First home buyer stamp duty help in NSW and across Australia
Get your first home stamp duty and schemes worked out before you bid
We work out your transfer duty, the NSW exemption, the 5% Deposit Scheme and what a lender will approve, so you bid with a real figure. Broker across 52+ lenders, at no cost to you.
Stamp duty is usually the largest cost on top of your deposit, and for a first home buyer it can be the difference between buying this year and buying in two. We work out what you will actually pay, which concessions and schemes you can use together, and how much a lender will approve, before you make an offer.
Buying in NSW
Eligible first home buyers in NSW pay no transfer duty on a new or established home valued at $800,000 or less, and a reduced amount below $1 million. Vacant land is exempt to $350,000, with a concession below $450,000. These First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme thresholds have applied since 1 July 2023.
Who qualifies, the 12-month residence rule, the current rates and worked examples from $650,000 to $1 million are in our NSW first home buyer stamp duty guide. We keep the rules in one place so they stay current.
Buying outside NSW
Every state and territory sets its own thresholds and moves them on its own budget cycle, so a price that is exempt in one state can attract duty in another. Our stamp duty by state comparison sets all eight side by side, and our first home owners grant comparison covers the cash grants that sit alongside them. For a quick estimate of your own figure, use our stamp duty calculator.
What we do for first home buyers
Knowing the duty figure is one thing. Knowing what the whole purchase costs, and what a lender will approve, decides which property you can bid on. This is the work we do before you go to an auction or sign a contract:
- Funds to complete. Deposit, transfer duty or the concession, lenders mortgage insurance if it applies, conveyancing, lender fees and a buffer, in one figure, so you know the price you can actually afford.
- Using the schemes together. The NSW exemption and the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme can apply to the same purchase. We check the price caps, income limits and property rules for each, and whether the First Home Owner Grant applies to your new home or build.
- Buying with family help. A family guarantee, a gift or a parent buying alongside you each change the deposit maths and the lenders available. We map the structure before you commit to it.
- Lender matching across 52+ lenders. First home buyers borrowing at a high loan-to-value ratio are assessed and priced differently by each lender. We compare policy and price, not just the advertised rate.
- The second half. A 5% or 10% deposit gets you in, but it also ties you to your first lender until your equity passes 80%. We tell you that before you buy, not after.
What you get is a written funds-to-complete and borrowing estimate after a conversation, then a pre-approval with a lender that fits your file when you are ready to look. There is no cost to you for this work; we are paid a commission by the lender.
When to talk to us
Earlier than you think. The costliest mistakes we see happen before the contract is signed: a deposit plan built around a First Home Super Saver withdrawal that had already been used, a partner on a temporary visa put on the title and triggering the 9% surcharge purchaser duty on top of ordinary duty, or a buyer who settled the land first and lost borrowing power to the rent they were still paying. Each one was avoidable with a conversation two weeks earlier.
Talk to us about your purchase on (02) 8004 7459, or use the form below. Bring your payslips, a savings statement and the suburbs you are looking at, and we can usually give you a working figure in the first conversation.
Thresholds and eligibility rules change with each state budget. Confirm your position with the relevant state revenue office or speak to us before you sign a contract.
This page contains general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Your personal financial situation, objectives and needs have not been considered. Before acting on any information, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Speak to a qualified mortgage broker for advice tailored to your situation. Mortgage World Australia Pty Ltd ATF O’Brien Family Trust (ABN 65 653 284 433) is a credit representative (CR No. 396946) of Mortgage Specialists Pty Ltd (ACN 612 422 178, Australian Credit Licence No. 387025).