First Home Loan Deposit Scheme: High demand expected for round two

If you missed out the first time, the second round of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme will kick off on 1 July with a further 10,000 spots up for grabs, but you'd better make sure you get your application in quickly.

Despite the economic uncertainty of the impact of COVID-19 on the property market, applications for the second round of the scheme are expected to be keenly sought.

The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme (FHLDS) is a government initiative designed to help eligible first home buyers secure their first home with a deposit as low as 5% by guaranteeing up to 15% of the value of the home, thus avoiding costly Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Buying a home or looking to refinance? The table below features home loans with some of the lowest interest rates on the market for owner occupiers.

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Lender	Home Loan	Interest Rate	Comparison Rate*	Monthly Repayment	Repayment type	Rate Type	Offset	Redraw	Ongoing Fees	Upfront Fees	Max LVR	Lump Sum Repayment	Extra Repayments	Split Loan Option	Tags	Features	Link	Compare	Promoted Product	Disclosure
loans.com.au	loans.com.au Bare Home Loan (Basic OO P&I <90%)	5.94% p.a.	5.98% p.a.	$2,978	Principal & Interest	Variable			$0	$530	90%				Owner Occupier Variable Principal & Interest 10% Min Deposit Redraw Extra Repayments More details	Available for purchase or refinance, min 10% deposit needed to qualify. No application, ongoing monthly or annual fees. Dedicated loan specialist throughout the loan application.	Go to site	Compare	Promoted	Disclosure
Unloan	Unloan Variable Rate Home Loan LVR < 80%	5.89% p.a.	5.80% p.a.	$2,962	Principal & Interest	Variable			$0	$0	80%				Built and funded by CommBank Owner Occupier Variable Principal & Interest 20% Min Deposit Redraw More details	No application or ongoing fees. Annual rate discount Unlimited redraws & additional repayments. LVR <80% A low-rate variable home loan from a 100% online lender. Backed by the Commonwealth Bank.	Go to site	Compare	Promoted	Disclosure
Regional Australia Bank	Regional Australia Bank Home Loan Fixed (Owner Occupier, Principal and Interest, max lvr 60%) (3 years)	5.99% p.a.	6.02% p.a.	$2,995	Principal & Interest	Fixed			$0	$0	60%				Owner Occupier Fixed 3 Years Principal & Interest 40% Min Deposit Redraw More details	Competitive rates to help you save A Dedicated Relationship Manager Certainty of repayments with a fixed rate term	Go to site	Compare	Promoted	Disclosure
Homestar	Homestar Star Nova LVR <70% (Owner Occupied, Principal and Interest)	5.93% p.a.	5.93% p.a.	$2,975	Principal & Interest	Variable			$0	$395	70%				Owner Occupier Variable Principal & Interest 30% Min Deposit Redraw More details		Go to site	Compare		Disclosure
Reduce Home Loans	Reduce Home Loans EconoME Home Loan (Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR 60%)	5.99% p.a.	6.01% p.a.	$2,995	Principal & Interest	Variable			$0	$150	60%				$3000 Cashback T&Cs apply Owner Occupier Variable Principal & Interest 40% Min Deposit Redraw More details		Go to site	Compare		Disclosure

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The scheme's first 10,000 places, released on 1 January 2020, showed strong demand for the program particularly among first home buyers under the age of 30.

One of those buyers was 26-year-old Blaise Menzies-White who bought his first property in Victoria after securing a spot in the scheme through Bendigo Bank.

“That’s what made it possible for me to buy my first home - it was the difference between buying right now and waiting another couple of years to save the $20,000-$30,000 extra I would have needed to make the minimum deposit," he said.

Mr Menzies-White said the COVID-19 pandemic only strengthened his decision to purchase a bigger home. 

“COVID-19 has been really stressful for so many people. I think people are going to want more space in everything, when they eat out, go out and perhaps also in how they live. Shoebox style apartments in cities may not be as popular that they once were for the fear of germs and catching disease.

“I’m very lucky that I have a property with a lot of space, that I was able to purchase before COVID-19, that I am still employed, and that my friends live with me to help pay the mortgage.”

According to the latest figures from the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) (the entity administering the scheme) 5,500 guarantees have been issued, with another 4,500 having reserved a guarantee and in the process of finding their first home.

With the second round of the scheme kicking off on 1 July, here are a few things buyers need to know before applying for the scheme. 

Can you apply for the scheme if you haven't lodged your tax return?

If you want to apply for the scheme, you'll need to provide a Notice of Assessment from the Australian Taxation Office for the 2019-20 financial year.

This means you'll need to lodge your tax return ASAP if you want to apply for the scheme when it kicks off on 1 July.

Can you use the scheme in conjunction with the HomeBuilder grant?

Yes. The $25k HomeBuilder scheme can be used in conjunction with existing state and territory First Home Owner Grant programs, stamp duty concessions and other grant schemes, as well as the Commonwealth’s First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and First Home Super Saver Scheme.

Essentially this means you could use the FHLDS to buy your first home, then take advantage of the $25k HomeBuilder grant to renovate it into your dream property.