Your first home in South Australia — grants, relief and the schemes that fit.
Three different supports can help SA first-home buyers: the $15,000 First Home Owner Grant, SA stamp-duty relief on new homes, and the federal First Home Guarantee. They have different rules — we help you see which ones you may qualify for, then match your loan across 50 lenders.
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SA first-home support, at a glance.
Three programs, three sets of rules. The figures below are current at the dates shown — every one is subject to eligibility and the rules can change, so treat this as general information, not advice, and confirm your position before you commit.
Are you a first-home buyer?
You (and your partner) generally can't have owned residential property in Australia before. Applicants are usually 18+ and an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Is it a new home?
The SA grant and SA stamp-duty relief apply to new homes or vacant land to build only — not established homes. The First Home Guarantee can apply to new or established.
Will you live in it?
The grant requires you to live in the home as your principal residence for at least 6 continuous months, starting within 12 months of settlement or completion.
Is the price under the guarantee cap?
The SA grant and relief no longer have a value cap, but the First Home Guarantee does: Adelaide $900,000, rest of SA $500,000.
*“No stamp duty” describes the SA first-home-buyer relief for eligible new homes / vacant land to build (contracts on or after 6 June 2024); other costs still apply. Sources: RevenueSA (First Home Owner Grant; Stamp Duty Relief for Eligible First Home Buyers) and Housing Australia / firsthomebuyers.gov.au (First Home Guarantee property price caps), current at July 2026. Figures and rules are set by government, are subject to eligibility, and can change — confirm your position with RevenueSA and Housing Australia. General information only, not credit, financial or tax advice.
What each one actually is.
They’re run by different governments and aimed at different things. Here’s the plain-English version — always subject to the current eligibility rules.
SA First Home Owner Grant
A $15,000 one-off SA Government payment for building or buying a brand-new home you’ll live in. New homes only; no property value cap since 6 June 2024. Apply within 12 months.
SA stamp-duty relief
Eligible first-home buyers pay no stamp duty on an eligible new home, off-the-plan apartment, house-and-land package or vacant land to build (contracts on/after 6 June 2024). Value thresholds abolished.
First Home Guarantee (federal)
Buy with a 5% deposit (2% for eligible single parents) and no LMI, because the government guarantees part of the loan. Since 1 Oct 2025: no place limits, no income caps — but price caps apply.
How we help
We’re not the government — we can’t approve a grant. What we do is help you understand which schemes may fit, then match your home loan across 50 lenders and lenders who accept the guarantee.
The 5% deposit route — how the SA caps work.
Under the Australian Government’s First Home Guarantee, eligible first-home buyers can purchase with a 5% deposit and pay no Lenders Mortgage Insurance. From 1 October 2025 there are no place limits and no income caps, but the property price must be at or under the cap for your area. In South Australia:
Source: Housing Australia / firsthomebuyers.gov.au — First Home Guarantee property price caps, current at July 2026. The 2% deposit option is the Family Home Guarantee for eligible single parents/guardians. You apply through a participating lender; eligibility, caps and scheme rules are set by government and can change. Subject to eligibility — not a guarantee of approval.
Can you use all three together?
For an eligible new home in SA, these are separate programs with their own rules — so it may be possible to combine the SA grant, SA stamp-duty relief and the First Home Guarantee. For an established home, the SA new-home grant and relief don’t apply, but the guarantee still can.
Potentially all three
An eligible new home you’ll live in may attract the $15,000 grant, SA stamp-duty relief and the First Home Guarantee’s 5% deposit — provided you meet each program’s rules and the price is under the guarantee cap.
Guarantee, not the grant
Buying an existing home? The SA First Home Owner Grant and SA first-home stamp-duty relief are for new homes only. The federal First Home Guarantee can still apply, subject to its caps and eligibility.
Rules change
Grant amounts, relief rules and price caps are set by government and are revised from time to time. Confirm the current position with RevenueSA and Housing Australia before you sign anything.
The numbers a lender still checks.
Grants and a smaller deposit help you buy — but a lender still has to be satisfied you can repay. These are the figures that decide it, whatever scheme you use. Rates are indicative and move with the cash rate.
What’s the loan vs the value?
The First Home Guarantee lets eligible buyers borrow up to 95% of value without LMI. Outside the scheme, above 80% LVR usually means LMI. A grant can boost your deposit, but genuine-savings rules still vary by lender.
The buffer test
Lenders assess you above the actual rate, using an APRA serviceability buffer (currently 3%). With the RBA cash rate held at 4.35% (Jun 2026) and variable rates moving with it, the buffer is what really sets your borrowing power.
Beyond the deposit
Even with stamp-duty relief, budget for conveyancing, building/pest inspections, registration fees, loan fees and moving costs. We help you build a realistic all-in number, not just the headline price.
Rates and buffers are indicative and general in nature, current at the dates shown, and change over time — a comparison rate combines the interest rate with most fees and charges. Any figure here is not an offer of credit or a guarantee of approval, a rate or a saving; your actual options depend on your circumstances, the lender, LVR and product, and are confirmed in writing.
50 lenders, one search.
Accredited through Connective, we compare across the majors, regionals, mutuals and non-bank specialists — including lenders who participate in the First Home Guarantee — then match your file to the ones that fit.
Major banks
CBA, Westpac, NAB, ANZ — sharp pricing for clean, lower-LVR profiles.
Regional & online
Macquarie, ING, Bankwest and digital lenders — often keen on first-home buyers.
Customer-owned
Credit unions and mutuals — competitive and flexible on genuine-savings policy.
Specialist
Liberty, Pepper and similar — self-employed, casual and complex income.
SA first-home buyer FAQs.
Can I get the $15,000 SA First Home Owner Grant on an existing home?
No. The SA First Home Owner Grant is for new homes only — building a new home, buying a home that has never been lived in, or an off-the-plan apartment. Established homes don’t qualify for the grant, though the federal First Home Guarantee can still apply. All of this is subject to eligibility and the rules can change; confirm the current position with RevenueSA.
Is there a property price limit on the SA grant and stamp-duty relief?
For contracts entered into on or after 6 June 2024, SA abolished the property value cap for both the First Home Owner Grant and the first-home stamp-duty relief on eligible new homes — so there is no value ceiling on those SA programs. The separate federal First Home Guarantee does have price caps: $900,000 for Adelaide and $500,000 for the rest of SA (current at July 2026, source Housing Australia). Rules change, so check before you commit.
Can I combine the SA grant, stamp-duty relief and the First Home Guarantee?
They’re separate programs with their own rules, so for an eligible new home you’ll live in it may be possible to access all three. For an established home, the SA new-home grant and relief don’t apply, but the First Home Guarantee still can. Eligibility for each is assessed on its own criteria — we can help you understand which ones may fit your situation.
How much deposit do I need as a first-home buyer in SA?
Under the First Home Guarantee, eligible buyers can purchase with a 5% deposit (2% for eligible single parents under the Family Home Guarantee) and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance, as long as the price is within the caps. Outside the scheme, deposits below 20% usually mean LMI. A grant can add to your deposit. These figures are indicative and subject to eligibility.
Do you charge a fee, and can you promise I’ll get a grant?
Our service is generally free to you — we’re paid a commission by the lender when your loan settles, and lenders pay the same whether you come through us or go direct (full details in our Credit Guide). We can’t promise, approve or pay any grant — those are government programs run by RevenueSA and Housing Australia. We help you understand eligibility and match your loan.
Is anything on this page financial or tax advice?
No. This page is general information only and doesn’t take your personal circumstances into account. Grant amounts, stamp-duty relief and scheme caps are set by government and change over time. Please confirm current eligibility and figures with RevenueSA and Housing Australia, and consider getting advice for your own situation before acting.
See which SA schemes may fit.
Answer a few questions and we’ll help you understand your grant and scheme options, then match your home loan across 50 lenders.
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