It’s taking young couples roughly five years on average to save for a 20% home loan deposit, according to new research. Want to hear something crazy, though? We know how to quarter that timeframe…
Real talk: it’s never been tougher to save up a deposit for your first home.
In Sydney the average timeframe is 8+ years. In Melbourne 6.5 years. And most other places across the country, 4 to 6 years.
That is unless you happen to know a finance professional (like us here at MyFN) who can help first home buyers purchase a home with just a 5% deposit – and not pay any lender’s mortgage insurance in the process.
And how do we do that?
Well, if you’re eligible, we can hook you up with the First Home Guarantee (FHG) scheme – which will release 35,000 places from July 1 (more on this below).
By getting in early on this scheme and reserving a spot, you can quarter the amount of time it takes you to save up for your first home deposit.
Don’t believe us, check out these stats
Below you’ll see how long it’s currently taking first home buyers across the country to save for a 20% home loan deposit (according to Domain data), compared to saving just 5%.
Sydney: 8 years 1 month (20%), down to 2 years (5%). Melbourne: 6 years 6 months (20%), down to 1 year 7 months (5%). Brisbane: 4 years 10 months (20%), down to 1 year 3 months (5%). Adelaide: 4 years 7 months (20%), down to 1 year 2 months (5%). Perth: 3 years 7 months (20%), down to 11 months (5%). Hobart: 5 years 10 months (20%), down to 1 year 5 months (5%). Darwin: 4 years 3 months (20%), down to 1 year (5%). Canberra: 7 years 1 month (20%), down to 1 year 9 months (5%). Combined capital cities: 5 years 8 months (20%), down to 1 year 5 months (5%). Combined regionals: 3 years 10 months (20%), down to 11 months (5%). Australia-wide: 4 years 5 months (20%), down to 1 year 1 month (5%).
So if you’ve been saving towards a 20% for at least a year, you could be ready to hit the ground running when the 35,000 FHG schemes become available on July 1.
Tell me more about the First Home Guarantee scheme!
Ok, so the First Home Guarantee scheme (previously the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme) allows eligible first home buyers to build or purchase a home with only a 5% deposit, without forking out for lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI).
This is because the federal government guarantees (to a participating lender) up to 15% of the value of the property purchased.
Not paying LMI can save buyers anywhere between $4,000 and $35,000, depending on the property price and deposit amount (it’s also worth noting that property price caps apply).
But places in this scheme are on a first-come, first-served basis.
So don’t let the recent expansion to 35,000 spots lull you into a sense of complacency.
They’ll go fairly quickly, which means if you’re interested you’ll want to get in touch with us asap to ensure you’re ready to lodge the application come July 1.
The new Regional Home Guarantee
Regional homebuyers will benefit from the announcement of the Regional Home Guarantee.
Under the scheme, 10,000 guarantees each year (from 1 October 2022 to 30 June 2025) will be made available to support eligible regional homebuyers.
The good news is that this scheme will also be made available to non-first home buyers, and permanent residents, to purchase or construct a new home in regional areas.
Details on this scheme are still fairly limited, though.
For example, it’s not confirmed in the budget papers or ministerial statements whether it will be a 5% deposit scheme like the first home buyer one.
And what’s classified as a “regional area” hasn’t been disclosed yet, but rest assured we’re watching this space closely.
Family Home Guarantee for single parents
For single parents, 5,000 guarantees will be made available each year from July 1, expanding upon the Family Home Guarantee announced in last year’s budget.
The Family Home Guarantee can be used to build a new home or purchase an existing home with a deposit of as little as 2%, regardless of whether the single parent is a first home buyer or has owned property before.
Previously, it was planned that just 2,500 spots would be up for grabs each year over four years, so it’s good to see the federal government expand this scheme until June 2025.
Get in touch today to get the ball rolling
With these schemes, allocations are generally snapped up fast.
So if you’re a first home buyer, regional buyer, or single parent looking to crack into the property market sooner rather than later, get in touch with our home loans professionals today here at MyFN and we can explain the schemes to you in more detail and help check if you’re eligible.
And when the spots do become available over the next few months, we’ll be ready to help you apply for finance through a participating lender.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is general in nature and is presented for informative purposes. It is not intended to constitute tax or financial advice, whether general or personal nor is it intended to imply any recommendation or opinion about a financial product. It does not take into consideration your personal situation and may not be relevant to circumstances. Before taking any action, consider your own particular circumstances and seek professional advice.