12 October 2025

Perth First-Home Buyers: What the New Home Guarantee Scheme Changes Mean for You

From 1 October 2025, the Australian Government rolled out major updates to the Home Guarantee Scheme, aiming to make buying your first home more achievable, particularly in areas where prices have crept beyond previous limits. For buyers in Perth's eastern corridor, suburbs like Maida Vale, Forrestfield, High Wycombe, and Kalamunda, this could be the perfect chance to finally get into the property market.

The Big Changes

Unlimited places available, the guarantee is open to every eligible buyer who qualifies, no waiting lists.
Income caps removed, dual-income families and professionals who previously earned "too much" can now use the scheme.
Higher property price caps, Perth's limit rises from around $600,000 to $850,000 for capital city and regional centre locations.
Simplified regional rules, the separate regional scheme is folded into the main program, making eligibility clearer.

What This Means in Perth's Eastern Suburbs

Rising prices had made it tough to buy in family-friendly suburbs like Maida Vale, Forrestfield, High Wycombe, and Kalamunda under the old $600,000 cap. With the new $850,000 cap, a much larger range of established homes and even some new builds now qualify, more choice near family and established schools, and the ability to buy in leafy, hillside suburbs like Kalamunda.

Why This Matters

Lower deposit hurdle

You can still buy with just a 5% deposit, avoiding Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI), which can save tens of thousands of dollars.

More homes qualify

The higher cap finally reflects real Perth market conditions, particularly in growth areas near the foothills and airport corridor.

No risk of missing out on a spot

Unlimited places mean you won't lose eligibility simply because the scheme allocation has run dry.

Better access for families

Removing income caps means more households in dual-income suburbs like High Wycombe and Kalamunda are now eligible.

How to Prepare

Start saving now, the more you save, the stronger your position with lenders.
Research your target suburbs, Maida Vale, Forrestfield, High Wycombe and Kalamunda under the new $850,000 limit.
Work with a broker early, not every bank participates in the scheme.
Plan your timing, applications need to be lodged after 1 October 2025 to use the higher cap.

Start with our first home buyer guide for WA. If you're building, see construction home loans, and use the stamp duty calculator to see what you would pay.

For Perth buyers, these changes to the Home Guarantee Scheme are a game-changer. If you've been holding off because prices were too high, this may be the perfect time to revisit your buying plans.