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See how shared equity works, who qualifies, and which Easystart homes fit under the cap.
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Buy with a 2% deposit and let the WA Housing Authority contribute a share of the purchase price. You live in it, you own it, and you pay nothing on their share while you’re there.
Shared equity splits the cost of your home between you and a government partner. You put in a deposit, a lender provides your home loan, and the government contributes a percentage of the purchase price in exchange for a share in the property.
A smaller deposit, a smaller loan and smaller repayments, on the same house you were looking at anyway.
| Your deposit | From 2% of the purchase price |
| Government contribution | A percentage of the purchase price, which the government holds as an equity share |
| Your home loan | The rest |
Think of the government as a silent partner. Your name goes on the title, the home is yours to live in, and you pay no rent and no interest on their share while you live there.
Western Australians have two shared equity schemes to choose from. One comes from the Australian Government, the other from the WA Government. You can use one or the other, not both.
The Australian Government contributes up to 40% towards a newly built home, or up to 30% towards an existing one, and takes a matching share in the property. Housing Australia runs the scheme, and you apply through one of its participating lenders.
The WA Housing Authority contributes up to 35% of the purchase price, capped at $250,000, and co-owns that share with you. Keystart provides the home loan.
Both schemes could reduce the amount you need to borrow. They work a little differently, and the right one depends on your income, your residency status, and the home you want to buy.
| At a glance | Help to Buy | Urban Connect |
| Backed by | Australian Government | WA Government |
| Home loan through | A participating lender | Keystart |
| Deposit | From 2% | From 2% |
| Shared equity contribution | 5% to 40% new, 5% to 30% existing | 5% to 35%, capped at $250,000 |
| Individual income limit | $103,000 | $128,000 |
| Joint, family and single parent limit | $165,000 | $197,000 |
| Property price cap | $850,000 Perth, $600,000 rest of WA | $800,000 |
| Property types | New or existing, including house and land | Eligible new properties |
| Land size limit | None | Applies to some land titles |
| Who can apply | Australian citizens | Australian citizens and permanent residents |
| First home buyer only? | No | No |
Which option you’re eligible for will depend on things like your income, your citizenship or residency status, the type and price of home you’re buying, and your individual financial circumstances. Our finance team will work through it with you.
Worth knowing: you can’t use both schemes on the same purchase. Both can usually sit alongside the First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty concessions.
Both schemes share a lot of common ground. You’ll need a deposit of at least 2%, you’ll need to live in the home as your principal place of residence, and you can’t currently own property in Australia or overseas.
Where they differ is income, citizenship and the kind of home you’re buying.
You can apply on your own or jointly with one other person. Different income limits apply in regional WA, the Kimberley and the Pilbara, so if you’re building outside the metro area, have a chat to us first.
Both schemes can often be used alongside the First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty concessions. Our finance team will work out exactly what you’re entitled to.
At Easystart Homes, we understand that sorting out your finances and finding the right home loan is a crucial step in your home ownership journey. That’s why we proudly partner with Westgate Finance, our in-house finance team, to make this process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Own it from $813* per week
From $760,050
Lot 269 Corams Road, Baldivis
Own it from $818* per week
From $764,650
Lot 1556 Bunes Lane, Madora Bay
Own it from $825* per week
From $771,650
Lot 531 Wattledale Road, Haynes
Own it from $848* per week
From $792,950
Lot 391 Illyarrie Rise, Sinagra
*T&C’s apply.
We’ve spent years getting West Australians into homes that other builders and other lenders said were out of reach. Shared equity is another route to the same place.
In-house finance
Our team at Westgate handles Keystart applications every week. They know what the lender wants to see and how to present it.
We check the fine print first
Land size, title type, purchase price. We confirm your package fits the scheme before you sign anything.
$2,000 to get started
Sign a Preliminary Preparations Agreement and you’re underway. A land deposit follows to secure your block.
Payments capped during construction
Keystart caps your construction repayments at $100 a week while your home is being built, so you’re not covering rent and a full mortgage at the same time.
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Shared Equity Home Loans
Shared equity can help you buy a home with a smaller deposit and home loan. You contribute part of the purchase price, Keystart provides your home loan, and the WA Housing Authority contributes a percentage of the purchase price in exchange for a share in the property.
You need a minimum deposit of 2% of the home’s purchase price. You’ll also need to allow for other costs associated with buying your home.
The WA Housing Authority can contribute between 5% and 35% of the purchase price, up to a maximum contribution of $250,000.
No. While you’re living in the home, you don’t make monthly repayments, pay rent or pay interest to the WA Housing Authority on its shared equity portion. You still make your regular home loan repayments to Keystart.
Yes. Your name will be on the property title alongside the WA Housing Authority, and the home is yours to live in as your principal place of residence. The WA Housing Authority retains a financial share in the property.
Yes. You can voluntarily buy back some or all of the WA Housing Authority’s share over time. Partial repayments must be at least 5% of your home’s value, and each repayment increases your ownership share.
If you sell, the WA Housing Authority receives its proportional share of the property’s value at that time. This means its share can increase or decrease depending on how the value of your home changes.
The WA Housing Authority shares proportionally in any increase or decrease in the property’s value. When you sell the home or buy out its share, the amount it receives is based on the value of that share at the time.
You can apply on your own or jointly with one other person, provided you both meet the eligibility requirements. The current annual taxable income limits are $128,000 for individual applicants and $197,000 for single parents and joint applicants.
The scheme is available to both Australian citizens and permanent residents, subject to the other eligibility requirements.
No. You cannot currently own property in Australia or overseas when applying for the scheme.
No. The home must be your principal place of residence while you are part of the shared equity scheme. Investment properties are not eligible.
Eligible properties include newly built or off-the-plan apartments, townhouses, villas or units. New builds on green title land may also qualify, with land-size limits of up to 300m² in Perth metro and 500m² in regional WA. New builds on survey strata land have no stated land-size restriction. Our team will check your package against these rules for you.
Yes. The current maximum property purchase price is $800,000.
Potentially, yes. The scheme can be used alongside eligible stamp duty concessions, the First Home Owner Grant and other exemptions. Your individual eligibility will still need to be confirmed.
You’ll need to allow for costs that aren’t covered by Keystart or the WA Housing Authority, such as applicable stamp duty, legal and conveyancing fees, inspections and valuations, mortgage registration, application fees, settlement fees and building insurance.
