If you are buying or building your first home in Busselton, you’d be glad to hear that there are some options such as grants, transfer duty concessions, finance or shared-equity schemes available.
The First Homeowner Grant
If you are building or buying a new home in Busselton, the main support option to know about is the WA First Homeowner Grant (FHOG). The FHOG is a one-off payment of up to $10,000 for eligible first home buyers who are buying or building a new residential property to live in as their principal place of residence. There are no income or asset tests for the grant itself. Only one grant is payable per eligible transaction.
For eligible transactions with a commencement date from 7 May 2026, the FHOG property value cap for homes in this part of WA is $800,000 . That change has already been applied, which means more first home buyers in areas like Busselton may still qualify.
What about stamp duty help?
In WA, first home buyers may also be eligible for the First Homeowner Rate of Duty, which is a concessional transfer duty rate rather than a cash payment.
This can be important in Busselton whether you are buying vacant land to build on or purchasing a home. The WA Government announced higher thresholds on 7 May 2026, including:
- no duty for new or established homes valued up to $600,000
- a concessional rate for homes valued up to $800,000
- no duty for vacant land valued up to $450,000
- a concessional rate for vacant land valued up to $550,000
(2026-27 Housing Taxation Package).
As of 7 July 2026, the higher duty threshold changes had been announced, but the Government said they could not be implemented until system updates were completed, which was then estimated for late July 2026. The FHOG cap increase had already taken effect, but the wider duty threshold changes were still in progress.
For first home buyers in Busselton, this means it is worth checking the timing of your contract and settlement carefully, especially if transfer duty savings are part of your planning.
If your biggest hurdle is the deposit
For some first home buyers in Busselton, the main challenge is not eligibility for a grant but getting into the market with a manageable deposit. That is where the First Home Guarantee may help. This is not a cash grant. It is an Australian Government scheme that can allow eligible first home buyers to purchase with as little as a 5% deposit without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance.
From 1 October 2025, the scheme removed place limits, removed income caps, and increased property price caps. For WA the updated property price cap is $600,000. Because regional and non-metro classifications can matter, Busselton buyers should still confirm the applicable cap and postcode treatment with a participating lender or Housing Australia tool before relying on it.
Another option: Help to Buy
A second Australian Government support option is Help to Buy, which became available in WA in December 2025 (Housing Australia WA announcement). This is a shared-equity scheme administered by Housing Australia.
Under Help to Buy, the Government can contribute up to 40% of the purchase price for a new home or up to 30% for an existing home. The scheme is aimed at low- and middle-income buyers, with income thresholds of $100,000 for individuals and $160,000 for joint applicants and single parents. It can work with a deposit as low as 2%.
A few things to check early
Before relying on any first home buyer support, it is worth confirming a few basics early in the process:
- are you buying new, established, or vacant land?
- will the property value sit within the relevant cap?
- will you live in the home as your principal place of residence?
- are you looking for a cash grant, transfer duty relief, or finance support?
- are the current rules already in effect, or still awaiting commencement?
Conclusion
If you are building your first home in Busselton, understanding what support may apply before you commit can help you approach your land, design and build decisions with a lot more confidence. Do you need help understanding the building pathway and finance options available from a reliable builder with over 20 years of experience?