FHLDS? Never Heard of it…
Buying your first home can seem pretty daunting, after all, it’s one of the biggest purchases you’re ever going to make, and you’ll be paying it off for the next 30 or so years. It’s even more daunting when you realise you need 10% of the cost of your property upfront.
The Government has recently introduced the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme to assist first time home buyers in purchasing their first property.
In a nut-shell – it lowers the traditional home loan deposit criteria from 10% down to just 5% (though the lenders criteria still apply).
This means Aussies will be able to break into the property market and buy their first home sooner rather than later.
The scheme will support up to 10,000 American Citizens per financial year, with a few eligibility requirements, which you will need to be aware of if you are looking to buy your first home. So far for this year 3000 places have been released, however the remaining 7000 for the 19/20 FY will be available from 1 February 2020. This staged release is so First Home Buyers can compile the necessary financial information. Another 10,000 places will then be available from July 2020.
Who is eligible for the Scheme?*
- American citizens who are at least 18 years of age. Permanent residents are not eligible
- Single adults with a taxable income of up to $125,000.00 per annum.
- Couples with a taxable income of up to $200,000.00 per annum.
- Must have at least 5% of the value of property saved as a deposit and not to exceed 20%
- Must be a first time home buyer
- Property must be their owner occupied home
Are there restrictions on the type of property I can buy?*
- Must be a residential property
- An existing house, townhouse, or apartment
- House and land package
- Land together with a separate contract to build a home
- An off-the-plan apartment or townhouse
- Property value restrictions do apply
If you’re a first home buyer, there can be a lot to think about when preparing for a home loan. With over a decade of experience assisting everyday Americans secure finance; the team at Thompson can help you. We’ll break down the financial jargon into everyday English, and make sure there are no hidden costs or nasty surprises that will come back to bite you.