Building your first home in WA? Three things can change your budget: the grant, the duty rules and the 5% deposit scheme. Here they are in plain English, with a link to the official page for each. Checked 19 October 2026.
$10,000
First Home Owner Grant for a new home
$0
Duty on a block up to $450,000
5%
Deposit, with no lenders mortgage insurance
01 · The grant
The First Home Owner Grant is a one-off $10,000 payment for eligible first home owners buying or building a new home in WA.
The catch is the cap: in Perth, and anywhere south of the 26th parallel, the land and the build together must be worth $750,000 or less. North of it, the cap is $1,000,000. RevenueWA FHOG fact sheet
02 · Transfer duty
When you build, the duty you pay is on the land. For eligible first home buyers, agreements signed on or after 7 May 2026:
| Buying | No duty up to | Reduced duty up to |
|---|---|---|
| Vacant land | $450,000 | $550,000 |
| A home | $600,000 | $800,000 |
The rate depends on the date you sign, not settlement. RevenueWA first home owner rate of duty
03 · The deposit
The Australian Government’s First Home Guarantee lets eligible buyers borrow with a 5% deposit without paying lenders mortgage insurance. Since 1 October 2025 the Perth price cap is $850,000, there are no income limits and no cap on places. It’s available through participating lenders.
Check the cap for your suburb with the Property Price Cap Tool on Housing Australia’s First Home Guarantee page.
What it can mean, in one example
Say you’re an eligible first home buyer and you buy a $450,000 block, then build a $300,000 home. Land and build come to $750,000, so you’re within the grant cap, and the land sits at the no-duty threshold. That’s money that stays in your deposit.
Illustration only. Your eligibility depends on your circumstances; check with RevenueWA, Housing Australia or a mortgage broker.
General information only, not financial or legal advice. I’m not a mortgage broker or financial adviser; I can introduce you to one.
