First Home Buyers

Buying your first home is one of the biggest financial steps you will ever take, and in Perth right now there is more government help available than there has been in years. The catch is that every scheme has its own rules, its own caps, and its own deadlines, and the differences between them matter. This page brings them together in one place, explains how the buying and settlement process works, and covers the questions we are asked most often, including what happens when the property you want to buy has a tenant in it.

KPR sells houses and strata property right across Perth, and we specialise in apartments, villas and townhouses through the inner-city corridor, which is exactly where many first home buyers start. Whatever you are looking at, we are happy to talk you through how these schemes apply to a specific property before you make an offer.

The schemes, one by one

Each scheme below has its own page with the current figures, who qualifies, and the fine print that catches people out. Click through for the detail.

First Home Owner Grant: $10,000 from the WA Government when you buy or build a new home. It does not apply to established properties.
First home owner rate of transfer duty: no stamp duty on established homes up to $600,000 and a concessional rate up to $800,000 in the Perth metropolitan area, for contracts entered into from 7 May 2026.
Home Buyers Assistance Account: a rebate of up to $2,000 towards buying costs when you purchase an established home for $500,000 or less through a licensed WA real estate agency, lodged by your lender within 90 days of settlement.
First Home Guarantee: buy with a 5 per cent deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance, with the Australian Government guaranteeing part of your loan. From 1 October 2025 there are no income caps and no limit on places, with a Perth price cap of $850,000.
Help to Buy: the Australian Government contributes up to 40 per cent of the price of a new home, or 30 per cent of an existing one, in exchange for an equity share, with a deposit from 2 per cent. Income caps of $100,000 for singles and $160,000 for couples apply.
Keystart: the WA Government backed lender offering loans from a 2 per cent deposit with no lenders mortgage insurance, designed as a stepping stone into ownership.
First Home Super Saver Scheme: save your deposit inside superannuation and withdraw up to $50,000 of voluntary contributions, taxed at concessional rates.

Several of these can be combined. A common pairing is the first home owner rate of duty with the First Home Guarantee, and buyers of new properties often stack the First Home Owner Grant on top. Which combination suits you depends on your income, your deposit, and the property itself, so check the individual pages and confirm your position with your lender or broker.

The buying and settlement process, question by question

How do I make an offer?

In WA most established property sells by private treaty on the standard Contract for Sale of Land with the 2018 General Conditions. You write your offer, usually subject to finance, and the seller accepts, rejects, or counters. On KPR listings we use the Openn platform to rank offers transparently, so you always know where you stand.

What does subject to finance mean?

Your offer only becomes unconditional once your lender formally approves your loan for that specific property. Tell your Sales Specialist who your broker or lender is early. We need to be confident that the buyer and the property both fit the lender’s policy, because that is what lets us present your offer to the seller in its best light.

When is settlement?

Settlement is generally 21 days after finance is approved. Between finance approval and settlement your settlement agent checks the title, rates and water are adjusted between you and the seller, duty is assessed, and on settlement day the money and the title change hands and you collect the keys.

What checks should I do before I commit?

Building and timber pest inspections are standard conditions. If you are buying a strata property, ask for the strata information early. On KPR strata listings we prepare a clear, easy to read buyer disclosure statement up front, so the levies, the by-laws, and the scheme’s finances are in front of you before you offer, not after.

What will it actually cost on top of the price?

Budget for transfer duty (often nil for first home buyers under $600,000), settlement agent fees, registration fees, loan costs, and adjustments for rates. Our mortgage repayment calculator and stamp duty calculator will give you a working picture in a few minutes.

Buying a property that has a tenant in it

Plenty of first home buyers fall in love with a property that is currently rented. That is not a problem in itself, but the tenancy and your scheme deadlines have to line up, and this is the single most common trap we see.

What happens to the tenancy when I buy?

If the tenant is on a fixed term lease, the lease survives settlement. You become the lessor, the bond transfers into your name, and the tenant is entitled to stay until the fixed term ends. You cannot end a fixed term early just because the property sold. If the tenancy is periodic, the seller can give the tenant 30 days notice where the contract requires vacant possession, or you can keep the tenant on and give 60 days notice without grounds later if you choose.

So can I still claim the schemes?

It depends on each scheme’s move-in deadline, measured against how long the tenancy has left to run.

First Home Owner Grant and the first home owner rate of duty: you must start living in the property within 12 months and stay for a continuous 6 months. A sitting tenant with 7 months left on their lease is usually no problem at all, because you can move in when the lease ends and still be well inside the 12 month window.
First Home Guarantee: you are expected to move in within 6 months of settlement. That same tenant with 7 months to run now is a problem, because their lease outlasts your deadline. You would need the tenancy to end sooner, or the guarantee may not be available to you.
Home Buyers Assistance Account: any existing tenancy must end within 6 months of settlement, and you cannot rent the property out during your first 12 months living there. The same 7 month lease that is fine for the grant knocks this one out too.
Help to Buy: this is an owner-occupier scheme and you must live in the property as your home for the life of the arrangement. Buying with a long fixed term tenancy in place generally will not work. Confirm the current move-in window with Housing Australia before you offer.
First Home Super Saver Scheme: you must intend to live in the property for at least 6 of the first 12 months after it is practicable to move in, which gives some room for a short remaining tenancy.
Keystart: Keystart lends for the property you are going to live in, so a sitting tenancy needs to end before or shortly after settlement. Talk to Keystart about your timing before you commit.

The practical rule: before you offer on a tenanted property, put the lease end date next to each scheme’s move-in deadline. Seven months of tenancy remaining can be completely fine under one scheme and disqualifying under another, exactly the same property, exactly the same buyer. We check this with you on every KPR listing, and your settlement agent or broker should confirm it too.

Ready to look?

Contact us and we will alert you the moment a property that fits your search comes to us, often before it reaches the major property websites. You can also browse our current listings, try the rent or buy calculator, or simply call us on 08 6385 6800.