The family home guarantee explained
The Family Home Guarantee (FHG) was designed to help eligible single parents or eligible single legal guardians buy a home sooner.
Want to know more and find out if you’re eligible?
Our first home buyer specialists are here to break down everything you need to know about this fantastic scheme.
What is the Family Home Guarantee?
The Family Home Guarantee is a federal government initiative designed to support eligible single legal guardians or eligible single parents who claim at least one dependent.
The FHG is a single parent home loan scheme intended to help eligible applicants buy a home with a deposit as low as 2%. It also eliminates the need to pay Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI), which is usually required when a loan applicant puts less than a 20% deposit down.
Under this scheme, the government will guarantee up to 18% of the home loan.
Announced in the 2021/2022 Federal Budget and available beginning 1 July 2021, the FHG has helped many first-time eligible home buyers attain home ownership.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Eligibility requirements for the Family Home Guarantee state that you must:
- Be a single parent with at least one dependent
- Be the sole applicant listed on the loan and title certificate
- Prove they are legally responsible for the dependent
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Not earn more than $125,000 a year
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of application
- Intend to live in the property being purchased
- Move in within 90 days of purchase
- Not own a current home, land, or investment property in Australia
If you need help verifying your eligibility for the scheme, please feel free to get in touch with our team. We’ll help you through the entire process and can do all the hard work for you.
You may also like: What grants are available for first home buyers in WA?
How do I apply?
Want to apply for the FHG? Here’s the easiest way to do it.
Prepare
Once you confirm you are eligible, it’s time to start saving.
You’ll want to make sure you have a minimum of 2% of the purchase price saved up for a deposit. Some participating lenders may require this deposit to be higher, depending on your individual finances.
Submit your application
Once we confirm your eligibility for the FHBG, one of our first time home buyer specialists will help you submit your application.
We have a thorough understanding of the eligibility criteria, participating lenders, and the entire application process.
Our first home buyer specialists will help you fill out your application accurately and promptly so you can move forward toward home ownership.
Buy your first home
Once you determine your eligibility and get your application approved, it’s time for the fun part! Buying or building your first home!
If your application is approved, you’ll need to buy an eligible home within 90 days of approval.
What are the price caps?
As an extension of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, there are some property price caps in place that vary from state-to-state.
Family Home Guarantee price caps 2023
| State | Capital city and regional centre* | Rest of state |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | $900,000 | $750,000 |
| VIC | $800,000 | $650,000 |
| QLD | $700,000 | $550,000 |
| WA | $600,000 | $450,000 |
| SA | $600,000 | $450,000 |
| TAS | $600,000 | $450,000 |
| Territory | All areas | |
| ACT | $750,000 | |
| NT Regional | $600,000 | |
| Jervis Bay Territory & Norfolk Island | $550,000 | |
| Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands | $400,000 |
*Regional centres are Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Geelong, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Source: NHFIC.gov.au
What are the recent changes to the scheme?
The government recently expanded the eligibility criteria in an attempt to address the housing affordability crisis by ensuring more individuals qualify for the scheme.
As part of these changes:
- Permanent residents can now access the scheme (this is expanded from only Australian citizens)
- Eligible applicants are now expanded to include single legal guardians such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles
FAQs
You can check the eligibility tool on the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) website to help determine if you are eligible.
You can get in touch with us regarding your questions and we’ll gladly help you sort through the eligibility process. We know how overwhelming the process can be but we’re here to help you through it!
There are 5,000 places per year available under the Family Home Guarantee for 2023-2024.
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