cagandchris

Hi

We are hoping to buy a new housecin Brisbane from the UK prior to moving over in April. If we do it this way can we still apply for the First time Homebuyer Grant. We have our PR visa but have not validated it.

Anyone?

Thanks
Carole and Chris

wattle

i could be very wrong but i very much doubt you could get the grant if you arent actually there and your PR isn't valid yet!

cagandchris

lol you have a good point!!!

if we bought the house from over here - could we then move over and apply for the grant?

mlbonner

Dont know is the easy answer - but you should be able to get some answers here FIRB

ABCDiamond

Although you have the PR visa, will it be classed as valid at the time ?

I think you would need to ask the relevant authorities to clarify it, and I doubt they would then allow it.

If you go ahead and claim it, and then they find you were not resident at the time, you repay the grant plus possibly a penalty, which I read somewhere, is equal to the grant figure.

wattle

I dont think you can apply retrospective as the money has to spent on the house ie. as part of renovation or deposit! - thats what ive been told by friends anyway.

How much is the grant in qld? I was told $10k but read somewhere else it was $7k

ABCDiamond

Something I have just noticed on the First home owners website are these conditions:

# To qualify for assistance, neither the applicant nor their spouse (or de facto) must have owned a home prior to 1 July 2000, either jointly, separately or with some other person.
# Neither the applicant nor their spouse (or de facto) must have owned and occupied a home after 1 July 2000.

I was sure this used to say: "owned a home in Australia" ?

ProofReader

Yes, you are eligible provided that you:

(a) have your visa granted (and can provide proof thereof); and
(b) take up residence of the premises within one year of the date of completion of the contract to purchase the property and remain in continuous residence for at least six months.

A "Permanent Resident" is defined as a "holder of an Australian permanent visa".



For further details, the First Home Owner Grant Act (PDF) states as follows:

12 Criterion 2—Applicant to be Australian citizen or permanent resident

(1) Subject to subsection (2), an applicant for a first home owner grant must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.

(2) If an application is made by joint applicants and 1 of the applicants is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident, it is not necessary for the other or others to be Australian citizens or permanent residents.


15 Criterion 5—Residence requirements

(1) An applicant for a first home owner grant must occupy the home to which the application relates as the applicant’s principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months.

(2) However, if the commissioner is satisfied there are good reasons to do so, the commissioner may—
(a) approve a shorter period; or
(b) exempt the applicant from the requirement to comply with subsection (1).

(3) The period of occupation required under subsection (1), or the shorter period approved under subsection (2)(a), must start within 1 year after completion of the eligible transaction or a longer period approved by the commissioner.

(4) The commissioner may exempt an applicant from the residence requirement under subsection (3) if—
(a) the applicant is 1 of 2 or more joint applicants for a first home owner grant; and
(b) at least 1 of the applicants complies with the residence requirement; and
(c) the commissioner is satisfied there are good reasons to exempt the applicant from the residence requirement.


22 Payment in anticipation of compliance with residence requirements

(1) The commissioner may authorise payment of a first home owner grant in anticipation of compliance with the residence requirements if the commissioner is satisfied each applicant intends to comply with the residence requirements.

(2) If a first home owner grant is paid in anticipation of compliance with the residence requirements, the payment is made on condition that, if the residence requirements are not complied with, the applicants must within 14 days after the relevant date—
(a) give written notice of that fact to the commissioner; and
(b) repay the amount of the grant.

(3) For subsection (2), the relevant date is the earlier of the following—
(a) the end of the period allowed for compliance with the residence requirements;
(b) the date on which it first becomes apparent that the residence requirements will not be complied with during the period allowed for compliance.

(4) For a joint application, each applicant is individually liable to comply with the requirements under subsection (2)(a) and (b) but compliance by any 1 or more of them must be regarded as compliance by both or all.

(5) A person must not, without reasonable excuse, fail to comply with a condition mentioned in subsection (2).

The application kit can be found here (PDF).

Jacko1

To apply (and get) First Home grant you must be resident and all parties must have PR VISA's in Australia, also note that if the house is under $300K you will get huge stamp duty relief.
Paper work is simple your settlement agent will sort.
We got $7K FHOG and $6.5K stamp duty relief.
Also you must stay in the house for 12 Months, or its pay back I'm afraid to say.
Finally, obviously, the house must be the first house that you or partner have owned in Australia.

Good Luck

Paul J

ProofReader

To answer a couple of other questions here:

The First Home Owner Grant is an Australian Government grant which is administered by the individual states and territories (so each state/territory should have a section in their website about it. In Queensland it is administered by the Office of State Revenue).

The basic amount of the grant is $7,000. There may be a further $3,000 available to eligible applicants.

The grant may be available to anyone who is a natural person (not a company or trust) and has not previously owned residential property anywhere in Australia.

shecha

Hi Paul,

I didn't know you could get stamp duty relief on houses under $300!!! We are looking at buy a house around $280 once we've settled in Brisbane, so that's very good news to us!!!

Do you know where I can look up more info about this stamp duty relief???

Cheers

Shell

Shell

ProofReader

Queensland Office of State Revenue for general information, or transfer duty calculator to calculate stamp duty on a purchase contract.

Having over nearly 20 years experience in this field, I can probably help with any specifics if you want to PM me.