First home buyer stamp duty concessions
Stamp duty concessions could save you up to $31,335 depending on your state and property price. We build your deposit and borrowing strategy around maximising this advantage. Explore your first home buyer loan options.
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How much first home buyers save by state
NSW and ACT are the most generous at higher price points. VIC delivers the biggest savings below $600K. The biggest trap is threshold pricing: even $1 over the cap can wipe out the full exemption. Use our stamp duty calculator for your exact figure.
| State | FHB pays $0 up to | Concession up to | Saving at typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | $800,000 | $1,000,000 | $29,585 at $750K |
| VIC | $600,000 | $750,000 | $31,070 at $580K |
| QLD | $500,000 | $550,000 | $15,925 at $500K |
| WA | $430,000 | $530,000 | $14,440 at $420K |
| SA | No exemption | $650,000 | Up to $15,000 |
| TAS | No exemption | $600,000 | ~$7,558 at $450K |
| ACT | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | Full duty at $800K |
| NT | New builds <$650K | $650,000 | $10,000 discount |
Do you qualify for the concession?
The eligibility rules are simpler than most people expect. You need to answer yes to four questions: Is this your first home purchase in Australia? Are you an Australian citizen or permanent resident? Will you live in it as your principal residence? Is the property under your state’s price threshold? If you answered yes to all four, you are likely eligible. Buying with a partner who has owned before usually disqualifies the whole purchase. Investment property counts as prior ownership even if you never lived in it.
How to
claim it
Your concession is not automatic. Someone needs to apply for it, and post-settlement occupancy rules apply for months after you move in. Here’s the process step by step.
Confirm eligibility before you bid
Your broker or conveyancer verifies you meet your state’s criteria before you commit. Critical when the property is near the price cap, because a settlement figure above the threshold can wipe out the exemption.
Apply at or before settlement
Your conveyancer lodges the concession with the transfer documents. If nobody submits it, you pay full duty. Confirm it’s on the settlement checklist before you exchange contracts.
Pay any remaining duty
If you qualify for a concession rather than full exemption, the reduced amount is due at settlement. Your conveyancer calculates it and includes it in the settlement statement.
Meet post-settlement obligations
Move in within the required timeframe (12 months in most states) and stay for the minimum period. Break the occupancy rules and the concession gets clawed back with interest.
How concessions stack with federal schemes
Your stamp duty concession stacks with federal schemes. The combination can be dramatic.
Help to Buy: The Help to Buy scheme contributes up to 40% equity on new homes. You still get the stamp duty concession on the full property value. A $600K existing property in VIC: $12,000 deposit, $31,070 stamp duty saved, total upfront cash under $20,000.
First Home Guarantee: Buy with 5% deposit and no LMI. Stamp duty concession still applies on top. On a $700K property in NSW: $35,000 deposit, $0 stamp duty, $0 LMI.
Use our stamp duty calculator before you make an offer. For full upfront costs, see our deposit guide.
How a broker factors stamp duty into your strategy
Stamp duty is not an isolated cost. It affects your deposit, LVR, interest rate, and lender options. Here's how we turn that into a plan specific to your situation.
Total cost mapping
We calculate stamp duty, deposit, LMI, conveyancing, and inspection costs together. One number: the exact cash you need before you start looking.
Borrowing capacity impact
Your stamp duty saving changes how much cash is left for deposit. A larger deposit means a lower LVR and better rate. We model this across lenders.
Concession confirmation
We confirm eligibility and coordinate with your conveyancer so the application is lodged correctly at settlement. No risk of missing it.
Threshold protection
If your target property is near the exemption cap, we flag it before you sign. Even $1 over can cost you the full concession.
40+ lender matching
Some lenders capitalise stamp duty into the loan. Others offer better rates at lower deposits. We match you to the one that fits.
Commission transparency
We’re paid by the lender, not by you. Stryve publishes what we earn from every lender so you can see exactly how we’re paid.
What our customers
say about us
Don't just take our word for it. See what hundreds of satisfied clients across Sydney say about their experience with Stryve Finance.
“Nate and Dylan were extremely helpful in helping us secure our new home. They were easy to contact from day one, and answered any questions we had. We felt reassured at all times and are very grateful for their patience with us. I have recommended Stryve to 3 friends now who have all been successful in achieving their goals of purchasing their homes. We are so happy with the service and will definitely keep on recommending Stryve to our family and friends.”
Whitney Tran
Homeowner
“I never had a problem with Dylan. From the start of our journey on mortgage til the very end and even with refinancing, he/they were very helpful, transparent, honest and really keen to help their clients! Highly recommended.”
Cristianne Del Valle
Homeowner
“On behalf of my husband and I, we would like to truly thank Dylan Bertovic for all his assistance in helping us with our new loan - approved in time before our settlement. Dylan worked above and beyond expected. He took the time to explain every step and process with us. Any questions we had, Dylan would go out of his way to ensure they were answered. He made the process stress free and ensured we got the best possible deal. We highly recommend Dylan to all our family and friends.”
Merna Yalda
Homeowner
“Nate is great to work with, very knowledgeable, responsive and genuinely invested in helping me find the right solution. Highly recommend this firm to anyone looking for reliable, competitive and professional brokerage services.”
Julia
Homeowner
“Dylan has not only been a longtime friend, but also the trusted mortgage broker of choice for my family. He answers the phone at all hours, communicates extensively through all steps of a sometimes-complicated process and manages my risk. He has a straight to the point approach which I appreciate. Simply gets the job done, and gets it done very quickly. Thanks for everything Dylan, you're a champion broker and a good mate.”
Christian Barać
Homeowner
“Nate and Dylan were the ultimate professionals in securing a home loan to help us purchase our first home! Following the purchase of our home, they have continued to provide their exceptional service and have been able to secure two rate reductions in six months! Being self-employed wasn't an issue for me as Nate knew the process back-to-front and was able to provide sound advice throughout the application process.”
Justin Tomas
Homeowner
“It was an absolute brilliant experience with Stryve. Our first purchase was with Dylan he was always clear re: the next steps, quick to respond, never tired of questions and went over and above with communication. We went back and used him again for our next investment and the experience was just as wonderful as the first. Stryve also reviews our loans every 6 months to make sure we are getting the best rates on offer. We couldn't ask for more!”
Amber Motii
Homeowner
Frequently asked questions
Find out exactly what you’ll pay
A Stryve broker maps your stamp duty, deposit, and borrowing capacity into one clear plan for your target property and state. No pressure, no obligation.
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