Supporting first home buyers

The NSW Government’s comprehensive package to improve housing affordability is focused on helping first home buyers, who often face stiff competition from investors.

For first home buyers, this comprehensive package will:

- abolish stamp duty on all homes up to $650,00

-give stamp duty relief for homes up to $800,000

-provide a $10,000 grant for builders of new homes up to $750,000 and purchasers of new homes up to $600,000

-abolish insurance duty on lenders’ mortgage insurance

ensure foreign investors pay higher duties and land taxes

no longer allow investors to defer paying stamp duty on off-the-plan purchases.

Stamp duty relief

The duty paid when buying residential property can be an obstacle for first home buyers. For those entering the market, the NSW Government is abolishing this duty on new and existing homes worth up to $650,000.

For properties valued at between $650,000 and $800,000, the duty concession will be gradually reduced.

Concessions on vacant land will remain unchanged

First home buyer grants, stamp duty exemptions and discounts in NSW.

When do these stamp duty savings begin?

This change will take effect from 1 July 2017.

Contracts dated prior to the commencement of these reforms will continue to be eligible for the same grants, concessions, and conditions for which they would have been eligible had these changes not occurred.

First Home Owners Grant (New Homes)

First home buyers building a new property will be entitled to a $10,000 grant on homes worth up to $750,000.

First home buyers purchasing a new property worth up to $600,000 will be entitled to a $10,000 grant.

This policy aims to provide assistance to first home buyers and stimulate the construction of new dwellings.

The $5,000 New Home Grant Scheme, which was available to other buyers including investors, will be closed.

Insurance duty on lenders’ mortgage insurance abolished

Insurance duty on lenders’ mortgage insurance is imposed at a rate of nine per cent of the premium. The removal of this duty will save all home buyers (first home buyers or not) money if they need lenders’ mortgage insurance.

This policy will take effect from 1 July 2017.

For example, on a home valued at $800,000, a buyer with a deposit of $50,000 who needs lenders’ mortgage insurance, could save about $2,900.

Foreign investors to pay higher duties

Foreign investors will pay higher surcharges when they purchase residential real estate.

The surcharge on stamp duty paid on new purchases by foreign investors will double from four per cent to eight per cent, and the surcharge on land tax will rise from 0.75 per cent to two per cent. Foreign developers will be exempt from the increased surcharges.

No more stamp duty deferral for investors

First home buyers often face strong competition for properties from investors. To help counter this, the NSW Government is abolishing the 12-month deferral of duty for residential off-the-plan purchases by investors.

Buyers who are purchasing a home they plan to live in off-the-plan (regardless of whether they are first home buyers or not) will still be entitled to a 12-month delay in the payment of stamp duty, deferring payment from 3 to 15 months after settlement. But this concession will be closed to investors.

This policy will take effect from 1 July.