How FHB overcomes market anxiety to climb the property ladder

As the Reserve Bank cuts its second cash rate in 2025, there is expectation for the market to heat up. For the buyers of the first country, this news brought hope and anxiety.

On Tuesday, May 20, Royal National Yip Governor Michele Bullock announced that the official cash rate had been cut by 0.25%, raising it to 3.85%, the lowest rate in more than two years.

The news brings immediate relief to mortgage holders and hopes for their family hunters to increase.

But with the extra cash in buyers’ pockets, the challenge is a challenge: changes in the market.

Cutting cash rates and the subsequent reduction in mortgage loans, the reductions adopted by banks are often associated with rising house prices. More money can be spent on the property itself and will always raise the price. The ability to even slightly increase the budget will make potential buyers feel more confident, bringing more people into the market and increasing competition.

Indeed, many hopeful home buyers may feel that now is the right time to act. More may find their anxiety disorders rising: they want to buy, but will market volatility once again make their dreams unfulfilled?

This is an effective question and is why the new housing market may offer options to step on the property ladder.

Many states offer new incentives to buy and build. These can greatly reduce the amount of cash the buyer needs alone or in addition to first-time homebuyer grants.

Given that buyers can usually lock in future homes with smaller deposits and use the time to complete the build to save a larger deposit, this may also be another option when they apply for a mortgage.

Below, find a state by state breakdown that can be used to enter the market through new buildings.

New South Wales

NSW has two plans to save a lot of cash from your first place buyer in your new home. The first is the first homeowner grant (new home) program, which offers $10,000 to qualified first buyers who have built new homes worth up to $750,000.

NSW also offers the first homebuyer assistance scheme, which provides first-time buyers with exemptions or concessions on stamp duty. What many people don’t know is that this is not only for buying an existing home, but also for open land.

Under the plan, buyers can exempt the transfer tax on vacant land worth up to $350,000, and the transfer tax on land worth between $350,000 and $450,000.

Victoria

Victoria has vigorously promoted the incentivization of buyers to enter the new housing market by offering all stamp duty exemptions to any new building buyer at any price. This popular program will run out in 12 months, and the show was recently extended to October 2026, giving Victorian opportunities more opportunities to snap up or break the ground in a brand new home.

The state also operates the first owner grant, which is only available to first-time buyers who build or buy new homes. Through this program, they can receive $10,000 grants from properties worth up to $750,000.

Queensland

Recent stamp duty changes in Sunshine State make it cheaper for first-time home buyers to enter the market when buying a new home.

The tax changes that came into effect in May deleted the real estate price ceiling for the first purchase stamp duty exemption, but only if they build or buy new homes or vacant land. This means that when the scheduled run, the FHB can be completely shaken when transferring responsibilities.

Queenslanders can also get a $30,000 payment based on the state’s first homeowner grant if they never own a home and are ready to build or purchase an unplanned home.

South Australia

South Australia has the first resident buyer stamp duty relief program, which allows the first resident buyer to obtain stamp duty or exemption from new properties without a price cap.

The state also offers the first owner grant, a one-time payment that can be used for $15,000 for eligible first-owner of a new residential property that will be used as a primary residence.

Western Australia

WA offers $10,000 to eligible first buyers who build new homes in the state under a grant from its No. 1 owner, with a property worth $750,000.

First, buyers can also obtain stamp duty exemptions or concessions on new or existing properties, and can also reduce the land that purchases built land. First-time home buyers can jointly pay stamp duty on land worth up to $350,000 and reduce land worth $350,000 to $450,000.

Tasmania

The first home buyer who builds or buys a new home in Tasmania can get $10,000 of the purchase price of their property for $10,000.

The state also offers a 50% stamp duty concession to any buyer who purchases an unplanned apartment.

Australian Capital Region

The bill provides all first buyers with a homebuyer franchise plan regardless of the property they buy. The savings here are $34,270 depending on the property price. The income cap applies.

The state also offers stamp duty exemptions for unplanned apartments worth up to $1 million.

Northern Territory

NT’s first owner grant is one of the most generous grants in the country, offering $50,000 to first eligible home buyers who have purchased qualified home and land packages in the New Testament.

The territory’s Home and Land Package Exemption (HLPE) can also help buyers avoid stamp duty on new homes. Eligible home and land packages will not be subject to any stamp duty in North Carolina, regardless of whether the buyer owns the property or not.

Are you interested in developing or purchasing the plan? Check out our dedicated new home section.