Your First Home
Conveyancing for First Home Buyers
Buying your first home in Victoria? We review the contract free in 24 hours, confirm which grants and concessions you qualify for, and handle every legal step through to the keys.
Get a Free Contract Review Call (03) 9500 0299First Home Buyer? Don’t Sign Anything Until We’ve Read It
The First Home Owner Grant, the stamp duty exemption, the off-the-plan concession, the 5% Deposit Scheme, Help to Buy. There is real money on the table for first home buyers in Victoria, but every concession has its own rules, and one wrong clause in a contract can knock you out of eligibility.
Conveyancing Professionals has guided hundreds of Victorian first home buyers through settlement over the past 20 years, across more than 4,000 transactions. We review the contract before you sign, confirm which concessions apply to your specific purchase, and manage the legal process through to the day you collect the keys.
Found a property and not sure if it qualifies for the stamp duty exemption, or whether the contract terms protect you? Send us the Section 32 and Contract of Sale and we’ll return a written review within 24 hours, free of charge.
What We Handle for First Home Buyers
Free Contract Review
We read the Section 32 and Contract of Sale before you sign, flagging anything that could affect your concessions, your finance, or your settlement.
Stamp Duty Exemption Check
Properties up to $600,000 attract a full exemption. $600,001 to $750,000 receives a tapered concession. Above $750,000 there is a cliff and you pay full duty. Our stamp duty calculator shows which band your price lands in. We confirm which band applies and lodge the paperwork.
First Home Owner Grant
If you are buying or building a brand-new home up to $750,000, you may qualify for the $10,000 First Home Owner Grant. We assess eligibility and lodge the application as part of your conveyancing.
Off-the-Plan Concession
Buying off-the-plan? Stamp duty is calculated on the land value plus construction completed at contract date, which can save tens of thousands. The temporary concession applies to contracts signed before 20 October 2026.
Auction & Private Sale Support
Auction contracts are binding from the fall of the hammer with no cooling-off. Private sales include a 3-business-day cooling-off period. We make sure you know exactly what you are committing to before bid day or signing day.
Settlement Coordination
We work with the seller’s conveyancer, your lender, and the State Revenue Office through PEXA so funds clear and the title transfers on the date in your contract. You collect the keys.
Get your entire conveyancing fee back via rebate.
If you’re borrowing over $450,000 and settle your home loan through one of our lending partners, you get our full professional fee back after settlement.
What Concessions and Grants Are You Eligible For?
Victorian first home buyers can stack several concessions if the property and your circumstances qualify. The rules change regularly, and 2026 brings the new Mandatory Contract Edition (effective 1 June 2026) which adds the AML/CTF Warning 13 disclosure on every contract. Reviewing eligibility against the actual contract is the only way to be sure.
The main pathways for first home buyers in Victoria right now:
- Stamp duty exemption on properties up to $600,000, tapered concession to $750,000, hard cliff above
- First Home Owner Grant of $10,000 on brand-new builds up to $750,000 (SRO eligibility detail)
- 5% Deposit Scheme through the federal Home Guarantee Scheme, with price caps of $950,000 in Melbourne and Geelong and $650,000 elsewhere in Victoria
- Help to Buy shared-equity scheme, with the government taking up to 40% equity in exchange for a smaller deposit and no LMI
- First Home Super Saver Scheme, voluntary super contributions up to $50,000 lifetime, withdrawn for your deposit
- Off-the-plan stamp duty concession, duty calculated on land value plus construction completed at contract date, for contracts signed before 20 October 2026
Every concession has its own price caps, property types, and eligibility tests. Send us the contract and we’ll tell you exactly which ones apply to your purchase.
Your First Home Purchase, Step by Step
1
Free contract review
Once you find a property, send us the Section 32 and Contract of Sale before you sign. We return a written report within 24 hours, flagging anything that needs negotiation, confirming the property qualifies for your concessions, and walking through which grants and exemptions apply to your purchase.
2
Sign the contract
When you are comfortable, sign the contract and pay the deposit. Private sales come with a 3-business-day cooling-off period. Auction purchases are binding from the fall of the hammer. We confirm your deposit is held correctly and walk you through any Section 27 deposit release request from the seller.
3
Finance, grants and conditions
We coordinate with your lender, lodge your First Home Owner Grant application if eligible, calculate stamp duty with all concessions applied, and monitor any conditions in the contract (finance approval, building inspection, pest inspection) so everything is satisfied within the agreed timeframes.
4
Pre-settlement inspection
In the week before settlement, we arrange your final inspection so you can confirm the property is in the agreed condition and all chattels are present before funds change hands.
5
Settlement day
We coordinate with the seller’s conveyancer, your bank, and the State Revenue Office through PEXA. Funds clear, the title transfers, stamp duty is paid (with your concession applied), and the property is officially yours. You collect the keys.
Found a property? Send us the contract before you sign.
Call us on (03) 9500 0299 or send us the Section 32 below. Free 24-hour review, no obligation.
Why First Home Buyers Choose Us
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Common Questions From First Home Buyers
Do I pay stamp duty as a first home buyer in Victoria?
Properties up to $600,000 receive a full stamp duty exemption. Between $600,001 and $750,000 you receive a tapered concession. Above $750,000 there is a hard cliff and the full rate applies. The property must be your principal place of residence and you must move in within 12 months for at least 12 continuous months. Our Victorian stamp duty calculator works out the exact figure for your price.
What is the First Home Owner Grant and am I eligible?
The First Home Owner Grant in Victoria is a $10,000 payment for first home buyers building or buying a brand-new home up to $750,000. Established homes do not qualify. You and your partner must not have previously owned residential property in Australia, and you must occupy the home as your principal place of residence within 12 months of settlement for at least 12 months.
How does the 5% Deposit Scheme work?
The federal Home Guarantee Scheme lets eligible first home buyers purchase with as little as a 5% deposit, with the government guaranteeing the difference so you avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance. In Victoria the price caps are $950,000 for Melbourne and Geelong and $650,000 for the rest of the state. Income caps apply.
What is Help to Buy?
Help to Buy is a federal shared-equity scheme. The government takes up to 40% equity in your home in exchange for you contributing a smaller deposit, with no LMI. You repay the equity as you can, and the government’s share rises and falls with the property’s value. Eligibility tests include income caps and price caps.
Should I use the First Home Super Saver Scheme?
The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets you make voluntary contributions to your super (up to $15,000 per year, $50,000 lifetime), then withdraw them for your home deposit at a typically lower tax rate. It is worth running the numbers with your accountant or financial adviser before committing.
What is the off-the-plan stamp duty concession?
For contracts signed before 20 October 2026, stamp duty on off-the-plan purchases is calculated on the land value plus construction completed at contract date, instead of the full purchase price. On a typical apartment that can save tens of thousands. The 2026 cut-off is firm, so timing matters.
Should I get a building and pest inspection?
For a private sale, yes, we strongly recommend it and can include it as a condition in the contract so you have an exit if it reveals problems. For auction purchases, organise the inspection before bid day. Auction contracts cannot be made subject to inspection results.
What does conveyancing cost for a first home buyer in Victoria?
Conveyancing fees typically range from $800 to $1,800 plus disbursements (title searches, council and water certificates, PEXA settlement fees, registration). We provide a fixed-fee quote upfront so there are no surprises. Stamp duty and the SRO registration fee are separate. Call us for a same-day quote.
Ready to Buy Your First Home? Let’s Review Your Contract First
Call us on (03) 9500 0299 or fill in the form below. We’ll come back to you the same day with a fixed-fee quote and your contract review timeline.
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