Four kinds of help, run by different bodies, with criteria that do not line up. Some combine and some do not.
Most eligible buyers can combine the NSW stamp duty exemption with the 5% Deposit Scheme, and use the First Home Super Saver Scheme for part of the deposit. Help to Buy is generally an alternative to the 5% Deposit Scheme, not an addition.
The $10,000 First Home Owner Grant also stacks, but only on a new home under its price cap.
Part of the first home buyer loans guide.
A federal government guarantee that lets eligible first home buyers purchase with a five per cent deposit without paying lenders mortgage insurance, because the government guarantees the balance to the lender.
What could a 5% deposit get you?
No LMI: an estimated $22,800 premium avoided (a broad guide; real premiums vary by lender and loan).
Stamp duty: $0 for eligible NSW first home buyers (saves $30,187).
Indicative only. The deposit excludes stamp duty, legal and inspection costs, and a participating lender, not this calculator, confirms 5% Deposit Scheme eligibility.
Confirm your numbers.
Charles looked after us really well and his knowledge gave us the confidence to purchase our property. He wasn’t pushy and always ensured we felt comfortable with the repayments.
I have had a number of dealings with Charles from Links Property Finance. He is very knowledgeable, thorough, and detailed with his advice. Importantly, he is very approachable and easy to deal with. His advice has been beneficial to myself and my acquaintances. I highly recommend him.
Charles is an absolute star at what he does. He was straight-up, highly professional, and worked hard to secure a fantastic rate for our home loan. Communication was prompt and clear the entire way through. I would trust him with any future financial needs
Charles Touma, Mortgage Broker.
A $10,000 grant for eligible buyers of new homes, including newly built properties and in some cases substantially renovated ones. It does not apply to established housing. Because it targets new builds, it comes up most often in the growth corridors and in house-and-land purchases.
It can generally be combined with the other supports where the criteria are met.
A shared-equity scheme where the government takes an equity share in the property, reducing the amount you need to borrow, with a lower minimum deposit than conventional lending requires. It has its own income and property price caps and its own eligibility rules.
It is generally an alternative to the 5% Deposit Scheme rather than an addition, and which suits you depends on your income, deposit and long-term plans, since a government equity share is repaid eventually.
The criteria differ, so this is a starting point rather than a ruling on your situation.
Usually yes. The 5% Deposit Scheme and stamp duty relief commonly apply together for eligible NSW buyers, and the First Home Owner Grant can be added where the property is an eligible new build.
Help to Buy is generally an alternative to the 5% scheme rather than something layered on top.
Not any more. Since 1 October 2025 the 5% Deposit Scheme has unlimited places, but the guarantee is still arranged through a participating lender as part of your loan application, so timing around the contract still matters. The stamp duty concessions apply wherever the eligibility criteria are met.
Not quite: the 5% Deposit Scheme’s Sydney cap is $1.5 million, which covers much of the market outside the premium suburbs. The NSW duty thresholds are separate, at $800,000 for the full exemption and $1 million where the concession ends.
Different bodies for different schemes. Revenue NSW administers stamp duty relief and the grant; the federal guarantee scheme runs through participating lenders. A broker checks all of it against your circumstances at once, which is faster than approaching each separately.
Yes, periodically, and they are set by government rather than by lenders. Figures on this page reflect current settings at the time of writing and are confirmed against the relevant authority when your application is prepared, which is why we check rather than assume.
For questions that go beyond the schemes themselves, our first home buyer FAQ is a good next stop.
Charles checks eligibility against current criteria for your circumstances, before you shortlist suburbs.
Prefer a callback?Charles calls back within one business day. No documents needed yet.
General information only, not credit or financial advice. Professional lending policies, eligible occupations and loan-to-value thresholds vary by lender and change over time. Eligibility is confirmed against current lender policy in an assessment; nothing on this page is a promise that any lender will approve any application.
Official sources for the figures on this page: Housing Australia, Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme · Revenue NSW, First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme · Revenue NSW, First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant · Australian Taxation Office, First Home Super Saver Scheme · Housing Australia, Help to Buy. Scheme rules change; the official pages are the final word. Checked against these sources on 12 October 2026.
