First Home Buyers in Queensland: The Complete 2026 Guide

Queensland continues to attract strong interest from first home buyers in 2026, driven by relative affordability compared with Sydney and Melbourne, population growth and a robust jobs market in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. If you are buying your first home in Queensland, a specific set of state grants, concessions and federal schemes are available to you that can meaningfully reduce your upfront costs.

This guide covers everything you need to know about buying your first home in Queensland in 2026.

Queensland First Home Owner Grant

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) provides eligible first home buyers with a grant of $30,000 toward the purchase or construction of a new home.

Key Eligibility Criteria

The grant applies to new homes only. This includes newly built homes, house and land packages, off-the-plan apartments and substantially renovated homes. It does not apply to established (previously occupied) properties.

The property must have a purchase price or contract price of $750,000 or less.

You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, be 18 years of age or older, and not have previously owned or co-owned residential property in Australia.

You must occupy the property as your principal place of residence for at least one continuous year beginning within 12 months of settlement or completion.

For house and land packages, the grant is available when you sign the building contract.

How to Apply

Applications are lodged through an approved agent, which includes most Queensland banks and lenders. The grant is typically paid at settlement or when a progress payment is made under a construction contract.

Queensland Stamp Duty Concessions for First Home Buyers

Stamp duty, known as transfer duty in Queensland, is one of the largest upfront costs for property buyers. Queensland provides meaningful concessions for first home buyers.

First Home Concession

The First Home Concession completely exempts eligible first home buyers from transfer duty on properties valued at up to $500,000. For properties priced between $500,000 and $550,000, a partial concession applies on a sliding scale. Above $550,000, the full transfer duty rate applies.

For a first home buyer purchasing an established home at $490,000, the transfer duty saving under this concession is approximately $8,750 compared with paying the standard rate.

This concession applies to established homes as well as new homes, unlike the FHOG.

First Home Vacant Land Concession

A separate concession applies if you are buying vacant land on which to build your first home. Vacant land valued up to $250,000 is fully exempt from transfer duty. A partial concession applies for land valued between $250,000 and $400,000.

Federal Schemes Available in Queensland

Queensland first home buyers can access the same federal government schemes available to eligible buyers nationwide.

First Home Guarantee

Eligible first home buyers can purchase with a five per cent deposit without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance, backed by a federal government guarantee. Since October 2025, there is no annual cap on places. Income and property price cap requirements apply.

For Queensland in 2026, the property price cap under the First Home Guarantee is $700,000 for Brisbane and major regional centres. Confirm the current cap for your specific location with a participating lender.

Family Home Guarantee

Single parents and eligible single legal guardians can purchase with a two per cent deposit without LMI through the Family Home Guarantee. The same federal income limits apply.

Help to Buy

Eligible low-to-moderate income buyers can access the shared equity Help to Buy scheme, where the government co-owns up to 30 per cent of an existing home or 40 per cent of a new build. Income limits of $90,000 for individuals and $120,000 for joint applicants apply.

First Home Super Saver Scheme

Queensland buyers can also use voluntary superannuation contributions to save for a deposit under the FHSS scheme, with up to $50,000 per person available for withdrawal.

Property Price Caps and Market Context

Queensland's property market has been one of Australia's strongest performers over recent years, with Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and southeast Queensland broadly experiencing strong price growth.

For 2026, first home buyers in Brisbane need to be realistic about budget. Entry-level houses in suburban Brisbane now start in the $550,000 to $700,000 range in many areas. Apartments and townhouses remain more accessible.

Regional Queensland cities including Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and Bundaberg continue to offer significantly lower entry prices and are worth considering for buyers with flexibility on location.

Building vs Buying Established in Queensland

The $30,000 FHOG for new properties only creates a meaningful financial advantage in favour of building or buying new in Queensland, compared with states where the grant applies to established homes as well.

If you buy an established property, you miss the $30,000 grant but can still access the First Home Concession on transfer duty (which can be worth more than $8,750). The net position depends on the specific property value and purchase scenario.

New builds also benefit from higher depreciation claims for investment purposes if you later convert the property.

Practical Steps for Queensland First Home Buyers

Get your finances in order first. Use the free Borrowing Capacity and Purchasing Power calculators at HomeLoanTools.com.au to understand your position before you start attending inspections.

Check your eligibility for the FHOG through the Queensland Revenue Office website. If you are buying new, confirm the grant process with your conveyancer and lender.

Get pre-approval. In Queensland's active market, having formal pre-approval means you can move quickly when you find the right property.

Use a licensed conveyancer or solicitor experienced in Queensland property law. The contract of sale process in Queensland has specific requirements and a five-business-day cooling-off period applies for private treaty sales.