Your first home in Victoria, without the guesswork.
Three separate supports can help Victorian first-home buyers — the First Home Owner Grant, the first-home stamp-duty exemption, and the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme. Each has its own cap and its own rules. We'll show you which you're likely to qualify for and match your file across 50 lenders — honestly, not with a headline number.
Free · 2 minutes · no credit score impact
Victoria first-home support, snapshot.
Three headline figures, each from its official source and dated. These are thresholds and caps — not promises. They are subject to your eligibility and can change.
Where the value caps sit
Each benefit stops at a different property value. Bars are scaled to the Melbourne 5% Deposit Scheme cap ($950,000).
Sources: SRO Victoria (FHOG value cap, first-home duty exemption/concession) and Housing Australia / firsthomebuyers.gov.au (5% Deposit Scheme price caps), current at July 2026. Thresholds are set by government and can change. Subject to eligibility — figures are indicative, not an offer or a guarantee of a benefit.
The first-home eligibility ladder
Genuinely first home. Neither you nor your partner has previously owned and lived in Australian residential property.
Citizen or permanent resident, aged 18 or over at the time of the contract.
Moving in. You live in it as your principal place of residence — generally for at least 12 months, starting within 12 months of settlement.
Within the cap for that benefit. FHOG at $750,000 or less; duty exemption at $600,000 or below; the 5% Deposit Scheme cap depends on location.
Right property type. The FHOG is new homes only; the duty concession and the Guarantee cover new or established.
General guide to common eligibility criteria only — full rules are set by the SRO Victoria and Housing Australia and each benefit has its own conditions. Subject to eligibility; confirm current rules before relying on them.
What each one actually does.
They're not one scheme — they're three, run by different bodies, with different caps. You may qualify for one, two or all three depending on your property and situation.
First Home Owner Grant
A one-off $10,000 payment for eligible first-home buyers.
- $10,000, statewide — the same in metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.
- New / never-occupied homes only — new builds, off-the-plan, house-and-land or substantially renovated homes. Established homes don't qualify.
- Property value $750,000 or less. No income test.
Stamp-duty exemption / concession
A reduction in land-transfer (stamp) duty on your first home.
- $0 duty at $600,000 or below dutiable value — a full exemption.
- Partial concession $600,001–$750,000, tapering to nil as the value nears $750,000.
- Applies to new or established homes, and can only be claimed once.
5% Deposit Scheme
The federal First Home Guarantee — buy with a smaller deposit, no LMI.
- Buy with a 5% deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance (2% for eligible single parents).
- Price cap $950,000 in Melbourne, $650,000 for the rest of Victoria.
- No income caps and unlimited places since 1 Oct 2025. You apply through a participating lender.
No, there isn't a $20,000 Victorian grant.
You'll still see this online. Here's the straight version so you budget on today's rules — not a headline that no longer exists.
The old $20,000 regional grant has ended
Victoria once ran a $20,000 First Home Owner Grant for regional buyers. It ended on 30 June 2021. Since 1 July 2021, first-home buyers in regional Victoria receive the same standard $10,000 FHOG as the rest of the state — there is no longer a regional top-up, and there is no way to stack two grants to $20,000. Anyone marketing a "$20,000 Victorian grant" today is quoting a scheme that closed years ago. Budget on the current $10,000, and only if you're buying a qualifying new home. Source: SRO Victoria, verified July 2026.
Three things a lender weighs first.
Before any grant, a lender assesses whether you can service the loan. Knowing these makes the whole thing calmer — and it's exactly what the 2-minute assessment works out for you.
How much you're putting in
A larger deposit lowers your loan-to-value ratio. Above 80% LVR, Lenders Mortgage Insurance usually applies — unless an eligible scheme like the 5% Deposit Scheme or a guarantor removes it.
The buffer test
Lenders assess you at your rate plus an APRA buffer (currently 3%), not the headline rate. Grants help with the deposit and upfront costs, but you still need to comfortably service the repayments.
What the grants offset
The FHOG and the duty exemption reduce cash you need at settlement; the 5% Deposit Scheme reduces the deposit and removes LMI. We map which apply to your property and add up the real out-of-pocket.
General information only — not financial, tax or credit advice, and not an offer of credit or a guarantee of approval or of any grant. APRA serviceability buffer as published by APRA. Consider your own circumstances and seek advice before acting.
Where rates sit right now.
Grants don't change your repayments — your rate and loan size do. Rates are indicative, move with the cash rate, and each lender sets its own.
4.35% — held, June 2026
The Reserve Bank's cash rate as at its June 2026 decision. It can move at any meeting; lender rates move with it, and each lender sets its own. Source: RBA.
Look past the headline
An advertised rate isn't the whole cost. A comparison rate folds in most fees, and any rate you're actually offered depends on your profile, LVR and the product. We show indicative options, not a rate you may not qualify for.
Confirmed in writing
We can't promise a rate here — only a lender can, in a formal offer. What we do is match your file to lenders whose policies fit, so the numbers you see are realistic before you apply.
50 lenders, one search.
Accredited through Connective, we compare across the majors, regionals, mutuals and non-bank specialists — including the lenders that participate in the 5% Deposit Scheme — 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 — many 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 and complex-income first-home buyers.
Victoria first-home FAQs.
Is there really a $20,000 first home grant in Victoria?
No — not anymore. The $20,000 regional First Home Owner Grant ended on 30 June 2021. Since then, first-home buyers across Victoria — metro and regional — receive the standard $10,000 FHOG, and only on eligible new homes. There is no longer a way to stack two grants to reach $20,000. Source: SRO Victoria, as at July 2026.
How much is the First Home Owner Grant and what does it apply to?
The Victorian FHOG is a one-off $10,000 payment for eligible first-home buyers, on new or never-occupied homes valued at $750,000 or less — new builds, off-the-plan, house-and-land or substantially renovated homes. Established homes do not qualify for the FHOG. There is no income test. Eligibility rules are set by the SRO and can change. Source: SRO Victoria, as at July 2026.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in Victoria?
Eligible first-home buyers pay no land-transfer (stamp) duty on a home with a dutiable value of $600,000 or less. Between $600,001 and $750,000 a partial concession applies, tapering to nil as the value approaches $750,000. This applies to new or established homes and can only be claimed once. Source: SRO Victoria, as at July 2026. Duty payable depends on the exact value — subject to eligibility.
What is the 5% Deposit Scheme price cap in Victoria?
Under the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme (First Home Guarantee), the property price cap is $950,000 in Melbourne and $650,000 for the rest of Victoria. Eligible first-home buyers can purchase with a 5% deposit and no Lenders Mortgage Insurance. Income caps and place limits were removed on 1 October 2025. You apply through a participating lender, subject to eligibility. Source: Housing Australia, as at July 2026.
Can I use the grant, the stamp-duty concession and the 5% Deposit Scheme together?
Potentially, yes — they're separate supports with separate rules, so many first-home buyers use more than one. Each has its own cap and conditions (for example, the FHOG is new homes only, while the duty concession covers established homes too). Whether all three apply depends on your specific property and situation. We'll map which you're likely eligible for — subject to confirmation with the SRO, Housing Australia and your lender.
Does using a broker cost me anything?
No — our service is provided at no cost to you. We're paid commission by the lender when your loan settles, and that doesn't change your rate; lenders pay the same whether you come through us or go direct. Full details are in our Credit Guide. We can't guarantee approval or a particular rate — only a lender can, in a formal offer.
See what you qualify for.
Two minutes tells you which Victorian supports likely apply to you, and which of 50 lenders fit — before you fall for a property or a headline number.
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