First Home Owner Grant (FHOG)

The First Home Owner Grant is a one-off, tax-free $7,000 federal government payment offered to those 18 years of age or older who satisfy all of the eligibility criteria when building or purchasing their first home. If you qualify for the FHOG, the money can be used towards your purchase costs. Detailed information about the FHOG for each state and territory is available at www.firsthome.gov.au.

In addition to the FHOG, some states and territories offer additional bonuses and incentives to first home owners, such as stamp duty concessions and extra money. The FHOG coupled with some great state government incentives means buying your first home may not be as hard as you think!

Your Zar Mortgage Brokers Consultant will help you find the home loan that best suits your needs, get pre-approval for your loan and even apply for the FHOG on your behalf if you include the FHOG application with your loan application.

First Home Owner Grant Eligibility Criteria  

Each person who owns a part of the home must be an applicant. This includes anyone who is or will be on the title of the property. If you have a spouse who will not own any part of the home, you must include them on the application as a non-applicant spouse. To receive the FHOG, each applicant must comply with the eligibility criteria.

The eligibility criteria for applicants and properties vary in each state and territory, so ask your Zar Mortgage Broker if you qualify before applying.  

General Eligibility Criteria

  • You must be buying or building your first home as a person, not as a company or trust
  • You must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident (or a joint applicant with someone who is a citizen or permanent resident)
  • You are buying or building a home worth less than $750,000 (on or after 31 March 2010)
  • Your application must be made within 12 months of completion of construction or settlement of the home
  • You and your spouse/co-purchaser must never have been paid the FHOG
  • Before 1 July 2000, you and your spouse/co-purchaser must not have owned residential property in Australia
  • After 1 July 2000, you and your spouse/co-purchaser must not have owned and occupied residential property in Australia
  • You must move into the home within one year of settlement for a pre-existing home or within 12 months of building completion for a newly built home
  • You must live in the home for 6 continuous months as your primary place of residence
  • You may be eligible for the grant if you are a trustee of a trust (other than a discretionary or unit trust) and all the beneficiaries are individuals under a legal disability who will live in the home as their principal place of residence.

Exceptions

You may also be approved for the grant under special circumstances if you:

  • are under 18 years of age
  • move into the home after one year of becoming the registered owner
  • live in the home for less than 6 months
  • have entered into an oral contract, installment arrangement or a rental purchase agreement

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