First-home buyers

First Home Buyer Scheme Checker

Compare the key financial settings for the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme and Help to Buy. This is a planning check, not an eligibility decision or loan approval.

Your purchase plan
Use the relevant Notice of Assessment income figure for Help to Buy.
Keep duty, legal costs and your buffer outside this figure.
Use a lender or BorrowPower estimate as a starting point.
A postcode check with a participating lender is still required.

Your estimate

Scheme settings at a glance

Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme

Required deposit
Price cap for this area

    Australian Government Help to Buy

    Income cap
    Government contribution needed
    Maximum government contribution
    Maximum purchase price at these inputs

      Both schemes require a participating lender to assess the home, loan and personal eligibility. Help to Buy cannot be combined with other government shared-equity, loan or guarantee support for the purchase.

      Understand the trade-offs before applying

      The 5% Deposit Scheme is a government guarantee to a participating lender; it can reduce the deposit needed and avoid LMI, but you remain responsible for the whole loan. Help to Buy is shared equity: the government can contribute up to 30% for an existing home or 40% for a newly built home, and shares in future value changes until its contribution is bought out or the home is sold.

      Read the Government Home Buyer Schemes guide

      General information only, not financial, credit or legal advice. Scheme rules, price caps, participating lenders and personal eligibility can change. Confirm current conditions with the official scheme information and a participating lender before making an offer or signing a contract.

      Read the guide