No! The FHOG is a genuine grant. It doesn’t incur interest and you never have to pay it back.

Put simply, a first home buyer is defined as an individual who has never owned a residential property before, either in Australia or overseas. An eligible first home buyer is someone who:

• Is 18 years and over
• Is an Australian citizen (or in some cases permanent resident)
• Has never received a grant for first home ownership
• Has never owned property in Australia

A home occupier is a person who resides in a residential property they have purchased with the intent to live in it as their principal place of residence for at least 12 months. This typically refers to someone who lives in the home they own, as opposed to an investor who purchases property for rental income or capital gain purposes.

Yep. Those looking to purchase a house and land package as their first home can rest easy knowing that the FHOG applies to house and land packages in Perth as well.

Even if your partner isn’t a first-home buyer, you might still be eligible for a partial grant depending on the specifics of your situation. It’s always worth checking with the Department of Finance to see what you may be entitled to.

No, the grant is designed to help first-home buyers buy OR build a new residential property for use as their principal place of residence – but there are some strict limitations if you want to buy an established home.

In case you missed it, the biggest limitation of buying an established property is that the maximum value of the property must be lower than the “dutiable value threshold” for WA (the point after which you must pay stamp duty) which means the established home you wish to buy must cost less than $430,000.

If you were to build instead, you could spend up to $750,000 within the Perth metropolitan area.

Everyone knows life can be unpredictable. If your circumstances change, you should contact the Department of Finance immediately to discuss your options. Depending on the situation, you may need to repay the grant, but you may also be eligible for certain exemptions so that you are not under financial strain. Either way, don’t leave it till it is a problem, talk to a professional and you will sleep easier!

In case of changes in your circumstances making it hard to meet these requirements, you have some options:

1. Voluntarily repay the grant: If you repay the grant and the transfer duty, you can apply for the grant again in the future.
2. Apply for a reduction of the residency requirement: You can apply to reduce the 6-month residence period or extend the 12-month deadline. Failure to advise the WA Government could lead to you being required to repay the grant and a penalty.
3. Apply for an exemption from the residence requirement: If there are multiple applicants, the government may exempt one if there are good reasons and at least one of the applicants meets the requirements. The exempted applicant won’t be eligible for future grants.

Yes, some lenders like Keystart allow you to use the FHOG as part of your deposit. It can be very beneficial in making up the amount you need for your home purchase. However, keep in mind that lenders may still require you to have some genuine savings.

The FHOG does not cover renovations to your new home. It’s designed to assist with the purchase or construction of your first residential property. The only time renovations and the FHOG are relevant to each other is if you purchase a home that has been renovated enough to be considered a new home for grant purposes.

First-home buyers don’t pay stamp duty on any home purchased up to the value of $430,000.

Homes between the sale value of $430,001 and $530,000 receive concessions (reduced stamp duty).

Yes, there are! If you receive the FHOG but it turns out you weren’t eligible, you’ll have to pay it back along with a penalty. It’s crucial to ensure all information in your application is correct, if you are unsure, reach out to the Department of Finance for more information.

If your application is declined, don’t stress! The reasons for denial will be explained in the decision, so you can make the necessary adjustments and reapply.

If you don’t think the reasoning is fair, you have the right to lodge an objection to the decision. You can start by getting further advice from the Department of Finance – The people in charge of grants and schemes in Western Australia.