The First Home Owners Boost Scheme is an Australian Government initiative to assist first home buyers purchase or build their first home. The scheme is administered by the WA Government and is in addition to the $7,000 First Home Owner Grant.

• Extra $7,000 for buying an established home
• Extra $14,000 for buying or building a new home
• For contracts made between 14 October 2008 and 30 June 2009

First Home Owners Boost Benefits

Established homes
First homebuyers purchasing an established home may be eligible for the $7,000 boost benefit in addition to the existing $7,000 grant, bringing the total benefits to $14,000.

New homes
First home buyers building a new home or purchasing a newly constructed home may be eligible for the $14,000 boost benefit in addition to the existing $7,000 grant, bringing the total benefits to $21,000.

Where a newly constructed home is being purchased, it must be the first sale of that home. The home must also have never been previously occupied as a place of residence, including occupation by the builder, a tenant or other occupant.

Where the consideration is less than the total benefit available, the applicant will be entitled to an amount equal to the value of the consideration.

Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for a First Home Owners Boost benefit, first homebuyers must satisfy the requirements of the existing $7,000 First Home Owner Grant and the additional First Home Owners Boost requirements.

Existing First Home Owner Grant Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Fully complete the application form and lodge with all relevant supporting documentation.
• Be a natural person (i.e. not applying as a company or trust), at least 18 years of age at the commencement date of the eligible transaction.
• Ensure at least one applicant is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident at the commencement date of the eligible transaction.
• Be buying or building a home for which the contract was signed on or after 1 July 2000 or building a home as an owner builder where building commenced on or after 1 July 2000.
• Ensure each person holding a relevant interest in the property is an applicant.
• Ensure all applicants will reside in the home as their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months commencing within 12 months of completion of the eligible transaction.
• Lodge an application within 12 months of completion of the eligible transaction.

Applicants and their spouse/de facto partner must:

• Never have been paid a First Home Owner Grant in any State or Territory of Australia or never had to repay the grant as a result of an investigation by the Commissioner.
• Not have previously owned or held a relevant interest in a residential property anywhere in Australia prior to 1 July 2000.
• Never have owned or held a relevant interest in a residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and never have occupied (as a place of residence) that residential property before 1 July 2004.
• Never have owned or held a relevant interest in a residential property anywhere in Australia on or after 1 July 2000 and never have occupied (as a place of residence) that residential property for a continuous period of at least 6 months that began on or after 1 July 2004.

(Residential property means land in Australia on which there is a building which is either a lawfully occupied residence or suitable for occupation as a place of residence whether you have occupied it or not. These include, but are not limited to; homes, townhouses, units, villas, flats, duplexes, converted warehouses, fixed transportables, moveable homes and farmstead/homesteads. It should be noted that a residential investment property owned before 1 July 2000 makes you ineligible for the grant whether you have occupied there or not).


Additional Eligibility Criteria For First Home Owners Boost

Established homes
To be eligible for the $7,000 boost for the purchase of an established home, first homebuyers must have entered into a contract for the purchase of an established home between 14 October 2008 and 30 June 2009 (inclusive).

New homes being purchased under a contract
To be eligible for the $14,000 boost for the purchase of a newly constructed home, first homebuyers must have entered into a contract for the purchase of a newly constructed home between 14 October 2008 and 30 June 2009 (inclusive).

New homes being built under a building contract
To be eligible for the $14,000 boost for building a new home, first homebuyers must have entered into a contract for building a home between 14 October 2008 and 30 June 2009 (inclusive). In addition:

• Construction must commence within 26 weeks of the contract.
• The contract must specify a completion date for building work within 18 months of the construction commencing or if the contract does not specify a completion date construction must be completed within 18 months of the construction commencing.

New homes being purchased ‘off the plan’
To be eligible for the $14,000 boost for purchasing a new home ‘off the plan’ the contract must be made between 14 October 2008 and 30 June 2009 (inclusive) and the contract must specify a completion date on or before 31 December 2010 or if the contract does not specify a completion date construction must be completed on or before 31 December 2010.

New homes being built by an owner builder
To be eligible for the $14,000 boost benefit for building a new home as an owner builder, construction (i.e. laying foundations) must commence between 14 October 2008 and 30 June 2009 (inclusive) and construction must be completed within 18 months of the construction commencing.

Ineligible first homes
The First Home Owners Boost scheme will not apply when a:

• Contract to purchase or build a home replaces a rescinded contract made before 14 October 2008 to purchase the same home or to build the same, or a substantially similar, home.
• Contract was made, or in the case of owner builders construction commenced, before 14 October 2008.
• Contract was made or, in the case of owner builders construction commenced, on or after 1 July 2009.

How Do I Apply for The First Home Owners Boost?

To apply for the $7,000 First Home Owners Boost for an established home, first homeowners will only need to complete the $7000 First Home Owner Grant application form (July 2007).

To apply for the $14,000 First Home Owners Boost for building a new home or purchasing a newly constructed home, first homeowners will need to complete:

• The Addendum for First Home Owners Boost Scheme (October 2008) and
• The $7,000 First Home Owner Grant application form (July 2007).

Applications for both the First Home Owner Grant and First Home Owners Boost can be downloaded from the Office of State Revenue (OSR) website or obtained by contacting OSR (see contact details below).

False Claims and Penalties

There are substantial penalties for knowingly making false or misleading statements in connection with an application for the first home benefits. OSR conducts investigations and compliance checks to ensure first homeowner grant and boost benefits are only given to applicants entitled to receive them.

OSR audits applications with current and historical data held by other State and Territory agencies and commercial organisations.

Other First Home Benefits

In addition to the First Home Owner Grant and the First Home Owners Boost benefits, the WA Government provides exemptions and concessions on duty for first homeowners under the Duties Act. Please refer to the Duties section of the OSR website for more information on the first homeowner rate of duty and for other benefits available to first homeowners in WA.

More Information

Web: www.dtf.wa.gov.au/cms/osr_content.asp?ID=344

Phone: 1300 363 211 or (08) 9262 1299
(8:00am - 5:00pm Monday to Friday)

Email: firsthomegrant@dtf.wa.gov.au