New homes

If you’re a first home buyer and you’re buying or building a new home, you may qualify for a $10,000 grant under the First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) scheme.

The grant is available for

• contract to buy a new home
• building contract by the owner of the land
• owner of the land building their own home.

To qualify, the purchase price of your new home must be no more than $600,000.

If you’re buying land to build a new home, the total price – including the land and home – must be no more than $750,000.

Who’s eligible?

To receive the grant for your property

• you must be an individual, not a company or trust
• you must be over 18
• you, or at least one person you’re buying with, must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• your contract date must be on or after 1 January 2016.

You won’t be eligible for the First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) scheme if you or your spouse have previously:

• owned or co-owned a home in Australia
• received a first home owner grant in Australia.

However, you may still be eligible if

• you purchased a residential property after 1 July 2000 and
• didn’t live in it for more than six continuous months.

Requirements for living in the property

You or one of the other first home buyers must

• move into the new home within 12 months after buying the property, and
• live there for at least six continuous months.

If you’re buying land and building a new home, you must move in within 12 months after construction is complete.

If you’re a member of the Australian Defence Force may you may be exempt from the six month residence requirement, providing all buyers are on the New South Wales electoral roll. Contact us for more details.

What’s considered a ‘new home’?

If you’re buying a home, you can apply for the grant if:

• this is the first time the house has been sold, and
• the house has never been lived in before you move in, including by the builder or a tenant.

Recently renovated homes

Your home will also be considered new if it has been substantially renovated before you buy it. You might be eligible for the grant if:

• most or all of the house was removed or replaced
• this is the first time the home has been sold after the renovations
• it hasn’t been lived in since being renovated, including by the builder or a tenant.

Claiming the First Home Owner Grant in NSW

You can apply for the First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) scheme through your bank or financial institution when you’re arranging finance to buy your home.

View our list of approved agents.

If you’ve already completed the purchase process or construction has commenced, you can send your application straight to us.

• We’ll need to receive it within 12 months of settlement or the date the construction of your new home is completed.
• We may also ask you to provide additional documents.

How to apply

Whether you’re applying through an approved agent or directly with us, you’ll need to complete the First Home Owner Grant (New Homes) Application form

The application form has all the information you’ll need to lodge your claim.

Supporting documents

When you apply, we’ll ask you to provide some documents to support your claim. These include:

• proof of identity
• a copy of the contract, dated and signed by the seller
• proof that this is the first time the home has been sold and that it has never been occupied - usually a statement from the seller or their legal representative.

If you’re building a new home, you must provide documents such as council approvals, building contracts or occupation certificates, and evidence of land value.