Australian first home buyer scheme changelog 2026

Full exemption rises to $600,000 and the concession ceiling rises to $800,000 under the 2026-27 WA housing tax package. Estimated commencement 28 July 2026. Buyers who settle just before the change are assessed at the old thresholds and refunded the difference.

From 1 July 2026 the ACT abolished first home buyer stamp duty entirely. There is no property value cap, no income test and no taper. The Home Buyer Concession Scheme remains the delivery mechanism but the value limit and income test have been removed.

Indexed to $103,000 single and $165,000 for joint and single-parent applicants from 1 July 2026. The property price caps were unchanged. The caps are wage-indexed each 1 July.

From 1 July 2026 the grant reduces to $20,000 ($10,000 base plus $10,000 additional) for eligible transactions to 30 June 2027, not $10,000 as earlier guidance suggested. The 100% established-home stamp duty exemption ended on 30 June 2026 and has not been extended.

From 1 July 2026 the NT cap is split: Darwin (capital city) rises to $750,000, while the rest of the Territory stays at $600,000.

The 2026-27 Queensland Budget (23 June 2026) continued the $30,000 grant beyond 30 June 2026, so it does not revert to $15,000. Queensland retains the largest new-build grant in the country.

The RBA held the cash rate at 4.35% at its 16 June 2026 meeting. The lowest advertised big-four owner-occupier variable rates sit around 5.99% to 6.44%.

Established residential investment property acquired after 19:30 AEST 12 May 2026 has rental losses ring-fenced from 1 July 2027, losses can no longer offset salary income, only future rental income or capital gain on sale. 50% CGT discount replaced by cost-base indexation plus a 30% minimum tax floor from 1 July 2027. New-build residential investment property is exempt from both changes (carve-out preserved).

4.35% cash rate after the 5 May 2026 decision (announced 5 May, effective 6 May), the third consecutive rise of 2026. Market pricing at the time implied a rate near 4.7% by year end, but that was a technical assumption in the May Statement on Monetary Policy, not an RBA forecast. The Board then held at 4.35% on 16 June 2026.

Income limits lifted to $155,000 singles, $228,000 couples/families. Perth metro property cap raised to $860,000.

Federal Help to Buy launched 5 December 2025, the government contributes up to 40% of a new home value or 30% of an existing home value as shared equity. Eligible buyers need only a 2% deposit. Income caps $100,000 single / $160,000 couple at launch (indexed to $103,000 / $165,000 from 1 July 2026). 10,000 places per year through 30 June 2029 (40,000 total).

From 1 October 2025 the umbrella Home Guarantee Scheme was renamed the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, and the First Home Buyer Guarantee became its 5% deposit stream for first home buyers (with the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee merged in). Income caps were removed entirely, the annual places cap was removed (now uncapped), and property price caps were raised materially across all locations (Sydney $1.5M, Melbourne $950,000, Brisbane $1M, Perth $850,000, Adelaide $900,000, Hobart $700,000, Canberra $1M, NT $600,000).

CLOSED to new applications on 10 September 2025. Existing participants are unaffected and their arrangements continue. No new VIC state shared-equity scheme replaces it, VIC buyers now use the federal Help to Buy programme (launched 5 December 2025) instead.

Full stamp duty exemption threshold raised to $1,020,000. Tapered concession applies up to approximately $1,455,000. Maximum concession for 2025-26 is $35,238. Income test thresholds unchanged ($170,000 single / $227,000 couple).