See the property price cap that applies to Help to Buy and the First Home Guarantee in your state and region, with metro and regional caps shown side by side for all eight Australian states and territories. Checking these limits before searching helps narrow your property hunt to purchases that may be eligible for these schemes.
What is a property price cap?
Each government scheme sets a maximum purchase price - properties above this cap are ineligible. The cap varies by state and by whether you're buying in a capital city (metro) or outside one (regional). These caps exist to focus support on properties affordable to first home buyers.
Why is the Help to Buy cap lower than the 5% Deposit Scheme cap?
Help to Buy involves the government taking an equity share in your home - up to 40% for a new property and 30% for an existing one - so it's targeted at lower price points. The 5% Deposit Scheme (First Home Guarantee) only waives LMI; no equity share is involved, so the caps are higher.
Can I use both schemes together?
No. Help to Buy, the First Home Guarantee, and QLD Boost to Buy are mutually exclusive - you can only use one federal scheme per purchase. State grants like the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) and stamp duty concessions can still apply on top of your chosen scheme.
What does 'metro' vs 'regional' mean for these caps?
Metro covers capital cities and some designated regional centres - for example, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Illawarra (NSW), Geelong (VIC), Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast (QLD) sit in the metro tier despite being outside capital-city boundaries. Regional covers all other areas. If you're unsure which tier your suburb falls into, check the Housing Australia eligibility tool.
Does the 5% Deposit Scheme have an income limit?
No. Income caps on the First Home Guarantee were removed from 1 October 2025. Places are unlimited. Help to Buy retains income caps: $100,000 for singles and $160,000 for couples.
What happens if my state is listed as 'Not yet available'?
Help to Buy requires state and territory legislation to operate. As of 9 June 2026 every state and territory has enacted it, including Tasmania, so Help to Buy is now available nationwide. The 5% Deposit Scheme (First Home Guarantee) also remains available everywhere.