The First Home Owner Grant scheme was established to encourage and assist home ownership by providing a grant to first homeowners.  The grant is not means-tested and is not restricted by the price of the property. you must not have owned any property before or be buying a property with anyone who has owned property before.

The easiest way to get the grant is to have your mortgage broker arrange it for you.  Your broker will fill out and lodge the forms for you and will make sure that you apply for the Federal grant as well as any available state grants.  Your grant will then be made available either at settlement or after settlement of your property.

To be eligible to receive the grant, the following criteria must be satisfied:

• You and your spouse/partner must not have received a grant in any State or Territory of Australia.

• You and your spouse/partner must not have owned residential property, either jointly, separately or with some other person prior to 1 July 2000, in any State or Territory of Australia

• You and your spouse/partner must not have occupied for a continuous period of at least 6 months, a residential property in which either of you acquired a relevant interest on or after 1 July 2000 in any State or Territory of Australia.

• You must be a natural person (not a company) and at least 18 years of age at the time of settlement or completion of construction