First home buyers, Brisbane and SEQ
Brisbane first home buyers: buy knowing exactly why.
You've done the research on Queensland's first home buyer schemes. That's probably why your head is spinning. We turn the schemes, the caps and the lender rules into one plan with real numbers, then do the heavy lifting all the way to the keys.
In most cases the lender pays us, so there's no cost to you. Am I ready to buy?
Checked by Rhys Butler, mortgage broker (Credit Representative 539019). Last checked 3 November 2026.
Sound familiar?
"We know enough to know we need help."
That's what most of our first home buyers say on the first call. They've read the government pages, watched the videos and used three different borrowing calculators. Each one gave a different number.
The trouble isn't a lack of information. It's that nobody has put it together for your situation. Your income, your deposit, your job, the suburb you like and the type of home you want all change the answer.
That's our job. We work it out, tell you plainly what you can and can't do, and give you one recommendation with the reasons behind it.
What we promise
5 things- You'll know your number before you inspect. No falling for a place you can't buy.
- You'll know which lender, and why. We show you the reasoning, not only the result.
- We aim for a fully assessed pre-approval. A credit assessor checks it, so it's far less likely to fall over after you sign. A pre-approval is still conditional.
- You won't chase anyone. We chase the lender, the valuer and the paperwork, and tell you what's done.
- We're still here after settlement. Your mortgage gets reviewed every year, for as long as your mortgage is arranged through us.
The Queensland first home buyer stack
What's on the table in 2026.
Last checked 3 November 2026
We're based in Forest Lake, Brisbane, and help first home buyers right across South East Queensland. Three programs do most of the work for Queensland first home buyers. Some stack together. Which ones apply depends mostly on one choice: a new home or an established one.
First Home Owner Grant
Cash towards a new home (new build, house and land, off the plan) valued under $750,000. One dollar over and it's zero. Queensland has extended the $30,000 amount past 30 June 2026.
Transfer duty on a new home
No stamp duty on a new home or vacant land, with no price cap. Established homes get a full concession under $700,000, phasing out by $800,000.
Deposit, with no LMI
The Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme. The government guarantees the gap to 20%, so there's no lenders mortgage insurance. No income caps, $1,000,000 price cap in Brisbane.
A $650,000 house and land package could stack all three. A $760,000 one loses the grant entirely. Has anyone run the numbers on the homes you're looking at?
How the three fit togetherEligibility is subject to individual circumstances and current government policy. Each program has conditions, including ownership history and living in the home. Example is illustrative only.
Sources: Queensland Revenue Office, First Home Owner Grant, first home concession, first home vacant land concession and home concession changes from August 2026. Housing Australia, 5% Deposit Scheme and property price caps.
Why this lender?
Lenders don't all see you the same way.
Two couples on the same income can get very different answers from the same bank. Lender policy is where first home buyers win or lose, and it's rarely on the product page.
- Shift, overtime and penalty rates. Some lenders count far more of it than others. For a nurse or paramedic, that can move borrowing power by tens of thousands of dollars in some cases (illustrative, individual results vary).
- HECS. Lenders treat student debt differently in their sums.
- Gifted deposits and family guarantees. Help from parents works well, if it's set up the way your lender wants.
- Probation and new jobs. Some lenders will look at you on day one. Others want six months.
- LMI waivers. Some lenders waive LMI for certain professions. LMI waiver eligibility is subject to lender policy and individual circumstances.
Has anyone asked you this?
Was your pre-approval checked by a credit assessor, or by a computer in 15 minutes?
A fast online pre-approval often skips the paperwork. The lender does that work later, after you've signed a contract. That's where approvals fall over. Wherever the lender offers it, we get yours fully assessed, so it means something when you bid.
What a pre-approval really coversHow it works
From "can we afford it?" to the keys.
Discovery Call
A quick phone call. Tell us what you're after and we'll explain how we work. No documents, no credit check.
You send the docs. We do the homework.
One secure online fact find for your documents. Then we check your income the way a lender would and run your numbers against the lenders that fit.
Strategy Session
45 minutes on Google Meet. Your budget, your schemes, your lender, and the plan.
Heavy lifting to settlement
Pre-approval, valuation, approval and settlement. You go house hunting.
"Rhys took us from 'can we afford a house' through to now living in our own home. He was kind, respectful and understanding and is continuously following up with our many questions. Highly recommended."
Buying with family help?
Parents, siblings and guarantors.
Lots of first home buyers get a hand from family now. A gifted deposit, a family guarantee or buying with a brother can all work well. Each one has rules about paperwork, who owns what and what the lender needs to see.
We set it up properly from the start, and we're happy to talk it through with your parents too. Everyone should know what they're signing.
First home buyer questions
The questions we get most
Something else on your mind? Call us on (07) 2111 8194.
How much deposit do I need for my first home in Queensland?
With the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, you may only need a 5% deposit plus your purchase costs, with no lenders mortgage insurance. The Brisbane price cap is $1,000,000. Some lenders also waive LMI for certain professions. Eligibility is subject to individual circumstances, lender policy and current government policy.
Can I get the $30,000 First Home Owner Grant on an established home?
No. The Queensland grant only applies to new homes: a new build, a house and land package, off the plan, or a substantially renovated home nobody has lived in since. The home and land together must be valued under $750,000. Eligibility is subject to individual circumstances and current government policy.
Will I pay stamp duty on my first home in Brisbane?
Not on a new home or vacant land, at any price. On an established home there's a full concession under $700,000, which phases out by $800,000. Your conveyancer claims it at settlement. Eligibility is subject to individual circumstances and current government policy.
How long does a first home pre-approval take?
A fully assessed pre-approval usually takes 3 to 10 business days, depending on the lender. Most last about 90 days and can be refreshed. Every pre-approval is conditional, not a guarantee. It still depends on the property, the valuation and your circumstances staying the same.
Is it worth waiting until we have a 20% deposit?
It depends. Waiting means more rent and a moving target. Buying with 5% means a bigger loan and higher repayments. The right answer depends on whether the repayments sit comfortably in your budget, and that's exactly what we work out in your Strategy Session.
What does a first home buyer pay you?
In most cases, there's no fee for our service. The lender pays our commission when your mortgage settles, so there's no cost to you. If a lender won't pay commission in your situation, we tell you upfront before you go ahead.
Your first home starts with a quick phone call.
Tell us where you're at, even if you're a year away. We'll explain how we work and what happens next. The real numbers come in your Strategy Session.
No documents, no credit check. In most cases the lender pays us, so there's no cost to you.
What happens on the call
- Tell us what you're after.
- We'll explain how we work.
- If it makes sense, we'll book you in for a Strategy Session to go over the numbers properly.
You'll talk to a qualified mortgage broker.