The Capital state government used to provide $7,000 as First Home Owner Grant till 1 July 2019 — but, now they have replaced it with exemptions on stamp duty. So First Home Buyers in Australian Capital Territory get no amount in First Home Owner Grant anymore — however, exemption on stamp duty adds up to much more than the previous FHOG.

As there is no First Home Owner Grant to assist first home buyers — however, you get exemptions on stamp duty while buying or building a new home, apartment, duplex, or townhouse — OR — if you signed a contract before 1 July 2019 to buy your first home — you can be eligible for First Home Owner Grant up-to $7,000.

• Applicant(s) must be over 18 years old and be an Australian Citizen
• Applicant(s) must not have received FHOG previously — or have owned a home in Australia before.
• Applicant(s) must purchase a new home — not an office, or an investment property.
• Applicant(s) must occupy the property within 6-12 months of purchase and live it there for 12 months afterwards.

Each individual buying/building a new home in Canberra for the first time can be eligible to pay zero stamp duty on his/her first purchase valued up to $750,000. However, they need to have a household income below $160,000 — increases up to $176,650 depending upon the number of family members (children) you may have.

Rising house prices are a continuous nightmare for first home buyers in the Australian Capital Territory(ACT) — however, the state government has introduced many initiatives to share the burden on first home buyers and make the journey easier for them. Those initiatives are:

• First Home Loan Deposit Scheme
• HomeBuilder Grant Program

Yes, you can. But keep in mind, most lenders won’t accept the grant as part of the deposit due to the timing of its payment — additionally, the amount of FHOG will not be sufficient to cover the deposit completely — so you’ll probably need a guarantor. This scenario is only applicable for applications submitted prior to July 1, 2019.