{"id":370,"date":"2025-12-10T11:08:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T11:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/?p=370"},"modified":"2026-02-11T04:58:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T04:58:40","slug":"big-changes-to-the-home-guarantee-scheme-starting-1-october-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/big-changes-to-the-home-guarantee-scheme-starting-1-october-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Changes to the Home Guarantee Scheme Starting 1 October 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"370\" class=\"elementor elementor-370\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d0650c1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d0650c1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 104c-53 0-96 43-96 96s43 96 96 96 96-43 96-96-43-96-96-96zm0 144c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48s21.5-48 48-48 48 21.5 48 48-21.5 48-48 48zm0-240C111 8 0 119 0 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S385 8 248 8zm0 448c-49.7 0-95.1-18.3-130.1-48.4 14.9-23 40.4-38.6 69.6-39.5 20.8 6.4 40.6 9.6 60.5 9.6s39.7-3.1 60.5-9.6c29.2 1 54.7 16.5 69.6 39.5-35 30.1-80.4 48.4-130.1 48.4zm162.7-84.1c-24.4-31.4-62.1-51.9-105.1-51.9-10.2 0-26 9.6-57.6 9.6-31.5 0-47.4-9.6-57.6-9.6-42.9 0-80.6 20.5-105.1 51.9C61.9 339.2 48 299.2 48 256c0-110.3 89.7-200 200-200s200 89.7 200 200c0 43.2-13.9 83.2-37.3 115.9z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-author\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcheckthisproperty.com.au\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-5b347b5 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/2025\/12\/10\/\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>December 10, 2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-694d4be elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"694d4be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1256\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/11-Big-Changes-to-the-Home-Guarantee-Scheme-Starting-1-October-2025.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-371\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/11-Big-Changes-to-the-Home-Guarantee-Scheme-Starting-1-October-2025.jpg 1256w, https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/11-Big-Changes-to-the-Home-Guarantee-Scheme-Starting-1-October-2025-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/11-Big-Changes-to-the-Home-Guarantee-Scheme-Starting-1-October-2025-1024x530.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/11-Big-Changes-to-the-Home-Guarantee-Scheme-Starting-1-October-2025-768x397.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1256px) 100vw, 1256px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3dce641 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3dce641\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since its introduction on 1 October 2025, saving for a deposit, the biggest hurdle that first home buyers face has gotten significantly lower!\u00a0 The Australian Government has announced game-changing expansions to the Home Guarantee Scheme that aims to make home ownership to first home buyers more accessible.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What&#8217;s Changing? The Key Updates You Need to Know<\/b><\/h2><h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>1. Unlimited Places Available<\/b><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gone are the days of missing out due to caps on the number of guarantees available. From 1 October 2025, <\/span><b>all Australian first-home buyers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who have saved a 5% deposit can apply for the scheme. No more rushing to secure one of the limited spots!<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>2. No More Income Limits<\/b><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Previously, higher-income earners were excluded from the scheme. That restriction is now being lifted, opening up opportunities for a much broader range of first-home buyers across different income levels.<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>3. Significantly Higher Property Price Caps<\/b><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The property price caps have received substantial increases across most states and territories, reflecting the reality of today&#8217;s property market:<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Major increases include:<\/b><\/p><ul style=\"text-align: left;\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>NSW &#8211; Sydney, Illawarra, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From $900,000 to <\/span><b>$1.5 million<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (67% increase!)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Queensland &#8211; Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From $700,000 to <\/span><b>$1 million<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (43% increase)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Western Australia &#8211; Perth:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From $600,000 to <\/span><b>$850,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (42% increase)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>South Australia &#8211; Adelaide:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From $600,000 to <\/span><b>$900,000<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (50% increase)<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>4. Simplified Regional Access<\/b><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The separate Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee will be replaced by the standard First Home Guarantee, streamlining the application process for regional buyers.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Real-World Impact: What This Means for You<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The numbers speak for themselves about the transformative potential of these changes:<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Sydney (NSW) Example:<\/b><\/p><ul style=\"text-align: left;\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purchase a $1 million home with just a $50,000 deposit (5%)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save up to 10 years off deposit saving time<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid approximately $42,000 in mortgage insurance costs<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put up to $350,000 towards your own mortgage instead of rent<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Armidale (NSW) Example:<\/b><\/p><ul style=\"text-align: left;\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purchase a $600,000 home with only a $30,000 deposit<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save up to 6 years off deposit saving time<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid approximately $25,000 in mortgage insurance costs<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Put up to $126,000 towards your own mortgage instead of rent<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>The Bigger Picture: A Generational Shift<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put this in perspective, Australia&#8217;s median home price in October 2025 was around $857,280, meaning a 5% deposit is $42,864. The last time $42,200 covered a 20% deposit for a median-priced home in Sydney was back in 1992!\u00a0 This highlights just how significant this policy shift is for today&#8217;s buyers.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the first year alone, first home buyers using the expanded scheme are expected to save around $1.5 billion in mortgage insurance costs collectively.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>How to Take Advantage of These Changes<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready to explore your options? Here&#8217;s your roadmap:<\/span><\/p><ol style=\"text-align: left;\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Check Your Eligibility:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Use the Home Guarantee Scheme Eligibility Tool on the Housing Australia website<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Review the New Price Caps:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ensure your target property falls within the new limits for your area<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Contact a Participating Lender:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The scheme is available through over 30 participating lenders, including major banks, customer-owned banks, and regional banks<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Submit Your Application:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your chosen lender will handle the application process with Housing Australia<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Start House Hunting:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Once pre-approved, you can begin your search with confidence!<\/span><\/li><\/ol><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Important Timeline Note<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These changes took effect from <\/span><b>1 October 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>What This Means for the Property Market<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For property buyers and investors, these changes signal several important trends:<\/span><\/p><ul style=\"text-align: left;\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increased buyer pool:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> More people will qualify for home loans with smaller deposits<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Higher price point accessibility:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The increased caps mean buyers can consider properties in higher price brackets<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Faster market entry:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reduced saving time means buyers can enter the market sooner which is expected to push up house prices<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reduced insurance costs:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> More money available for deposits and mortgage payments<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Increased competition <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for entry level properties.\u00a0 If more people can afford the same finite product, the price should increase.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Planning Your Next Steps<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you&#8217;re a first-time buyer who&#8217;s been saving for years or someone who thought homeownership was out of reach due to income caps, these changes open new possibilities. The key is to start planning now:<\/span><\/p><ul style=\"text-align: left;\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Assess your current savings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> against the new 5% requirement<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Research areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> within the new price cap limits<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Connect with participating lenders and brokers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to understand your borrowing capacity<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Ready to Start Your Property Search?<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dream of homeownership is becoming more attainable for thousands of Australians. With unlimited places, higher price caps, and no income restrictions, the expanded Home Guarantee Scheme represents the most significant policy shift in first-home buyer support in decades.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Begin your property research now. For more detailed information about the Home Guarantee Scheme and to access the eligibility tools, visit the Housing Australia website.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In NSW, there are several essential reports and searches you need to ensure before making the big purchase. Missing any of these could cost you thousands or leave you with a property that&#8217;s not what you thought you were buying. Check out more on what reports you need when buying a house in NSW by visiting <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/checkthisproperty.com.au\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">checkthisproperty.com.au<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to download your free property report today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Start Your Property Journey Today<\/b><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Ready to take advantage of these game-changing new rules?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Visit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/checkthisproperty.com.au\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CheckThisProperty.com.au<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to explore zoning and property risks before you make your next property decision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your dream home is waiting. Let CheckThisProperty.com.au help you make sure it\u2019s the right choice.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since its introduction on 1 October 2025, saving for a deposit, the biggest hurdle that first home buyers face has gotten significantly lower!\u00a0 The Australian Government has announced game-changing expansions to the Home Guarantee Scheme that aims to make home ownership to first home buyers more accessible. What&#8217;s Changing? The Key Updates You Need to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":371,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=370"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":452,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370\/revisions\/452"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.checkthisproperty.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}