#First Home

Victoria land transfer duty 2026-27 rates unchanged for the new financial year. Full first home buyer exemption up to $600,000 with sliding concession to $750,000. Foreign purchaser additional duty at 8%. Worked examples including Melbourne price points.

HECS-HELP repayments in 2026-27 use a marginal rate system: 0% below $69,528, 15% on income above that to $129,717, then 17% to $186,050, then 10% of total income. See how much you repay at every income level and how lenders treat HELP debt in mortgage applications.

APRA's July 2026 review left the 3% serviceability buffer unchanged. Combined with the 6× debt-to-income cap (20% of new lending above 6×) and a 4.35% cash rate, here is exactly what these rules mean for your borrowing power, refinancing options, and loan application strategy.

Northern Territory transfer duty 2026-27: unique quadratic formula for purchases up to $525,000, tiered rates above. HomeGrown Territory Grant of $50,000 replaces the old $10,000 FHOG. Zero foreign purchaser surcharge makes Darwin Australia's lowest-cost entry point for foreign buyers.

APRA's 3% serviceability buffer and 6× DTI cap are the two binding constraints on Australian mortgage borrowing in 2026. A single on $100K can borrow ~$520K; a couple on $200K can borrow ~$1.1M. See how HECS, credit cards, and existing debt reduce your limit.

A complete guide for foreign buyers seeking a home loan in Australia in 2026-27. Established dwelling ban extended to 30 June 2029. State surcharges: NSW 9%, VIC 8%, QLD 8%, WA 7%, SA 7%, TAS 8%. NT is the only state with zero surcharges and zero land tax.

NSW transfer duty 2026-27 rates and thresholds, CPI-indexed for July. Full stamp duty exemption for first home buyers up to $800,000 with sliding concession to $1,000,000. Foreign purchaser surcharge at 9%. Worked examples plus comparison with Victoria.

A guide to first home buyer benefits in Tasmania, ACT, and Northern Territory for 2026-27. ACT abolished stamp duty for all first home buyers from July 2026. NT offers Australia's largest grant at $50,000. TAS reduced FHOG to $20,000 but retains 50% duty discount.

Compare WA and SA first home buyer benefits for 2026-27. WA lifted exemption thresholds three times ($600K exemption, $10K grant, off-the-plan to 2028). SA abolished stamp duty on new builds entirely with no price cap and offers a $15K grant.

Victoria first home buyer guide 2026-27: $10,000 FHOG ($20,000 regional), full stamp duty exemption to $600,000 with sliding concession to $750,000, off-the-plan concession extended to April 2027, and CIPT reform for commercial/industrial properties.

NSW first home buyer guide for 2026-27: $10,000 FHOG for new builds, full stamp duty exemption up to $800,000 with sliding concession to $1,000,000, Transport Oriented Development unlocking housing, and how to stack with federal First Home Guarantee.

ACT conveyance duty 2026-27: income test removed from Home Buyer Concession Scheme from 1 July 2026, zero duty up to $1,020,000. ACT has zero foreign purchaser surcharge on conveyance — the only state or territory with this advantage. No FHOG since 2019.

SA conveyance duty 2026-27 rates from RevenueSA. First home buyers get full stamp duty relief on new homes with no price cap — but existing homes are excluded. Foreign surcharge at 7%. Worked examples at Adelaide price points plus comparison with Queensland.

Everything a Queensland first home buyer needs in 2026-27: $30,000 FHOG extended 4 years, $0 stamp duty on new builds with no price cap now permanently legislated, Boost to Buy shared equity with $330M funding, and how to stack federal schemes.

Compare every first home buyer grant, stamp duty concession, and shared equity scheme across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT for 2026-27 — including the $50K NT grant, QLD zero stamp duty new builds, and ACT full abolition.

Exploring government support and lending for properties in regional Australia.

Common pitfalls first-home buyers face and how to sidestep them.