Between federal guarantees, state grants, stamp duty exemptions and super-based savings schemes, first home buyers in 2026 have more government help available than any generation before them, if they know what to claim and how to stack it. Here’s the current landscape.
Home Guarantee Scheme (5% deposit, no LMI)
The headline federal scheme lets eligible first home buyers purchase with just a 5% deposit while paying no lenders mortgage insurance: the government guarantees the rest. Since the scheme’s major expansion in late 2025, income caps and annual place limits have been removed, and property price caps were raised across the country. Not every lender participates on the same terms, so which lender you apply through matters.
First Home Owner Grant
The FHOG is a state-based cash grant for buying or building a new home. In NSW it’s $10,000 for new homes under the state’s price caps; amounts and caps differ in every state. It can’t be used for established homes, a detail that catches many buyers out.
Stamp duty exemptions and concessions
Most states waive or discount transfer duty for first home buyers under set price thresholds. In NSW, eligible buyers currently pay no duty below $800,000 and a concessional rate up to $1 million, a saving of up to roughly $30,000. Check your own number with the stamp duty calculator.
First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS)
You can make voluntary super contributions and later withdraw up to $50,000 per person (plus earnings) towards a first home deposit. Because contributions are taxed at 15% instead of your marginal rate, a couple can effectively boost their deposit savings by thousands per year compared with a regular savings account.
Work out how much to put away each week or month to hit your deposit target date.
Open the savings goal calculator →Can you stack them?
Frequently, yes. A NSW buyer purchasing a new home under the caps could combine the Home Guarantee Scheme (5% deposit, no LMI), the $10,000 FHOG, a full stamp duty exemption and FHSSS savings, a five-figure head start. Eligibility rules, price caps and property types all interact, and they change regularly.
Get the current rules for your situation
Scheme settings shift with budgets and elections, the figures above are a guide, not gospel. Linton Finance’s first home buyer service checks your eligibility across every scheme as part of a free consultation, then structures the loan through a lender that supports the full stack. Book a time with Nathan.