Buying your first home is huge. It’s mind-blowing to imagine being finally free of house inspections, lease renewals, ignored communications from absentee agents, and less-than-stellar maintenance. For many people, it is the culmination of a lot of strict saving and dedication, as well as a lot of patient waiting.
The First Home Owners Grant is an initiative that was introduced in 2000 to make buying a home more accessible. Like most of the home-buying process, the First Home Owners Grant can be a little confusing. So ACM Construction has put together a little information to help you get started. This is article is not, by any means, comprehensive but will hopefully point you in the correct direction for further investigation.
What is the First Home Owners Grant?
The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a sum of $15,000 for QLD homes bought in 2019 from the government. Depending on State, the sum and restrictions can vary so it is important to look up your State’s regulations. This sum can be used as your deposit when buying a home or can be applied to your principal.
This grant is awarded to people buying or building new owner-occupied homes. Additionally, owners of the home must live in the house for at least one year continuously. If the conditions of the grant are breached, homeowners must pay back all money received. Substantially renovated homes may be eligible, however, renovated homes have a set of complex criteria surrounding what the government will deem eligible. Always make sure you do your research and speak with a knowledgeable professional.
It is import to remember if you are buying a house jointly with someone else you must both satisfy the grant’s criteria in order to be eligible. Furthermore, you will only receive one grant. If you are interested in finding out your eligibility for assistance, you can visit the Queensland Government’s estimator.
While the first home Owners grant is a great bonus for people looking to own their own home, it doesn’t work for everyone. For people looking to buy a previously lived-in home that is still in great condition, the First Home Owners Grant will provide no relief. The same is true for people looking for an investment property.
However, in this circumstance, you may still be eligible to receive some form of assistance. For homes under $550,000 you can receive a concession on Stamp Duty.There are some handy estimating tools available for transfer duty and first home concessions, among others. Again, you should always consult with a knowledgeable professional before taking action. As such we recommend you consult with an approved agent.
If you would like to know more about the home building process, then please contact our friendly team today!
