the contract before 30 June 2026

• Be 18 years or older

• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or buying with someone who is

• Move in within 12 months and live there continuously for at least 6 months

• Never have received a First Home Owner Grant anywhere in Australia

• Never have owned residential property in Australia before

Extra Info to Keep in Mind

• The FHOG is separate from QLD stamp duty concessions, if eligible, you can receive both

• You can also use the FHOG alongside the First Home Guarantee Scheme, which helps buyers purchase with just a 5% deposit and no LMI

Strategy Tip

A $30,000 boost sounds great and it can be helpful, but don’t let it dictate your buying decision.

Incentives like this are designed to stimulate construction. They’re not a signal that a property is high quality or right for your long-term future.

Before chasing the grant, ask yourself:

• Is this the best long-term property for me and my lifestyle?

• Is the location likely to grow in value?

• Is there an oversupply of similar homes in the area?

• Is the construction quality strong and well-reviewed?

You can listen to Episode 6 – Unlocking Asset Quality to learn more.

Find all the information about the First Home Owner Grant here

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First Home Guarantee (FHGS)

The First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHGS) is one of the most powerful tools available to help eligible buyers purchase with a smaller deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), all while keeping full ownership of the property.

This is a federal scheme administered by Housing Australia. It lets you buy with as little as a 5% deposit, and the government acts as a guarantor for the remaining 15%, so your lender treats it as if you have a full 20% deposit.

That’s why you don’t pay LMI and still have access to competitive interest rates, without giving up any equity or ownership.

We break this down in full in Episode 10 of the podcast, including:

• How the scheme works

• Who’s eligible

• The benefits and trade-offs

• How to exit the scheme when your loan-to-value ratio drops below 80%

If you're not across it yet, it's worth a listen, this scheme has helped thousands of Australians buy sooner.

Queensland Price Caps (2025–26)

To use the FHGS, the property you buy must be under the scheme's price caps. For Queensland, here are the current limits and the major changes coming soon:

Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast

• Now: $700,000

• From 1 October 2025: $1,000,000

Rest of QLD

• Now: $550,000

• From 1 October 2025: $700,000

These changes will significantly expand what's possible, especially in higher-demand areas.

Income Caps

To be eligible right now, your income must be:

• Under $125,000 for singles

• Under $200,000 combined for couples

But from October 1st 2025, income caps will be removed, opening up access for more buyers, including dual-income households and professionals who previously missed out.

Strategy Tip

This is one of the strongest schemes available because it helps you buy sooner, avoid LMI, and keep 100% of your home’s future growth.

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Boost to Buy: Shared Equity Scheme (QLD)

There’s one more scheme on the horizon for Queensland first home buyers and it’s very different to the others.

Boost to Buy is a new shared equity scheme announced in the 2025–26 QLD Budget, with applications expected to open later in 2025.

It’s designed to help more Queenslanders get into the market with less deposit and lower repayments, but in return, you share ownership of your home with the government.

Key Features & Eligibility

Equity Contribution From The Government:

• Up to 30% for brand new homes

• Up to 25% for established homes

Deposit Required:

• As little as 2% (for example, $15,000 on a $750K home)

Property Price Cap:

• Up to $1 million

Income Caps:

• $150,000 for singles

• $225,000 combined for couples

Other Requirements:

• You must live in the property as your primary residence

• Additional eligibility criteria will be confirmed when the scheme officially opens

Strategy Insight

While shared equity schemes like Boost to Buy can help some people get in sooner, we don’t usually recommend them as a first option. That’s because:

• You’re giving up a portion of your home’s future value

• Your ability to refinance, access equity, or make changes could be limited

• Shared ownership means shared control, and long-term that can feel restrictive

There are often better pathways available, ones that help you enter the market without giving up ownership.

For a full breakdown of how shared equity works, including benefits, trade-offs, and who it might suit, check out Episode 11 of the podcast: Unlocking Shared Equity Schemes: What First Home Buyers Need to Know

Our Advice?

If you’re thinking about using Boost to Buy, chat with us first. We can help you explore alternatives that still get you into the market, but with more flexibility and full ownership.

Sometimes all it takes is a small shift in strategy to unlock better options.

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Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Chase the Incentives

Government grants and concessions can help reduce your upfront costs, but they’re not a shortcut to success.

The best results come from having a clear strategy, buying a quality home, and choosing the right structure for your goals.

That’s where we come in.

• We can help you compare all your options

• Find the right lender for your goals

• Show you how to make the most of what QLD offers, without compromising long-term growth

Listen to Episode 12 for the full breakdown or Book a Get to Know You Chat to map out your plan.

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