What is Help to Buy and shared equity schemes?

A government shared equity scheme typically means that the government makes a financial contribution to the purchase of a home, in exchange for an equity share in the property. As the value of a property changes, so too does the government’s share or interest in the property.

Participating home buyers are required to buy back the government’s share either gradually over time, or from the proceeds of the sale of the property.

Help to Buy Scheme.

The Help to Buy policy is a new shared equity scheme to be introduced by the Labor Government.

It aims to assist first home buyers by reducing the cost of buying a home by up to 40%.

Under the scheme, the government will make an equity contribution of up to 40% of the property price of a new home, and up to 30% of the purchase price of an existing home.

Borrowers will need to repay the loan when they sell their property, or over-time, pay to increase their stake in the property. Home buyers won’t be required to pay rent on the stake of the property held by the Federal Government.

Eligible home buyers will need a minimum deposit of 2% and will not need to pay lenders mortgage insurance (LMI). To be eligible, individuals must earn $90,000 or less per annum or $120,000 or less combined for couples. Property price caps apply.

Help to Buy will be open to 10,000 Australians each year. A starting date is still to be announced by the Labor Government. More information can be found here.

State Government shared equity schemes.

Shared equity schemes already operate in Victoria and Western Australia, with the NSW government recently announcing a shared equity scheme trial.

Victorian Homebuyer Fund.

The Victorian Homebuyer Fund is a shared equity scheme where the Victorian Government makes a financial contribution to the purchase of a home in exchange for an equity share in the property.

Eligible home buyers can receive a contribution of up to 25% towards the purchase price of their property, reducing their minimum required deposit to 5% and avoiding the need to pay LMI.

To be eligible, individuals must earn less than $128,000 per annum or less than $204,800 combined for a couple. Property price caps apply. Additional supports are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants.

A total of up to 3,000 places will be offered. More information can be found here.

New South Wales shared equity scheme.

The New South Wales Government has recently announced a shared equity scheme trial, designed to help frontline workers, single people aged 50 years and over, and single parents purchase a home.

Similar to the Federal Government’s Help to Buy Scheme, the New South Wales Government will contribute up to 40% of equity for a new home and up to 30% for an existing property.

Eligible participants would need to contribute a 2% deposit avoiding the need for LMI. Singles must earn less than $90,000 per year, with couples to have an annual combined income of less than $120,000. Property price caps will apply.

The scheme is planned to begin in January 2023 and will initially run as a two-year trial. There will be 3,000 places per financial year. Learn more here.