First Home Buyer Grants in South Australia
The $15,000 grant, the full stamp duty exemption with no price cap, HomeStart, and the federal schemes, explained for South Australian first home buyers and shown as a single figure.
See your SA first home support
Move the slider to your price and choose new or established. We will add the grant and the stamp duty saving you may be entitled to in South Australia.
Guide only. Not financial advice. Grants, caps and eligibility depend on your circumstances. Confirm with RevenueSA or a professional.
Watch: South Australia first home buyer grants explained
About this lesson and video chapters
How To Home Loan in Australia: A First Home Buyers Guide
If you are buying your first home in South Australia, this lesson explains what government support is available in 2026, how the different schemes work together, and why South Australia is very different to every other state.
About this lessonSouth Australia offers one of the strongest first home buyer support packages in Australia, particularly for buyers purchasing new homes or higher value properties.
In this lesson, Ross explains how the South Australian First Home Owner Grant, stamp duty exemptions, low deposit options, and the Help to Buy shared equity scheme fit together.
You will learn- What first home buyer grants are available in South Australia
- How the Help to Buy scheme works and where it fits
- When the Government can contribute up to 40 percent of a property
- Why Help to Buy cannot be combined with other purchase schemes
- How the $15,000 South Australia First Home Owner Grant works
- Why South Australia has no property price cap on the grant
- How full stamp duty exemption applies to new homes and land
- How the 5 percent deposit scheme and LMI waiver works
- Why choosing the right pathway matters before signing a contract
This lesson helps you understand how South Australia’s benefits work as a structure, so you can choose the right option based on your situation.
Video chapters- 0:00 South Australia first home buyer grants overview
- 0:22 Why South Australia is different to other states
- 0:48 Help to Buy scheme explained for SA buyers
- 1:24 Help to Buy property price caps in South Australia
- 2:02 Why Help to Buy cannot be combined with other schemes
- 2:36 South Australia First Home Owner Grant explained
- 3:12 No property price cap and why it matters
- 3:46 Stamp duty exemptions in South Australia
- 4:18 How much stamp duty first home buyers can save
- 4:52 The 5 percent deposit scheme explained
- 5:22 Why the 5 percent deposit scheme is usually preferred
- 5:52 Final takeaway for South Australian buyers
What help can a first home buyer get in South Australia?
South Australian first home buyers may be entitled to several forms of help that often stack together. The main ones are the $15,000 First Home Owner Grant for a new home, a full stamp duty exemption on a new home with no price cap, HomeStart Finance low deposit and shared equity options through the SA Government lender, and the federal schemes such as the First Home Guarantee, Help to Buy and the First Home Super Saver Scheme.
People searching this also ask: “first home buyer grants SA”, “first home owner grant South Australia”, and “first home buyer stamp duty SA”.
Most buyers focus on the cash grant and miss that the stamp duty saving is often worth more. On a new home in South Australia the grant is $15,000, but the stamp duty wiped off can be larger again depending on the price. Looking at the total support, rather than the grant alone, gives you a truer picture of what may be on the table.
How much is the First Home Owner Grant in SA?
The First Home Owner Grant in South Australia is up to $15,000 for eligible first home buyers who buy or build a new home, and there is no property price cap. It applies to new homes, off the plan purchases and house and land packages, and it does not apply to established homes.
| Feature | South Australia |
|---|---|
| Grant amount | Up to $15,000 |
| Property type | New homes, off the plan and house and land packages |
| Property price cap | No cap |
| Income test | No income test |
| Established homes | Not eligible for the grant |
| Administered by | RevenueSA |
South Australia removed the price cap on the First Home Owner Grant, so the full $15,000 may be available on an eligible new home regardless of the build or purchase price.
To be eligible you must generally be at least 18, be a person rather than a company or trust, and at least one applicant must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. You also must not have owned residential property in Australia that you lived in, and you must live in the home as your principal place of residence for a continuous period after settlement or completion. Your broker can confirm whether your situation fits the current criteria before you sign anything.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in South Australia?
Eligible first home buyers in South Australia pay no stamp duty when they buy or build a new home, and there is no price cap on this exemption. It applies to a new home, an off the plan apartment, a house and land package, or vacant land on which you build a new home. Established homes do not currently receive a first home buyer stamp duty concession in South Australia.
This is the part many buyers underestimate. The grant is a fixed $15,000, but the stamp duty exemption scales with the price of the home, so on a higher value new build the duty saving can be worth more than the grant itself. Together, the grant and the exemption can remove a large amount of cash from what you need at settlement.
The stamp duty exemption and the First Home Owner Grant are applied for separately, even though the eligibility tests are similar. If you do not claim the duty relief at settlement, you may be able to apply for a refund within set time limits. Always confirm the current rules with RevenueSA.
What is HomeStart Finance?
HomeStart Finance is a home loan lender owned by the South Australian Government that lends only to South Australians buying or building a home to live in. It does not charge lenders mortgage insurance on any loan, and it offers low deposit and shared equity options designed to help more people into a home sooner.
With a standard HomeStart loan you may be able to buy with as little as a 5 percent deposit, or build with as little as an 8 percent deposit. If you hold a Certificate III or higher qualification, the Graduate Loan may let you buy from a 2 percent deposit, or build from a 5 percent deposit. Selected essential workers and technical college graduates may also qualify for the Graduate Loan.
HomeStart also offers a Shared Equity Option. With this additional loan HomeStart can fund between 5 percent and 25 percent of the property value or purchase price, with no interest charged on that portion. Instead, HomeStart shares in the gain or loss in your property value when you sell. It can lift your buying budget without lifting your monthly repayments, subject to income and purchase price limits.
HomeStart sits alongside the grant and the stamp duty exemption rather than replacing them. A first home buyer building a new home in South Australia could use a HomeStart low deposit loan, claim the $15,000 grant, and pay no stamp duty on the new build, all at the same time.
Federal schemes for SA first home buyers
On top of the SA grant, the federal government runs several schemes that South Australian first home buyers can consider. The biggest for most buyers is the First Home Guarantee, which lets eligible buyers purchase with a 5 percent deposit and pay no lenders mortgage insurance. There is also Help to Buy, a shared equity scheme, and the First Home Super Saver Scheme.
| Scheme | What it does |
|---|---|
| First Home Guarantee | Buy with a 5 percent deposit and pay no LMI. The government guarantees part of the loan. SA price caps are $900,000 in Adelaide and large regional centres and $500,000 in the rest of the state |
| Family Home Guarantee | For eligible single parents and guardians, buy with as little as a 2 percent deposit and no LMI |
| Help to Buy | Shared equity. The government takes a stake of up to 40 percent of a new home or 30 percent of an existing one, which reduces your loan. Income and place limits apply |
| First Home Super Saver | Save toward your deposit inside super and withdraw eligible contributions, with tax advantages |
For most first home buyers the First Home Guarantee is the standout, because avoiding LMI on a low deposit can save more than the cash grant itself. It is worth confirming your eligibility before assuming you need a 20 percent deposit.
Stacking your SA support
In many cases these forms of help stack. A first home buyer building a new home in South Australia can often receive the $15,000 First Home Owner Grant, pay no stamp duty on the new build, and use the First Home Guarantee to avoid LMI at the same time. Some schemes are mutually exclusive or means tested, so the right combination depends on your situation.
This is where a broker earns their keep, because the best stack is not always the obvious one. A new home unlocks the grant and the full stamp duty exemption, while an established home misses both but may still suit your budget and location with the First Home Guarantee. Running the combinations against real numbers is the point, and it costs you nothing to have it done.
As a first home buyer, working with a broker is generally free to you. The lender pays the broker, so there are no upfront fees to you for the advice and the application work.
General information only. This page and its calculator provide indicative estimates based on current South Australian First Home Owner Grant and first home stamp duty settings. It is not financial advice, a quote, or a guarantee, and your personal circumstances have not been considered. Grant amounts, price caps, eligibility criteria, scheme places and HomeStart product terms change and vary by circumstance, and some forms of help apply only to new homes. Eligibility for the First Home Guarantee, Family Home Guarantee, Help to Buy and the First Home Super Saver Scheme is subject to separate criteria and limits. Always confirm current grants and your eligibility with RevenueSA, HomeStart, Housing Australia, or a licensed mortgage broker. Ross McFarlane (Credit Representative 526725) is an authorised Credit Representative of Australian Associated Advisers Pty Ltd t/a Keylend, Australian Credit Licence 392169.