First Home Buyer Journey in Melbourne

Melbourne's first-home-buyer landscape in 2026: $10,000 First Home Owner Grant, stamp duty exemption to $600K + concession to $750K, and the Homebuyer Fund shared-equity scheme letting eligible buyers enter with a 5% deposit. Here is what actually applies to you and how the paths stack.

Typical cost

$580K - $850K

house + land for entry-point growth-corridor buyers

Typical timeline

4 - 8 months

from decision to signed contract on a specific package

Find my Melbourne builder Melbourne deposit guide

First home buyer keys handover in Melbourne

What this means in practice

Buyers with a 5-20% deposit

Get matched with the right builder for your build

A 3-minute questionnaire on budget, block type and build style. We shortlist Adelaide partner builders that fit, and hand you a comparison table. No pushy calls, no commitment.

Match me with builders Or speak to a human

Under 3 minutes. 8 quick questions, no email required to see results.
Ranked shortlist. Match score, price band, and where each builder actually builds.
Independent. Editorial layer over paid ranking. Builders can't buy their way to the top.

This journey suits you if

Buyers with a 5-20% deposit
Under Homebuyer Fund income caps
Buying to live in, not rent

What goes wrong most

Section 173 restrictions on facade / roof / driveway
GAIC pass-throughs in growth corridors
Underspec site-cost quotes on reactive clay

How it actually unfolds

The steps that move the needle. We sit beside you on each one.

1
Confirm eligibility for stacking
FHOG + stamp duty exemption + Homebuyer Fund can all combine. Check thresholds on sro.vic.gov.au and homebuyerfund.vic.gov.au.
2
Talk to a construction-loan specialist broker
Not every broker handles VIC construction loans well. Look for VIC + Homebuyer Fund experience.
3
Choose corridor + estate carefully
Wyndham, Casey, Melton, Hume offer different infrastructure + Section 173 rules. See our growth-corridor comparison.
4
Read the Section 173 before signing
Facade, driveway, landscape completion, minimum home value - these bind you long after settlement.
5
Verify site-cost cap
Insist on geotech-based site cost quoted upfront. Reactive clay adds $8k-$25k that generic quotes hide.