The $20,000 figure everywhere online is out of date
Search “first home owner grant Victoria” and you’ll still find blogs quoting $20,000 for regional buyers. That number was real once. It isn’t anymore.
The $20,000 Regional First Home Owner Grant was a temporary construction stimulus. It expired on 30 June 2021 and was never brought back. If you’re budgeting on the strength of a $20,000 figure for a Geelong or Surf Coast purchase, that’s a $10,000 hole in your numbers before you’ve even gone to a lender.
What the FHOG actually pays in 2026
The First Home Owner Grant in Victoria is a flat $10,000, tax-free, one-off payment. It’s the same whether you’re buying in metro Melbourne, Geelong, or anywhere else in the state — there’s no separate regional rate.
• Property must be a new home — never lived in, never previously sold as a residence
• Purchase price capped at $750,000, including land if you’re building
• Off-the-plan purchases and substantially renovated homes can qualify as “new”
• You (and your spouse or partner) must not have previously owned and lived in a residential property in Australia
• You must live in the home as your principal residence for a continuous 12 months, starting within 12 months of settlement
Why this correction matters more than the number itself
Losing $10,000 off your expected grant is one thing. The bigger risk is planning a purchase around outdated figures and finding out at settlement — not before.
This is also where a broker earns their keep. Grant and scheme rules shift most Budgets, and half the finance content ranking on Google hasn’t been updated since. If you’re reading a figure anywhere — including here — check it’s dated 2026 and sourced to the State Revenue Office.
What this means for your deposit strategy
A flat $10,000 FHOG changes the maths on how much you actually need saved. Pair it with the stamp duty exemption below $600,000 and the 5% Deposit Scheme, and there’s still a genuine path to owning sooner than most people assume — it’s just not the path the old $20,000 figure implied.
Not sure which grants you actually qualify for once the FHOG, stamp duty concession, and 5% Deposit Scheme are all on the table together? Book a 15-minute chat and I’ll map it out against your actual numbers.