Buying your first home is a milestone in anyone’s life, but it’s also an expensive proposition. Unless you’re fortunate enough to have loads of money saved up (or a very generous family member), the odds are you’ll need some financial assistance along your home-building journey. Along with a home loan, first home buyers owe it to themselves to try to qualify for the first home buyers grant. For eligible home buyers, government grants like these can provide a real leg-up and allow you to save some money on your build. This article will explain how much home buyers grant money you’ll receive, how to find out if you’re eligible and the steps you should take to improve your chances.
Before we dive in, we should specify that this article is specifically for those looking to receive a grant from the Queensland government. If you’re from another state, your government grants may have different conditions.
What is the first home buyers grant on the Gold Coast?
The first homeowner grant is a government that enables first-time buyers to purchase a new house. Eligible home buyers and Queensland first homeowners can receive a one-off payment of $15,000 to put towards their new house. The house must have a purchase price of or be valued at $750,000 or less.
The grant can be used to purchase a residential property that matches one of the following descriptions:
- A newly-built house unit or townhouse
- A house and land package
- to buy vacant land to build a new home on
- an established home that has had substantial renovations. If you substantially renovated the house after purchase, this doesn’t meet the criteria. The seller needs to substantially renovate before selling the house.
You cannot use the grant to purchase a previously owned property or an existing home. The home you buy must be one you plan to live in, so this means no investment property.
What do I need to know about filling in the application?
When it comes to filling in government applications, it’s best to get it right the first time rather than fix mistakes later. There are a few details to keep in mind when making your application:
- You’ll need at least one applicant on the form.
- Everyone who will be an owner of the new house must be included as an applicant on your application.
- Your spouse, if you have one, must be included on the application. They can be listed as either an applicant (co-owner) or non-applicant spouse.
- Regardless of the number of applicants, you only need one application for the house.
- The grant is paid per house, not per applicant (sorry if you had your hopes up!)
- The situations of each applicant and their spouse will be taken into consideration when determining the eligibility of the application.
Am I eligible for the first home buyers grant on the Gold Coast?
Before you apply for grant funds, the first thing you’ll need to determine is whether you meet the eligibility criteria:
- Aged 18 or over
- An Australian Citizen or permanent resident.
- You or your spouse must not have owned property in Australia on or after 1 July 2000
- You and your spouse can not have already received a first home owner grant in Queensland or any other state or territory in Australia.
Can the grant be used to purchase an Investment Property
No. The grant funds cannot be used to purchase any investment property that you don’t intend to personally live in. For example, if you’re looking to purchase a home to rent out to tenants, you won’t be able to apply for the first homeowners grant.
However, if you’ve previously owned property for investment purposes (for example, to rent) but haven’t lived there, you may be able to still qualify for the first homeowners grant. This is a big “if” that will depend very much on your circumstances, so you’ll need to run this by a trusted agent.
If you want to rent out a room in your first home while you live there as a permanent resident, this doesn’t disqualify you from the grant. The important distinction is you have to be a permanent resident in the home you’re building.
How to apply for the first home buyers grant on the Gold Coast?
If you think you have a good shot of getting the homeowners to grant, your next step is to place an application. But where’s the best place to go? The two main methods of making an application are as follows:
Bank or lending institution
This tends to be the quickest way to make home owners grant applications, and it comes with the added benefit of having an agent there to help you through the process. An approved agent can help gauge your eligibility and help you organise your application.
For your application, you’ll need some supporting documents. The documents can be scanned provided there:
- signed and dated contract
- properly completed
- clearly legible
Your agent should be able to run you through each of the steps to ensure you don’t make a mistake that causes a delay or, worse, ends up getting you fined. If you have any questions or queries, be sure to ask.
Apply directly through the Queensland Revenue Office
You also have the option of applying directly through the Queensland Revenue Office directly. This can be done through the website through which you can upload any necessary. Odds are, the money from your first home buyer grant won’t be paid until the house is completed. This is a pain if you were hoping to use the money as a deposit, but is still useful in the long run.
When to apply for the first homeowner grant on the Gold Coast?
Depending on your project, you’ll need to apply for the grant during one of the following time frames.
- Buying a home – apply within one year of possessing your new house and registering your title.
- Contract to Build – you must apply within a year of the home being finished.
- Owner-build – apply one year of your home is completed.
When will I receive the grant funds?
The most common times to receive your funds are at one of the following times.
- at the settlement of the house
- the first drawdown of funds
- upon receipt of the final inspection certificate
Can I use a first home buyers grant to build a new home?
Yes. The purpose of the first home buyers grant is to help people buy a brand new home and build a new home provided the house, unit or townhouse. It’s important to note whatever you’re building, it has to be worth under $750,000. You can’t use the grant to buy a previously owned property in Australia or a pre-existing property that someone has already lived in.
For the purposes of the grant, your new home needs to be your primary residence. This means there are a few rules you’ll need to follow. You must
- move into and make your permanent residence
- must remain as a permanent resident for at least 6 months.
How to build your first home on the Gold Coast?
Building a home on the Gold Coast involves a lot of planning and research. Here are a few quick tips:
- Consider what’s the best home design to meet your needs and budget.
- Talk to a mortgage broker to sort out your finances. Having a financial plan helps you meet your deposit deadlines, and make home loan repayments.
- Compare different home loan providers to find the best deal for you.
- A building consultant can help you find the right builder for you, and help make sure things run smoothly during your build.
You can also read our blog posts for weekly articles!
Need Help Picking the Right Builder For You?
How We Can Help You
Building a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make in your life. At Buildi, we’ll be there throughout the entire building process, guiding you step by step so you can avoid any pitfalls. We will help you by following these steps.
- Free Consultation – We will sit with you to understand what you are looking to accomplish.
- Due Diligence – We work with you to ensure you’re buying the right block of land at the right price without hidden problems.
- Builders tender – We will take your requirements out to the market of builders and they will bid to win your business.
- Present solutions – We will compile the top 3 options and present you with a comprehensive proposal on builders’ strengths & weaknesses along with prices and specifications.
- Contract Signing – We will work with you and your selected builder to ensure there is full transparency in what you are entering into.
- Building your home – We work closely with the builder to ensure all service levels are met and your project is on schedule.
Research reputable home builders on the Gold Coast
Research house and land packages on the Gold Coast
Coomera
Pimpama
Visit display home locations on the Gold Coast
A display home can be a great way to get a feel for a builder’s style and what a floor plan feels like in real life. The gold coast has plenty of display villages you can visit.
Key takeaways
For anyone looking to build their first home, why wouldn’t you want to save as much money as possible? The first home grant is a great way to make a dent in your building costs. So if you’re eligible, we say go for it. What have you got to lose?
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